Eligible bachelor

Eligible bachelor

An eligible bachelor is a bachelor considered to be a particularly desirable potential husband, usually due to wealth, or social status. Robin Lakoff explains 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. This use of language fosters, and grows from, sexual discrimination. [ [http://64.233.179.104/scholar?hl=en&lr=&q=cache:QaZfcwnvspwJ:www.jsri.ro/new/%3Fdownload%3Djsri_14_articol_09_iulia_grad.pdf+%22eligible+bachelor%22] Words and Women. An eligible bachelor vs. an eligible spinster] Lakoff states "women are given their identity in our society by virtue of their relationship with men, and not vice versa." [ [http://books.google.co.uk/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] 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 [ [http://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=kOE08Va3p4gC&oi=fnd&pg=PA7&dq=%22eligible+bachelor%22&ots=4BGzodI1Po&sig=boa0z0E0F2dGR7XH5nVn_WlsqNY#PPA23,M1] Diana Style By Colin McDowell] 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 embroidering the truth. The gentleman in that case sees it as an example of the matchmaker's creativity and falls in love with her. [http://www.jstor.org/pss/777029 Postmodernist Portraits- JSTOR]

Rock Hudson was hailed as an eligible bachelor. [ [http://books.google.co.uk/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] However, if a man chooses to remain an eligible bachelor for long, he may be suspected of being gay, [ [http://books.google.co.uk/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 By Nokes, Kathleen Mary Nokes] and may sometimes be referred to euphemistically as a "confirmed bachelor" [ [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2007/05/05/cnbp05.xml] BP's jaw-dropping moment] a role closeted gay men may have played.

References

ee also

*Courtship
*Social status
*Romantic fiction
*Closet


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • eligible bachelor — sought after single man, marriageable bachelor …   English contemporary dictionary

  • eligible — eligible, illegible These are more likely to be confused in casual speech than in considered writing. Eligible means ‘fit or entitled to be chosen’ (eligible for a pension) or ‘desirable, suitable’ (an eligible bachelor). Illegible means ‘(of… …   Modern English usage

  • Bachelor — This article is about the term for an unmarried man. For other uses, see Bachelor (disambiguation). A bachelor is a man above the age of majority who has never been married (see single person). Unlike his female counterpart, the spinster, a… …   Wikipedia

  • eligible — 01. You are not [eligible] for a subsidized bus pass unless you are a full time student. 02. It is discouraging to note that only about 65% of [eligible] voters actually vote in elections. 03. With your marks, you could be [eligible] for a number …   Grammatical examples in English

  • eligible — el|i|gi|ble [ˈelıdʒıbəl] adj [Date: 1400 1500; : French; Origin: Late Latin eligibilis, from Latin eligere; ELECT1] 1.) someone who is eligible for something is able or allowed to do it, for example because they are the right age eligible for ▪… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • bachelor — n. a confirmed; eligible bachelor * * * [ bætʃ(ə)lə] eligible bachelor a confirmed …   Combinatory dictionary

  • eligible — [[t]e̱lɪʤɪb(ə)l[/t]] 1) ADJ GRADED: usu v link ADJ, usu ADJ for n, ADJ to inf Someone who is eligible to do something is qualified or able to do it, for example because they are old enough. Almost half the population are eligible to vote in today …   English dictionary

  • eligible — adjective 1 someone who is eligible for something is able or allowed to do it, for example because they are the right age (+ for): Are you eligible for social security benefits? | eligible to do sth: Anyone over the age of 18 is eligible to vote …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • eligible — eligibility, eligibleness, n. eligibly, adv. /el i jeuh beuhl/, adj. 1. fit or proper to be chosen; worthy of choice; desirable: to marry an eligible bachelor. 2. meeting the stipulated requirements, as to participate, compete, or work; qualified …   Universalium

  • eligible — el•i•gi•ble [[t]ˈɛl ɪ dʒə bəl[/t]] adj. 1) being a proper or worthy choice; desirable: an eligible bachelor[/ex] 2) meeting the stipulated requirements; qualified 3) gov legally qualified to be elected or appointed to office: eligible for the… …   From formal English to slang

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