Jane Austen is a unique author in English literature. Although she lived and wrote her masterpieces two centuries ago, her style remains an example to follow for many modern writers. Educated people in England and other countries often associate with Austen’s name the images of characters whom they remember and whose speech and ongoings they recognize in individuals living today. The novel Pride and Prejudice was the favorite creation of the author.
When she received it after editing, Austen wrote to her sister, Cassandra: “I have got my darling child from London” (Battersby par. 3). Her evaluation of her own work was well justified – one of Austen’s contemporaries, famous playwright Richard Brinsley Sheridan, noticed when he had become acquainted with the novel that it is “one of the cleverest things he ever read” (Auerbach 164). Pride and Prejudice is, first of all, a profoundly realistic representation of characters and tempers, albeit not of the English society as a whole, but of its privileged groups since the end of the 18th to the beginning of the 19th centuries.
But the novel includes not merely the description of characters. With well-developed craftsmanship of an authentic new-age artist, Jane Austen looks deeply into the causes and motives, reveals the inner life of all the personages in the book, and especially the main ones.
It is possible to say that there are two types of characters in the novel. Fitzwilliam Darcy breaks down the pride associated with the upper-class society of those times by being imbued with a sincere feeling for Elizabeth Bennet who, in her turn, overcomes her pride and prejudices under the influence of the mutual feeling. They act breaking the habit and in spite of generally accepted norms – they are in the first category of characters.
The personages included in another category of the secondary characters act typically, as they should do according to common beliefs and their position in the estate hierarchy, rather than as they want. Mrs. Bennet and Sir William Lucas, who try to catch profitable grooms for their daughters, and Lady Catherine de Bourgh and Miss Caroline Bingley, who stay higher at the social class ladder and try to withstand them, constitute the second type. Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth, who can overcome their flaws and weaknesses, are represented as positive actors. While the characters of the second type appear to be trivial and plain, the first-type personalities have clearly defined individuality.
It is not a surprise that it is in the description of the characters included in the first group, Austen achieved the highest level of subtlety of psychological images. She depicts the whole complexity of their controversial emotions, their merits, and their weaknesses. They are demonstrated as authentically alive people who can dare to have sincere feelings and to make profound errors.
Sometimes Austen is in admiration of Mr. Darcy – his intelligence, inner strength, and ability to love and care – but it does not prevent her from showing the negative influence of overconfidence, prejudices, and pride given to him through education and interactions with the surrounding people. Elizabeth is even closer to Austen than Mr. Darcy, and she is undoubtedly one of her favorite personages. The author convinces readers of the generosity of Miss Bennet’s feelings, her reasonableness, and originality of mind, but she also demonstrates how hard it is for the heroine to reverse the pride and how easily she becomes misled..
The speech of the main characters is adjusted with their natures and propensities. Having sobriety and the ability to think rationally, they build well-balanced and completed phrases. For example, Mr. Darcy says: “Your retrospections must be so totally void of reproach, that the contentment arising from them, is not of philosophy, what is much better, of ignorance” (Austen 274). At that, when he speaks to Elizabeth, his speech becomes more emotional and ardent.
At the same time, Elizabeth expresses her lively spirit and ironic mindset through the language. In her dialogues with other characters, there are many evaluative judgments and a high degree of word expressivity. Describing Elizabeth’s psychological state, the author says: “How earnestly did she then wish that her former opinion had been more reasonable, her expressions more moderate!” (Austen 279). It perfectly depicts her upright character, honesty, and, at the same time, a predisposition toward rapid conclusions and unwarranted evaluations. This feature distinguishes Elizabeth from her sister, Jane.
When describing the two sisters, Austen primarily uses antithesis – Jane is angelically kind, and she tends to acquit any human action, while Elizabeth is characterized by sober thinking, archness, and sharp tongue. Jane avoids sharp turns of phrase; her speech is emotionally neutral similarly to her discreet and prudent character.
The dialogues of the main characters are almost indistinguishable from the author’s language. Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy talk to each other in a similar manner as the author’s narration is written. But, to describe the secondary characters, Austen uses different instruments, such as irony and satire. The writer never tries to impose any judgments or moral positions on readers but, through the use of irony, she attempted to direct their attention.
In this way, since the very first pages of the novel, the absurdity of Mrs. Bennet’s character is revealed through her dialogue with her husband: “You take delight in vexing me. You have no compassion on my poor nerves.” “You mistake me, my dear. I have high respect for your nerves. They are my old friends. I have heard you mention them with consideration these twenty years at least” (Austen 10). Here, the irony is based on the nonconformity between the form of expression and the essence of the depiction of the intended idea.
Mrs. Bennet’s language is as confused as her thoughts. Due to her spiritual poverty, the woman always tries to sound off and, thus, her speech is abundant with short, fragmentary, logically unconnected sentences. Mrs. Bennet’s thoughts, just like the thoughts of her favorite, Lydia, jump from one subject to another. Her phrases are strongly emotional and sometimes even rude: “But I can assure you … that Lizzy does not lose much by not suiting his fancy; for he is a most disagreeable, horrid man, not at all worth pleasing … I quite detest the man” (Austen 16).
In this way, the fashion of characters’ speech in Pride and Prejudice has as important meaning as the content of what they are saying. Each character is endowed with the individualized manner of language use defined by his or her nature, psyche, the level of culture, and life context. All these factors determine the vocabulary composition, stylistic structure, and intonation associated with characters’ expressions. It is possible to say that the stylistic characterization of personages’ speech allows readers better to comprehend the ideas which Austen tried to convey through her novel. The way of each character’s thinking is interrelated with his/her psychology, and, through the examination of dialogues, it is possible to identify the foundations of his/her self-constructed misery and discontent with life – pride and prejudice.
Works Cited
Auerbach, Emily. Searching for Jane Austen. U of Wisconsin, 2004. Web.
Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. Folio Creations, 2014. Web.
Battersby, Matilda. “Rare Jane Austen ‘My Own Darling Child’ Letter about Pride and Prejudice Goes on Show.” Independent. 2013. Web.
Literary work is a reflection of what is happening in the society. Authors normally voice their opinion about issues affecting the society through various themes. These themes are closely linked together through analysis of a character’s actions.
In the contemporary society, introduction of literature research has extensively increased the volume of literature in every topic of interest researchers may be interested in especially in use of expression tools such as metaphors to present a symbolic view that a character displays in a play or a book.
As a matter of fact, irrespective of the level of knowledge and understanding of research facets, literature versions are inclusive of literature tools such as metaphors. Literature comparison is about enjoying the phrases, feeling the narrator’s words in action, imagining, and placing oneself in the writer’s shoes.
Writings with consistent assumptions and symbolic insinuation add comprehensiveness to sentence structures or phrases with hidden meaning. Thus, this reflective treatise analyses the theme of triangulated desires in the books “Pride and Prejudice” and “Sense and Sensibility”.
The pieces dwell much on marriage and its holistic perception which is influenced by race, gender, family relationships and social status. The books show how an individual’s sense of identity is vulnerable to manipulation by others of higher social class.
Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility
Jane Austen (1775-1817) relied heavily in a balance of irony, realism, and parody in her genre to present a distinct literary style in depicting different societal setups. Through use of irony, Austen was successful in addressing hypocrisy that was dominant in the 18th century in the theme of triangulated desires.
This themes form the foundations upon which the societies at that time were built. It resonates across generations since its influence is inherent. Triangulated desires as a theme touch on identity crisis, tradition, manipulation, and marriage. As observed, Austen’s society is deeply rooted in their culture and is inflexible to accommodate modernity. They view such ideas as alien with no bearing in their lives.
In the texts “Pride and Prejudice” and “Sense and Sensibility”, Austen artistically underscores the traditional position on marriage as a trajectory and paradoxically dependent on desire with homo-social relations forming the underlying huddles towards fulfilling the traditionally internalized protagonist beliefs in marriage as a normative social positioning institution.
