It is no secret that Jane Austen excels at sarcasm and wit—they are an essential and distinguishing part of her writing style and technique. One must only reread the opening lines of Pride and Prejudice to understand the irony and humor at play:
“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.”
From the sections assigned for last Thursday March 7 and Thursday March 14 (Vol. II, Chs. IX – Vol. III, Ch. XI [pp.173-319]) find an example in which Austen resorts to such a use of wit, sarcasm, irony or humor: what is so witty about the example you chose? What meanings within those lines struck you? What makes those lines memorable, funny, quotable? Make sure to contextualize your example, explaining what it reveals about the character or ideas it is addressing.
For the next part of this response, I’d like you to think about how Austen use of sarcasm and wit contribute to the characterization of individuals and their interactions, and of Austen’s society at large. Do you find that Austen resorts to these narrative techniques to provide social commentary or to critique her society? How does the example you discuss in the first section of this prompt, as well as other examples of irony, wit, sarcasm, contribute to the novel’s overarching themes and messages?
I find that Jane Austen often uses wit and irony in scenes involving Ms. Bennet. Her lack of self-awareness makes her an entertaining character throughout the novel. In chapter 20, in the discourse between Mr. Collins and Ms. Bennet she tells him,
“But depend upon it, Mr. Collins,” she added, “that Lizzy shall be brought to reason. I will speak to her about it myself directly. She is a very headstrong foolish girl, and does not know her own interest; but I will make her know it”
“Pardon me for interrupting you, Madam,” cried Mr. Collins; “but if she is really headstrong and foolish, I know not whether she would altogether be a very desirable wife to a man in my situation, who naturally looks for happiness in the marriage state. If therefore she actually persists in rejecting my suit, perhaps it were better not to force her into accepting me, because if liable to such defects of temper, she could not contribute much to my felicity.”
“Sir, you quite misunderstand me,” said Mrs. Bennet, alarmed. “Lizzy is only headstrong in such matters as these. In every thing else she is as good natured a girl as ever lived. I will go directly to Mr. Bennet, and we shall very soon settle it with her, I am sure.” (Austen, Chap 20, pg 109)
I find Ms. Bennet’s desperation to get Elizabeth married, and her determination to say the right things in front of her daughter’s suitors comical because she almost always fails to do what she intended to. To be “headstrong” was not a desired or feminine trait at the time, and it is ironic how Ms. Bennet uses it to describe Elizabeth while trying to make her seem more desirable to Mr. Collins. The way she immediately retracts it as soon as Mr. Collins states his dislike for it shows how Ms. Bennet lacks genuineness, and will lie to make her family seem more desirable. This dialogue serves as commentary on the role of women in the marriages of society, as it shows how men desire a woman who is obedient in marriage, and any woman who sticks up for themselves becomes less desirable. When denying Mr. Collins’ proposal Elizabeth practices her own free will despite the opinion of her mother. She knows at least what she does not want in life, and acts to prevent it which made her to be perceived as “headstrong”.
This dialogue reflects how in this society, women must deny their own personality and opinions and pose to be a more desirable feminine woman. Ms. Bennet’s diss-likeability as a character, makes one critique the standards of society that make her act in the way she does. Ms. Bennet’s desire for control over her daughters and her character parallels how society controls over women and expects them to act.
I like how you used Ms. Bennet as a voice for Jane Austen’s critique on society. It is very interesting how Austen uses the characters and how they act to portray her views on society. I did not pick up on the thought that Ms. Bennet’s purposeful dis-likability as a reader can be viewed in a somewhat positive way, that is, as Austen challenges traditional societal norms.
We had similar ideas about Jane Austere n, using Elizabeth to convey a message about her society.
I completely agree with you, Austen’s use of wit and irony in describing the social expectations and challenges of female characters is both insightful and entertaining.
An example in which Austen resorts to such use of irony and humor is in chapter 31, the conversation between Colonel Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth with Lady Catherine intervening. Both characters were talking about music and were trying to catch Lady Catherine’s attention. She approached them when they were talking about music saying, “Of music! Then pray speak aloud. It is all subjects my delight. I must share in the conversation if you are speaking of music. There are few people in England, I suppose, who have more true enjoyment of music than myself, or a better natural taste. If I had learnt, I should have been a great proficient” (31.169). This example creates a sense of irony and humor because Lady Catherine states that music is a topic of delight but does not have much knowledge and enjoyment of music compared to others in England. The meaning within these lines that struck me is, “If I had learnt, I should have been a great proficient” which demonstrates the courage and confidence Lady Catherine has about herself, although she knows that she does not enjoy music as much as everyone else. This further contributes to the sense of humor because Austen uses the sense of irony and personality of Lady Catherine to make such examples much more memorable and funnier. Throughout these lines, we see more of Lady Catherine’s character, and how status and her personality interact in her actions. Due to her status, she may believe she can achieve everything and must retain an interest in subjects like in this case music.
