First Impressions was the first original version of Pride and Prejudice written by Jane Austen in 1797. Jane’s father, Rector George Austen liked the novel and even offered to pay for its publication; however, the publisher rejected the novel out of hand. In 1813, the same book appeared to the public, although considerably revised, as Pride and Prejudice. This was her second book. The first, Sense and Sensibility, had appeared two years earlier. Both novels were published anonymously, although some people knew who the author was, it was not until her death that the secret became publicly known. Jane Austen is adept at describing the minute details of these settings; due to her family’s social status, it gave her a more diverse observation of the haut ton, providing a much clearer picture about 18th century Regency England. Jane Austen has an exquisite touch, and all her books are shot through with dashes of humor. This is especially true of Pride and Prejudice, where both Lady Catherine de Bourgh and William Collins are creations worthy of any satirist. She experimented with literary forms of such as ‘epistolary novels’. An ‘epistolary novel’ is a work written in a series of documented texts or letters designed to further explain the nature of each character, their emotional context and behaviors. In addition, letters can add a bite of realism into the whole novel because it attempts to imitate the work of real person and allows the author to show different philosophies and thoughts throughout the course of the story. Pride and Prejudice is a very great example of an epistolary novel because the letters made by Caroline Bingley, Darcy, Mr. Collins and the Gardiners act as an extension of their personality which helps readers to get a better grasp of the story actions. Critical commentaries were made by Richard Simpson on his article discussing Jane’s intricate and witty usage of ironies and impeccable sarcasm especially with Mr. Bennet’s practical comment about the foolishness of Mr. Collins and his wife’s poor knowledge. In 1939, Mary Lascelle spearheaded the modern Austen literary scholarship when she published her book entitled Jane Austen and Her Art. The work was aimed to take a much clearer view about Austen’s Pride and Prejudice for which it provided a historical and political views of each character and a specialized insights on the economy, language and feminist philosophies. Many scholars also noted the plot of Pride and Prejudice aims at the value of a person’s character, which shows a greater factor in the novel, and the results of each action defined by the motives. Human nature has a lot of weaknesses and one of them is jealousy. Jane Austen elaborated this in the novel through the characters of Caroline Bingley and Elizabeth Bennet. Miss Bingley despises Elizabeth for being so shabby. She uses her low social standing as a means of getting Mr. Darcy’s attentions. Romanticism was highly recognized during the regency times. However, Jane Austen refused to accept the romantic principles. Romantic writers only praise human’s feeling contrary to Austen’s logical beliefs. Romanticists disposed prudent behaviors whilst Austen ridicule society manners and self-delusion. In general, romanticism aims to raise male genders in order to gain a better flow of things. Contrary to this beliefs, Jane Austen incorporated existing society traditions and created standards to view human attitudes and manners on a lighter perspective. Pride and Prejudice showed fewer traces of romantic hints, and little description of astute observations regarding historical chaos. It seems that members of the gentry during Austen’s time were not affected by the issues of the Napoleonic Wars. She also noted Mr. Wickham’s brusque demeanor and military organization of recruiting men from the lower classes, thus giving rights to most gentlemen to gain command of things. Moreover, technological privileges did not seem to interrupt the cozy regency lives of rural people. Industrial Revolution along with its socio-economic repercussions did not had any effect to laborers. To sum up, technological inventions that occurred in 18th century England during the printing of Pride and Prejudice did not showed any impact or a clear description in the novel. The popularity of Pride and Prejudice was already justified as one of the most popular literary classics ever made by a woman. The charming story and unique characterization added a depth to the masterful usage of ironic dialogues and structured realism as a means for character developments, thus, heightening the extent portrayal of foolishness and hypocrisy that existed in the polished societies. Jane Austen attacks self-delusionists, whose ulterior motives was to fool every people. Various ironies were found in Pride and Prejudice, mostly refers to characters displaying unconscious dramatic irony such as in the case of Mrs. Bennet when she declared her outmost refusal to accept inherited property to discourage Mr. Collins. In some instances, Austen made a good use of Elizabeth and Mr. Bennet as her own medium to deliver her personal opinion of the matter. Mary, on the other hand was the only Bennet daughter who stayed at home after her three sisters marriages. Kitty remained with Jane to avoid any influences from Lydia. Other things prominent to the novel was its beginning lines, “It is a truth universally acknowledge that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a good wife.” (Austen and Jennings 1). Marriage in the regency times is the most important way of