“Look to her for directions”: The Woman’s Role in Persuasion and Tess of the d’Urbervilles
While Anne and Tess may wish to pursue one course of action, they are influenced by those around them to do what is best for others; the women do not make decisions with their own personal interests in mind. Both Austen and Hardy’s novels demonstrate that a woman’s role in society is to improve the lives of those around her, regardless of what she would like to do.