THE REALIST NOVEL:
JANE AUSTEN'S PRIDE & PREJUDICE
When wealthy bachelor Mr. Bingley
takes up residence in a nearby mansion,
the Bennets are abuzz.
Well aware of her mother's (Mrs Bennets) fixation
on finding her and her sisters husbands
hence, securing their futures;
the spirited and intelligent Elizabeth, however,
strives to live her life with a broader perspective.
The classic tale of love and misunderstanding
unfolds in class-conscious England
near the close of the 18th century.
takes up residence in a nearby mansion,
the Bennets are abuzz.
Well aware of her mother's (Mrs Bennets) fixation
on finding her and her sisters husbands
hence, securing their futures;
the spirited and intelligent Elizabeth, however,
strives to live her life with a broader perspective.
The classic tale of love and misunderstanding
unfolds in class-conscious England
near the close of the 18th century.
This extract (taken from the final chapter of the
novel- includes Lydia’s letter to Elizabeth) reflects
Austen’s genius of subtle discrimination and astute
perceptiveness in conveying a didactic message using a
simple, yet witty style. The mood of this text lacks
novel- includes Lydia’s letter to Elizabeth) reflects
Austen’s genius of subtle discrimination and astute
perceptiveness in conveying a didactic message using a
simple, yet witty style. The mood of this text lacks
dramatic emotions, the emotions are perceived implicitly,
they are not expressed to the readers directly. This
induces the readers to weave through the interactions
between opinions and attitudes. In this short text, it
reflects not only the criticism of individuals living in
her era but also the criticism of her society as well:
money-mindedness,irresponsibility, pretentiousness, vanity
and frivolity. In analysing the given text, I will describe
the narrating voice, the important themes of marriage,
reputation and morality as well as the narrative techniques
used.
The narrating voice in this text is a third-person narrative.
The third-person narrative employs an omniscient point of
view, sometimes known as through the eyes of God', seeks to
reveal the nuances of the characters’ thoughts. This in turn
exposes the characters’ motives, values and morality. Speaking
in astrictly objective style, providing the most reliable
information in the simplest manner, it reveals the ultimate
moral judgment.
As this text is in the last chapter of the novel,the narrative
voice of the first sentence has set the moral tone succinctly
- the outcome of this couple that ‘suffered no revolution’
tells the readers immediately, there is no moral development
in this couple. They ‘suffered’ because there is ‘no revolution’
( nochange in moral development), ‘from their sister marriage’
(because of their dependency on both sisters who had married
well, there is nothing to compel them to change).
The second paragraph featured Lydia congratulatory letter
to Elizabeth.In endorsing ‘suffer no revolution’ the narrator
presents this letter to allow the character herself (Lydia) to
reveal her irresponsible and frivolous nature with an ambitious
aim to get financial aids from Elizabeth. Next in the third
paragraph, the narrator immediately lured us into the
consciousness of Elizabeth, highlighting her concern and
generosity. This immediate contrast of the motives and concerns
of Lydia, Wickham and Elizabeth evokes the reader’s sympathy
to Elizabeth and simultaneously rendered them to feel
indignant.
The final paragraph further endorses Wickham’s
irresponsibility as well as his pleasure-seeking nature by
patronizing fashionable places like London and Bath. The
narrator also demonstrated Darcy’s and even the good-natured
Bingley’s aversion for the unwelcomed couple , Wickham and
Lydia. Additionally, places mentioned here subtly indicate the
contrasting nature of Darcy and Wickham; the fashionable Bath
and London represents the vanity and irresponsibility of the
pretentious Wickham whereas Pemberley seems to denote elegant
taste, lover of nature and responsibility of Darcy. The external
third-person narrator put the reader in a position of irony,in
that we know more about the fate of the characters, of the
motivations of other characters, than do the characters
themselves.
One of the most significant themes here is the idea of a
successful marriage; it highlights the didacticism of the text.
Marriage is also seen as financial security in Austen’s society
thus marriage is the status all women strive to achieve. Women
cannot work, hence are economically dependent upon men.
Therefore a successful marriage is essential to the welfare of
women.The marriage of Darcy and Elizabeth reveals the
characteristics that constitute a successful marriage- respect,
esteem and confidence. Marriage must never be based on
appearances, rather it must take time to gradually develop for
two people to get to know each other. Passion alone is not
enough, there needs to be a foundation of mutual understanding
and clear-eyed, rational appreciation of the other’s virtues
and responsibilities. The marriage between Jane Bennet and
Bingley is also an example of successful marriage as they both
have a general similarity of feeling and taste along with
excellent understanding.
Obviously, Lydia and Wickham’s marriage was based only on
appearances, good looks, and youthful vivacity. Once these
qualities are no longer seen by each other, the marriage will
slowly fade away. As expressed in this text, ‘his affection
for her soon sunk into indifference; her’s lasted a little
longer’ – Lydia and Wickham’s hasty marriage gradually
disintegrates as it is based on superficial qualities that
eventually lead to unhappiness.
