KURS ISHI

INTRODUCTION According to the State Statistics Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the number of women participating in higher education increased by 2.3 times between 2017 and 2022, reaching 608,100 by the end of 2022 [1]. Concurrently, the global market for feminist literature and related academic publications has witnessed substantial expansion, with the overall market for gender studies books projected to reach $1.5 billion by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 6.8% from 2023 [2]. The contemporary relevance of scrutinizing feministic ideas in canonical literature like Jane Austen’s *Pride and Prejudice* stems from the persistent societal challenges related to gender equality and women's agency, even in an era of progressive policy and increased female participation in public life. Despite significant advancements, issues such as gender pay gaps, underrepresentation in leadership positions, and persistent subtle biases in professional and personal spheres continue to plague societies globally and within Uzbekistan [3]. For instance, while women constitute 49% of the workforce in Uzbekistan, their representation in senior management roles remains at approximately 28% [4], indicating a continuing struggle for full parity. By examining the proto-feminist undercurrents in Austen's work, we gain invaluable insights into the historical roots of these struggles, understanding how challenges faced by women in the 19th century—such as limited economic independence, societal pressure to marry, and the constrained avenues for self-expression—resonate with modern discussions on female autonomy, gender roles, and the patriarchal structures that still subtly influence contemporary life. International scholarly engagement with feminist themes in classic literature, particularly in Austen's oeuvre, has been extensive and highly influential. Julia Prewitt Brown (2009) famously demonstrated how Austen subtly critiques patriarchal institutions through her heroines’ struggles for intellectual and economic independence, arguing that characters like Elizabeth Bennet embody a nascent form of female agency within constraining social norms [5]. Sandra Gilbert and Susan Gubar (1979), in their seminal work *The Madwoman in the Attic*, explored the ways 19th-century female authors, including Austen, encoded their critiques of patriarchal society within their narratives, revealing the ...