themes of pride and prejudice

pride and prejudice

1. To prof. nadia Shameem by Aqsa suleman

2. Themes of Pride and prejudice

3. Outline

4. JANE AUSTEN English novelist Jane Austen (1775–1817) wrote about unremarkable people in unremarkable situations of everyday life, and yet she shaped such material into remarkable works of art. The economy, precision, and wit of her prose style; the shrewd, amused sympathy expressed toward her characters; and the skillfulness of her characterization and storytelling continue to enchant readers. 5

5. JANE AUSTEN (Major Works) Sense and Sensibility (1811) Pride and Prejudice (1813) Mansfield Park (1814) Emma (1815) Persuasion and Northanger Abbey (both 1817). 6

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7. class and economic inequality Morality and reputation Intellectual pride prejudice family 8 Themes in pride and prejudice

8. Themes Continued Integrity love Marriage 9

9. Continued Virtue Gender 10 Themes

10. Class and economic inequality Line between poor and rich families Bennet family inferior Its examples are: 11

11. The issue of class consciousness is shown when Mr. Collins takes most of his time bootlicking those in the upper class- Lady Catherine. Darcy is of the opinion that his lineage of dignity to him, on the same line Miss Bingley hates those that are not socially acceptable to her. Individuals also strive to climb the social ladder as shown by Wickham who is ready to go in doing extra ordinary things to acquire social class. Collin and Lucas Charlotte who was ready to even mess with her own life but be with a rich man who could fulfill her financial needs. It is also financial inequality that makes Mrs. Bennet to arrange suitors to her daughters and one of her daughters, Elizabeth says of her sister Jane, “If Jane should die, it would be comfort to know that it was all in pursuit of Mr. Bingley”. Examples 12

12. The reputation especially of a woman count a lot. There are certain ways women are to carry themselves and if they go astray then they are bound to ostracism/exclusion. Mary, “Loss of virtue in a female is irretrievable; that one false step involves her in endless ruin; that her reputation is no less brittle than it is beautiful; and that she cannot be too much guarded in her behavior towards the undeserving of the other sex” This is exemplified by various female characters. For instance, when Mrs. Bennet behaved in an ill-manner towards Darcy and Bingleys, similarly, the scenario where Elizabeth went to Nether field and meet Miss Bingley and her friend in a dirty skirt tarnished her reputation. The step taken by Lydia to elope with Wickham then walks away without getting married places her in an ill position in the society . This might also negatively impact on her sisters as it threatens their quest of finding husbands and might remain unmarried for the rest of their lives. Morality and reputation 13

13. The characters of the people is built along this. This is so pronounced in the novel where Darcy alienates himself from other people due to pride. This is seen where he acted so snobbishly with lot of superiority when they encountered for the first time on the ball with Benet leading to them being turned off. In his loving of Elizabeth, Darcy acted so proudly to a point whereby, Elizabeth was disgusted due to his behavior leading her to despise him so much. We see him debasing Elizabeth family so much even after proposing to her for marriage. Nevertheless, to ensure that he wins her love back and marry her, Darcy had to look at her life once again and change her intense pride to ensure that he makes her happy. Intellectual pride 14

14. Prejudice refers to the tendency of the characters to judge one another based on preconceptions, rather than on who they really are and what they actually do. As the book's title implies, prejudice goes hand in hand with pride, often leading its heroine and hero into making wrong assumptions about motives and behavior. Austen's gentle way of mocking Elizabeth's and Darcy's biases gives the impression that such mistakes could, and indeed do, happen to anyone; that faulting someone else for prejudice is easy while recognizing it in yourself is hard. Prejudice in the novel is presented as a stage in a person's moral development, something that can be overcome through reason and compassion. Austen only condemns those people who refuse to set aside their prejudices, like the class-obsessed Lady Catherine and the scheming social climber Caroline. Though Pride and Prejudice is a social comedy, it offers a powerful illustration of the damaging effects to people and to society that prejudice can inflict. Prejudice 15

15. 16 Family The family is the predominant unit of social life in Pride and Prejudice and forms the emotional center of the novel. Austen skillfully reveals how individual character is molded within the family by presenting Jane and Elizabeth as mature, intelligent adults, and Lydia as a hapless fool.

