Plot Analysis And Themes In Jane Austen’S Pride And Prejudice
Pride and Prejudice has a well knit, coherent plot where all events and characters are integrated and exemplify the same theme. The Lydia-Wickham episode is one of the sub-plots of the novel and contributes much to the main plot of the Elizabeth-Darcy courtship and marriage.
Wikham as a Foil to Darcy
Wickham's first importance is to deepen Elizabeth's prejudice against Darcy. Darcy appears proud and forbidding when he mortifies Elizabeth by refusing to dance with her for she is not sufficiently beautiful to tempt him. His haughtiness and geneal demeanour make him unlikeable to Mrs. Bennet, Elizabeth, the whole of Meryton and infact even to the reader, who all wish to see this proud man from Derbyshire receive a set-down. And Wickham in the early chapters seems to be just the person to do it.
He is precisely what Darcy is not — pleasant and charming and more to Elizabeth's point he is attentive to her unlike Darcy who had ignored her. When he first meets Elizabeth. he singles her out and make her his confidant. Elizabeth enamoured by his grace, charm and attentiveness flirts with him and is so taken in by his polished manners that she is ready to believe the slanderous falsehoods that Wickham has to tell about Darcy. Thus, Wickham ;s integral in driving the wedge of prejudice deeper in Elizabeth, alienating her further from Darcy. Significantly Darcy's supposed villainy towards Wickham is one of ,Elizabeth's reasons for refusing Darcy's first proposal at Hunsford. Wickham is therefore, integral to the main plot of the Elizabeth-Darcy affair.
The Elopement
The Lydia-Wickham elopement comes off exactly at the moment when Elizabeth starts cherishing hopes of marriage with Darcy. Just as Wickham had jeopardized any attraction between Elizabeth and Darcy by deepening Elizabeth's prejudice in the beginning and just as Lydia's foolish and flirtatious behaviour had initially hardened Darcy against the vulgarity of the Bennet family, the two by eloping together jeopardize the chances of Jane and Elizabeth to happy marriages with Bingley and Darcy. But the set¬back is merely temporary though essential in highlighting the true feelings of Elizabeth and Darcy. Elizabeth's sense of frustration suggests her newly acquired feeling for him. It helps her to realize that Darcy is exactly the man, who, in disposition and talents is most suited to her. Darcy too gets the opportunity to prove to Elizabeth that he has shed his earlier pride and reveals his real and inherent nobility. His love for Elizabeth is deep enough for him to overcome his disgust for Wickham and associate himself with the Bennet family's disgrace by marrying Elizabeth. His gallantry and nobility are revealed when he even pays off Wickham's debts, buys him a new commission in the army and forces him to marry Lydia. Thus, the Lydia-Wickham sub-plot is integral to the main plot of Elizabeth and Darcy and is instrumental in providing the initial conflict. It also finally paves the way for the Elizabeth-Darcy marriage.
A Marriage Based on Passion and Economics
The Lydia-Wickham episode is relevant too in exemplifying the theme of marriage in the novel. Theirs is a marriage based only on passion on the part of Lydia and economic consideration on the part of Wickham. Wickham's flight is occasioned by his mounting debts and only when Darcy is ready to pay off the debts he marries Lydia. Such a marriage is bound to be unsuccessful and sink into indifference. The Lydia-Wickham marriage based as it is on the wrong considerations of infatuation and economics, highlights, by contrast, the propriety of the Darcy - Elizabeth marriage.
Relevance to Theme of Parenthood
Lydia is relevant also to the theme of parenthood in the novel. Lydia's flirtatiousness and her lack of moral sense is a criticism of the inadequacy of her parents. Mrs. Bennet is a woman of mean understanding and Mr. Bennet has cynically withdrawn himself from any moral responsibility towards his family. Their unhappy marriage affects the daughters who are flighty and immature except for Jane and Elizabeth. Mr. Bennet is morally culpable in allowing Lydia to go to Brighton in spite of Elizabeth's warning regarding Lydia's exuberant spirits. He is wrong in being willing to buy personal peace at the cost of family honour and the result,is Lydia's elopement with Wickham and the disgrace it brings to the entire family even jeopardizing the marital prospects of the two elder Bennet sisters.
Thus, the Lydia-Wickham episode is relevant and integral to the novel both thematically and structurally.