Austen use of sarcasm and wit contribute to the characterization of individuals, their interactions, and Austen’s society because it further demonstrates their social status and wealth as shown in Lady Catherine. Individuals with high social class in Austen’s society are seen as very knowledgeable and have the highest level of education compared to those of lower status. The example given relates to the overarching theme of pride, wealth, and social class because Lady Catherine sees great satisfaction in her achievements of being on a high social status, which is a quality she possesses that is widely admired by society in the text. Therefore, due to this pride, she seems to feel incorporated in every moment of society and feels very admired. This feeling can contribute to her thinking that if she meets society’s expectations, she will continue to maintain this admiration. As shown in the example, she wants to contribute to the conversation but does not have much interest and knowledge in music. In this case, I believe Austen uses these narrative techniques to critique society that although people of high social status may be perceived as more knowledgeable than those of lower status is not necessarily true, that people of lower status may not have access to education but can still be intelligent. For example, Elizabeth and her family are more on the lower end of the social hierarchy, yet Elizabeth is quite intelligent and mature as seen throughout the text. Usually, we tend to think of those on a higher social status as quite egoistic and arrogant and Lady Catherine has those qualities which are presented by Austen’s humor and irony in the example. Lastly, Austen’s use of humor further challenges and critiques the association of social status and knowledge.
I also believe that individual with high social class in this society are seen as very knowledgeable but as we read more of the book we can see how they let prejudice overrule the knowledge they have. They are often seen using these social norms to go against others and feed their egos.
“Elizabeth’s astonishment was beyond expression. She stared, coloured, doubted, and was silent. This he considered sufficient encouragement, and the avowal of all that he felt and had long felt for her immediately followed. “
The above sentences is a witty example since Mr. Darcy is so confident that he misunderstand Elizabeth impression in Vol.2 Ch XI. Elizabeth feels very confused while he think Elizabeth is encouraging him and looking forward to listen to the details. This creates a strong contrast that the sarcasm makes Mr. Darcy even more embarrassed and self centered. The disagreement between the two characters’ inner thoughts also causes a sharp argument in the rest of the plot, and this chapter is also a minor climax in the book, as Mr. Darcy begins to make changes since he rejected and criticized by Elizabeth.
In the last sentence, the words “sufficient” and “immediately” emphasize that Darcy’s mind is only filled with his own unilateral feelings and his arrogance is beyond other people. The words that give readers about how he has a strong sense of superiority, are again corroborated by the next few sentences. What a contradictory and arrogant thought it was, even he said it in a careful way for him, it was still unavoidably show how mismatched Elizabeth’s class was with his. As a man who has been carrying a sense of privilege piled by his wealth and class, Mr. Darcy must not have realized how rude he sounded. He probably thinks he is telling the deepest and sincerest thoughts and wants Elizabeth to accept his confession. And what Mr. Darcy think is a reflection of the social reality at that time—- people with power and money has been pursiuting too much in the marriage market, which is what Jane Austin wanted to criticize.
In addition to above plot, Jane Austin made direct and biting comments on the characters, using her sarcastic and powerful language. For example, at the end of first chapter, she describe Mrs. Bennet as “a woman of mean understanding, little information, and uncertain temper”. It enable for readers to have a better understanding of the characters and wonder why the author describe they like that. Also, Jane Austin expressed the theme by depicting upper class people with arrogant attitude like Mr. Darcy and Lower class flattering people like Mrs. Bennet, criticizing about they pay too much attention on the class system at the time. On the contrary, it exemplify Elizabeth’s bravery in following her heart and breaking social expectations.
