1. Introduktion Jane Austen was an english novelist known primarily for her six major novels which often interpret criticism and comments upon the british landed gentry in the 18th century which can be compared and shown in Pride and Prejudice. Her use of irony, along with her realism and social criticism have earned her great and historical importance to critics as she explored the dependence of women on marriage. Jane Austen is one of many strong women in our history and should never be forgotten for her independence and strong voice. In this literary analysis I will prove that Jane Austen uses the main three characters Elizabeth Bennet, Mr Darcy and Mr Bennet to represent her own thoughts and values in the novel. 1.1 Background The status …show more content…
Austen portrays Elizabeth’s conflict with issues of manners, upbringing, education and marriage as she struggles to express her thoughts and values in a society that demanded strict obedience from women. Austen portrays Elizabeth as a woman with the strength to resist social pressures and demandments, nor to be a prisoner of her own ego. She is an individual who explores the norms as she examines the human behaviors and rights with her good sense, thinking independently of her family and friends. Elizabeth manage to express her intelligence and independence with a strong character without needing to compromise on her femininity as she stands up for her rights and speaks her mind. She shows the readers a woman in a man’s world as she strives to disregard social …show more content…
I would rather be paid the compliment of being sincere. I thank you again and again for the honor you have done me in your proposals, but to accept them is absolutely impossible. My feelings in every respect forbid it. Can I speak plainer? Do not consider me now as an elegant female intending to plague you, but as a rational creature speaking the truth from her heart.” (Austen, 1813, page 75) Austen who never got married herself show through Elizabeth’s pure strength a strong independant woman who denies a proposal for economic stability. Even though this scenario was unlike for this time Austen opened up thoughts and discussions among women and showed a way from the patriarchy in the Victorian era. Elizabeth’s friend Charlotte secures Mr Collins for herself, an act Elizabeth never could understand to marry such a humiliating man. When others saw his connections and financial advantages she saw his foolishness and pomposity and her idea of marriage was only for love or not at all. 3. Mr
Kruger, Daniel J., et al. "PRIDE AND PREJUDICE OR FAMILY AND FLIRTATION? JANE ….AUSTEN 'S DEPICTION OF WOMEN 'S MATING STRATEGIES." Philosophy and ….Literature, vol. 38, no. 1, 2014, pp. A114-A128, Arts & Humanities Database, ….http://nclive.org/cgibin/nclsm?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/1626357652?accounti….d=13217.
Pride and Prejudice tells a story of a young girl in the midst of a very materialistic society. Jane Austen uses the setting to dramatize the restraints women had to endure in society. As the novel develops, we see how women have to act in a way according to their gender, social class, and family lineage. Elizabeth Bennet’s sisters represent the proper societal lady while Lizzy is the rebel. Through her characters Austen shows how a women’s happiness came second to the comfort of wealth. As the plot develops, events are laid out to illustrate how true love is unattainable when women marry for intentions of wealth. Women have very specific and limited roles in a society where men are the superior. In Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen
The roles of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet in Jane Austen’s novel Pride and Prejudice are contrasted between a father who cares about what’s inside of people and a mother who only worries about vanity and appearance. Mr. and Mrs. Bennet’s parental guidance is unique to their personalities. Because of their two opposing personas, Mr. and Mrs. Bennet’s ideas of marriage are contradictory for their daughters; Mr. Bennet believes in a loving respectful marriage whereas Mrs. Bennet values a marriage which concerns wealth and social status. Their aspirations for Lydia, Jane, Mary, Kitty and Elizabeth mirror their conflicting ideologies. Mr. Bennet seems to have a quiet deep love
Bennet exclaims, “Oh! Single, my dear, to be sure! A single man of large fortune; four or five thousand a year. What a fine thing for our girls” (2). Considering Mrs. Bennet’s lines, the reader acknowledges Austen’s first claims on marriage. Mrs. Bennet not only exemplifies the opening statement of the novel, but also justifies the effect it has on mother figures. As Mrs. Bennet’s character develops, the reader recognizes her obsession with the marriage of her daughters. Mrs. Bennet understands the importance of marrying ‘well’ in order to maintain a high standing in the social realm. However, understanding the consequences directly affects Mrs. Bennet’s desperate behavior. This interpretation becomes an inevitable experience for each of Mrs. Bennet’s daughters.
Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice examines and critiques a society built upon gender roles. Austen does this by examining the obstacles women experienced in the Regency Period. Austen expresses how women were controlled, and objectified by men through their need to get married to a man. Additionally, the novel ridicules how women who could not afford to live without men were shadowed by their partner. This commentary is seen through the portrayal of the Bennet sisters. The females of the family are forced to marry because they do not inherit any wealth. The family is forced to comply with the same boundaries Austen was governed by. Therefore, Austen focuses on how the Bennet sisters overcome a society that suppresses them. This allows the reader to comprehend the strength, perseverance, determination, and assertiveness of the women in this time. Overall, Jane Austen addresses gender issues throughout the story. This is seen in the progressive image of Elizabeth, as she combats the inequality women experience. Although it was not common for women to criticize the patriarchy, the overall depiction of females is progressive. Elizabeth represents Austen’s feminist views, and the depiction of women in the novel is seen through her feminist image as she deals with Mr. Collins and Mr. Darcy.