Austen then endeavors to expose these excesses of female and male ‘homosocial’ and formative desire bonds which climax in either marriage dissolution or final resolution. In addressing this theme, Austen uses ‘homosocial’ desires privilege to authenticate female possibilities in marriage institution. She proceeds to recuperate to different degrees of patriarchal symbolism on gender-class system.
The Theme of Triangulated Desires
“Pride and Prejudice”
In the text “Pride and Prejudice”, Austen presents a relationship between Darcy and Bingley as that filled with unending triangulated desires. The ‘steady friendship’ between Darcy and Bingley is a reflection of a powerful visible ‘homosocial’ bond that immediately sparkled at Meryton ball during their first meeting (Austen 1995, p.10).
Despite Bingley’s superior social class, Darcy is worn out in strong jealously when the latter enjoys a dance with “the only handsome girl in the room” (Austen 1995, pp. 6-7). Reflectively, this indifference displayed by Darcy is more than coincidental fancy but an unending desire to hold Bingley in her arms. Darcy proceeds to dance with Bingley’s favorite friend Jane.
The erotic triangle between Darcy and Bingley is based on unending ‘homosocial’ desires with Jane being the mediating figure in romance. In this aspect, it is apparent that Darcy would be happier to dance with Bingley instead of dancing besides him holding a heterosexual figure. Since this opinion doesn’t not process, it is apparent that the desires of Darcy are not met.
To balance an undying desire and ‘homosocial’ ego, Darcy proceeds to dance with Bingley’s sisters besides openly spurring Elizabeth’s dance offer claiming that “I am in an honor at present to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men (Austen 1995, pp. 6-7).
This is a reaction sentiment Darcy is displaying after feeling slighted by his superior ‘heterosocial’ friend’s currency. In doing so, a reader can identify the lose end competitive logic for triangulated desires between two grown men who belong to different social classes. Macpherson (2003) asserts,
In any erotic rivalry, the bond that links the two rivals is as intense and potent as the bond that links either of the rivals to the beloved… the bonds of “rivalry” and “love,” differently as they are experienced, are equally powerful and in many cases equivalent… not by the qualities of the beloved, but by the beloved’s already being the choice of the person who has been chosen as a rival (21).
Besides the hidden desires at dance party, Darcy becomes an obstacle in the intended union between Bingley and Jane. Darcy’s desire for Bingley has totally blinded him and he confesses that “I have no wish of denying that I did everything in my power to separate my friend from your sister, or that I rejoice in my success” (Austen 1995, p. 130).
When confessing that Jane “want of connection could not be so great an evil to my friend as to me,” Darcy with ease “preserve his friend from… a most unhappy connection,” stating “other causes of repugnance” as the “total want of propriety so frequently, so almost uniformly betrayed” by the family of Jane (Austen 1995, pp. 134–35).
The theme of triangulated desires is presented in the possessive jealousy of a ‘homosocial’ Darcy whose desire for Bingley cannot allow him to let go of the fantasy he has for him.
Despite this desire, Darcy composes a passionate letter to Bingley to make a confession of a failed union between him and Elizabeth. In an interesting turn of events, the triangulated desires of Darcy lands on Lydia who is saved from social abjection of being unfit for marriage. Macpherson asserts,
Darcy saves Lydia not because he cares about Lydia or about the Bennets—not even because he cares about Elizabeth. Elizabeth acknowledges that Darcy had “done this for a girl whom he could neither regard nor esteem”… but it turns out that Darcy saves Lydia because he feels himself, without having “schemed to do wrong,” to be accountable for Wickham (16).
Darcy is fully responsible for the reprehensible actions displayed by Wickam. In fact, he admits this as inspired by ‘homosocial’ desire competition. As a result, Darcy “becomes the better man in ‘homosocial’ competition with Wickham, and successfully routes his triangulated ‘homosocial’ desire through the “heterosexual detour” of marriage in the novel’s curiously anticlimactic denouement” (Macpherson, 2003, p.15).
After a long struggle, Darcy detours his ‘homosocial’ investments in Bingley and Wickham and is presented as a better person after reviving Elizabeth’s and Jane’s marriage plots. As a result, the new status position Darcy as a superior male among the three males with triangulated desires for ‘homosocial’ clandestine.
Elizabeth is described as an essentially masculine person because of her unladylike affection for Jane. Austen asserts “very nonsensical to come at all! Why must she be scampering about the country, because her sister had a cold” (Austen 1995, pp. 21-23). Elizabeth’s homoerotic excesses towards her sister Jane paint her as part of the hidden ‘heterosocial’ society.
Reflectively, integrating this in the theme of triangulated desires introduces physical and emotional insistent which is climaxed in momentous fulfillment achievement. Elizabeth is described severally as ‘feeling really anxious’ and face glowing in presence of the sister more than it should be for sisterly love.
Her motivation towards showing concerns to Jane may be classified as a heterosexual courtship with Jane being the sole object of ultimate destination. These desires towards a female of same family indicate an implicit ‘homosocial’ inclination in the romantic chivalry described as unfeminine. Interestingly, these manly features make the ‘homosocial’ Darcy attracted to Elizabeth (Austen 1995, p. 24).
“Sense and Sensibility”
Literature is a passionate subject that requires originality when reading through it. Originality is an essential thing required to improve the manner in which we view the narration and understand it.
As a matter of fact, from the external focus, a reader can connect the previous arguments in the text “Pride and Prejudice” and “Sense and Sensibility” since two have same theme of triangulated desires. Austen is more philosophical in her writing of the book “Sense and Sensibility” than in the book “Pride and Prejudice”.
Though the plot is built in a conservative society, unending desires separate Marianne and Willoughby, who loses her to Colonel Brandon. The theme of hidden and recurring desires control the lives of main character in this wobbly plot. This aspect is narrow and creates an essence of assuming a static plot setting.
This is a wise way to maintain the literature touch, making it simpler to understand. In this narration, that is, “Sense and Sensibility” the author has created a quantifiable and intrinsic reader understanding of what metaphoric use on a character was about and the resultant effect created.
Marianne is presented as an intelligent, frank, loving, and musically talented (Austen, 1996). Willoughby is a man of many faults who is appreciative of Marianne and deeply loves her. However, the desire for class and economic power pushes Marianne to exchange marriage vows with crude Colonel.
Desires to own a home and forms the main driving force for different character traits exposed by Austen. Across the text, home is presented as the ideal landmark, a beloved place, and a treasure defining happiness. Love without a home is but a fantasy.
Though things are falling apart, owing a home to the Dashwood sisters is an accomplishment of triangulated desires. Many characters such as the Steeles, Edward and Willoughby are haunted by the unfulfilled desire to own a roof over their heads. Despite having a shelter, they don’t have land and are considered loosely hanging in the conventional society (Austen, 1996, p. 34).
Reflectively, achievement of desired object symbolized good sense. On the other hand, disillusionment is as a result of underscoring on desires and depending on emotions. In her endeavor to achieve her desires, Elinor is patient enough to subject her observation to deep scrutiny before passing judgment.
Besides, Colonel Brandon loves Marianne and knows the virtue of rational proclamations in the quest to fulfill the desires of marrying her.
Unlike Willoughby, Colonel Brandon is careful when expressing his feelings towards Marianne. In this instance, good judgment and final marriage between the two is as a result of patience in the quest for desires.
Though Mrs. Dashwood thinks highly of Willoughby, she is worried by his lack of good judgment and caution. This worry is also directed towards Colonel Brandon’s feelings for the fragile Marianne. Austen (1996) wrote,
On every formal visit a child ought to be of the party, by way of provision for discourse. In the present case it took up ten minutes to determine whether the boy were most like his father or mother, and in what particular he resembled either, for of course everybody differed, and everybody was astonished at the opinion of the others (p 38).
In my view, without the theme of desire, these writings would be similar to watching a movie with no camera effects, no sound effects, and with unknown characters as the only aim is passing a message.
In Austen’s use of the desires as a theme, she succeeds in characterizing the powerful in the society and the weaker ones in their desire to find love, maintain marriages, and climb economic ladder. The patriarchal society is painted as unfair to the female members of the society.