Austen portrays Elizabeth to be a strong knowledgeable character. Elizabeth is very free willed, and she is used to show what the new kind of woman should be. She goes against the norms of the time and so far, has turned down two proposals for marriage. During this time Austen highlights all the women’s desire for a husband and all that they have to go through to be married. A clear instance of this was when Lydia ran away to get married to Mr. Wickham and when she returns, she tells her sisters that she wants to help them find husbands as well. Elizabeth replies “I thank you for my share of the favour, but I do not particularly like your way of getting husbands” (pg.300). I thought this quote was hilarious and showed the irony of the situation because Elizabeth had once trusted Mr. Wickham like Lydia now does. I think there’s going to be a lesson Lydia learns for being so prideful. Austen’s humor made this thought-provoking and entertaining. It was funny because Lydia is being cocky by saying “I am sure all my sisters must envy me” (pg.300) a few lines before and then Elizabeth saying she wouldn’t want that and trying to humble her. It shows the parallel between Lydia thinking about right now and Elizabeth thinking about the future in regard to Mr. Wickham being a good husband. Another example of Austen’s wit is when Lydia wants to tell Elizabeth about the wedding. Elizabeth says, “No really, I think there cannot be too little said on the subject” (pg. 301). Here it shows that Austen uses Elizabeth to relay the sarcasm. After this Lydia just says that she is so strange, which alludes to Elizabeth always being the odd one out. That is why Mr. Bennet favorited her because she has such quick intelligence. Her being a girl that spends a lot of time reading and being clever symbolizes the growth of women in a patriarchal society. Austen is definitely critiquing her society.
I like how you predicted that Lydia will learn a lesson for being so prideful. The quote you used perfectly validates the uniqueness of Elizabeth. Elizabeth knows what she wants for herself, no matter what critique follows with her actions.
“Only let me assure you, my dear Elizabeth, that I can from my heart most cordially wish you equal felicity in marriage. My dear Charlotte and I have but one mind and one way of thinking. There is in everything a most remarkable resemblance of character and ideas between us. We seem to have been designed for each other.” (Mr. Collins, Ch 38-page 209)
This quote by Mr. Collins is quite ironic. He portrays his marriage with Charlotte as picture-perfect to Elizabeth, as he wishes her the best in her marriage situation. The quote is witty by Jane Austen for two main reasons. First, because Mr. Collins had just attempted to marry Elizabeth, and the “designed for each other” statement about Charlotte is very soon to say and simply untrue. It also is quite an odd and awkward remark to make to Elizabeth regarding their history together. Another sense of irony from the quote is the fact that Charlotte did not marry Mr. Collins out of love, but rather for the security of having a husband to provide for her. This quote reiterates the strong will of Elizabeth, and the desperation of Mr. Collins (and Charlotte). Elizabeth pities Charlotte in a way, for not being patient and independent enough to seek a husband who she at least liked. She is now bound to Mr. Collins where she will be financially stable and have the peace of mind socially by being married, but was it worth it? As eager as Mrs. Bennet is to have Elizabeth married, she did not jump on the opportunity to marry Mr. Collins, because she was not in love with him.
I believe Austen uses sarcasm, irony, and wit to critique her flawed society. By using this approach, she would be able to get her true opinions heard as an author, but through her characters; in a less direct/harsh manner. During this time there was not a lot of individuality, and many people simply did as they “should” and followed traditional practices of their time. The example I chose reflects on the theme of marrying out of pressure, financial stability, and alliance rather than love and true connection.
Hi Austin, your analysis is eye opening and puts into perspective how despite everyone is in finding a suitor. He shakes up Elizabeth’s whole world and leaves on this note. It’s very frustrating.
Hi Austin, I agree with you that this part was quite ironic. I’ve had the same impression when first reading it. He wanted to make Elizabeth feel bad for not accepting his offer and make it seem like he has a perfect marriage now thanks to her rejecting him. It’s obvious it was not sincere, Charlotte was simply an easy target and second choice when he got rejected by Elizabeth. But, we can see his pride was still hurt by it when he still had something to prove to Elizabeth and talked in such a way on that topic.
I also agree that this quote from Mr. Collins is quite strange to hear since he and Charlotte married so closely to when they had first met. As Suzana mentions, his words do feel like he is trying to prove that he got the better end of the deal when Elizabeth refused his marriage proposal and married Charlotte instead. It almost sounds like an “I win, you lose” statement. It shows how men expected women to always share their feelings and immediately agree to marry them, and their egos couldn’t fathom being rejected. It’s clear that he is bitter due to Elizabeth’s rejection, and ironically it lets Elizabeth know that she was truly right in saying no, as she wouldn’t be happy with a man that couldn’t accept no from a woman. In the grand scheme, Austen’s portrayal of Mr. Collins through such irony leaves us with an understanding of the theme of marrying for societal expectations. If we don’t seek out someone we like and trust instead of marrying for financial stability or social status, then women can end up with the short end of the stick as they have no idea who they are getting involved with.
