Impact of family, gender and education on Wuthering HeightsEighteenth and 19th century education is closely linked to gender association of this period. Men from wealthy families were the only ones who had the opportunity to pursue a university education. Just as many men today use golf to prove their status and superiority, these gentlemen turned to cricket and rugby. Another similarity to today's society is the importance of personal relationships in expanding your educational opportunities and business opportunities. Social status was extremely important during this era. “Manners, money, birth, occupation and free time were crucial indicators of social status, determining not only an individual's place in society but also their freedom to act, speak, learn and earn” (Longman p. 1886). Some interesting factors that determined this status, which I personally would like to see more of today, are loyalty, duty and public service. Instead of the elite being chosen by birth, ability and learning became the criteria for administering society. Frances Cobbe described the boarding school she attended as a young girl. Tuition fees were 25 times what Charlotte Brontë earned in 1841 (Longman p.1888). Cobbe describes the importance for women from wealthy families in this era to be beautiful and busy knitting and gossiping. Intelligence and achievement were not activities permitted to women. Charlotte Brontë described one of the few professions permitted to women at this time in her book Jane Eyre. As previously noted, the income received for such backbreaking work was twenty-fifth of Cobbe's tuition for boarding school..