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{{Short description|Bachelor considered to be a desirable husband}}
{{use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}

[[Image:PrideandPrejudiceCH3.jpg|right|thumb|200px|[[Jane Austen]]'s novels often contain an eligible bachelor, such as [[Fitzwilliam Darcy]].]]
[[Image:PrideandPrejudiceCH3.jpg|right|thumb|200px|[[Jane Austen]]'s novels often contain an eligible bachelor, such as [[Fitzwilliam Darcy]].]]
An '''eligible bachelor''' is a [[bachelor]] considered to be a particularly desirable potential [[husband]], usually due to [[wealth]], [[social status]] or other specific personal qualities. Notably, George Wales is considered an eligible bachelor.
An '''eligible bachelor''' is a [[bachelor]] considered to be a particularly desirable potential [[husband]], usually due to [[wealth]], [[social status]] or other specific personal qualities.
In the [[United Kingdom]], the [[heir]] to the throne or someone close in succession is often considered to be the nation's, or the world's most eligible bachelor, due to their social status, as has happened with [[Charles, Prince of Wales|Prince Charles]]<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=kOE08Va3p4gC&oi=fnd&pg=PA7&dq=%22eligible+bachelor%22&ots=4BGzodI1Po&sig=boa0z0E0F2dGR7XH5nVn_WlsqNY#PPA23,M1] Diana Style
In the [[United Kingdom]], the [[heir]] to the throne or someone close in succession is often considered to be the nation's, or the world's most eligible bachelor, due to their social status, as has happened with [[Charles, Prince of Wales|Prince Charles]]<ref>{{Cite book |last=McDowell |first=Colin |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kOE08Va3p4gC&dq=%22eligible+bachelor%22&pg=PA23 |title=Diana Style |date=August 21, 2007 |publisher=Macmillan |isbn=9780312375379}}</ref> and [[Prince William, Duke of Cambridge|Prince William]].
By Colin McDowell</ref> and [[Prince William, Duke of Cambridge|Prince William]].


[[Jane Austen]]'s novels are often concerned with the heroine's relationship with an eligible bachelor. Jane Austen's ''[[Emma (novel)|Emma]]'' particularly concerns a woman's attempt to obtain a husband for her friend by embellishing the truth. The gentleman in that case sees it as an example of the [[matchmaking|matchmaker]]'s [[creativity]] and [[Falling in love|falls in love]] with her.<ref>{{cite journal |title= Postmodernist Portraits|author=Wendy Steiner |date=1987|journal=Art Journal|volume=46|issue=3 |jstor=777029|pp=173–177}}</ref>
[[Jane Austen]]'s novels are often concerned with the heroine's relationship with an eligible bachelor. Jane Austen's ''[[Emma (novel)|Emma]]'' particularly concerns a woman's attempt to obtain a husband for her friend by embellishing the truth. The gentleman in that case sees it as an example of the [[matchmaking|matchmaker]]'s [[creativity]] and [[Falling in love|falls in love]] with her.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Steiner |first=Wendy |date=1987 |title=Postmodernist Portraits |journal=Art Journal |volume=46 |issue=3 |pages=173–177 |doi=10.2307/777029 |jstor=777029}}</ref>


==Homosexuals as ''apparent'' eligible bachelors==
==Homosexuals as ''apparent'' eligible bachelors==
During the 1950s and 1960s, [[Rock Hudson]] was hailed as an eligible bachelor.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=h4hxUfPouKAC&oi=fnd&pg=PR13&dq=%22eligible+bachelor%22+gay&ots=FSTGON16m_&sig=xkPtDS0sXMTpCMtUd3o-Yd9wIAg#PPR21,M1] Gay and Lesbian Professionals in the Closet</ref> In the past, if a man chose to remain an eligible bachelor for long he may have been suspected of being [[homosexual]],<ref>Kathleen Mary Nokes [https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=7gPng0b8eJ4C&oi=fnd&pg=PA95&dq=%22eligible+bachelor%22&ots=DaqNYz3rQz&sig=kp2CxZlJON1SF5DbNr_PzhUTMSg] hiv/aids and the older adult</ref>. The term 'confirmed bachelor' has fallen from common usage, as past life patterns involving marriage, divorce and prolonged bachelorhood have been altered for men since the advent of the [[sexual revolution]].
During the 1950s and 1960s, [[Rock Hudson]] was hailed as an eligible bachelor.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=h4hxUfPouKAC&dq=%22eligible+bachelor%22+gay&pg=PR21 |title=Gay and Lesbian Professionals in the Closet: Who's In, Who's Out, and why |isbn=9780789003317 |last1=Decrescenzo |first1=Teresa |date=1997 |publisher=Psychology Press }}</ref> In the past, if a man chose to remain an eligible bachelor for long, he may have been suspected of being [[homosexual]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Nokes |first=Kathleen Mary |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7gPng0b8eJ4C&dq=%22eligible+bachelor%22&pg=PA95 |title=HIV/AIDS and the Older Adult |date=1996 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |isbn=9781560324294}}</ref> The euphemism "[[confirmed bachelor]]" has fallen from common usage, as past life patterns involving marriage, divorce, and prolonged bachelorhood have been altered for men since the advent of the [[sexual revolution]].