One of the funniest scenes I found was where Mr.Darcy proposes marriage to Elizabeth, but she rejects him. In chapter 34, Elizabeth starts in a bad mood after knowing who ruined the relationship between Jane and Bingley. Suddenly Darcy shows up at her door and confesses his love for Elizabeth with pride, which is a really bad time to do so. Austen uses an aggressive tone for Elizabeth to charge Darcy for all the things he has done, which will bring the novel to the climax. Later on in the scene, Elizabeth’s strong declaration that “Darcy is the last man in the world whom” she “could ever be prevailed on to marry.”(188) I find this scene funny because eventually, she will end up marrying Darcy.
Jane Austen uses her writing skills flawlessly to create a dramatic scene that contributes to the theme of “Pride” and “Prejudice”. Darcy’s pride prevented him from delivering his proposal in a “gentlemanlike manner” as Elizabeth stated, creating a barrier for Elizabeth to understand him. On the “prejudice” side, Elizabeth disliked Darcy’s behavior “From the very beginning—from the first moment”(188). Chapters 34-36 create the climax that fits the novel’s title of how “Pride” and “Prejudice”, are the core conflict that hinders two lovers.
Hi YunXiang, I agree with your analysis of the proposal scene and how it depicts the humor and drama as Elizabeth rejects Mr. Darcy’s confession. It is definitely one of the key moments that show Austen’s themes of pride and prejudice and how she shapes her characters.
Hello Yunxiang,
I can see why you find the scene where Elizabeth rejects Mr. Darcy funny and the fact that she claimed he is the last man she would marry adds to the humor. I also found it ironic, considering that Elizabeth will end up marrying Mr. Darcy later in the story. The scene also serves as a humbling experience for Mr. Darcy, as he felt a sense of superiority over Elizabeth at the beginning of the story, which, in his head, made him think he was unstoppable.
The example I chose lies at the end of Volume 3, Chapter 3, involving a rant that Miss Bingley goes on in order to criticize Elizabeth’s appearance and behavior:
“I never in my life saw any one so much altered as she is since the winter. She is grown so brown and coarse!…I must confess I never could see any beauty in her…and in her air altogether, there is a self-sufficiency without fashion, which is intolerable” (Austen 258-259).
The scene gives off an air of humor and irony to me as Miss Bingley’s words are so obviously full of desperation to change Mr. Darcy’s mind about his liking for Elizabeth. It made me think of those who typically put onto others the doubts they have about themselves, and in this case, Miss Bingley feels like a depiction of the physical expectations of the time, both in female appearance and behavior. As she describes Elizabeth in undesirable words such as “brown”, “coarse”, “face too thin”, sharp, shrewish look”, and a negative perception of Elizabeth’s self-sufficiency (Austen 258-259), it reveals the importance of a woman’s beauty and naiveness in life.
The scene was memorable to me because the whole section is so bold and reckless on the part of Miss Bingley in the attempts to turn Mr. Darcy’s mind off of Elizabeth (as he is of the society that would give the highest regard to women’s physical traits). It is very ironic that Miss Bingley, who is speaking about how Elizabeth should be, does not employ the act herself as a woman. She constantly chooses to directly speak down about other people who are “below her” or that she feels to be a threat to her place and how she is viewed in society. As someone who has the means, she shouldn’t only be able to act as the “perfect” woman she thinks Elizabeth is far from, but from that angle, also keep herself from speaking so rudely about others (e.g. gossiping). In the middle of the rant, we see Mr. Darcy try to keep his cool instead of letting his emotions get the better of him; and at the end of the scene, we can see that Mr. Darcy is indeed not wholly fazed by her words either, and instead chooses to leave no doubt that now that he knows Elizabeth better, he considers her “one of the handsomest women of his acquaintance” (Austen 259). His words are ironic considering his original thoughts of her and those who are below him in class but it also points to his growth as a character. This part intends to reveal the proper ways in which Austen believes people should think, which is on the front that class does not always guarantee a good person.
