Honourable Conduct

Honourable Toils and Just Rewards

In Jane Austen's novels, her characters get their "just rewards", which correspond not with their accomplishments, but more directly their moral conduct. A woman's behaviour was defined by certain values, and though Austen does criticize women's education and its limits, she does emphasize the role that morality plays in a woman's overall education.

Characters that flout moral etiquette are often punished, such as Maria Rushworth and the Crawfords in Mansfield Park; and Lydia Bennet and George Wickham in Pride and Prejudice. 

In effect, Austen's commentary on women's education suggests a cautious rebellion against women's oppression while realizing the prudence of abiding by certain major conventions. Strength of moral character, such as that of Anne Elliot, Fanny Price and Jane Bennet, for instance, are rewarded in Austen's didactic system.