Quote by Jane Austen
““The worst of Bath was the number of its plain women. ... He had frequently observed, as he walked, that one handsome face would be followed by thirty, or five-and-thirty frights.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Pride and Prejudice, 1813
A satirical comment on the abundance of ordinary women in Bath, implying a lack of distinction among them.
In simple terms: Bath seemed full of unremarkable women.
Key Takeaway
Notice and appreciate genuine individuality.
Themes
society
gender
class
satire
Mood
wry
observational
Type
literary
satirical
When to use this quote
- social gatherings
- dating scenes
- historical tours
- literary analysis
Key Concepts
social observation
humor
character assessment
Questions to Reflect On
- How does social setting shape perception of individuals?
- What criteria define “plain” versus “handsome”?
A Different Perspective
The comment reflects period bias and may overlook women's agency.
![“Everybody is taken in at some period or another. [...] In marriage especially. [...] There is not one in a hundred of either sex, who is not taken in when they marry. Look where I will, I see that it is so; and I feel that it must be so, when I consider that it is, of all transactions, the one in…” quote by Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/37a/jane-austen-39_marriage_everybody-is-taken-in-at-some-period-or_7175.jpg)