In quest to fulfill desires, the male members of these societies share same attitude towards females. Interestingly, the wall limiting desires in both texts is an unending phenomenon which cannot be destroyed. Instead of focusing on either antagonistic or protagonist stand, the narrator present a brief on both sides.
She is comprehensive on presenting a quantifiable expository backed by a strong characterization in line with the main theme in the book.
Consistent use of this theme more than once alongside other literary devises has made the two main characters, that is, Marianne and Darcy stand out as a protagonist verses an antagonist in a battle to satisfy ego and undying desires.
However, at the end of the struggle, the spontaneous desire hits the wall for both characters. Marianne ends up married to Colonel Brandon to the dismay of many readers in the text “Sense and Sensibility”. The same fate faces Darcy who loses Bingley to Jane despite series of attempts to attract Bingley’s attention.
Triangulated desires stops reasoning and slower people from examining the limits of pragmatic possibilities necessary for psychological reconciliation. Fortunately, the self regulating society seems to offer a facilitated explanation for mutual support.
Austen has imposed the above thought as an expression to resonate on the need for better life and communicate past negative experiences. Austen suggests that the process of appreciating the social power as a power of the people enables the society to function coherently within minimal tension, despite having different desires.
Austen pushes for personal conviction as the basis of the ideal fundamental social norms that minimizes conflict in the process of creating a systematic orientation for fulfilling desires.
In presenting the theme of triangulated desires, the author characterizes personal identity as a component of realism. Recognizing aspects of loyalty, moral crisis, honor, and revenge, Austen gives her story a lifeline of a typical society filled by personal interests.
She creates a human action drama that combines stories of self-discovery and love. Austen convincingly mingles the ‘futuristic’ and the ‘realistic’ imaginations of the then naïve society.
The theme of triangulated desire is relevant in the contemporary society where difference between unity and hatred is defined by a thin line of personal interests. In most cases, the losers remain to wallow in regret as winners blow trumpet. The driving force towards triangulating desires remains to be family, love and the need to belong.
Despite these desires, the society as a bond unites different personalities and these desires often remain hidden within a person. As a matter of fact, love remains to be the sole dictator of human desires. The degree of jealousy often determines an individual’s ability to arrest unbecoming desires.
In conclusion, the two texts, “Sense and Sensibility” and “Pride and Prejudice” share connections in the plot and theme of triangulated desires. The texts are able to vividly and convincingly present the unending desires.
However, they end up in different circumstantial incidences. Acknowledged by many authors as homosocial culturally embedded female writer, Austen presents an experimental imagination of deep heterosexual relationships. Across the two novels, women are displayed as victims of the triangulated desires.
References
Austen, J. (1995). Pride and Prejudice. New York: Dover.
Austen, J. (1996). Sense and Sensibility, New York: Barnes & Noble Books.
Macpherson, S. (2003). Rent to Own; Or, What’s entailed in Pride and Prejudice. Representations Journal, 82, 1–23.
The novels Robinson Crusoe and Pride and Prejudice by Daniel Defoe and Jane Austen respectively, share a lot. Characterization and themes that the two novels portray are drawn from the medieval British society. This implies that the two novels use huge amounts of realism as a technical element that facilitates their themes.
At the one hand, it is recognizable in Defoe’s novel that the use of real events to steer the plot has been immense. In the novel, Robinson Crusoe, Defoe describes it as a history of facts that seeks to portray the social institutions and structures of the medieval British society.
Indeed, he uses real experiences of the protagonist who had spent quite some time alone. Undoubtedly, this is a reflection of the real life of Alexander Selkirk in uninhabited island.
The author uses his skills to describe minute details in such an elaborate way that the reader cannot question the presence of reality in the novel (Black 129). For instance, he describes the minute details of Crusoe’s activities like building the fence, harvesting his grains and digging the cave amongst many others.
Using circumstantial method, Defoe brings out the aspect of realism in the novel. According to Myers, he describes the success of the protagonist in growing crops that gives him a platform through which he brings on board the technical element of realism (176).
It is apparent that Defoe also introduces a wrecked ship in novel that facilitates the survival of Crusoe. Another technical skill that has typified Defoe’s use of realism is in the characterization. He portrays Friday’s gratitude and behavior in a very natural way.
This is in consideration of the fact that Crusoe had saved his life from cannibals. It therefore becomes natural for him to show gratitude to the protagonist, which inspires the realism in the novel.
Finally, he narrates using precise dates that the protagonist stayed in uninhabited island after being swept ashore by unfavorable sailing conditions. In fact, these dates coincides with the real dates of the real character, Alexander Selkirk whose experiences have largely inspired the novel (Black 192).
On the other hand, Jane’s novel, Pride and Prejudice, depicts the reality of the society in the nineteenth century. Precisely, her depiction of events in the novel reflects the society of the time.
DeMaria says that it is clear that throughout the novel she uses such stylistic devices as irony and contrast to highlight the theme of social relationships in the society (591). Use of letters and other medieval means of communication throughout the novel are critical and realistic elements that portray the themes as being relevant to the medieval British society.
Like Defoe, Austen uses characterization to display the reality of social values and beliefs. The characters such as” Bennets” have used their subjective beliefs to choose the course of their lives. Apparently, society shapes people’s beliefs and values and imparts them on individuals during the process of socialization (Black 72).
Elizabeth (one of the Bennets) contrasts with Mr. Collins who believes that the social system’s ideals dictated that women were supposed to submit to men. Besides, he believes that women should not acquire any property and act as custodians of men’s wealth.
He asserts his arguments with confidence owing to the prevalent social values and norms (DeMaria 592). However, Austen introduces such characters as Elizabeth to appraise the discriminating social system that favored a patriarchy. The use of characters to depict reality of the society has as such, facilitated the novel to highlight major themes.
Further, realism is explicit in the novel when the author highlights the theme of marriage. In nineteenth century, women bore gender roles that openly discriminated them from decision-making processes of the society. Mr. Collins asserts this claim by believing that Elizabeth could not reject him after he makes a marriage proposal (Myers 87).
It becomes clear that he attributes his subsequent rejection to women’s modesty of the time. This implies that it was very unusual during the nineteenth century for a woman to reject men advances. Indeed, society attributed rejection to pride borne by liberal women and young feminists (like Elizabeth).
It was therefore an exception rather than a norm. Austen compares with Defoe in depiction of dates that clearly depicts the periods that their novels portray. Austen shows the rise of gender equality and women empowerment that took shape in the century. She describes discriminative land ownership practices that had typified the era (Black 231).
Finally, the two novels contrast in their main themes. While Defoe chose to explore the rise of British imperialism, Austen tends to dwell on the pertinent issues that affected women and the marriage institution. The protagonists in the novels play different roles but present them in a very realistic way. Nonetheless, the depiction of reality in the two novels is overwhelming.
Discussion of Pride and Prejudice
The novel has wide variety of themes that are apparent in the plot. Mary points this out at the onset of the novel where she claims that human beings are vulnerable to pride. Pride blurs the ability of some characters to see the truth. This makes them unable to attain happiness in their lives.
Particularly, Elizabeth’s pride presents an impediment to her marriage with Darcy. Her vanity leads to impaired judgment of Darcy and Wickham in which she thinks well of the latter and perceives the former as evil. However, she comes to realize that her pride had led her to wrong inferences.
Further, Darcy is proud owing to his social status and disparages anyone who occupied lower social status. He also writes a letter to Elizabeth asking her to abandon vanity and begin to use reason (DeMaria 577). Austen also uses Prejudice as a major theme in the novel. It is important to point out that the prejudice is intricate to other themes.
Darcy uses social-economic prejudice to scorn other members of the society that occupy lower classes. Besides, Elizabeth’s prejudicial and unfounded beliefs make her to believe that she could make impeccable judgments. She realizes in the end that she could not and that she had been wrong in a number of occurrences.
DeMaria points out that Austen explores family institution as a major theme that characterized the medieval society (579). The novel depicts the family institution as that which is endowed with the responsibility of inculcating morals and intellect to the children.