While Miss Bingley has the desire to have Mr. Darcy to herself because he fits her ideals of procuring a wealthy husband, and it does play into her choice to defame Elizabeth in Mr. Darcy’s eyes, Austen’s use of sarcasm and wit in this scene are used in portraying Miss Bingley as the expectations of women in the 18th century. Thus, her characterization contributes to societal expectations in the form of marriage for social and financial status, as well as female appearance and behavior. I do indeed find that Austen resorts to these narrative techniques to critique her society. At a time when it was practically shun-worthy to speak your mind as a woman on ideas related to feminism, she chose to instead employ the use of techniques such as wit and sarcasm to hide pieces of her belief on how society should be. My example as well as others along these techniques contribute to the novel’s themes of class, pride, prejudice, marriage for social class vs love, etc. by portraying Austen’s society in characters such as the Bingley sisters, Mrs. and Mr. Bennet, Mr. Collins, and Charlotte Lucas. With Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, there is the depiction of Austen’s beliefs in play, where Elizabeth is more headstrong and self-sufficient as a woman and grows in her realization of the prejudices she had towards Mr. Darcy, and where Mr. Darcy who was expected to act as the rich man he is, then develops from his views which were clouded in pride.
Hi Jennifer, in this part we can see how Miss Bingley is trying hard to put Elizabeth down just to make herself look better. Everything she is saying she doesn’t really believe. By wanting to create a bad picture of her she makes her seem even better which is ironic in itself. She shows her own insecurities and how bothered she is by her and in the end, doesn’t even receive the answer she was hoping to get but instead hurts her own feelings when Mr. Darcy says that Elizabeth is one of the handsomest women of his acquaintance for so many months. (259)
An example in which Austen uses irony and humor is in Vol II, Pg(135) of “Pride and Prejudice, “My reasons for marrying are, first, that I think it a right thing for every clergyman in easy circumstances (like myself) to set the example of matrimony in his parish.” This quote is witty because it shows Mr. Collin’s confidence and belief that he is doing everyone a favor by getting married but on the other hand I found Elizabeth’s response equally clever as she politely rejects his proposal and honestly finds it a little hilarious too because all the discussion draws attention to how ridiculous Mr. Collins’s logic is. The lines themselves are memorable because they stand out on their own! Since Mr. Collins proposes not out of love but out of duty, this moment really highlights the conflict between societal expectations and personal desires. Mr. Collins represents the social norms of 18th-century marriage, while Elizabeth challenges those norms by valuing personal choice over social obligation by rejecting him. It reminds me of a controlled rebellion disguised in polite speech!
Austen’s sarcasm and wit are sharp towards making a statement, she clearly describes the society of that time, and one great example is when Mr. Collins talks about why he should get married, she doesn’t just make fun of him, she also criticizes how some people were caught up with the society’s expectations that they forgot the whole point of personal connection and love. She also pointed out the limited roles of women because of marriage sense at that time. It’s like she is holding a mirror up to show the world how things are happening while cleverly creating a joke and also giving us a view of the importance of marrying for love. Through these witty conversations and the ironic situations in the book, the main purpose that I think was she tells us that change is necessary to happen at the time, that women have the right to choose their own path, and that marriages are about love, not just financial or social gains.
I also believe that Austen uses these techniques to showcase the need to change and how society needs to stop being prejudice against women in this society. We can see this statement being emphasized throughout the text in many different ways.
I also believe that Elizabeth is a very intelligent and mature woman who challenges society’s expectations by altering the fixed idea of marriage. I do agree that Austin’s use of irony further critiques the theme of marriage and norms in the society.
“My father and mother knew nothing of that; they only felt how imprudent a match it must be.” (p.201). In this sentence Austin used sarcasm and irony, the narrator was describing how Elizabeth’s parents felt about her sister Lydia’s imprudent match with Mr. Wickham. The meaning behind these lines that struck in my mind is that the parents think that Lydia made a wrong decision by trying to match Mr. Wickham because they think he is imprudent and extravagant. What makes these lines memorable and important is that this shows how women could not make their own decisions without any criticism from no one.
This reveals that during the 18th century, if the man that you wanted to marry was not wealthy and extraordinarily rich. A lot of people would not care or would not have a good opinion about it. It also shows once again how social class was such an important thing during that time.
Austen’s use of sarcasm and wit contributes to the characterization of individuals by revealing their personalities, in this case it reveals how Elyzabeth’s parents used to only care about the wealth of a man and not the women’s right to choose whoever they want to marry.
Austin’s use of sarcasm and wit contributed a lot in society because it challenged people to think critically about what is behind those lines, how it connects to society and how accurate it can be. Austin’s message is still playing a significant role today because you can know a lot of things that were going on in the 18th century. I think that Austen resorts to these narrative techniques to critique her society because through her style of writing she tells how bad society used to be.