Furthermore, Austen depicts a society in which a woman’s
reputation is of utmost importance. Lydia by becoming
Wickham’s lover outside of marriage had not only destroyed
her reputation but her reckless behaviour also compromises
the status of her whole family. ‘in spite of her youth and her
manners, she retained all the claims to reputation which her
marriage had given her’, this means she was not involved in
any other sexual encounters, but remained faithful to Wickham.
With Darcy’s paying Wickham to marry Lydia and that Lydia had
‘behave’ herself after marriage, this has somehow redeemed
the reputation of her family.
Austen also conveys meanings by the use of contrast or
opposition through the process of moral development.
Characters have credible psychological motivations, emotional
responses and moral growth. This text contrasts many human
qualities: depth and superficiality, selfishness and
generosity, frivolity and responsibility. Bingley and Jane
are modest, kind and charitable: a christain value- charity
towards others and humanity toward themselves. Lydia embodies superficiality whereas Wickham dishonesty. Lydia’s frivolity
and Elizabeth’s sensibility are opposites just as Wickham
irresponsibility versus Darcy’s responsibility. In engaging
Elizabeth with opposition , reader’s sympathy are drawn onto
her side. The weak contrasts with the insightful characters -
those who have the maturity to recognise their own foibles-
these are the people that Austen sees as moral leaders of her
society.
The narrative techniques featured in this text are –free
indirect speech, epistolary form, focalization and telling.
The text starts with a third-person narrator in the first
sentence, directing the reader’s focus to the lack of
transformation of character in Wickham and Lydia. The
third-person narratorthen quickly slips into focalisation
that epitomize the speech of Wickham (what he would
have said to himself) via his tone and choice of words. This
reveals Wickham’s private thoughts – his realization that
although his falsehood had been exposed to Elizabeth, he still
hope to be supported financially by Darcy; and would have
preferred that the congratulatory letter would reveal his hope
as his wife’s intention instead. The function of focalisation
here serves to communicate a sense of intimacy as the
narrator directs the readers’ focus into Wickham’s consciousness.
The absence of quotation marks in focalisation makes the
sentences flow smoothly and instantly the readers dwell into
his concealed reflection.
The next narrative technique is the epistolary form which is
the letter mode. Austen uses this letter to expose Lydia’s
motive in getting financial aid. Lydia’s letter also reveals
extreme frivolity, thoughtlessness and irresponsibility.
‘I wish you joy’ was short and abrupt reflects her insincerity.
‘if you love Darcy half as well as I do my Wickham…’ seems to
indicate that she feels that her passionate love was above those
of Elizabeth ‘rational and sensible’ love. This contrasts both
marriages, Lydia’s marriage based on reckless passion while
Elizabeth’s marriage based on a balance of passion and
sensibility. The fact that Lydia claims that Elizabeth being
‘so rich’ and ‘have nothing else to do’ seems to reflect a
senseless thought that Elizabeth, in her fortunate position
has to provide her with financial aid and that her husband
would love a place at ‘court’ at ‘three to four hundred a year’
- highlight both Lydia and Wickham irresponsible dependency.
Immediately after the letter, the narrative language changes
again and focalization is used. Although the narrator’s voice is
still speaking we are unwittingly directed through Elizabeth’s
eyes or her point of view. The aim here is didactic, to educate
the readers’ moral discrimination by bringing attention
to Elizabeth kindness and generosity immediately after the letter
that reveals the irresponsible Lydia. This contrast compels the
reader to feel sympathy for Elizabeth, simultaneously an aversion
for Lydia’s behaviour culminating in a moral discernment.
A final narrative technique in this text is ‘telling'. The
advantage of telling is speed, economy and clarity. By using
concise words it is a much quicker way to inform the readers
about how the characters feel and think. As expressed in
Wickham and Lydia declining affection for each other or
Darcy’s abhorrence of Wickham ‘could never receive him at
Pemberley’ and Bingley’s disgust of Wickham and Lydia
overstaying their welcome that he ‘ ‘to talk of giving them
a hint to be gone’(Bingley's free Indirect speech) The mode
of ‘telling’ in the final paragraph briskly sums up to
disclose antipathy of the unwelcomed couple; to ensure that
the readers have drawn the correct conclusion about the
characters already ‘shown’. Using these various narrative
techniques, the author aims to enable the readers both to
make moral judgements about the heroine’s kindness,
sensibility and responsibility and to retain sympathetic
involvement in her experience.
Austen has the rare art of dramatic presentation: instead of
telling us what her characters are and what they feel, she
presents the people and they reveal themselves.Her excellent
themes of marriage, reputation and morality are exhibited in
her clever use of similarities and contrasts, between
strengths and weakness reflecting sensibilities or frivolity.
Her ‘artful’ style in this text exploited the flexible
possibilities of the narrative techniques. Through these
‘artful’ techniques she developed attitudes, personalities that
reveal people’s interests, values, motives and her conservative
society . All this indicates a superb artistic organisation
which is distinctive of Jane Austen novelistic prose.
(1568 words)
Bibiography
AUSTEN, J (1813) Pride And Prejudice, Reprinted 2006,
Headline Review Paperback, London, Hodder.
WALDER, D. (ed) (1995) The Realist Novel, London, Routled
Bibliography
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