Q.12. Jane Austen described life as a 'Matrimonial game'. How for do you agree with this statement as it is illustrated in her novels?
Jane Austen's heroines have almost no other occupation than the business of getting married. Discuss with reference to Pride and Prejudice.
Or
Discuss marriage as a theme in Pride and Prejudice.
Or
'It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife'. Explain how this dictum affects the course of events in Pride and Prejudice.
Ans. The Theme of Marriage
'It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife. This opening sentence of Pride and Prejudice could be taken as the theme of each of her six novels. It is a comically ironic statement implying that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be the target of all the unmarried women about him who are looking for husbands. The statement also introduces the subject — the theme of the romantic novel, which is courtship and marriage. The events in Pride and Prejudice follow from this dictum.
The arrival of Charles Bingley a young man with a fortune at Netherfield Park, sends the neighbouring Bennet household into a flurry of excitement. Mrs. Bennet with five marriageable'daughters, has fond hopes of arranging a match between the eligible suitor Charles Bingley and any one of her daughters. After the customary introductory visits, there is the occasion of the ball from which proceeds the Jane-Bingley love story as well as the story of Elizabeth's prejudice and Darcy's pride which keeps them apart initially until they come closer gradually and eventually marry at the end.
By the time we have reached the end of the novel, not only the hero and heroine, Darcy and Elizabeth, but most of the young people have succeeded in pairing off in marriage. However, it is from the courtship of the hero and heroine that the story derives much of their tension. Though, marriage is the end of her novel. yet it involves more than the conclusion of a simple love story. There is a depth, variety and seriousness in Jane Austen's treatment of these topics.
Marriage — an Important Social and Economic Concern
Marriage was an important social concern in Jane Austen's time and she was fully aware of the disadvantages of remaining single. In a letter to Fanny Knight she wrote: 'Single women have a dreadful propensity for being poor—which is one very strong argument in favour of matrimony.' Charlotte Lucas when she is giving Elizabeth reasons for accepting Mr. Collins, echoes the same view : 'I am not romantic you know. I never was. I ask only a comfortable home, and considering Mr. Couins' character, connections and situation in life, I am convinced that my chance of happiness with him is as fair, as most people can boast on entering the marriage state.'
Jane Austen, tells us bluntly, _that Charlotte 'without thinking highly of either men or of matrimony' had always had marriage as her object because it was the only honourable provision for well-educated, young women of small fortune, and while it may not have provided happiness, it would at least have protected them from want. The only option for unmarried woman in Jane Austen's time was to care for someone else's children as Jane Austen herself did; as there were no outlets for women in industry, commerce, business or education. The novels of Jane Austen — especially Pride and Prejudice — dramatize the economic inequality of women, showing how women had to marry undesirable mates in order to gain some financial security.
The Importance of Correct Judgement
There are seven marriages in Pride and Prejudice, all of them undoubtedly intended to reveal the requirements of a 'good' and 'bad' marriage. Three marriages, that of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, Charlotte and Collins and Lydia and Wickham reveals the 'bad' marriage and the importance of good judgement and proper feeling in determining a couple's future happiness. Mutual respect, the basis of a sound marriage is lacking in the Bennet's marriage. Prudence alone should not dictate, as it does in Charlotte's case, nor should it be disregarded, which is what Lydia does. Thoughtless passion leads only to disgrace and misery for the families concerned. Esteem, good sense and mutual affections are the right 'ingredients for a successful marriage as the Darcy-Elizabeth marriage indicates. Jane Austen firmly believed that to form a right judgement, one must have right principles and right perception of the nature of other people. One must be able to see through affectation, deception and hypocrisy; one must not be a victim of flattery; one must not be carried away by the opinions of other people. The ability to judge correctly is particularly important to- her heroines, for it is upon this ability that their choice of a suitable husband depends. Thus, Elizabeth Bennet who is so certain of her judgement at all times, is blinded by prejudice to judge Darcy wrongly, almost losing the man she comes.to love. But once the true facts are known she realises her mistake. Correct judgement is therefore important in Jane Austen's world, for if the marriage of true minds is the ultimate good in her world, the coming together of the true minds depends upon their knowledge of themselves and each other.