The example I discussed in this prompt connects to a lot of themes in this novel like social class, women rights, and women’s education.
I think you were very spot on and accurate Abdoulaye. Instead of being happy that Lydia could have a potential husband, which is exactly Mrs. Bennett’s goal, they still weren’t happy. They disapproved and I think that also shows how they should aim higher for themselves.
Hello Abdoulaye,
I’m glad that you mentioned the fact that women could not make their own decisions without receiving criticism from others. Just like you mentioned, Jane Austen made sure to use sarcasm throughout the novel, which allowed her to explain and criticize the expectations placed on women and also the true intentions of the characters in a more interesting way.
We can see an example of irony which Austen resorts to using in chapter 48 when it says “I feel myself called upon, by our relationship, and my situation in life, to condole with you on the grievous affliction you are now suffering under ……. Let me advice you then, my dear Sir, to console yourself as much as possible, to throw off your unworthy child from your affection for ever and leave her to reap the fruits of her own heinous offence.” [ pgs. 281-282, Chap 48]. In this quote Austen is satirizing Collins here and she is being very ironic, the irony of this quote is the fact that this letter was supposed to be a consolation letter, but in fact in most of the letter is spent attacking the Bennet family. The clergymen console members who are in difficult situations in many different way, by far Mr. Collin’s style is the strangest. He writes a letter to Mr. Bennet to “condole” with him on his “grievous affliction”. However, in the letter he states that the death of his daughter would be a blessing when compared with the promiscuous behavior. He further goes on to insult Mr. and Mrs. Bennet for being bad parents for indulging Lydia. He ends by advising them to end ties with their daughter and disown Lydia. What struck me about these lines was when Mr. Bennet said, “The death of your daughter would have been a blessing in comparison of this.” In this line Mr. Collin’s was being very inconsiderate and rude in his response to the situation, he was saying that death would have been way better than the actions of Lydia and this is the line that made this an ironic moment in this book. While this letter was supposed to be a nice act in turned into attacking and he says that Lydia’s heinous offence will ruin the chances of marriage for the rest of the Bennet girls.
Austen’s use to sarcasm and wit contribute to the characterization of individuals and their interactions, and of Austen’s society at large. We can see how the letter Mr. Collins wrote to Mr. Bennet and how that letter the use of irony has shaped Mr. Collins character, Mr. Collin’s is already portrayed as a pompous and materialistic but after this he can also be portrayed as selfish and rude. I believe that Austen uses these narrative techniques to critique society because it shows how in her society people who have higher status and are known as “knowledgeable” turn out to be the opposite, they let these social norms get to them as well as their egos. She uses these techniques to showcase the theme of prejudice. Mr. Collin’s writes this letter which is very judgmental, and he judges Lydia based on the preconceptions of society. He states that Lydia running off with Wickham is so unforgivable that it would be better if she was dead. This shows the how this society was prejudice against women more than they were against the men. Mr. Collin’s did not once mention how bad Wickham was throughout his letter or mention the bad parenting of his parents but instead, he just blames Lydia and her parents.
I also agree that as we go along the way we see how ruthless Mr. Collins is and how his pride gets in the way resulting in his actions. This pride results in him criticizing other women in the text like Lydia. Further enhancing the idea of prejudice among women and how men are ways in an instance of judging and prideful.
I completely agree with you. Mr. Collins’ comment is incredibly stupid and focuses on his lack of understanding and compassion. It’s ironic because her letter, meant to offer comfort, ends up being an attack that increases the Bennet family’s situation, and I think it’s a powerful moment that highlights the impact of social pressures and individual actions on a family’s reputation and prospects.
One example of how Jane Austen showcases her great use of wit, sarcasm, irony, and humor that stands out to me occurs during a conversation between Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy in Chapter 31. Mr. Darcy states that he is incapable of speaking to individuals whom he does not know when he says, “I certainly have not the talent which some people possess,” said Darcy, “of conversing easily with those I have never seen before. I cannot catch their tone of conversation, or appear interested in their concerns, as I often see done.”(31.123) In this quote, Mr. Darcy is speaking to Elizabeth, claiming that he is not very good at interacting with strangers. However, I believe that Mr. Darcy could also be a little inept at interacting with people he has gotten to know well. For example, in Chapter 34, I found his proposal to Elizabeth rather awkward and out of the blue. His sudden outburst of emotion when proposing, is shown with the line, “In vain have I struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you,”(34.132) showcases his awkwardness even when expressing his feelings to someone with whom he shares a more familiar acquaintance. The combination of Mr. Darcy’s claimed introvertedness paired with his overly emphatic proposal really adds depth to his character, this also shows how Austen excels at how characters are portrayed in her stories.