For instance, “Bennets” fail to educate their children leading to explicit naivety, promiscuity and shame exhibited by Lydia. Elizabeth’s manages to get some positive virtues after she receives some informal education from the Gardiners. In fact, only the Gardiners are portrayed in the novel as a family that showed concern for the girls’ welfare (Myers 42).
This theme is in tandem with the roles of women and the marriage. All the characters in the novel hold the concept of marriage with such intensity that they all long for marriage. Elizabeth eventually accepts to get married to Darcy despite her beliefs regarding marriages. The context of family and marriage provides a platform that Austen uses to explore the idea of gender disparities.
In the 19th century, women suffered from myriad of injustices among them being discrimination due to their gender. Although Austen attempts to depict women as equal to men, it is apparent that the society had preservation for this perspective (Black 171).
It is a patriarchal society where women were supposed to be the obedient and submissive to their husbands. The society denied women the rights to own property as well as access to education and employment opportunities. Evidently, the “Bennets” fail to educate their five daughters and remain convinced that women had no rights to education.
Finally, class and social stratification has typified the entire novel. In particular, Darcy represents a major character that is full of pride and conscious of his social status. He perceives class as a phenomenon that is not only composed of wealth but also inclusive of other factors.
Gardiners are depicted as occupying lower economic classes but their intellect and virtue have leveled their class with other characters that are affluent. Other than class, Austen also highlights the theme of individual and society. The society takes precedence even in the private matters of its members.
Specifically, Lydia’s elopement with Wickham is scandalous in the whole society and she becomes a disgrace to her family (Black 179). Besides, Darcy’s failure to reveal the Wickham’s true behavior is seen as a failure to honor social obligations and duties. Despite the society’s involvement in individuals’ private lives, Austen questions its capacity to make right inferences regarding different characters.
Historical Development of Realism
Realism emerged in the mid 19th century and reflected a shift from initial literary works that were typical of romantic idealism. It gives more attention to the subject matter and characters and depicts the true nature of the contexts. Although it coincided with the Victorianism, realism has the ability to remove subjectivity in the novels.
It employs journalistic approaches of reporting ‘as is’ without imparting personal beliefs and values. Harrison asserts that much of the literature work that have realism as a core element stand out from the rest for their true portrayal of the events and characters as they happened in the real world.
Henry Fielding has often been referred as the pioneer of the style. In the novel, Joseph Andrews, Fielding uses a wide scope and keenly observes the requirements of realism. His perception of the medieval England portrays a true picture of England at the onset of Industrial revolution (Black 171).
The novel highlights characteristics of human nature through characterization. For instance, he portrays selfishness and meanness of humans after Joseph had been robbed and left for the dead. The only reason the community rescues him was the fear of being held accountable for his death.
This aspect of realism is also manifest in the novel Pride and Prejudice in which Austen portrays the society in a true way. The presence of class disparities is typical of the two novels making it possible to portray realism (Myers 73). Although Daniel Defoe’s novel, Robinson Crusoe was published earlier, he is not short of realism.
He depicts the British society during the exploration of the world by giving the real occurrences in the life of Alexander Selkirk. It is in such novels whose use of realism was able to appraise social system and structures.
Realism has been used in different novels to give shape to themes. In Pride and Prejudice, it is apparent that the Austen describes the characters of the novel with emphasis of minute details. Through realism, she is able to address social issues that affect specific social groups.
As such, realism gave writers platform where they could appraise prevalent social system. Similarly, Virginia Woolf in the novel To the Lighthouse uses realism to highlight the need for equality within the society. Henry Fielding also used realism to appraise particular aspects of the society.
Conclusion
In sum, Defoe and Austen bear similarities in the manner that they explore their themes. Although they differ in their central themes, the use of realism is evident throughout their novels. Austen’s novel, Pride and Prejudice uses characters and real events of the 19th century to highlight the themes of pride, prejudice, social class, gender inequalities and marriage.
Realism has been typical of many novels since the 18th and 19th centuries. At the very minimum, it helps novels to meet the demands of reality with objectivity and giving details to characters, events and objectivity.
Works Cited
Black, Joseph. British Literature: A historical Overview, Toronto: Broadview Press, 2010. Print.
DeMaria, Robert. British literature, 1640-1789: an anthology, New York: Blackwell Publishers, 2008. Print.
Harrison, Martin. Realism in Literature, London: Routledge, 1998. Print.
Myers, Walter. The later Realism: A study of characterization in the British Novels, London: Ayer Publishing, 2001. Print
Pride and Prejudice is one of the most well-known works of English literature and is a classic Regency novel written by Jane Austen in 1813. In this novel of manners, the author describes the character development of the protagonist, Elizabeth Bennet, and depicts the society of late eighteenth and early nineteenth-century England with its values and flaws. Special attention in the novel is given to the image of a woman and sexist stereotypes imposed by society. The aim of this paper is to prove that in her book, Austen managed to reinforce sexist stereotypes about a woman through the portrayal of British society and its views. Stereotypes related to gender inequality, marriage, and an image of an accomplished woman will be discussed in detail to illustrate this point of view.
The first stereotype about women that the author proves is that female characters are less powerful in society than men. Women in Austen’s novel are limited in rights and cannot be free in their decisions. The theme of inequality is one of the most important not only in Pride and Prejudice but also in other works of Austen, including Sense and Sensibility and Persuasion (Jones 358). Heroines in these novels “demonstrate women’s condition – in material terms, at least – to be one of precarious dependency” (Jones 358). As a result, marriage was almost the only solution to improve the financial situation of a woman.
One of the most evident examples of inequality in the novel is demonstrated in the structure of the legal system. Austen explicitly describes entailment, or the order of inheritance, which proves the low status of a woman in society. The property of Mr. Bennet is entailed to the cousin of the five daughters, Mr. Collins, since in Mr. Bennet’s family, there are no males to inherit the Longbourn estate (Austen 85). Moreover, the inferior status of female characters and their financial vulnerability are expressed in Mrs. Bennet’s fury when Elizabeth rejects Mr. Collins’s proposal. These examples show that in both legal and social realms, women are limited in rights and freedom of choice and depend on men.
Another significant stereotype about an English woman of that time is related to marriage as the reflection of a woman’s financial stability and social status. In British society of the 19th century, marriage was mainly motivated by materialistic values rather than the sincerity of a relationship (Jabborova and Alimova 269). Moreover, marriages were often organized by parents, who saw matrimony as means of achieving happiness (Jabborova and Alimova 269).
In Pride and Prejudice, this idea is expressed through the character of Mrs. Bennet, the mother of the protagonist and her four sisters. “The business of her life was to get her daughters married,” Austen writes about this obsession (4). Indeed, Mrs. Bennet’s desire to arrange her daughters’ weddings can be explained by social attitudes towards marriage, which was believed to define the happiness of a woman and her status in society.
The experiences of young unmarried female characters of the novel prove the conservative views on marriage described above. According to Jones, “for Austen’s financially precarious heroines, marriage, with its promise of security, becomes “the grand feature of their lives” (360). For example, Charlotte Lucas’s marriage to Mr. Collins is motivated by her desire to gain social and economic stability. Being older and not very attractive compared to the five sisters, she is happy about the opportunity of the advantageous proposal. In contrast, for Elizabeth, morale and personal values appear to be more important than marriage and social status.
For example, despite Mr. Collins’ financial state, she refuses his proposal. Similarly, she is not attracted to Mr. Darcy in the beginning since he appears proud and arrogant. According to Simpson, “Miss Austen believed in the ultimate possible happiness of every marriage” (293). Marriage based on true feelings is demonstrated through the development of the relationship between Elizabeth and Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy. This contrast reinforces the stereotypical view of marriage as an advantage-based solution for a woman to improve her financial and social status.
Finally, one of the stereotypes is related to the image of an accomplished woman, an ideal in which the outside elegance is appreciated more than personal qualities. This idealized image is demonstrated in Miss Bingley’s description of a successful British woman. According to her, a British lady should demonstrate intelligence and multiple talents and be an example of perfect manners and appearance (Austen 27). Men, on the contrary, are not subject to such social requirements; for example, Mr. Collins, with his ridiculous behavior, is still considered a desirable party for marriage because of his wealth.
