If you are delighted by the romantic drama of regency England and the witty tongue of a female protagonist, then books like Pride and Prejudice are likely your cup of tea. But if you sprinkle in a little mystery and a critique of race relations in 19th-century England, you’ve got The Woman of Colour.
Written by an unknown author, The Woman of Colour follows the story of Olivia Fairfield, a biracial woman traveling from Jamaica to England, where she meets a secretive man she is meant to marry according to her father’s will. Here’s why these two books are similar and why you might enjoy this lesser-known novel.
Plot and Parallels
Class, gender, and marriage are hot topics in books like Pride and Prejudice. The amusing personalities of the Bennet family push the narrative forward. In particular, Mrs. Bennet compels her daughters into marriage. To her giddiest desire, The Bennet’s eldest daughter, Jane, forms an attachment to Charles Bingley, a new and wealthy man in town. However, the second eldest daughter, Elizabeth, does not conform to the society’s and her mother’s marriage-driven wishes.
Similarly, the driving force of The Woman of Colour comes from our main character’s need to marry. Olivia’s father was a slaveowner, and her mother was an enslaved person who died around Olivia’s birth. In order to receive her inheritance from her recently deceased father, Olivia must marry Augustus Merten, her cousin (unfortunately) in England. If he does not marry her, the inheritance will pass to George Merten, Augustus’ older brother, and Olivia would become his dependent ward. Like Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice, Olivia is troubled by her romantic future. The opening pages detail her anxiety and heartache concerning the situation. Unlike Elizabeth, there is no guide or example for her to follow.
Storytelling Form – Narrative
Books like Pride and Prejudice often revolve around love and marriage being at the forefront of life for all the characters in the novel. Readers enter an established world where the ways of life are not unrecognized. The characters are familiar with the customs and know what is expected of them. In Pride and Prejudice, specifically, the third-person narrator conveys this idea and its commonality within the story—albeit with some fun-loving snark. The novel is a conventional romance. It invites readers into its world with the iconic first line: “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.” The set-up is seamless: men and women must get married.
Readers are not introduced to an ordinary world in The Woman of Colour. We take a journey to a strange new place with Olivia Fairfield. She knows of no “universally acknowledged” truth, so the reader gets to learn with her. Though this framing differs from Pride and Prejudice, here’s why you’d like to read The Woman of Colour anyway.
Storytelling Form – Letters
Olivia tells her own story through a series of letters. Most are addressed to her former governess, Mrs. Milbanke. There is an immediate sense of closeness to Olivia through the epistolary format. It feels more personal, as though she is writing to us, or we rummaged through the mail and acquired the letters before they reached their intended reader. These are the main character’s private thoughts. It places a spotlight on a character from a background virtually ignored during this time. Her letters feel more authentic and less filtered than usual third-person writing.
Interestingly, Pride and Prejudice was initially set to be an epistolary novel, just like The Woman of Colour. Indeed, letters also play an important role in Pride and Prejudice. From Mr. Collins butting into family affairs to Mr. Darcy explaining his behavior, these letters reveal character traits and further the dramatics of the plot.
The Clever Female Lead in Books Like Pride and Prejudice
Both Lizzy and Olivia are intelligent and witty protagonists. They are independent and stand their ground. Their personalities and looks are nitpicked by other characters, particularly women. Olivia has a particular combination of anxiety and confidence that she carries throughout the book, whereas Lizzy seems quite self-assured. But their charm shines through to even the most reserved characters.
Embodying the “prejudice” part of the title, Lizzy Bennet is determined not to like Mr. Darcy despite herself. However, Olivia has a more complicated dynamic with her love interest. Initially, there is the prospect of either party falling in love, the issue of the inheritance, and whether a happy ending is even possible. Then, believe it or not, it gets even crazier when more and more secrets are revealed. (Don’t get too comfortable when you reach the first twist!)
The Standoffish Male Lead in Books Like Pride and Prejudice
While reading Augustus Mertens’ first moments in The Woman of Colour, I immediately thought, “Oh my goodness, he’s Mr. Darcy.” They are each wealthy and handsome men. Their cold, shy, and aloof demeanors are questionable in the beginning, but readers see both characters in a new light by the end. Let’s just say Augustus has some baggage...
A Note on Nuance
It is unknown if the author of The Woman of Colour was, in fact, a woman of color. There is care and dignity in the depiction of Olivia’s character. She is complete, at the forefront of the story, and her disgust with slavery is established at the start. However, the story does not shy away from the racism she faces in the white upper-class community she travels to in England.
Specific characters are extremely hateful toward Olivia. Namely, the horrible Mrs. Merten, George Merten’s wife, who Olivia would become the dependent ward of if she does not marry Augustus. Some see her as “exotic” and feel a certain kinship with her. Cultural appropriation and the colonialism of Imperial England are explored through a side set of characters, the Ingots.
Another character, Dido, reveals the sort of privilege Olivia has. Dido accompanies Olivia to England. She is a formerly enslaved person and acts as Olivia’s servant. As her lone support, Dido is protective of Olivia. Her presence in the novel reveals their distinct levels of status. Both are discriminated against, but it is much more prevalent for Dido. She provides a nuanced perspective of race during the period.
Overall, The Woman of Colour adds a layer of themes that were underrepresented in 19th-century literature. This story explores the intersection of racism and sexism with all the romance and drama of books like Pride and Prejudice. The twists will have your jaw dropping and your brain swirling to figure out if what you read really just happened. At least, that’s what happened to me.
About the Author
Jenna Welty is an intern. As a senior English major at Mount Mercy University, she is often reading classics and writing fiction. In her free time, which is limited because of her hefty involvement in campus clubs, Jenna adores sewing, organizing her Pinterest boards, and shopping for fun clothes.
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