using https://www.gutenberg.org/files/1342/old/pandp12p.pdf as my source btw, page numbers are likely different from the actual book, apologize for the inconvenience. 🙂
Hi Timothy, I agree with you that Darcy’s proposal was awkward. Especially when Elizabeth was not in the mood after she read Jane’s letter. Your excellent analysis shows Austen’s skilled writing technique in portraying characters. I also find this as a dramatic scene, in the line “Darcy is the last man in the world whom” she “could ever be prevailed on to marry.”(188) After rereading this chapter from chapter 58 when they did get married.
In the first few chapters of Pride and Prejudice, Mr. Darcy makes the following comment about Elizabeth: “’She is tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me…,” (Volume I, Chapter iii, Page 13). In this scene, Mr. Darcy is revealing his arrogance and sense of superiority over Elizabeth, caused due to her social and economic status and education. Mr. Darcy’s opinions about Elizabeth cause him to naturally act in a rude way. This results in Elizabeth noticing his behavior and creating an arrogant image of him in her head.
Later in the story, when Mr. Darcy expresses his love for Elizabeth by saying: “In vain have I struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you,” (On Vol. 11, Chapter xi, Page 185),” gives Elizabeth the opportunity to reply with irony. This is seen when she replies: “But I cannot – I have never desired your good opinion, and you have certainly bestowed it most unwillingly. I am sorry to have occasioned pain to any one,” (On Vol. 11, Chapter xi, Page 186), moments after Mr. Darcy expressed his love for her.
I found Elizabeth’s words to be written with irony by Austen, as Elizabeth is initially shown as someone who is not bothered by others opinions. However, by Elizabeth creating an image of what she thought about Mr. Darcy in her head showcases that others opinions occupy her head.
Your insight is very interesting. When I read your post it gave me the opportunity to look at this connection in a new light. I also couldn’t help but infer that Elizabeth may have had feelings for Mr Darcy since the beginning which is why she particularly paid attention to his comments.
To add to this, the way Darcy professed his love for Elizabeth was in secrecy, as if having love for Elizabeth was a flaw to his character, which even Elizabeth points out. I don’t understand how Darcy’s demeanor could change so quickly from the beginning of the book from the end, or how all this change was seemed to be caused by he new feelings for Elizabeth. Your comment provided me with a different outlook one the plot when you mention Elizabeth’s perception of Darcy completely changed. Maybe the novel is more set in the opinion of Elizabeth, and just because the reader knew Elizabeth thought Darcy to be rude and prideful doesn’t mean he entirely was. Maybe Darcy’s actual personality had been more consistent throughout the novel and what had changed was Elizabeth’s perception of him.
Jane Austen uses wit and humor to express her character’s personalities and how they differ from each other. Elizabeth is known for her sarcasm and using her words freely, which demonstrates her type of character. She speaks her mind, she doesn’t follow societal norms and she is looked at differently, despite her beauty. Kitty and Lydia also use humor and wit, but they did it differently. Kitty and Lydia are the youngest of the sisters and Austen makes sure her readers remember that by randomly bringing them back into the storyline. Their humor and sarcasm are different from other characters like Elizabeth because it shows how their innocence is still preserved. One humorous scene in chapter 39 is when Jane, Elizabeth, Kitty, and Lydia go out to dine that the two younger sisters set up. The first thing Lydia says is “And we mean to treat you all, but you must lend us the money, for we have just spent ours at the shop out there” (Austen 211). Following up with showing their sisters the pretty things they bought and the two older sisters pay in the end. What is so humorous about this scene is the two younger sisters inviting them for a meal, but still expecting their older sisters to pay. Kitty and Lydia are always flirting and entertaining suitors, while also being teenage girls. They love to gossip and go about while also looking for a potential suitor and being a flirt. What makes this scene so memorable and striking is how relatable it still is to this day. As an older sibling, I am constantly paying for my brother’s meals and whatever they may think about it.