At the same time, Elizabeth is depicted as the complete opposite of who can be called an accomplished British woman. In Austen’s portrayal of the protagonist, one can see the reflected position of the author, whose characters are usually far from ideal (Simpson 294). Indeed, Elizabeth is shown as a young woman without the perfect manners and grace of a British lady. Some of her actions are considered disgracing: for example, her decision to walk three miles to see Jane in Netherfield causes disapproval of her mother. The latter explains that Elizabeth will not look appropriately after the long walk. The abovementioned examples prove that women were constantly under the pressure of society and its stereotypical views about an image of a perfect successful woman.
In conclusion, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen indeed reinforces sexist stereotypes of women at the turn of the nineteenth century. First, women were considered inferior to men in the social and legal spheres of life. Secondly, according to stereotypical views on marriage, a single woman was regarded as financially unstable and unsuccessful. Finally, the stereotypical role of a woman in society was to be a perfect example of intelligence and elegance. Therefore, Austen introduces both stereotypical and non-typical characters in her novel and describes the common social attitudes, proving the pressure of sexism imposed on women of that time.
Works Cited
Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. Fourth Norton Critical Edition, edited by Donald Gray and Mary A. Favret, W.W. Norton & Company, 2016, pp. 1-256.
Jabborova, Hilola, and Mukharram Khayatovna Alimova. “The Problem of Gender Equality in the Novel Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.” E-Conference Globe, 2021, pp. 266-270.
Jones, Vivian. “Feminisms.” Pride and Prejudice. Fourth Norton Critical Edition, edited by Donald Gray and Mary A. Favret, W.W. Norton & Company, 2016, pp. 357-367.
Simpson, Richard. “The Critical Faculty of Jane Austen.” Pride and Prejudice. Fourth Norton Critical Edition, edited by Donald Gray and Mary A. Favret, W.W. Norton & Company, 2016, pp. 293-295.
Ibi Zoboi’s remix of Pride and Prejudice explores different philosophical and moral questions. Embracing the worldwide novel Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, Ibi Zoboi’s remix addresses the essential issues of race stereotypes and gentrification’s influence on identity formation. The novel’s characters move from unfounded prejudices to the understanding that race does not imply the material level and type of personality. The surrounding atmosphere and cultural specificities influence the characters’ personalities throughout the story and change their attitude towards the particular minorities and races. The essential concept that Zoboi addresses in her story is identity formation. The author of the book explores identity through family and cultural perspectives.
The novel depicts several families who have different wealth and personal relationships. Zuri, coming from a low-income family, hates rich people since they mostly proclaim gentrification as a positive change. The family, especially Zuri’s sister Janae, tries to persuade the girl that the prejudices against black people should be eliminated. (Zoboi, 2019). Being a member of a low-income family, Zuri’s personality is affected by living in such conditions. She treats all wealthy people as evil due to the inequity of opportunities people are born with. In expressing the negative attitudes towards Darius at the story’s beginning, she implies that her identity is based on racial and material presuppositions caused by living and family conditions.
Thanks to Madrina’s guidance and family members’ support, Zuri realizes that differences make people unique. Madrina’s Bushwick can be considered as a prototype of a supportive family. During the decisive periods of her life, Zuri seeks Madrina’s support (Zoboi, 2019). Her identity changes positively due to the understanding that people should not be treated only by their status and race. For example, she realizes that Warren, coming from the same strata, has malicious intentions only thanks to Darius, who she hated most (Zoboi, 2019). This fact influences her identity and diminishes the role of the stereotype about race and wealth in her personality. Therefore, the author believes that the conditions in which a person was raised and the family support determine the identity-formation direction.
The cultural aspect and the surrounding political and economic conditions also can influence identity formation. Zuri’s character is strong, and she is faithful to her origins and culture. She believes that Darius is arrogant only because he comes from a prosperous family. She keeps in mind all the negative prejudices about wealth and race due to cultural peculiarities. First of all, Zuri is scared of the gentrification process, which can abolish her and her family’s everyday lives. Zuri respects the cultural peculiarities of the minority she belongs to. As a result, she considers all the outsiders and intruders, especially rich ones, potentially dangerous for her friends and family. The pride of being a member of a particular society and the desire to protect what she loves makes her personality strong. As a result, the author of the book claims that identity formation depends on cultural background.
Therefore, the remix of the well-known novel Pride and Prejudice in the Ibi Zoboi representation addresses the essential question of identity-formation. The story’s main character realizes that identity is a complicated phenomenon and that it cannot be conditioned by particular factors such as race or status. Factors that influence this multifaceted process are culture and family. Through these social determinants, people learn what personal pride means and respect other people’s pride.
Reference
Zoboi, I. (2019). Pride: A pride & prejudice remix. Balzer & Bray/Harperteen.
Austen uses gardens to advance the themes of class, love, parental relationships and family honor. She also reveals Elizabeth’s, Darcy’s and other people’s character through the gardens.
Significance of gardens in the novel
The novel “Pride and Prejudice” does not rely heavily on symbolism because it has more dialogues than descriptions. Nonetheless, certain physical elements still stand out in the narrative. One such case is Darcy’s estate, which residents know as Pemberley. This garden is at the heart of the book. First, it is reflective of Darcy’s character since he owns it.
When Elizabeth pays Darcy a visit, the picturesque gardens impress her totally. She begins to warm up to this man and his wits and charm impress her even more. In the novel, the author compares this garden to Darcy’s perception of himself. Austen (140) describes a nearby stream that appears to swell with its own natural importance. She adds that the stream achieved this without appearing artificial.
The same thing may be said about Darcy’s character. He possessed a natural importance that made him appear proud. Nonetheless, this pride still coexisted with a lack of artificiality just like the stream; Darcy is not too rigid or too superficial.
Mr. Collin’s character also comes out through the mention of his garden. When Elizabeth and Collins take a stroll in Collins’ garden, he uses the opportunity to elevate his accomplishments and virtues. For instance, he talks about his fondness for the garden, and the fact that he enjoys working on it. Collins also talks about every single detail in the garden without giving the ladies a chance to share their views on the same.
He boasts about how he knows the number and the location of each and every tree in the garden. This behavior implies that Collins is quite self-centered (Delany 35). He wants everyone to know about what he did for the garden, but does not care about their opinion. Additionally, Collins is a proud and boastful man; he likes to show off his vast knowledge of the gardens and the tree.
He also wanted to prove to the ladies that he was in charge of the place. Such preferences indicate that Collins was also a controlling person. In fact, Charlotte often asked Collins to go to the garden and show off his ‘talents’. The garden was Charlotte’s escape from Collins’ pompousness. When carried out activities, in the garden, she could enjoy her private time and space.
Indeed, the garden is also symptomatic of class differences and family honor as seen through Charlotte’s eyes. The garden clearly illustrates how foolish Mr. Collins was; however, a lady as intelligent as Charlotte still chose to stick with him. Charlotte had to choose between two extremely difficult decisions; she could decide to stay with her parents, and thus strain their financial resources.
Alternatively, she could choose to marry the ineffable Mr. Collins and just do what she could do within those circumstances. This reflected how society placed heavy expectations upon unmarried women.
They often sacrificed their own happiness for a chance to improve their social status and maintain their family traditions. Furthermore, wealth warranted the forgiveness of one’s vices; the lavish gardens and picturesque estates especially envisaged this.
In one scenario, in the book, Austen (45) describes how Elizabeth crossed a bridge when she first came into this estate. This had a symbolic effect because it reflected the start of a new romance. When Elizabeth crossed the bridge, she was also crossing the line between love and loneliness. This bridge in the Pemberley garden also reflected the gap that existed between the two individuals as a result of class differences.
