Jane Austen is one of the most well known writers to come out of the nineteenth century and one of the most recognized female writers of all time. She is revered as a literary influence and many of her works are studied in English classes all throughout North America. She is part of the romanticism era of literature, and many of her works focus on the lives of people in upper-class Britain. One of her most well-known novels is Pride and Prejudice and this stands as a classic piece of literature from the nineteenth century. It is essential to the study of romanticism and realism and an excellent use of irony and social commentary.
Jane Austen was born in 1774 and died in 1817, aged 43 (Woodbridge 197). Her works were published between age twenty-two, in 1976, and her death (Woodbridge 197). Pride and Prejudice was published in 1813 (Woodbridge 196). Austen’s perspective on the theme of Pride and Prejudice is that of an insider. As her family was part of the upper class landed gentry, she was able to write a social commentary from the point of view of someone who knew how society worked. She did not achieve great literary success during her lifetime: she made 700 dollars for her first four novels (Woodbridge 195). At the time, this was a modest amount for someone of upper class status. However, her modest income from her novels meant that she could experience the point of view of those who did not make as much money as the upper class and what it was like to work for a living instead of relying on inheritance, like her characters. In this sense, Austen is able to offer a dual and hybrid perspective in all of her novels.
The theme of Pride and Prejudice is a social commentary of Britain in the nineteenth century. The story revolves around the main character, Elizabeth Bennet, and her sisters as they attempt to find love, happiness, and financial stability in the upper class society of England. Mrs. Bennet, the mother, is set on finding husbands for all of her daughters, as she realizes that their father is not going to have much to leave them. Throughout the novel, the sisters meet respectable gentlemen of the upper class as well as Mr. Darcy, who rejects social norms and clashes with Elizabeth. Eventually, the two are brought together in marriage. Along the road to marriage, the daughters are taught manners, etiquette, and the proper way to behave as a young English woman.
Austen is known for her use of three primary types of literary devices: irony, realism, and social commentary. Pride and Prejudice uses all of these devices to portray the story and romance of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. Irony is used as a literary device that is often coupled with humor to illustrate a point of view. She often used a “comical conclusion” to bring together a satirical and ironic view that would offer some type of social commentary (Brown 1582). In Pride and Prejudice, irony is used to contrast reality and appearance, especially when discussing the relationship between Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth. When Mr. Darcy first sees Elizabeth, he describes her as “tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me” (Austen 8). The irony is that by the end of the book, she becomes his wife. Thus, Darcy originally believed that she was not good enough to dance with him but soon she was good enough to marry him. In addition, the use of irony is present in Elizabeth’s presence as the main character, despite the fact that her sister Jane is much more socially proper and acceptable (Halliday 66). This blends the idea of irony and satire to represent the fact that the more lovable and enjoyable character is the one who does not follow every single social norm and does not value marriage as her sole purpose in life (Halliday 66). For the time, this is an uncommon train of thought and one that makes the whole novel more appealing and interesting.
Throughout all of her novels, Austen demonstrated a “preference for high standards of realism in fiction” (Brown 1582). She disapproved of stories that ended in unrealistic scenarios and was critical of work that did not represent a realistic portrayal of the world (Brown 1582). Therefore, in Pride and Prejudice, Austen included a “reconciliation of personal and social claims” (Marcus 275). Elizabeth’s marriage to Mr. Darcy represents the compromise of bowing to societal acceptance while maintaining some personal desires and freedom. Some of the other marriages in the novel represent a complete subjection to societal claims, such as the marriage between Mr. Collins and Charlotte. Mr. Collins wants a wife strictly so that he can set a good example in society and gain more societal power by being a proper married man (Marcus 276). Elizabeth rejects Mr. Collins’ original marriage proposal and goes on to ignore the demands of society to marry someone until she finds a man that she deems worthy of her hand. Therefore, she is still bowing to society by marrying Mr. Darcy and acquiring the proper etiquette of a British society woman, but she has chosen to do so because of love and much later than she would have originally been married. She is technically considered old for an unmarried young woman.
Austen’s novel leaves a mark on society and offers literary value in that it showcases many aspects of British society during that time and offers something unique for the reader. At this time, a woman was valued on her societal status, and this status was based on her family ties and marriage. Women were appealing to men if they brought something of value with them, such as a dowry or property. Men were also meant to find wives if they were to be considered true gentlemen. The very first line of the book reads, “it is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife” (Austen 1). Therefore, marriage is seen as the main common ground between men and women in British society at the time. Both genders desire a partner to appear more acceptable within society for two different reasons. Additionally, the social commentary reflects the attitudes and divisions of those who were living luxurious lives at the time. The issues that these people faced are profiled and meant to be a representation of the spoiled nature of the upper class people.
In conclusion, Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is a classic piece of literature that is revered by many around the world to this day. Her use of irony, satire and social commentary through realism offer a literary accomplishment that sets her apart from many other writers of her time. Her works resonate with audiences, inspiring thought about classism and the structure of society. Personally, it makes me think about the divisions between classes, and the way that people were treated strictly based on their economic and social position in society. The book brings up excellent points about the extent of true love, and the boundaries that love can transcend if people are open to the idea of looking beyond class and family name. A good piece of literature should make the reader consider issues such as these, and consider a certain perspective or outlook on life at the time of the work. Austen wrote many pieces of exemplary literature, but Pride and Prejudice is by far her most well-known and most popularly adapted piece of literature. It has been televised, translated to film, inspired the plots for many other films, and has even been parodied in Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Throughout these representations its message has not been lost, and will continue to remain relevant regardless of the time period.
Works Cited
Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. 1813. New York, NY: Bantam Classic Books, 2003.
Brown, Lloyd W. “The Comic Conclusion in Jane Austen’s Novels.” PMLA 84.6 (1969):
1582-1587.
Halliday, E.M. “Narrative Perspective in Pride and Prejudice.” Nineteenth-Century Fiction 15.1
(1960): 65-71.
Marcus, Mordecai. “A Major Thematic Pattern in Pride and Prejudice.” Nineteenth-Century
Fiction 16.3 (1961): 274-279.
Woodbridge, H. E. “Jane Austen.” Texas Review 3.3 (1918): 195-207.
