The Theme of Society in Pride and Prejudice Essay - 976 Words

Originally written in the late 1700s, Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice satirically depicts the universal ideals in Old Regency England, primarily regarding social class. Austen follows the development of an outspoken middle-class British woman, Elizabeth Bennet, as she encounters and overcomes the many social barriers that separate her from her wealthy upper-class neighbors. Throughout the novel, Lizzie must confront society’s class-consciousness, particularly with her family’s growing relationship with the wellborn Bingleys and their friend, Mr. Darcy. It is clear that the author, Jane Austen, intended Pride and Prejudice to be a parody of the Old English society’s extreme emphasis on the social class structure and marriage that is not†¦show more content†¦Lady Catherine’s ludicrousness is most likely taken from her haughty ego, which society has helped create by holding the upper class up on a pedestal. In Pride and Prejudice, Jane Auste n speaks of a world where a person’s, more importantly a woman’s, reputation is a paramount obsession. A woman is made to believe to have to behave in certain ways; stepping outside the social normality makes her open to being banished from mainstream society. A prime example of this is when Lydia gets an invitation to visit and stay with the officers. Of course, Mrs. Bennet, the most obvious, oblivious, loud social conscious creature of Longbourn is all â€Å"happy go lucky† when she hears of Lydia’s call. Mr. Bennet who is the most stoic contradictory of Mrs. Bennet is even excited. However, when the news provoking invitation turns into a merciless elopement between Mr. Wickham and Lydia Bennet it sends shockwaves through the Bennet household. By becoming Wickham’s lover without being married, Lydia clearly places herself outside the social â€Å"norm†, and her disgrace threatens the entire Bennet family and their standing in society. The fact that Lydia’s terrible judgment would have condemned the other Bennet sisters to marriage less lives is a ridiculous but accurate tell of the stress put on the hierarchy that is Old English society. This theme also appears in the novel whenShow MoreRelatedJane Austen s Pride And Prejudice1343 Words   |  6 PagesThe Themes of Jane Austen in Pride and Prejudice In today’s time there are many novels in which their purpose is to provide an enjoyable feeling for the reader, filling them with pleasurable feelings and they do not possess a strong message or lesson. On the other hand, Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice does not compare to novels such as The Notebook, or My Life with the Walter Boys because those two are feel-good books. Whereas Pride and Prejudice is undoubtedly an enjoyable story but Austen usesRead MoreJane Austens Pride and Prejudice1061 Words   |  5 Pagesoff of society’s standards. Many writers criticizes the influence that society has over its members. The romantic novelist Jane Austen satirizes her society and those who follow it. One of her most famous works, Pride and Prejudice, is a great example of this satire. Throughout the novel she explores the effects of society through her characters. In Jane Austen’s novel Pride and Prejudice, she divulges the central theme of society and social cla ss through the characters Elizabeth Bennet, Mr. Darcy,Read MoreGood Morning Readplus Panel, Mount Alvernia Curriculum Leaders For English, And Fellow Students1573 Words   |  7 Pagespanel, Mount Alvernia Curriculum Leaders for English, and fellow students. â€Å"Pride and Prejudice† is a well-known novel by Jane Austen. Many people of different ages have at least heard of this book through various media adaptations. But how many have actually read it? â€Å"Pride and Prejudice† should be read by young adults and be included on the ReadPlus website because it is a work of literature that surpasses time. Its themes are still relevant, the characters are still relatable and it provides a culturalRead MoreF.Scott Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby Comparison and Contrasted with Jane Austens Pride and Prejudice1708 Words   |  7 Pagesmeaning for other texts. An example of this is Jane Austens Pride and Prejudice, this novel is more easily understood when it is compared and contrasted to other literature works, such as F. Scott Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby. The aspects of the two novels that can be compared and contrasted are the plot development, characterisation, setting, narrative point of view, writers context and themes and issues. The plot of Pride and Prejudice is about a lower upper class woman in the 18th centuryRead MoreComparative Study: Letters to Alice and Pride and Prejudice1502 Words   |  7 Pagesportrayed in Pride and Prejudice are creatively reshaped in Letters to Alice. The two texts, Letters to Alice and Pride and Prejudice, mirror and contrast the central values shared and explored by evaluating them; presenting them against Jane Austens context and that of Fay Weldon. Mirroring Austens novel, Weldon presents the central values for women such as the social values of moral behaviour, independence, and, literary values of reading and writing, from Pride and Prejudice and adapts themRead MoreExplore the Methods Which Writers Use to Develop the Ways in Which Their Characters See and Understand Their Own Worlds in Pride and Prejudice and the Yellow Wallpaper1100 Words   |  5 PagesExplore the methods which writers use to develop the ways in which their characters see and understand their own worlds in Pride and Prejudice and The Yellow Wallpaper Austen first published ‘Pride and Prejudice’ in 1813 the novella touches on several themes such as prejudice, first impressions and pride; themes that individually define the main characters. Charlotte Perkin Gilman an American writer first published ‘The Yellow Wallpaper’ in 1892, the novella touches upon attitudes in the nineteenthRead MoreEssay on Jane Austin and Pride Prejudice1457 Words   |  6 Pagesdeveloped the ideas related to feminism (Abrams). Jane’s work became prevalent in English literature during time of transition from neo-classicism to romanticism (Abrams). She was influenced by a number of other literary figures of her time, and by the society in which she lived. Her writing sometimes reflected earlier writers, whom she sometimes mocked because they always portrayed a perfect world in their writing and the world was not that way. Her writing style was elegant and satirical. In her novelsRead More Comparing Satire in Canterbury Tal es, Pride and Prejudice and The Rape of the Lock1351 Words   |  6 PagesUse of Satire in Canterbury Tales, Pride and Prejudice and The Rape of the Lock Jane Austen and Alexander Pope had had a myriad of writing styles and techniques from which to express the desired themes of their works.   Satire, however, seemed to be the effective light-hearted, yet condescending, tool that enabled them to surface the faults and follies of their moral and elite society.   In Chaucers Canterbury Tales, satire is used to the full extent in revealing the glutton within a piousRead MorePride And Prejudice By Jane Austen1399 Words   |  6 PagesPride and Prejudice The novel Pride and Prejudice written by Jane Austen is a satirical depiction of the social life and atmosphere of eighteenth and nineteenth century England, which at the time was predominantly concerned with the courtship customs of the English gentry. The novel, through Austen’s ironic and subtle writing style, is far more than just a romantic comedy, since it skillfully addresses and combines the political, economic, philosophical and feminist themes of its periodRead MorePride and Prejudice: Themes, Motifs, and Symbols1368 Words   |  6 PagesThemes Themes are the fundamental and often universal ideas explored in a literary work. Love 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. Elizabeths pride makes her misjudge Darcy on the basis of a poor first impression, while Darcys prejudice