Jane Austen s Death On The Nile Essay - 1267 Words

Society throughout time has held particular values close to their hearts, which people are expected to respect at all times, though many do not necessarily agree with them. Death on the Nile, written by Agatha Christie in 1937, is about many upper-middle and upper class families enjoying a cruise until a murder occurred, and the story revolves around the murder case being solved alongside the different family values and perspectives around the case. Pride and Prejudice, written by Jane Austen in 1813, tells the story of Elizabeth Bennet, and her relationships between her family and families beyond her class and the issues that arise between the different class statuses. Agatha Christie and Jane Austen have similar perspectives on the values that the upper class hold dear, such as gender roles, importance of social status and reasons for marriage. Agatha Christie and Jane Austen both reveal the expectations for women in their novels in terms of behaviour and knowledge. Christie shows through her male characters what the male-dominant society expects of women. Simon Doyle is a character who demonstrates the typical ‘man’ in society, and views women in a way where they must follow certain rules and behave in a sane, collected manner, for [t]here s no reason why women shouldn t behave like rational beings, (Christie 77). Simon essentially summarizes the expectations placed on women. Women must always be rational, always keep up a good appearance, while men are excused for