==Sociology==
==Sociology==
[[Robin Lakoff]] argues that the term indicates an inequality between men and women, as an "eligible bachelor" chooses to be a bachelor, whereas an "eligible spinster" does not have a choice. Lakoff believes this use of language fosters, and grows from, [[sexual discrimination]].<ref>[https://www.jsri.ro/new/?download=jsri_14_articol_09_iulia_grad.pdf]{{dead link|date=December 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Words and Women. An eligible bachelor vs. an eligible spinster</ref> Lakoff states "women are given their identity in our society by virtue of their relationship with men, and not vice versa."<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=bVG5XCa1DkkC&oi=fnd&pg=PA203&dq=%22eligible+bachelor%22&ots=3jyxfzmYbb&sig=3lMEBFWRJljGgetJV2vPpsmidQw#PPA207,M1] Sociolinguistics,By Christina Bratt Paulston, G. Richard Tucker</ref> Another set of criteria that purports to determine a man's desirability to women is the ''666 dating rule'' or ''rule of sixes'', which are a set of minimum male qualities centred around the number six, namely a six feet height, a six-hundred horsepower car, six-pack abs, a six-inch penis, six years of higher education (university degree), being at least 6 out of 10 in terms of aesthetic looks, six months since last relationship, a 6,000 square feet house or a six-figure salary, which are sometimes viewed as shallow.<ref>Hansen, David J., Jeanette Smith Christopher, and Douglas W. Nangle. "Adolescent heterosocial interactions and dating." Handbook of social development. Springer US, 1992. 371-394</ref>
[[Robin Lakoff]] argues that the term indicates an inequality between men and women, as an "eligible bachelor" chooses to be a bachelor, whereas an "eligible spinster" does not have a choice. Lakoff believes this use of language fosters, and grows from, [[sexual discrimination]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Grad |first=Julia |date=Summer 2006 |title=Words and Women. An eligible bachelor vs. an eligible spinster |url=https://www.jsri.ro/new/?download=jsri_14_articol_09_iulia_grad.pdf |journal=JSRI |volume=14 |pages=95–101 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201031655/https://www.jsri.ro/new/?download=jsri_14_articol_09_iulia_grad.pdf |archive-date=2017-12-01}}</ref> Lakoff states "women are given their identity in our society by virtue of their relationship with men, and not vice versa."<ref>{{Cite book |editor-last1=Paulston |editor-first1=Christina Bratt |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/sociolinguistics0000unse_c1n0/page/206/mode/2up |page=207 |title=Sociolinguistics:The Essential Readings |editor-last2=Tucker |editor-first2=G. Richard |date=February 14, 2003 |publisher=Wiley |isbn=9780631227175 |last=Lakoff |first=Robin |chapter=Selections from ''Language and the Woman's Place''}}</ref>


==See also==
==See also==

Latest revision as of 23:45, 28 August 2024

Jane Austen's novels often contain an eligible bachelor, such as Fitzwilliam Darcy.

An eligible bachelor is a bachelor considered to be a particularly desirable potential husband, usually due to wealth, social status or other specific personal qualities.

In the United Kingdom, the heir to the throne or someone close in succession is often considered to be the nation's, or the world's most eligible bachelor, due to their social status, as has happened with Prince Charles[1] and Prince William.

Jane Austen's novels are often concerned with the heroine's relationship with an eligible bachelor. Jane Austen's Emma particularly concerns a woman's attempt to obtain a husband for her friend by embellishing the truth. The gentleman in that case sees it as an example of the matchmaker's creativity and falls in love with her.[2]

Homosexuals as apparent eligible bachelors

[edit]

During the 1950s and 1960s, Rock Hudson was hailed as an eligible bachelor.[3] In the past, if a man chose to remain an eligible bachelor for long, he may have been suspected of being homosexual.[4] The euphemism "confirmed bachelor" has fallen from common usage, as past life patterns involving marriage, divorce, and prolonged bachelorhood have been altered for men since the advent of the sexual revolution.

Sociology

[edit]

Robin Lakoff argues that the term indicates an inequality between men and women, as an "eligible bachelor" chooses to be a bachelor, whereas an "eligible spinster" does not have a choice. Lakoff believes this use of language fosters, and grows from, sexual discrimination.[5] Lakoff states "women are given their identity in our society by virtue of their relationship with men, and not vice versa."[6]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ McDowell, Colin (August 21, 2007). Diana Style. Macmillan. ISBN 9780312375379.
  2. ^ Steiner, Wendy (1987). "Postmodernist Portraits". Art Journal. 46 (3): 173–177. doi:10.2307/777029. JSTOR 777029.
  3. ^ Decrescenzo, Teresa (1997). Gay and Lesbian Professionals in the Closet: Who's In, Who's Out, and why. Psychology Press. ISBN 9780789003317.
  4. ^ Nokes, Kathleen Mary (1996). HIV/AIDS and the Older Adult. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 9781560324294.
  5. ^ Grad, Julia (Summer 2006). "Words and Women. An eligible bachelor vs. an eligible spinster" (PDF). JSRI. 14: 95–101. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 1, 2017.
  6. ^ Lakoff, Robin (February 14, 2003). "Selections from Language and the Woman's Place". In Paulston, Christina Bratt; Tucker, G. Richard (eds.). Sociolinguistics:The Essential Readings. Wiley. p. 207. ISBN 9780631227175.