Good and Bad Marriages
Obviously, even though she recognized the necessity for it, one example of a bad marriage in Jane Austen's view is the marriage based on economics, such as that contracted by Mr. Collins and Charlotte Lucas. As a result of Charlotte's need for financial security, she is willing to destroy her own life by linking herself to a pompous ass. Like Elizabeth, we condemn such a marriage based on mere calculation, without love and without compatibility of mind and temperament.
The second kind of 'bad' marriage is marriage based on such superficial qualities as sex, appearance, good looks and youthful vivacity—the runaway marriage of Lydia and Wickham. The passion between the unprincipled rake Wickham and the flighty. Lydia is bound to cool and in their unhappy married life mutual toleration is the nearest approach to affection that can be expected.
A less obvious example of this kind of marriage is that between Mr. and Mrs. Bennet. Undoubtedly they were once attracted to each other very much as Lydia and Wickham were. Even at this late stage Mrs. Bennet is similar to Lydia in her silliness and shallowness. The Bennet marriage ends in mutual forbearance. Mr. Bennet is in general retreat and isolation, and Mrs. Bennett is a completely disorganized woman. When Mr. Bennet tells Elizabeth : 'My child, let me not have the grief of seeing you unable to respect your partner in life ' — he is in fact referring to what is lacking in his marriage.
The two examples of 'good' marriages are, of course, those of Jane and Elizabeth based as it is on mutual love, respect and knowledge of one another.
Conclusion
Thus, the theme of marriage is exemplified in Pride and Prejudice. Beginning with the arrival of Bingley and Darcy both single men 'in possession of a good fortune' the novel traces the courtship of Jane' and Bingley and Elizabeth and Darcy through the various misunderstandings and obstacles, both external and internal, before they are happily married in the end. Along the way the novel also traces the unhappy marriages of Charlotte and Collins based on prudence and economic necessity, and Lydia and Wickham based only on passion, and the marriage of the Bennet's devoid of mutual respect. Thus, it is true that the chief preoccupation of Jane Austen's heroines is getting married and life is a matrimonial game as women vr¬in her times had no other option of business or profession open to them. However, marriage is not treated merely as a romantic end. Rather it is dealt with a depth, variety and seriousness to highlight `good' marriages based on mutual understanding, love, good sense and respect.
Q.13. Do you think that Pride and Prejudice deals with the theme of distinguishing appearance from reality?
Ans. Underlying the theme of marriage in Pride and Prejudice there is a larger theme of distinguishing appearance from reality. Jane Austen upheld the marriage of true minds based on mutual love, respect and understanding as the ideal marriage. The coming together of the true minds depends upon their knowledge of themselves and each other. The theme of fully knowing one's mate before marrying is thus, linked to the theme of distinguishing appearance from reality. Everyone in the book is deceived on some point or another, usually because of trust in outward appearances.
The Theme of Appearance/Reality as Exmplified in Elizabeth
The theme is most obviously exmplified in Elizabeth. Elizabeth has a keen perception and is usually a good judge of character. She is able to see that though the Bingley sisters appear to be well-bred and charming, they are actually conceited and conniving. She is able to see that though Lady Catherine appears to be formidable, she has actually nothing to be proud of apart from her wealth and has no power to really change anybody's life. Her father for all his appearance as a man of intelligence, actually lacks a real moral sense and has no responsibility towards his daughters. But she fails in distinguishing between appearance and realit when it comes to intricate people such as Charlotte, Darcy and Wickham. Charlotte is her close friend and Elizabeth judges merely on appearances in this case. She recognizes Mr. Collins' total foolishness and Charlotte's intelligence but does not realize the reality of economic pressure which can bring such a mis-matched couple together. Though, Charlotte has earlier offered her cynical views on courtship and marriage as being purely a matter of chance, Elizabeth refuses to take her word and only when she is confronted- with the reality of the Charlotte-Collins marriage does she really see Charlotte for what she is and feels that there can be no confidence or intimacy again between them.
Wickham's Duplicity
When complexity and a pleasing manner combine, as they do in Wickham, Elizabeth is totally unable to Llistim.tuisn ppiaranc4; from reality. Wickham appears clever, charming, attentive and witty and is the favourite, infact of Meryton as a whole. Elizabeth is taken in by his surface charm and prejudiced as she is against Darcy, she totally believes Wickham's slanderous information about Darcy. But Wickham for all his charming appearance and manners in really an unprincipled rake, a gambler, who has tried to seduce Darcy's sister and who in the end elopes with Lydia. It is only Darcy's letter of explanation which makes Elizabeth begin to see Wickham's deceptions beneath his outward charm and his totally unprincipled act of running away with Lydia brings home to Elizabeth his real nature.