Gardens also play a pivotal role of highlighting change in the story (Le Faye 44). Most dialogues occur inside a house. Therefore, when the author mentions the outdoors, she often does this to cue a significant change in the novel. For instance, Elizabeth comes into contact with Mr. Darcy for the first time when she goes to see Mr. Collins and Charlotte; she did this by passing through a garden.
This scenario is what builds up to Darcy’s proposal. The second time that she takes a journey through the Pemberley gardens, she realizes that her affections for Darcy are growing stronger. In that instance, the gardens symbolize a transition from indifference to affection for Darcy.
In the third instance when Austen mentions a journey in a garden, she wanted to illustrate the threat that would come upon the Bennet family if they did not find Wickham and Lydia. When Darcy tracks them, he illustrates just how devoted he is to Elizabeth.
The author uses gardens to advance the theme of class struggles. The Bennets have an ordinary house, and because of its small size, the home has no picturesque gardens. This simplicity reflects the social status of the Bennets. Conversely, Bingley, Darcy and Lady Catherine have lavish gardens in their homes. Bingley has Netherfield Park while Lady Catherine has the Rosings estate.
As mentioned earlier, Darcy had Pemberley. These gardens showcased Darcy’s, Catherine’s and Bingley’s enormous wealth. They are also crucial indications of social status. When Elizabeth sees Darcy’s garden, she thinks about how delightful it would be to stay there. Even someone as composed and sensible as Elizabeth could not help herself when she saw the beauty and elegance of the landscape.
One can even compare the relative social status of the people who owned those estates through the quality of the gardens in their estates. For instance although the gardens in Rosings were impressive, they did not possess the same level of elegance that existed in Pemberley.
Gardens also signify familial relationships in the story. Austen talks about the relationship between Darcy and his son Colin, in the thirtieth chapter. One morning, Darcy wakes up feeling rejuvenated and energetic. He feels glad to be alive for the first time in an unusually long time. Darcy then proceeds to wake up his son and offers to take him out for a walk in the garden.
This is a unique bonding moment for the two as Darcy relieves his own childhood. He promises his son that he will teach him how to ride horses and to swim. In fact, he had no idea that his son did not know these things, yet his age mates were well aware of the same. Furthermore, Colin got to learn a lot about his family’s history. Darcy talked about his sister and mother and their escapades as children.
He talked about the lessons and reprimands they underwent when they misbehaved. For the first time, this son and father had an exciting conversation together. Additionally, the experience was also reflective of Darcy’s own lessons. He got to appreciate the value of family experiences and heritage (James 56). It reinforced his views about himself and the things that mattered more to him.
Conclusion
Gardens emphasized the characters of the owners and the people who came to see the estate; to Darcy, the garden reflected his self determination and dedication towards Elizabeth. It signified a change in perception about Darcy to Elizabeth. The gardens brought out Mr. Collin’s arrogance and self centeredness; they also emphasized Charlotte’ helplessness in choosing a spouse.
Audiences can learn about the importance of family heritage during Darcy’s and Colin’s morning walk. Furthermore, one can also learn about class differences in this society as seen through the aristocrats’ lavish gardens.
Works Cited
Austen, Jane. Pride and prejudice. London: Bantam Classics, 1983. Print.
Delany, Samuel. About writing. NY: Routlege, 2006. Print.
James, Edward. The Cambridge companion to fiction. Cambridge :CUP, 2003. Print.
Le Faye, Deidre. Jane Austen: The World of her novels. NY: Harry Abrams, 2002. Print.
Bride and Prejudice is a musical film directed by Gurinder Chadha. The screen play which is co-written by Paul Berges in 2004 is created on Bollywood style adaptations (Eber, 2005). The language used for the screen play is mainly English, with Hindi and Punjabi accent interference.
The screen play is characterized with exotic sounds, Bollywood style dancing and vibrant colors. Though Bride and prejudice screen play transplants from Austen’s work in 1813, the background of the screen play is set in modern India. Main actress, Rai (used as Lalita), who is doing her first English language movie, commands the play like a seasoned English language screenplay star.
Though the screen parallels Austen’s writing which was done over a hundred years ago, in both cases, the producers portray women being useless in society until she is married (Eber, 2005).The action of the film takes place in three different countries, India, England and the United States.
As the movie is based on Austen’s Bride and Prejudice novel, a number of characters retain their names while a few are slightly altered. The movie, which is set in Amritsar, features Lalita Bakshi as the main star. Lalita lives with her doting dad whom she assists in running family business.
Lalita’s mother desires to marry her daughters off to wealthy men. During her friend’s wedding, Lalita interacts with a handsome wealthy gentleman called Will Darcy. Darcy, an American, had come to Amritsar along with a friend (barrister Balraj) and Balraj’s sister for family business (Chadha, 2005).
After their interaction, Darcy struggles with attraction to Lalita, who on her side views Darcy differently. She thinks that Darcy is vain, intolerant and arrogant towards Indian culture. Darcy and his friends are greatly amazed at the exclusive behaviors that are exhibited by Lalita’s mother and two of her daughters during subsequent parties which they attend.
The mother chatters; Maya performs her kitchy dances while her sister Lakhi has astonishing flirtatious behavior. These behaviors mortify Lalita and Jaya who opt for reservation. Later, Balraj and Jaya develop a romantic relationship which does not last long due to misunderstandings and interference from other people.
After some time, Lalita interacts with Johnny Wickman, Darcy’s former friend whom she also gets attracted to. This does not help much as the interaction only validates Lalita’s perception of Darcy. Mr. Kholi, a man whom Lalita considers americanized, proposes to her, but she rejects the proposal. To Lalita’s confusion, Mr. Kholi marries Chandra who is Lalita’s best friend (Chadha, 2005).
As Will’s determination to marry Lalita develops, his mother, Catherine, stands on his way through constantly undermining his efforts. Darcy and Lalita separate Lakhi and Wickman later as they attempt to run away together. The separation of the two is based on the argument that Wickman will ruin Lakhi’s life the same way he did it to Darcy’s younger sister Georgie.
Ultimately, Darcy wins over Lalita’s love once again when he joins in traditional drumming. By joining drumming, he wins over Lalita’s belief that he appreciates Indian culture. As the film ends, there is a double wedding of Lalita and Darcy, and Balraj and Jaya. During the wedding, the couples ride on elephants down vibrant Amritsar streets (Chadha, 2005).
The screenplay is blended with fanatic dances and lively songs which rapidly change from rock ‘n’ roll, pop to touching ballads. All the actors are also clearly portrayed to bring out the intended cultural theme (Bendersky, 2004). The actors who make up the Bakshi Family are presented to relate quite well that the audience will take them for relatives.
Chadha features cultural and social complexities developing the ideas that were originally written by Austen in his work. In use of writing styles, Chadha inhibits cultural richness that incorporates Indian and western cultures (Bhaskharan, 2004).
Chadha operates the audiences perceptions with which outsiders view India and its social/cultural circles. The English rhyming lyrics that Chadha uses in her writings appeal to everyone, easterners and westerners as well, with no regard to the cultural background. The dialogue in the setting is full of choppy exchanges, the most conspicuous one is between Darcy and Lalita who constantly engage in cultural clichés (Flixster, 2010).
Lalita is furious on Darcy whom she accuses of wanting to change her nation into a tourist theme park. The plot is increasingly outrageous with Will being sidelined, Wickman coming into the picture and Lalita’s mum lining up for her daughters prospective husbands (Wright et al, 2005).
When the cultural grandstanding fades out, the film slowly falls into romantic action with Broadway musicals. The ‘sisters-in pajamas’ mix of pop rock does the magic of rolling the film into a romantic action in the absence of cultural barriers. Lalita and Johnny attraction is instigated by gharbah, a fantasy duet number which accommodates American gospel, London, India and Los Angeles musical orientation (Pais, 2004).
The music is used as a socio-cultural instrument for unity in this case where language casual talks cannot work out (Dwyer, 2004). The act is made superb by ensemble actors who peg English language as expected by the audiences to suit all the cultures in the screen play.
Language and culture are greatly used by Chadha to blend the family as a unit that the audience can consider to be a perfect life reality (Chadha, Rai and Henderson, 2004).