16. “Do you think that any consideration would tempt me to accept the man who has been the means of ruining, perhaps for ever, the happiness of a most beloved sister?” Elizabeth speaks this quote when she refuses Darcy’s marriage proposal. She is angry and offended that Darcy would prevent Bingley from marrying Jane, and she expresses her loyalty to her sister. Because Darcy has acted against Jane, Elizabeth will not look at him in a positive light, even though he is very wealthy and has a lot to offer her. For Elizabeth, loyalty to her family and doing what is right is more important than becoming rich. 17 Integrity

17. Pride and Prejudice contains one of the most cherished love stories in English literature: the courtship between Darcy and Elizabeth. As in any good love story, the lovers must elude and overcome numerous stumbling blocks, beginning with the tensions caused by the lovers' own personal qualities. Their relationship starts with pride and prejudice. Mr. Darcy seems an arrogant person. He does not consider Elizabeth handsome enough to tempt him. These remarks of Mr. Darcy offend Elizabeth. However, with the passage of time, Darcy’s pride melts and ultimately they become life partners. Darcy Proposes Elizabeth two times and there is a reason behind it. Firstly, he proposes her in an arrogant manner or perhaps, his first impression was not good. Jane Austen shows that a girl should reject such kinds of proposals as Elizabeth does. She knows that Darcy’s proposal is a golden opportunity for her even then she rejects it. She wants at least respect (at most love) before marriage. Jane Austen shows that without respect there is no love and without love marriage is just a commitment. Second time when Darcy proposes her, she accepts it. It is because he realizes Elizabeth’s importance in his life. He starts giving her respect. It is a lesson that he learns well from rejection of proposal. It is best love relationship and marriage in the eyes of Jane Austen. Their marriage is neither based on compulsion nor on the basis of settlement but on true love. Love 18

18. "It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a large fortune, must be in want of wife.." In jane Austen's world, marriage was the 'only honorable provision', infinitely preferable to the dependency of spinsterhood or the near slave-labour of being a governess. . Socially, it marked maturity. When she married and started a family, a woman took her place in society. There are five married couples in this novel: Mr. and Mrs. bennet Jane and Bingleys Elizabeth and Darcy Charlotte and Mr. Collins Wickham and Lydia Marriage 19

19. virtue Austen's novels unite Aristotelian and Christian conceptions of virtue. She sees human life as purposeful and believes that human beings must guide their appetites and desires through their use of reason . For instance, Elizabeth almost loses her chance at happiness because her vanity overcomes her pragmatism . Lydia's lack of virtue is linked with her inability to control her passion and desire. Without knowing oneself, it is difficult to develop virtue. In the end, Austen links happiness to virtue and virtue to self-awareness. 20

20. 21 Gender When she is secure of him, there will be leisure for falling in love as much as she chooses. Charlotte speaks quote to Elizabeth when offering an opinion on how Jane ought to behave to end up married to Bingley. Charlotte does not think it’s important for Jane to love Bingley or know very much about him. This quote reveals how limited options were for women at this time and the way in which women like Charlotte accepted the fact that they would probably not get to marry for love.

21. realism Jane Austen shows realism in her novel pride and prejudice. She portrays the theme of marriage mainly and explore many thoughts of society regarding marriage. As jane Austen's time period called age of realism . She showed her point of view regarding love and marriage by Elizabeth character. Lydia was shown as the person who only focuses on lust of sexuality by marriage nothing else. Jane Austen told women importance in that age , that there is not any else purpose of life except marriage. 22

22. Conclusion As all of you know that topic is wholly described and now I want to request you people to conclude the topic as you have listened to the explanation of the topic. Any one can….. 23

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