Novel Assignemnt 1 Critical Analysis OF Pride AND Prejudice PDF

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NOVEL ASSIGNEMNT 1 CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF PRIDE AND PREJUDICE Instructions: Based on your understanding of the novel, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, answer the following questions comprehensively. Your answers must be in essay form.

1. 2. 3. 4.

What is the main message of pride and prejudice? What are the themes of Pride and Prejudice? Who is pride and who is prejudice? “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.” This first line has become one of the most famous in English literature. In addition to setting the narrative in motion, how does this line alert us to the tone of the novel, and our role, as readers, in appreciating it? What does the line imply about women? 5. The book had the original, working title First Impressions. Why is Pride and Prejudice a better title? In what ways are Darcy and Elizabeth guilty of both pride and prejudice and how does this drive the action of the story? 6. Marriage, as something to be aspired to, is portrayed quite differently in the novel than existing marriages. What married couples do we see in the novel? How would you characterize these relationships? 7. How are Elizabeth’s wit and intelligence and independence first made clear in the novel? In what ways, during the course of the novel, is she the victim of her own intellect and independence? Are these features eventually responsible for her happy ending? 8. The love Elizabeth feels toward Mr. Darcy evolves and deepens largely without direct contact. Does that make you question that love? What causes these feelings of love? Are they realistic? 9. Why is Darcy so attracted to Elizabeth? When can we first sense this? Why does it take her so long to see it? Elizabeth’s attraction to Darcy arises very differently. Why is this important? 10. For much of the novel, Austen seems to be offering a fairly pointed critique of marrying for social considerations. But it’s also true that the happy marriages that bring the novel to a close are favorable by the terms of the society. In the end, both Elizabeth and Jane do marry “up.” Does this undermine the critique the book offers? Is it meant to be read ironically? Do you think that Austen is critiquing Elizabeth and Jane? 11. Pride and Prejudice is a novel that many Austen fans read and reread. What keeps readers returning to the book once the suspense of whether or not Darcy and Elizabeth will end up together is taken away?

12. The works of Jane Austen have been the inspiration of numerous contemporary books and films, both adaptations and new original works. What universal themes in the novel resonate today? 13. The happy union between Darcy and Elizabeth is ultimately (and unwittingly) assured by Lady Catherine. How? Why is this master stroke of dramatic irony so satisfying for readers? Can you see how the roots of this irony are sown throughout the novel? 14. Pride and Prejudice is a novel largely about love and relationships, but without any descriptions of passion. Do you think the novel’s chasteness is more a reflection of the way people lived in that time and place or a reflection of what was acceptable in its literature or something specific to Jane Austen? Is the novel strengthened by this constraint?

1. Love and Marriage As one might expect from a romantic comedy, love (and marriage) is a central theme to Pride and Prejudice. In particular, the novel focuses on the different ways love may grow or disappear, and whether or not society has room for romantic love and marriage to go together. 2. Pride and Prejudice contains one of the most cherished love stories in English literature: the courtship between Darcy and Elizabeth. Pride and Prejudice depicts a society in which a woman’s reputation is of the utmost importance. The theme of class is related to reputation, in that both reflect the strictly regimented nature of life for the middle and upper classes in Regency England. Family is an integral theme in the novel. All of the characters operate within networks of family connections that shape their decisions and perspectives. Elizabeth Bennet considers herself to have very high standards of integrity, and she is often frustrated and disappointed by the way she sees others behaving. Gender is a key theme in Pride and Prejudice. 3. The traditional view of the book is that Elizabeth Bennet stands for the prejudice in the title and that Mr Darcy stands for the pride. This seems to be correct; Elizabeth judges Mr Darcy too quickly and with too little information, and Mr Darcy acts as if he were superior to the people in Hertfordshire. 4. The line captures the attention of the readers, especially women. It ignites their vision of love and allowed them to feel somewhat inferior when labeled as wives of wealthy men. However, it implies that women has the capacity to rule out men of power and possession. It entails that for a man to become even more succesful in life, he must have a wife. Also, for a man to be considered whole and perfect, he must be married to a woman of beauty and grace. 5. First impressions influence the characters' actions and events that take place in the novel, pride and prejudice cause the characters to behave the way that they do, but Pride and Prejudice is a more appropriate title for the novel. Somehow the title "First Impressions" doesnt fully delve into the themes of the story. Both Elizabeth and Darcy are guilty of allowing their pride and prejudice to stand in their way of happiness as they incorrectly judge each other. As a wealthy, distinguished gentleman, Darcy initially views the Bennet family as beneath him and acts rude and dismissive towards them.

6. The marriage of Charlotte Lucas and Mr. Collins. Charlotte Lucas is 27 years old and the eldest child of the Lucases. The marriage of Lydia Bennet and Mr. Wickham. The marriage of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. Marriage was a central part of Austen's society and even a financial necessity for most women. As both a moralizer and commentator on society, Austen writes about marriage in Pride and Prejudice to portray common problems and prejudices associated with marriage, especially marriage and class. In addition, she uses the problems and prejudices surrounding marriage to further develop the characters. For example, through Charlotte's marriage to Mr. Collins due to financial need, we learn all about Charlotte's perspective on love and marriage, as well as that a marriage formed out of necessity can certainly be good and beneficial. We also learn through Elizabeth's marriage to Darcy, which integrated social classes, all about her opinion of social prejudices. 7. 8. Mutual Dislike in the Beginning; Marriage at the End. Both Elizabeth and Darcy create a forceful impression on us. In fact, we would be perfectly justified in designating Elizabeth as the heroine, and Mr. Darcy as the hero of the novel. The Elizabeth-Darcy relationship dominates the novel. These two persons begin with a mutual dislike of each other, but then they both begin to feel drawn towards each other till they find that they are both in love with each other and are, in fact, indispensable to each other. Marriage is the natural consequence of this discovery by them. However, a slight change now takes place in Mr. Darcy’s view of Elizabeth. He begins to find that Elizabeth‘s face is rendered uncommonly intelligent by the beautiful expression of her dark eyes. He also finds that her figure is light and pleasing; and he is impressed by the easy playfulness of her manners. Mr. Darcy now becomes more and more interested in Elizabeth. Mr. Darcy now thinks that, if he comes into contact with Elizabeth more often, he might actually fall in love with her. 9....