In an easy win over the Indian culture, Chadha uses his two western leads in an involving way that is impossible to resist. Johnny appears to have much influence of the two western leads due to his outgoing character that is basically achieved through intertwined use of language that appeases all the cultures.
She is therefore the most likeable figure in this production despite the cultural barriers that stands in the way of two cultures. According to Chadha, Will is good looking, but lacks the massive influential character that Johnny rides on.
However, he is used as a supportive character with minimal sexual charisma in the film that is founded on the power of the sisterhood and matriarchy of the Indian society (Shrivastava, 2005).
A number of styles are hard to ignore in the second part of the screen play, which focuses solely on the characters and the plot. One such notable style is heavy reliance on the artificial misunderstandings and inability of fluent communication. Thematically, analysts are of the opinion that use of language in Bride and Prejudice falls short of message and medium.
The film waters down East-West class conflict tensions to capitalize on Indian Americanization and to some extent American centralism (Bendersky, 2004). Chadha does this by using her Lalita Bakshi to scold Will in his quest to acquire a hotel in Amritsar.
She argues that the hotel will create a hub for rich Americans coming to India, those whom she considers as Indian culture misfits. However, what the film Bride and Prejudice does contradicts with what Indian experience offers to cater for Western sensibilities in this part of the film (Wright et al, 2005).
Chadha misuses language when she tries to expresses the difference between Mrs. Bakshi and Lalita in the screen play (Wright et al, 2005). Lalita repeatedly professes her uncaring attitude towards marriage for money gains. it is quite the opposite to her mother’s desires which are to have her daughters married off to wealthy men.
However, Lalita tells that what we see does not really portray the actions that are seen. The romance between Lalita and Darcy is quite extravagance. According to Indian culture, romance actions such as kisses and sexy actions are prohibited in screen plays (Kolodny, 2001 and Sarkar, 2005).
The language and culture presentation therefore differs during the first wedding party. The hip swiveling dances, sexy attires, loose chatters and a hug at the end of the party that Lalita gives Darcy contravene those traditions (Shrivastava, 2006).
In this screenplay, Chadha gives each woman her own language and distinct voice. Lalita speaks her own language that differs from Mrs. Bakshi and the rest of her daughters. Lalita is used by Chadha in the screen play as the most outspoken prudent wit of all the sisters, but with a prejudiced speech and perception of all.
As it is learned from the screen play, this character is attributed to her relations with her father. Her behavior is greatly influenced by her father who is an acute observer other people’s particularities. Audience easily perceives the characters as presented by Chadha due to use of language and their conversation (Ray, 2005).
The soft spoken Jaya believes that everyone she meets has at least opportunity to do well, and if they don’t, they have good reasons for not doing so. Jaya dares not to express herself openly to show emotions, and that’s way she wins a lot of people’s love. She uses politeness and good language to gain confidence from other people in the screen play.
Chadha uses Lakhi as the most spoilt character as it is seen from her language and her sexuality. Lakhi, who is Mrs. Bakshi’s favorite daughter, is full of accusations for other members of the family. Lakhi easily gives in to temptation without objection; a weakness that her mother thinks can be reversed if Lakhi is looked after well. As Chadha sets her screenplay, there are senior voices and the overshadowed voices of subalterns in the screen play (Wright et al, 2005).
Chadha also uses language to demonstrate protests concerning the place of woman in Indian society today. Music and dances are satirically and ironically used by Chadha to scorn Indian traditional and cultural perceptions of marriage and romance.
To show a scorn for traditional Indian culture, four daughters of the Bakshi family envisage how life would be under traditional Indian marriage between Lalita and Kholi. The women voices and language show freedom from traditional slavery to men (Hutcheon, 1989).
In a nutshell, female voices are used by Chadha to show how perceptions and ideas over time have changed (Petras, 200, Ashcroft, 1989). The varying voices of the women, starting from Mrs. Bakshi to her four daughters, have important cultural information to pass.
In conclusion, the screen play has powerful mix of tools which are used for communication. There is a blend of Hollywood and Bollywood music which is meant to pass the information about the changing times. The fact that the screen play is shot in three different worlds, India, England and America, shows a mix of cultures which makes it easy to accommodate all the parties.
It is important to note how Chadha uses language and voices to pass the information that people should change their perceptions of Indian culture and tradition concerning women.
The female domination and open criticism, especially by Lalita, show the maturity of Indian culture on marriage and romance. The culture is therefore made strong by use of voice and language including polite language, remorsefulness, and apology among others.
Reference List
Ashcroft et. al. (1989). The Empire writes back: Theory and practice in post-colonial literature. London and New York: Routledge.
Bendersky, Y. (2004) India as a rising power. Asia. Times. Web.
Bhaskharan, S.(2004). Made in India. New York: Palgrave Macmillan Ltd.
Chadha, G. (Producer & Director). (2005). Bride and Prejudice. [Motion Film]. USA: Miramax Films.
Chadha, G., Rai, A. and Henderson, M. (2004). Bride & Prejudice. — Bollywood Musical Version. [Motion Film]. USA: Miramax Films.
Dwyer, R. (2002). Cinema India: The Visual Culture of Hindi Film. New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press.
Eber, R. (2005). Bride and Prejudice. [Review of the movie Bride and Prejudice]. Chicago Sun-Times. Web.
Flixster, T. (2010). Bride and prejudice. [Review of the movie Bride and Prejudice]. Rotten Tomatoes. Web.
Hutcheon, L. (1989). The politics of postmodernism. London, New York: Routledge.
Kolodny, A. (2001). Dancing through the Minefield. The Norton antology of theory and criticism. New York, London: Norton & Company.
Petras, et. al. (2001). Globalisation unmasked: Imperialism in the 21st century. London: Zed Books Ltd.
Ray, B. (2005). A Voice of protest: The writings of Rokeya Sakhawat Hossein (1880-1932). History of Science, Philosophy and Culture in Indian Civilization. Women of India: Colonial and Postcolonial Periods. London: Sage Publications.
Sarkar, T. (2005). Political women: An overview of modern Indian developments. History of Science, Philosophy and Culture in Indian Civilization. Women of India: Colonial and Postcolonial Periods. London: Sage Publications.
Shrivastava, S. G. (2006). Woman’s place and the LTC- Walas. London: Vikas Publishing House.
If you’re trying to conduct a Pride and Prejudice film analysis, you’re better to check some interpretations. Below, you will see one of them.
Pride and Prejudice, directed by Joe Wright, is a 2005 movie adapted from Jane Austen’s classic novel bearing the same name. The movie rated PG for some mild thematic elements, was produced by a British film production company called Working Title Films and written by Deborah Moggach. It has a running time of one hundred and twenty-eight minutes. This essay will provide a Pride and Prejudice movie review essay with a summary and examination.
The romantic film was released in September 2005 in the United Kingdom and two months later in the United States. Some of the main characters in the movie include Keira Knightley (Elizabeth Bennet), Mathew Macfadyen (Mr. Darcy), Talulah Riley (Mary Bennet), and Brenda Blethyn (Mrs. Bennet). Although the film version is short, it is persuasive, witty, powerful, and entertaining, making it far superior to the novel.
The movie illustrates the lives of the Bennet sisters. They consist of five young women who are looking for suitable husbands. Their overbearing mother aids them in this process. However, the father seems to be unaware of the unfolding drama. Elizabeth, the second of the five sisters, prevails in the movie. The story’s main plot depicts the relationship between Elizabeth and Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, the affluent owner of the pompous family estate of Pemberley in Derbyshire (Austen, 2009).
As the movie begins, they seem not to be attracted to one another. However, as the story continues, circumstances compel them to scrutinize their hearts and notions about one another to dig out the truth about their lives. In addition, there is also a parallel love story between Elizabeth’s older sister, Jane (Rosamund Pike), and the amiable Mr. Charles Bingley (Simon Woods).
The story also follows the rejection of the marriage proposal made to Elizabeth by a detestable emotional clergyman, Mr. William Collins (Tom Hollander). The underground illicit activities of the open and bighearted Mr. George Wickham (Rupert Friend) are also revealed.