Continuing her uncertainty of her sister’s judgement, Elizabeth concurs with Jane’s perception of Bingley while questioning “And so, you like this man’s sisters too, do you? Their manners are not equal to his” (11). Austen included this statement to show Elizabeth’s obsession with people’s manners and acknowledge society’s rules about manners, which Elizabeth has plentiful thoughts about. Simultaneously, Elizabeth ridicules the Bingley sisters’ manners and compliments Mr. Bingley’s. By asking if Jane likes the sisters, Elizabeth’s skeptical and scornful attitude towards people with poor manners is captured. Similarly, Austen demonstrates Elizabeth’s rejection of society’s idea about wealth and being a good person. While she acknowledges that this circumstance is true for Mr. Bingley, Elizabeth uses the Bingley sisters to prove this standard wrong. Without Elizabeth’s pessimism towards the Bingley sisters, the novel would lose
Through the writing, Austen makes each character unique and different. This technique is clearly shown in her novel, Pride and Prejudice. Therefore, Austen identifies the voices of characters, such as Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, through the dialogue. Both characters use a complex structure in dialogue. For Mr. Darcy, this shows his intelligence and high class. Whereas for Elizabeth, this shows her insecurity within her social class. Elizabeth competes with Mr. Darcy by using the same structure to showcase her intelligence and wit. Elizabeth’s rejection of Mr. Darcy’s first proposal demonstrates this concept. She says, “From the very beginning, from the first moment I may almost say, of my acquaintance with you, your manners impressing me with the fullest belief of your arrogance, your conceit, and your selfish disdain of the feelings of others, were such as to form that the groundwork of disapprobation, on which succeeding events have built so immovable a dislike” (Austen 131).
"Like all true literary classics, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is still capable of engaging us, both emotionally and intellectually" (Twayne back flap) through its characters and themes. This essay illustrates how Jane Austen uses the characterization of the major characters and irony to portray the theme of societal frailties and vices because of a flawed humanity. Austen writes about the appearance vs. the reality of the characters, the disinclination to believe other characters, the desire to judge others, and the tendency to take people on first impressions.
The progress between Elizabeth’s and Darcy’s relationship, in Jane Austen’s novel Pride and Prejudice (1813) illustrates and explores several the key themes in the novel. Their relationship highlights class expectations, pride and prejudice, and marriage, and how they play a major role in determining the course of their association. These are outlined through their first prejudiced dislike of each other when they first meet, the stronger feelings for Elizabeth that develop on Darcy’s side, her rejection in Darcy’s first proposal, then her change of opinion and lastly the mutual love they form for one another. Pride and Prejudice is set up as a satire, commenting on human idiocy, and Jane Austen
Austen explains that being born a woman in such a society suggests that even less alternatives on whom to get married to or not to get married to, or how to establish the nature of a person’s life. Furthermore, the way in which the society weakens and controls women is useful in explaining Mrs. Elizabeth Bennet 's panic concerning the marriage of her beloved daughters, as well as why such marriages should always entail both financial and practical considerations. Coming from noble
Elizabeth as a Woman of Independent Mind in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice In Jane Austen's novel 'Pride and Prejudice', Elizabeth Bennet is shown to be an opinionated, "headstrong" young woman. Her unconventional independence challenges the 19th century stereotype of high society women, who tended to conform to the expectations of society. Though her prejudiced judgement of others fails her sometimes, Elizabeth has "a lively, playful disposition, that" delights "in anything ridiculous".
highly in my favour … it is by no means certain that another offer of
In her novel, Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen portrays Elizabeth Bennet as "strong and intelligent, yet bewitching in a completely feminine way". Elizabeth's possession of these attributes: strength of character and moral integrity, great intelligence, and an attractive personality, make her an admirable person. Yet Elizabeth has faults, which makes her more human. Austen's portrayal of Elizabeth is realistic and masterful, often juxtaposing her with characters lacking her attributes to heighten our appreciation of her.
Mr. Darcy`s pridefulness and arrogance depressed his true feelings for Elizabeth Bennet, however, Mr. Darcy 's pride deflates when Elizabeth Bennet rejects Mr. Darcy 's proposal. Austen demonstrates Mr.Darcy`s pridefulness and arrogance when she writes “‘ In such case as this, it is, I believe, the established mode to express a sense of obligation for the sentiments avowed, however unequally they may be returned’” (186). Mr. Darcy insults Elizabeth Bennet while proposing marriage. This directly shows how pridefulness and arrogance of society interfer with love. Elizabeth Bennet can be considered inferior to Mr. Darcy because her family does not have the same socioeconomic status as Mr. Darcy. The rejection of Mr. Darcy`s proposal diminishes his pride. The letter Mr.Darcy writes to Elizabeth explains why he removed Mr. Bingley from
Throughout Jane Austen’s novel Pride and Prejudice , there are many references to the unusual character of Elizabeth Bennet ; she is seen to be an atypical female during those times. Wit , bravery , independence , and feminist views all describe a most extraordinary model for women.