Appearance and Reality in Darcy
Darcy appears proud at the beginning but while it is true that he is proud, part of his aloofness stems really from his shyness. If he appears too critical of the Bennet farriily and of Meryton in general it is also because he possesses really a fine senseof discrimination end keen intellect unlike the easygoing Bingley. Elizabeth in her °Lind prejudice refuses to see beyond the surface pride of Darcy and attributes all his actions to his pride. At Netherfield when Darcy is found to be staring at her, she thinks that he must in some way find her reprehensible. She is thus, carried away by his first appearance as a proud man and does not see his growing love for her. Darcy who appears totally unappealing in his pride and snobbery is really at the end a fine man, a true chivalrous gentleman who pays off Wickham to marry Lydia and associates himself with the Bennett family disgrace because of his great love for Elizabeth.
Elizabeth who herself appears intelligent and discerning is really unable to judge the complex people who are close to her.
The Theme as Examplified by other Characters
There are other characters too, who fail to distinguish appearance and reality. Lydia is overcome by the appearance of the charming Wickham and fails to see his real nature. Mrs. Bennet and her younger daughters are all silly and stupid, excited merely by the appearance of men in uniform not caring for the reality beneath. Lady Catherine is unable to see the true worth of Elizabeth and underestimates her both at Rosings and at Longbourn only on the basis of Elizabeth's apparent lack of a good family background. Mr. and Mrs. Bennet fail to recognize Elizabeth's love for Darcy until it is announced. Darcy himself is taken in by outward appearance. He had dismissed Elizabeth as not being handsome enough to tempt him and only later does he realize how truly charming, beautiful and refined Elizabeth is. He has separated Birgley from Jane, for, Jane, ne tells Elizabeth had not 'appeared' to be in love with Bingley. Mr. Collins too thinks that Elizabeth's rejection of his proposal IS only a manifestation of feminine coyness and does not realize Elizabeth's honesty. The dialogue in the novel too tends to obscure the meaning, making it difficult for both the characters and the reader to distinguish between appearance and reality.
Conclusion
Thus Pride and Prejudice exemplifies the theme of distinguishing appearance from reality as part of the theme of marriage. The major characters, Darcy and Elizabeth as well as other characters all reveal at various junctures a failure to distinguish between appearance and reality. Only at the end of the book is everything made clear, to characters and readers alike, and only then does all the 'reality' appear as it really is.
Q.14. Discuss how the theme of Pride and i'rejudice exemplifies the need for organic unity of society.
Ans. The theme of Pride. and Prejudice like ,that of other Jane Austen's novels, is courtship and marriage. But for Jane Austen who essentially held a eighteenth century view of man as a social being, marriage had to be within the parameters of society. In this she followed the classicists who held that there was an organic unity of society and that the individual must subordinate his feelings and needs to the larger purposes of the society-Of which he is part.
Love as a Social Act
Even love is to be interpreted as less an individual act than a social act. It occurs at the will of the society, according to its laws and it will affect all the members of the society. Society is a web of personal relations, most readily seen in the network of relationships inside the family. Love and marriage are first of all important to members of the immediate families, but their influence spreads out like ripples in a pond to touch distant members of the family, and finally the society itself. The elopement of Wickham and Lydia, passionate and irresponsible, is an example of how others lives may be ruined by the selfish acts of the individual. Had the marriage not been immediately arranged by members and close friends of the families concerned (Mr. Gardiner for the Bennets, and Darcy for Wickham), the happiness of Jane and Elizabeth would have been permanently jeopardized. We are also led to assume that even Darcy would have been permanently scarred by the scandal.
Conversely, the marriages which end the book are shown in the context of the families concerned. We are told as much about Lydia and Wickham, Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, Georgiana Darcy, Caroline Bingley and Lady Catherine as we are of Jane and Bingley, Elizabeth and Darcy. The marriage contracted by these four bring happiness and stability to everyone, not simply to themselves.
Paradoxically Jane Austen does not go so far as to say that family considerations should be all important. Darcy and Elizabeth marry in spite of family obligations, which are pressed on him by Lady Catherine.