securing lives especially in the women. Mrs. Bennet wants all of her daughters to be married immediately to secure their future. Austen describes Mrs. Bennet as a woman of ill-breeding and little knowledge of what is right and wrong. Though she cares for her daughters’ security, she tends to act crazy and ushering her daughters to marry and flirt with men for the purpose of getting a husband. Women during the time of Austen only enjoy few liberties such as having a decent education, right to a better living and marriages. However, in the case of Charlotte Lucas, she refused to acknowledge the stupidity of Mr. Collins and after being rejected by Elizabeth, Mr. Collins proposed to Miss Lucas which in turn she accepts. It is because of her age that she fears the situation of her life; without marriage, she cannot live her own because women are not allowed to inherit titles and estates from their fathers. Clearly, after her parents’ death, she would be a poor creature if she did not marry. Furthermore, according to the English law, women have no sufficient rights to inherit a property. Only male relatives or cousins are allowed to do so. The novel starts upon the conversation between Mr. Bennet and Mrs. Bennet about Charles Bingley, a young gentleman from the North of England who decided to settle at Netherfield. “However, little is known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighborhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families, that he is considered as the rightful property of someone or other of their daughters.” (Austen and Jennings 1). Every speech made by each character from Pride and Prejudice exemplifies the true nature of their personality. Mr. Collins speeches were very long and pompous that makes him a silly clergyman. Though he was respected, he is a snobbish person who always talks praises about himself and his patroness Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Mr. Bennet, on the other hand, was always sarcastic and unaffectionate towards his daughter, Lydia. Though he was a good provider, he certainly lacks the proper command as a fatherly figure to all of her daughters. Instead of getting angry on Lydia’s elopement with George Wickham, he was happy to be freed from the burdens of her brainless whinings. One of the main reasons of the book’s popularity is the injection of realistic scenarios to the story. Every people in the world experiences embarrassment for the stupidity of their relatives, especially in the case of Elizabeth upon seeing Mr. Collins approached Mr. Darcy, who was then talking with another gentleman. Mr. Collins introduces himself to him as a clergyman and praises Lady Catherine de Bourgh as his worthy patroness. It was then his foolishness was revealed because Elizabeth knew for certain that Mr. Darcy could not care less for his praises. Miss Bingley ridicules Mr. Collins unabashedly. Also, an interesting figure on the book was Lady Catherine de Bourgh. She was the patroness of Mr. William Collins and the owner of the Rosings estate. She was a wealthy woman who subsequently tries to meddle with the affairs of her daughter, Georgiana and Darcy. She was a woman of stately manners and fearless commentaries. She despised Elizabeth when she learned about her engagement to Mr. Darcy by delivering the most famous line, “And such a girl to be my nephew’s sister? Is her husband, is the son of his late father’s steward, to be his brother? Are the shades of Pemberley to be thus polluted?” (Austen and Jennings 346-347) it was also made clear in the novel that Darcy’s mother and Lady Catherine made an agreement to unite the Pemberley and Rosings to gain a much higher stature in the society. “The engagement between them [Darcy and Anne de Bourgh] is of peculiar kind. From their infancy, they have been intended for each other. It was the favorite of his mother, as well as of hers.” (Austen and Jennings 344). She dislikes Elizabeth because of her family background, lowly upbringing and lack of appropriate manners suitable for the members of the haut ton. Lady Catherine is the result of Austen’s ridiculing the comical manners of the gentry, ruining one’s moral without overlooking their own flaws. The social status is a prime importance during the time of Jane Austen. It is a secure way of getting proper acquaintance of someone belonging to a high rank member of the society for the purpose of elevating one’s own social standing. The division of the rank is clearly established within the novel wherein the Bennet family belongs to a middle class rank, Mr. Darcy and Lady Catherine de Bourgh belongs to the gentries.
The story of Pride and Prejudice is an amusing and epic tale of a love story crossing the boundaries of society ranks. A comedy of manners dedicated to elaborate the flaws of the society and vices of the human behavior. Pride and Prejudice highlights them all whilst giving the readers a vivid picture of cozy 18th century English society and feminist attributes. In the case of feminism, the ability of Elizabeth to ridicule Darcy’s pompous pride made her an outright heroine of virtue and wisdom. It was then that Austen showed his flaws and made him realized how intolerable his behavior was. The Victorian writer and politician Lord Macaulay thought that there had been no one better than Austen at portraying characters since the time of William Shakespeare. Pride and Prejudice though existed for many years’ remains a classic favorite ever since.
Works Cited
Austen, Jane and Linda M Jennings. Pride and Prejudice. London: Puffin, 1995. Print.
