For Friday: Austen, Pride and Prejudice (finish if possible!)


Answer TWO of the following as a comment below: 

1. Is Pride and Prejudice ultimately a novel that favors “sense” (the eighteenth-century notion of one’s intellectual powers and reason) or “sensibility” (the late eighteenth/early nineteenth notion of emotion and artistic power)?  Does Elizabeth learn to cultivate a more informed sensibility, or is she taught to cast sensibility aside for sense?  If you’ve seen or read Austen's Sense and Sensibility, does she make the same choice Marianne makes at the end of the novel/film?  Is Darcy another version of Colonel Brandon? 

2. Discuss the famous scene between Elizabeth and Lady Catherine: how might this reflect some of Mozart’s values and struggles with the Archbishop (and others)?  Why does Lady Catherine think she’s being quite reasonable in her request, and why is this absolutely offensive to Elizabeth?  On the same hand, what makes this scene so satisfying to the reader, who is undoubtedly on Elizabeth’s side? 

3. Some readers and critics feel that, although Darcy and Elizabeth are an ideal match, is it Elizabeth who is forced to change the most.  Indeed, some people suggest that Elizabeth becomes “tamed” in the novel (kind of like Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew), and loses her unique voice and personality to become Darcy’s wife.  What do you think about this?  Do you think she is silenced at the end of the novel, and made to conform to traditional values of a ‘good’ daughter and wife?  Or does she remain who she is, just a more sensible version of herself?


4. 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.  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?  In other words, how conservative was Austen in writing a comedic/romantic book about class?  

Comments

  1. 1. Pride and Prejudice seems to favor sense in sensibility. Instead of allowing her protagonists to come to passionate blows over their differences in the confinement of early marriage, she uses Elizabeth and Darcy as an example of a patient, intimate, and substantial couple. In contrast to Lydia and Wickham, Lizzy and Darcy enter into their marriage with wisdom of each other’s character, prides, and prejudices. Particularly after their first “romantic” encouncter, they are sensible enough to wait until they have sorted out sense from sensibilities to express their mutual sentiments. By the time they are able to come together, they are able to discuss with regret their past attitudes (Vol. III Ch. XVI). They use sense to work out sensibilities, a quality that will surely allow them a calm, wise relationship.



    3. I think Elizabeth is somewhat similar to Portia from The Merchant of Venice in regard to her sense of “self” in the relationship. There is nothing necessarily “bad” about Elizabeth changing in light of a new marriage; in fact, it should be expected that she put aside living solely for herself and put effort into interacting effectively with her husband. Austen, like Shakespeare, allowed her lead female to enter into a romantic relationship without being silly and frivolous. Sure, she ends up fulfilling the goal of 19th century women, but she was aware of her place within the world, and proceeded according to her own informed decisions.

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  2. Josh Coats

    2.  Lady Catherine questions Elizabeth about the rumors that she is engaged to Darcy.  She doesn't view them to be a good match due to Elizabeth's family inferiority.  Elizabeth doesn't want to talk about it and tries to change topic which only irritates the Lady.  The Lady only wants the truth and insists on her telling the truth because Darcy is supposed to be with her daughter.  Elizabeth says she's not engaged, but refuses to tell the Lady that they will never get engaged.  

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  3. Stephanie Callen
    (1) I think the book starts out with Elizabeth favoring "sense" because she relied on her intellectual powers and reasoning. Towards the end of the book, she began to realize that not everything in life makes sense and began to favor the "sensibility" approach. She saw that her emotions was what could lead to true happiness. So, I would say that Elizabeth cultivated a more informed "sensibility". I haven't seen or read Austen's "Sense and Sensibility".
    (2) The scene with Elizabeth and Lady Catherine was quite humorous. Here is a lady of upper-class coming to try and put Elizabeth in her place and Elizabeth wouldn't stand for it. This scene is similar with Mozart and the Archbishop because neither Mozart or Elizabeth were going to be belittled by someone of upper-class just because they thought themselves better. Lady Catherine thought Elizabeth should understand that marrying her nephew was way out of her league but Elizabeth simply said that he was a gentleman and she was a gentleman's daughter so that made them equal. I find this scene satisfying because a conceited woman was put in her place.

