Pride and Prejudice Narrative Techniques
The passage focuses on the conversation between Elizabeth and Jane days after they received news about the departure of the Bingleys and Darcy. In this essay, I will explore the themes, the narrative techniques used and the tone of the involved characters.
Austen’s dramatic form of writing is an attractive feature of Pride and Prejudice.The novel is ‘dialogic’ in nature; the dialogue between Jane and Elizabeth is a representation of their personalities and characters and Austen has purposefully juxtaposed Elizabeth opposite Jane to show the stark contrasts in their personalities, as well as their views and beliefs.
Jane is protrayed as the good-natured and forgiving sister; despite being upset that Bingley had left her, she does not blame him but praises him as the ‘most amiable man’ and blames herself instead for her ‘error of fancy’. She thinks the best of others, Bingley in this case, that he is not ‘guarded and circumspect’ despite his wealth. Her love for Bingley is genuine as she sees the virtues in him but she accepts the fact that he may not love her, ‘I have nothing…nothing to reproach him with’. The themes of love and class are raised here, as Jane’s words indicate her resignation and acceptance that her love for a man in an upper class is not reciprocated. This reflects how class boundaries and prejudices limit love and happiness during that time. This also indirectly reflects the social standing of women; they are expected to behave in a certain manner that does not undermine their reputation, as doing so otherwise would result in a poor reputation and possible ostracism, ‘I will not repine. It cannot last long…we shall all be as we were before.’
She defends her friend, Charlotte, as having true feelings for Mr. Collins, despite his ‘conceited’ and ‘pompous’ character; an indication of her maybe naive view that true love is simple and has nothing to do with practicality and materialism, ‘it is a most eligible match…she may feel something…for
Austen’s dramatic form of writing is an attractive feature of Pride and Prejudice.The novel is ‘dialogic’ in nature; the dialogue between Jane and Elizabeth is a representation of their personalities and characters and Austen has purposefully juxtaposed Elizabeth opposite Jane to show the stark contrasts in their personalities, as well as their views and beliefs.
Jane is protrayed as the good-natured and forgiving sister; despite being upset that Bingley had left her, she does not blame him but praises him as the ‘most amiable man’ and blames herself instead for her ‘error of fancy’. She thinks the best of others, Bingley in this case, that he is not ‘guarded and circumspect’ despite his wealth. Her love for Bingley is genuine as she sees the virtues in him but she accepts the fact that he may not love her, ‘I have nothing…nothing to reproach him with’. The themes of love and class are raised here, as Jane’s words indicate her resignation and acceptance that her love for a man in an upper class is not reciprocated. This reflects how class boundaries and prejudices limit love and happiness during that time. This also indirectly reflects the social standing of women; they are expected to behave in a certain manner that does not undermine their reputation, as doing so otherwise would result in a poor reputation and possible ostracism, ‘I will not repine. It cannot last long…we shall all be as we were before.’
She defends her friend, Charlotte, as having true feelings for Mr. Collins, despite his ‘conceited’ and ‘pompous’ character; an indication of her maybe naive view that true love is simple and has nothing to do with practicality and materialism, ‘it is a most eligible match…she may feel something…for
References: Austen, J. Pride and Prejudice. ed. by J. Kinsley, Oxford World 's Classics. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008. D. Walder, eds. The Realist Novel. London: Routledge in association with the Open University, 1995.