NOTE: Try to finish the book for Monday, though we'll spend at least another day discussing it and some of the critical articles.
Answer TWO of the following...
Q1: Though Pride and Prejudice is often seen as the ultimate love story, with Elizabeth conquering Darcy’s pride and Darcy Elizabeth’s prejudice, there are other ways to read it. Indeed, as Susan Fraiman writes in “The Humiliation of Elizabeth Bennet” (pp.356-368, we’ll read it later): “I am arguing, however, that Darcy woos away not Elizabeth’s “prejudice,” but her judgment entire” (363). How might we argue that Elizabeth is “tamed” by Darcy’s masculine reason which prevents her from seeing his faults, much as another man (Wickham) seduced her into seeing only Darcy’s flaws? Is she in love—or simply under the sway of another man? Is this book, for all its charms, a feminist’s nightmare?
Q2: What role do letters play in the novel? From Volume II on, there are several important letters, notably Darcy's letter to Elizabeth, but also the letter from Elizabeth's Aunt Gardner, as well as other communications from London: undoubtedly, these are probably hold-overs from the original epistolary novel. Why do you think Austen retained them in the novel? What is the significance of reading a character's letters rather than hearing them speak directly to another character?
Q3: What makes Elizabeth fall in love with Darcy? Can we pinpoint the moment that she, herself, is aware of it? Or are we aware of it long before she is, thanks to plentiful hints from the narrator? What is the crucial ingredient to push her from detestation to “gratitude”? In other words, how does she come to know him and not her prejudiced vision of him?
Q4: For many readers in the twentieth century, Pride and Prejudice is a novel about class. Clearly, Darcy distinguishes himself early in the novel by differences in class (which is the main reason he waits so long to propose to Elizabeth); the Bingleys are social upstarts by means of their father’s fortune; and Elizabeth is forever ashamed of her family’s vulgar manners and connections (so much so, that she expects Darcy to ignore her aunt and uncle at Pemberley). Based on your reading of the book, what are Austen’s views on class? Does the novel preserve class distinctions through Elizabeth’s actions…or does she radically contest these very notions? Consider how the novel ends and who ends up with whom.
q1. Isn't all romance from this time period a feminist's nightmare? I feel like all the relationships here have been so quick and pressured. The difference in Lizzy and Darcy is that they both got to know each other's personality and character beforehand (even if they were deceived by certain events or people). Wickham convinced Elizabeth that Darcy was awful from the first conversation they had about him and she was still trying to decide how she herself felt about him so it was easy for her to believe him. I mean, from the moment Darcy is introduced, we have to assume that he's going to play a significant character in the book so we are already open-minded to the idea of him being changed from this bad character to a wonderful character. I think Elizabeth is in love because at this point she knows what she wants and we have a pretty good idea, too.
ReplyDeleteq2. Obviously, besides face-to-face, letters were the only means on conversation between people. I think there's plenty of reasons Austen incorporated them into the book. First off, that would be as common as a modern day writer mentioning a text message or email; its just a means of communication and a way to put dialogue into a text. Second, I think it's a common theme here for the letters to bring a certain clarity to situations (think of Darcy's letter to Lizzy) where it isn't appropriate for that clarity to be reached in face-to-face situations. I feel it is not likely that Elizabeth could've processed how she was fooled by Wickham if Darcy were speaking to her in person, especially since she shows herself to be pretty stubborn throughout the book.
Q2: Letters give the characters an outlet through which to express their desires or secrets. Darcy mentioned that his letter, though perceived to have been written in a calm fashion, was fueled by a "dreadful bitterness of spirit" (240). Austen plays on these letters to give the reader insight into each character, but she also gives us a greater understanding of herself. Austen found freedom in writing. She was able to cross class boundaries, fall in love, and keep her independence. The letters of Pride and Prejudice are a reflection of their author.
ReplyDeleteQ4: Austen isn't a fan of class division. I think that is made most obvious when Lady Catherine De Bourgh pays Elizabeth a visit to end any relationship between Liz and Darcy. She refers to Elizabeth as "a young woman of inferior birth, of no importance in the world" (231) and calls the rumors of Liz's engagement to Darcy "a scandalous falsehood" (230). Although she demands answers, Elizabeth refuses to give them to her. She sees no division between herself and Darcy: "He is a gentleman; I am a gentleman's daughter; so far we are equal" (232). Elizabeth even goes as far as to ask Lady Catherine to leave, which was absolutely unheard of in their day. I think this conversation alone (although it's not the first of its kind) shows Austen's opinion of class.
Q2. Letters are a very personal way to convey thoughts and emotions. They are also a way of presenting vulnerability to the reader because it can be brought out as proof, rather than relying solely on words, which can be twisted through a retelling. There is also a quality of honesty in a letter because it lacks the tone that can change a bare faced insult to a compliment that would be present in a conversation. There are things that are easier to say in a letter than in person, due to the lack of stress on presenting a front for society.
ReplyDeleteQ4. I think Austen is not necessarily a fan of class but can present it as a real boundary solely because people let it be one. She validates class by having Darcy be a high class gentleman but also destroys it by having his love interest be of a lower class and having to work at their relationship rather than Elizabeth just falling into his arms at his first gesture, as she typically would if she was seriously defined by her class and gender.
Kenia Starry