The Bennets are anticipating the coming of Mr. Bingley, an affluent bachelor who recently moved to a house in their neighborhood. Mrs. Bennett is busy strategizing how to let one of her daughters marry this rich neighbor without his knowledge. Jane and Mr. Bingley seem to be attracted to each other.
However, Elizabeth immediately dislikes Mr. Darcy, Mr. Bingley’s reserved friend. Mr. Darcy is the kind of person who does not like to relate to people who are not of his status in society. And since the Bennets were not very rich, Darcy coldly rebuffed Jane’s attempts to talk to him. After that, Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy unexpectedly return to London, leaving the Bennet family astonished at what happened to the love between Bingley and Jane (Moler, 1989).
Since Mr. Bennet does not have a son, Mr. Collins, the cousin of the five sisters, is the probable heir to the family’s estate because of his close kinship to the family. When Elizabeth refuses her proposal, her father welcomes the idea, but her mother does not.
Collins ends up marrying Charlotte Lucas (Claudie Blakley), a good friend to Elizabeth. Charlotte married him to gain financial security. In the midst of the journeys between London and Derbyshire, the viewers are introduced to the influence of Mr. Wickham, an old friend of Darcy from childhood.
Superficially charming, he convincingly talked to Elizabeth concerning several distorted tales about Darcy. From here on, things start to take a drastic turn. Viewers witness the fall and rise of Mr. Darcy. The fall of the Bennet family is also depicted when Lydia Bennet (Jena Malone), the youngest in the family, elopes with Mr. Wickham. However, it seems that this marriage is not founded on love. As the story ends, Jane and Mr. Bingley are engaged despite the difficulties. In addition, Elizabeth accepts Darcy’s second proposal.
Many changes are often made to literary works when they are adapted into a movie (Geraghty, 2008). Pride & Prejudice is no exception, as a number of notable changes from the original novel are evident throughout the film. The movie was compressed into one hundred and twenty-eight minutes, significantly reducing the time for several major sequences. For example, Elizabeth’s visits to several places, such as Rosings Park and Pemberley, were not adequately covered.
The filmmakers also did not include several supporting characters. Some of them are Louisa Hurst, Mr. and Mrs. Phillips, and several friends of the Bennett family. Numerous sections whereby the characters talk about experiences, which had already taken place, are also emitted in the film version. For instance, the chapter describing Elizabeth’s change of perspective after receiving the love letter from Darcy. This may be the only weakness in the movie.
Any person who has read Austen knows that possibly her greatest strength rests in her use of supporting characters and detailed explanations of events. Abbreviating some sections fails to convey this richness in her writing. In as much as there is a lot of sacrifice in adapting the book into a two-hour film, the pacing issue in the film makes some scenes suddenly rush forward and fail to depict Austen’s intentions in writing the novel.
Wright and his screenwriter, Moggach, modified numerous scenes to create a more loving environment than the ones in the novel. For example, in the movie, Darcy first gives his proposal outside in a rainstorm near a beautiful lake, while in the novel, this scene occurs inside a church house.
In the movie, in another attempt to engage Elizabeth, Darcy proposes to her on the misty moors in the early morning, while in the novel, the scene takes place when both of them are strolling down a country lane during the day. In the United States version of the movie, the last scene depicts the newly married Darcys having a good time outside their home in Pemberley. However, this additional final scene is absent in the book.
This romantic ending received a hostile reception in the United Kingdom; therefore, it was secluded for the country and international audience. The UK film version culminates with Mr. Bennet giving Elizabeth and Darcy his blessings on their relationship. This circumvents the last chapter of the book. The book ends by summing up the lives of the main characters in the story over the next numerous years.
The tone of the movie differs from that of the novel. As the movie starts, the director and the screenwriter fail to include the author’s well-known, cunningly satirical, aphoristic opening line. This instant shift in tone continues throughout the whole movie. The filmmakers placed more emphasis on romance. However, the novel’s author intended to portray the morals and the mores of a marriage relationship.
As pointed out above, several important scenes are shifted from the drawing room to the countryside. This complements and strengthens the teeming passions of the characters. Perhaps, the secret weapon for the movie’s success lies in its romantic aspect. On the other hand, Austen did not portray this in the novel. The cinematographer, Roman Osin, also captured the film’s skillfully designed surface well. The old saying ‘beauty is only skin deep’ depicts the outstanding cinematography in the film.
As the director made full use of the spectacular scenery of England’s countryside, the cinematographer did his best to bring the correct mood to every shot, whether it was warm, broad daylight, chill, or spring morning. The filmmakers used attractive scenes to allow the moviegoer to lose themselves engaging with the film’s captivating performers. The making of such an elegant and captivating world is likely to charm many viewers.
Credit goes to the film director for casting performers closer in age than the ones in the novel. However, there are some weaknesses in the characters in the film. Although the actors are handsome and talented, they fall short of hooking up with the audience in some places.
Austen’s classic novel has an emotional pull that the movie fails to portray to the audience. Some parts are too cold and distant. It is as if the characters were deriving their cue from the brooding personality of Darcy. The movie’s older generation of actors achieved a higher caliber of performance.
Donald Sutherland, Dame Judi Dench, and Brenda Blethyn headlined these veteran actors in providing the film’s best moments. Brenda Blethyn understands the significance of the quandary facing his family, but simultaneously he only wants his children to get the best husbands. The hen-pecked, world-weary Sutherland prevails in every scene he is in with his laconic dry sense of humor. This contrasts Blethyn’s restless, one-track-minded display of character.
On the hand, the younger group did not portray an engaging performance as did their more senior counterparts. For example, Austen portrays Darcy as unapproachable; however, in the film, Macfadyen treats him so unfriendly that he fails to give an engaging performance.
Darcy is less engaged in the activities, so Elizabeth’s attraction to him is difficult to explain. The Bennet sisters are not convincing as siblings since none of them looks similar to the other, and their interactions with one another fail to sell the bond of sisterhood. Elizabeth seems to be the only one who is full of life.
The supposed relationship between Jane and Bingley seems to exist in the films to maintain the same running joke. The relationship is underplayed, and it lacks chemistry. It is difficult for someone to believe that the two are in love, except by closely scrutinizing the characters as the story develops.
The incarnation of Pride and Prejudice makes it to be occasional anachronistic. For example, there are moments when the performers portray very modern habits that differ from when it is set. A number of the women characters are especially liable to instances of defiance and vivacity. This is a more common behavior of women in our age than people in the early nineteenth century.
However, the filmmakers intended to make the performers more approachable to viewers of this age with these mannerisms. Besides the weaknesses that exist in the film, it is very intriguing. In addition to its great story outline, the five-star characters did an excellent job. The soundtrack and the costumes used portray the setting of the 1813 classic by Austen. The film is best suited for persons aged sixteen and above, especially those who adore stories concerning love, disloyalty, guilt, and desire.
The adaptation of Pride and Prejudice is a demonstrative confirmation against any protests to the perpetual significance of Austen’s beloved classic of behavior, relationship, and riches. The movie opens up and unfurls Austen’s tightly drawn work of literature. In this manner, the actors are able to breathe and move about. This could not have been possible in a slavish version. One feels alive in the movie as there is a pulsating vitality, which is usually so distinct that it diverts from the story.
However, this diversion is not detrimental to the story. Yes, it is evident that several changes have been made to the original text. Some subplots have been grouped, significant exchanges taken to unusual locales, new scenes incorporated, and others taken away completely. The filmmakers also changed the overall thematic emphasis of the story. However, the movie is persuasive, witty, powerful, and entertaining, making it far superior to the novel.
References
Austen, J., 2009. Pride and prejudice. New York: Feather Trail Press.
Geraghty, C., 2008. Now a major motion picture : film adaptations of literature and drama. Lanham, Md.: Rowman & Littlefield.
Moler, K. L., 1989. Pride and prejudice : a study in artistic economy. Boston: Twayne Publishers.