Comparing Jane Austen's Pride And Prejudice And The Film, Bridge
Jane Austen’s beloved novel, Pride & Prejudice, centers on the life of Elizabeth, the second-born daughter of an English family in Longbourn, England, and the challenges she faces in searching for marriage and upholding a proper reputation for the Bennet family name in a society built on class structure. Seth Grahame-Smith’s rendition, Pride & Prejudice & Zombies, and the film, Bridge & Prejudice, adapt the same general storyline, however each incorporates a unique alternate version of the well-known protagonist. Elizabeth’s qualities of intellectual distinction and responsibility for her family’s honor remain an integral role in her character’s portrayal in both the parody novel and Bollywood film; however, due to different cultural definitions
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In Jane Austen’s original novel, Lady Catherine criticizes Elizabeth and her family by exclaiming, “Your mother should have taken you to town…for the benefit of masters…Five daughters brought up at home without a governess! I never heard of such a thing. Your mother must have been quite a slave to your education…you must have been neglected…Very odd!” (112). During Elizabeth’s first visit, Lady Catherine analytically judges Elizabeth’s intelligence and status based on her piano-playing abilities and whether or not she has the experience of having a governess. Because of the customary traditions of musical talent and having a governess in England, Lady Catherine’s view of Elizabeth and her family depends on Elizabeth’s likeness to the societal norm. In Bride & Prejudice, Bollywood Elizabeth, or Lalita, accuses Bollywood Darcy for thinking that “India’s beneath you…you want people to come to India without having to deal with Indians” (Bride). Lalita, because of the biased views of white individuals towards the stereotypically underdeveloped Indian people, feels that her and family’s intelligence and status gets greatly judged on the basis of her Indian heritage. On the other hand, deadly, zombie-slayer Elizabeth and her family also receives criticism, not based on class or race, but instead on their origin of martial art training and whether or not they own ninjas. Zombie-slayer Catherine argues, “China?…I suppose you had no opportunity. Had your father more means, he should have taken you to Kyoto…If I had known your mother, I should have advised her most strenuously to engage a team of ninjas… nothing is to be done in education without steady and regular instruction” (82). All three Elizabeths face their own unique challenge of
In Jane Austen’s original novel, Lady Catherine criticizes Elizabeth and her family by exclaiming, “Your mother should have taken you to town…for the benefit of masters…Five daughters brought up at home without a governess! I never heard of such a thing. Your mother must have been quite a slave to your education…you must have been neglected…Very odd!” (112). During Elizabeth’s first visit, Lady Catherine analytically judges Elizabeth’s intelligence and status based on her piano-playing abilities and whether or not she has the experience of having a governess. Because of the customary traditions of musical talent and having a governess in England, Lady Catherine’s view of Elizabeth and her family depends on Elizabeth’s likeness to the societal norm. In Bride & Prejudice, Bollywood Elizabeth, or Lalita, accuses Bollywood Darcy for thinking that “India’s beneath you…you want people to come to India without having to deal with Indians” (Bride). Lalita, because of the biased views of white individuals towards the stereotypically underdeveloped Indian people, feels that her and family’s intelligence and status gets greatly judged on the basis of her Indian heritage. On the other hand, deadly, zombie-slayer Elizabeth and her family also receives criticism, not based on class or race, but instead on their origin of martial art training and whether or not they own ninjas. Zombie-slayer Catherine argues, “China?…I suppose you had no opportunity. Had your father more means, he should have taken you to Kyoto…If I had known your mother, I should have advised her most strenuously to engage a team of ninjas… nothing is to be done in education without steady and regular instruction” (82). All three Elizabeths face their own unique challenge of