Conclusion
Thus, we may conclude, that while Jane Austen stresses the importance of marriage as part of the organic unity of society as a whole there is no abstract philosophical attitude towards marriage and characters in her novels including 'Pride and Prejudice' have to individually work out for themselves the right type of marriage, given a particular set of circumstances.
Q.15. Discuss 'Parenthood' as a theme in Pride and Prejudice.
Ans. According to Jack Daglish 'Parenthood' is an important theme in Pride and Prejudice. He traces the importance of upbringing in the formation of character in the novel.
Mr. and Mrs. Bennet as Inappropriate Parents
A revealing example of the quality of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet as parents occur early in the novel. In Chapter VII, we are told of the preoccupation of Catherine and Lydia, whose 'minds were more vacant than their sisters', with the officers of the militia regiments. They constantly visit their aunt, Mrs. Phillips, who is as silly and vulgar as her sister; and she encourages their passion for regimentals. After listening to their chatter one morning, Mr. Bennet coolly observed, 'From all that I can collect by your manner of talking, you must be two of the silliest girls in the country. I have suspected it some time, but I am now convinced.'
His observation is true enough, but the detachment th it accompanies it (notice the implication of coolly) is utterly wrong. If two of his daughters behave in an indecorous and foolish way,. Mr. Bennet must he held partly responsible. He has done nothing to check them in the past and he does nothing now. Mrs. Bennet defends them in a manner which reveals that she not only indulges them:
'If I wished to think slightingly of anybody's children, it should not be of my own...' but shares their tastes.
'I remember the time when I liked a red coat myself very well and indeed so I do still at my heart.'
In Chapter XXIX, in the course of Lady Catherine de Bourgh's insolent interrogation of Elizabeth about her family there is a significant paragraph. To Lady Catherine's remark that they must have been neglected without a governess Elizabeth replies:
'Compared with some families, I believe we were; but such of us as wished to learn, never wanted the means. We were always encouraged to read, and had all the niasters that were necessary. Those who chose to be idle, certainly might.'
The Need for Education and Inculcation of Sound l'rinciples
It could only have been Mr. Bennet who encouraged them to read. Equally obviously, his indifference and theirinother's stupidity were responsible for the idleness of those who wished to be idle —Catherine and Lydia. Character and intelligence are seen by Jane Austen as of enormous importance; but they require to be supplemented by education and inculcation of sound principles. Elizabeth and Jane have become what they are almost in spite of their parents. Mary affects learning as a compensation for being the only plain daughter in the family and her 'erudition' is accompanied by a total lack of commonsense and sincerely held values. Lydia and Kitty, lacking in character and intelligence have been encouraged in folly by the indifference of their father and the indulgence of their mother. So the embarrassments suffered by Elizabeth and Jane can directly be attributed to the inadequacy of Mr. and Mrs. Bennett as parents. The ultimate effect is exemplified by Lydia. We are shown in Chapter LXI the delight of Lydia and Mrs. Bennet at the invitation to accompany Mrs. Forster to Brighton; the concern of Elizabeth, who 'considered it as the death warrant of all possibility of common sense for her sister, and the cynical indifference of Mr. Bennet when Elizabeth begs him to intervene, 'Wherever you and Jane are known, you must be respected and valued, and you will not appear to less advantage for having a couple of or I may say three very silly sisters. We shall have no peace at Longboum if Lydia does not go to Brighton.'
Mr. Bennet is thus, ready to buy his personal peace at the cost of the family honour and Elizabeth and Jane have been disadvantaged because of their sisters.
Conclusion
This theme of the effect of upbringing is not confined to the Bennet family. Darcy's pride is also a part of his parent's wrong instructions to him. In Chapter LVIII he tells Elizabeth: 'As a child I was taught what was right; but I was not taught to correct my temper. I was given good principles, but left to follow them in pride and conceit. Unfortunately, an only son (fo, many years, an only child), I was spoiled by my parents, who, though good in themselves, allowed, encouraged almost taught me to be selfish and overbearing—to care for none beyond my own family circle, to think meanly of all the rest 'of the world, to wish at least to think meanly of their sense and worth compared with my own.'
Similarly Mr. Collins has suffered as the greatest part of his life had been spent under the guidance of an illiterate and miserly father.