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  4. Amory Morgan
    2) Lady Catherine comes to Elizabeths house to ask her about supposed rumors about Darcy's proposal to her. Elizabeth was kind of shocked because she didn't know anything about it. But felt irritated at the approach that Lady Catherine took to talking to her about it. Lady Catherine was rude in telling her basically that she was inferior to Darcy and that their social classes were completely different and she did not deserve Darcy. LC said that her daughter and Darcy were destined to be together. Elizabeth avoided her rude comments and told her that they were not engaged but she could not say that they would never be engaged.
    3) I do not believe that Elizabeth changed or confirmed to Darcy. I think that she became more sensible and had a self realization of how she is. Which ultimately made her realize that she isn't always right. I feel like her and Darcy both realized how they really were and both changed to become a little bit better of a person. Elizabeth realized that she was literally wrong about almost everyone that she met, and within that i think made her become a little bit better at judging someone.

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  5. Nesha Pickens

    2) Lady Catherine went to Elizabeth's house to ask her if the rumors about her nephews purposal was true. Lady Catherine flat out told her that Darcy marrying someone of her glads was impossible. Elizabeth didn't even know of that rumor and was confused on what Lady Catherine was talking about. Lady Catherine got rowdy and started insulting Elizabeth and said that Darcy is to be married to her daughter, Miss De Bourgh, and not Elizabeth. Because of her social class and lack of connections, Lady Catherine said that Mr. Darcy shouldn't marry someone like her. Lady Catherine feels she's being reasonable because she feels Mr. Darcy should marry within his social class. Its offensive to Elizabeth because she was justt told she wasn't good enough for Mr. Darcy. This kind of reflects Mozart's values and struggles with the Archbishop because they were both talked down on by people of higher class and was told they weren't good enough. This scene is satisfying because Elizabeth stood up for herself and said that Mr. Darcy is a gentleman and she's the daughter of a gentleman so in her eyes they are equal. When Lady Catherine tried to make her promise that she would not marry Mr. Darcy if the time comes. Elizabeth said she couldn't make that promise and that made Lady Catherine even more mad.

    3) I don't think Elizabeth became "tame", I just think she realized that she's about to enter a new marriage and she now has to think more of her and her husband other than just herself now. She now understands how she shouldn't judge a book by its cover and Mr. Darcy realizes that its okay to let loose sometimes and follow your heart instead of what he is told how to live. Entering a new marriage they both change for the better and for each other. Elizabeth is still the same person. Just more of a sensible version of herself.

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  6. Weston Haynes
    2.) Lady Catherine sees Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy as an uneven couple because of their social status, and could not Mr. Darcy with someone as "low" as Elizabeth. Lady Catherine seems to already assume that Mr. Darcy is going to ask her daughter in marriage. This fits perfectly with Mozart and the struggles with the Archbishop. Because of Mozart's social status (regardless of his musicianship and also a artist wasn't high on the totem pole), People "above" him thought he wasn't ever going to amount to nothing just like what Lady Catherine says to Elizabeth. Mozart and Elizabeth are both talked down to because of their lack of royal connections and money, but both also stood up for what they thought was right, and would not allow to be talked down to by anyone. This is satisfying because it shows that it doesn't matter where you came from or who you are, you don't have to be looked down upon. Elizabeth also tells Lady Catherine that she cannot make the promise that she is not going to marry Mr. Darcy and this infuriates Lady Catherine to no end. In the end, Elizabeth got the best of her.
    3.) Elizabeth does not change in my opinion, but she does gain a different view of herself that she didn't know before since she met Mr. Darcy. She realizes that she isn't always right when it comes to first impressions and that there is always more than what meets the eye. Mr. Darcy also learns to live his own life and not worry about marrying out of his "social status." It is also good to point out that for now, Elizabeth doesn't have to look out for herself. She has a husband and security. I believe that in marrying someone that no one expected a woman of her social status living in the Victorian age could do makes her that much more independent in her choices.

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  7. Kay Shurtleff
    Question Two
    The scene between Lady Catherine and Elizabeth is awesome as there are many people of "lower" social class today who would love to put someone who considers themselves higher up the ladder in their place. Elizabeth does so without being hateful or rude. The ability to shut someone down in their tracks with "kindness" and firmness without wavering is not easy but Elizabeth nails it.

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  8. Kay Shurtleff
    Question Four
    I feel Austin was very much aware of the class differences of the time but without causing too much of an uproar she subtly makes her feelings known on the matter but almost poking fun of the way Mr. Darcy feels he is superior to everyone and the way Elizabeth is fully confident in her stature in life. Like other authors and situations Austin uses humor to address a serious situation that is still around today.

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