I find Austen’s narrative technique gives great insight to how differently women accepted and perceived her society at the time. It is meant to criticize while also demonstrating societal norms. As readers, we are meant to be taken back and judge how women were supposed to function at that time. This contributes to the overall theme of breaking society’s expectations of women and that women shouldn’t have to marry to be better off. Women deserve their own education, their own wealth and their own land. None of the five daughters could inherit their own land they grew up on because they were women. There are too many do’s and don’ts for these sisters and Jane Austen does a great job portraying that.
I completely agree with you. Austen’s way of telling the story is very relatable. As an older brother myself, I can attest that we are automatically seen as the guardians over our younger siblings, in all the aspects, especially financially. Also, as you have said, Austen does a excellent job at making us look back and see everywhere we have failed and sadly still fail as society when it comes to the treatment of women.
I feel the humorous way in which Austen describes the two younger sisters represents how society wants to perceive women and what happens when women aren’t allowed an education. As characters, Kitty and Lydia lack the complexity that Elizabeth and Jane had. I also find it ironic and a use of foreshadowing when Elizabeth, the focal character of this novel advised Mr. Bennet not to send Lydia on her trip, and when she did go she would end up eloping with Wickham.
Throughout the reading, one of the most ironic parts I’ve found was when Lydia got married to Wickham. As Jane Austen describes: “She longed to see Mrs. Philips, the Lucasses, and all of their neighbors, and to hear herself called Mrs. Wickham by each of them…she went after dinner to show her ring and boast of being married, to Mrs. Hill and the two housemaids” In the next passage we see that she even asks her mother: “ Is not he a charming man? I am sure my sisters must all envy me. I only hope they may have half my good luck. They must all go to Brighton. That is the place to get husbands…” (300)
This part is so ironic because Lydia believes she is winning in life but in reality, she is not aware, that everyone is so uncomfortable with her behavior. She is asking for reassurance and opinions of others about the choice she made, she wants a positive confirmation about it. She thought that her sisters envied her which was far from the truth, they pitied her, especially Elizabeth and Jane. They weren’t happy that a bad image could be created for them based on their sisters’ bad actions. It’s ironic because Elizabeth didn’t want to bring out everything bad she learned about Wickham, which she probably would do differently if she could imagine that he would be in her family. Nobody thought of him as a charming man. What makes this part even funnier is that Lydia hopes they find husbands the same way she did, to which Elizabeth replies: “ I thank you for my share of the favour, but I do not particularly like your way of getting husbands.” This reply is funny and says it all. Lydia is so immature and silly and she doesn’t even see it. Everyone knew that this marriage was not based on love between the two. That marriage was a solution to avoid being embarrassed. It was visible that Lydia’s affection toward Wickham was not equal to his toward her. Wickham had an interest in it, otherwise, he wouldn’t do it. That’s another ironic part- Mr. Darcy’s involvement, because he did not like Wickham, and Lydia was nobody to him, yet he intervened. That was a surprise for everyone. He was the one to be thanked for Bennet’s reputation not being ruined. I assume the benefit he has from it is that in the future the family he wants to get connected with are still the Bennets and he wants to make sure they don’t have their reputation ruined. He did that for Elizabeth, but also for himself. Who would say this is the same person who didn’t want to dance with Elizabeth when he saw her for the first time; because he didn’t consider her as handsome? Now things have changed. But also, Elizabeth changed her perception of him as well.
I believe Jane Austen used sarcasm and irony for both, to make social commentary and also as a critique of her society. The examples I gave contribute to the overall theme because it shows how important status was, and how many marriages were made for that reason only, instead of a real connection. It shows the way many women thought that marriage meant happiness and there was nothing else they were looking toward in life. Elizabeth’s role is unique compared to all the others. She understands things other women would not and has a more mature and more modern way of thinking, and through her Jane Austen indirectly critiques society and the norms.
I feel like we could even say Austen’s use of irony and humor in this scene also portrays the innocence of Lydia’s character. It even made me embarrassed how well she thought she had done with Wickham when the rest of her family were all uncomfortable. Austen could be making the point of how young women should be allowed to be young and should not have to care about finding a man of good status and getting married. Of course we have Elizabeth’s character which is used in order to critique society through her “more mature and more modern way of thinking”, however, Lydia, according to the societal norms of the 18th century, had done the worst thing possible, and yet she doesn’t even fully realize because of her naivety. Her character is the epitome of inexperience and innocence, and the lack of knowledge thus is also a tool Austen uses in critiquing society and its lack of education for most women.
I agree with your ideas about Austin criticizing her society using this book. Elizabeth is definitely a stand out character because of her strong will to think independently.