The-Themes-of-Pride-and-Prejudice

TheThemesofPrideandPrejudiceAbstractInthisarticle,weattempttoshowthethemesofPrideandPrejudice.FirstlyIwillshowthemainthemesofprideandprejudice:love,reputation,class,courtshipandpride.ThelastpartofthepapershowsthatthisgreatnovelnotonlyattractedthousandsofreadersinAusten’stime,butalsogaveaspecialfeelingtotoday’speople.LovebetweenDarcyandElizabethAsinanygoodlovestory;theloversmusteludeandovercomenumerousstumblingblocks,beginningwiththetensionscausedbythelovers’ownpersonalqualities.Elizabeth’spridemakeshermisjudgeDarcyonthebasisofapoorfirstimpression,whileDarcy’sprejudiceagainstElizabeth’spoorsocialstandingblindshim,foratime,tohermanyvirtues.Ofcourse,onecouldalsosaythatElizabethisguiltyofprejudiceandDarcyofpride?Thetitlecutsbothways.Austen,meanwhile,posescountlesssmallerobstaclestotherealizationofthelovebetweenElizabethandDarcy,includingladyCatherine’sattempttocontrolhernephew,missBingley’ssnobbery,Mrs.Bennet’sidiocy,andWickham’sdeceit.Ineachcase,anxietiesaboutsocialconnections,orthedesireforbettersocialconnections,interferewiththeworkingsoflove.DarcyandElizabeth’srealizationofamutualandtenderloveseemstoimplythatAustenviewsloveassomethingindependentofthesesocialforces,assomethingthatcanbecapturedifonlyanindividualisabletoescapethewarpingeffectsofhierarchicalsociety.Women’sreputationPrideandPrejudicedepictsasocietyinwhichawoman’sreputationisoftheutmostimportance.Awomanisexpectedtobehaveincertainways.Steppingoutsidethesocialnormsmakeshervulnerabletoostracism.Thisthemeappearsinthenovel,whenElizabethwalkstonetherfieldandarriveswithmuddyskirts,totheshockofthereputation-consciousmissBingleyandherfriends.Atotherpoints,theill-mannered,ridiculousbehaviorofMrs.Bennetgivesherabadreputationwiththemorerefined(andsnobbish)Darcy’sandBingley’s.Austenpokesgentlefunatthesnobsintheseexamples,butlaterinthenovel,whenLydiaelopeswithWickhamandliveswithhimoutofwedlock,theauthortreatsreputationasaveryseriousmatter.bybecomingWickham’sloverwithoutbenefitofmarriage,Lydiaclearlyplacesherselfoutsidethesocialpale,andherdisgracethreatenstheentireBennetfamily.ClassboundariesandprejudiceThethemeofclassisrelatedtoreputation,inthatbothreflectthestrictlyregimentednatureoflifeforthemiddleandupperclassesinregencyEngland.Thelinesofclassarestrictlydrawn.WhiletheBennet’s,whoaremiddleclass,maysocializewiththeupper-classBingleyandDarcy,theyareclearlytheirsocialinferiorsandaretreatedassuch.Austensatirizesthiskindofclass-consciousness,particularlyinthecharacterofMr.Collins,whospendsmostofhistimetoadyingtohisupper-classpatron,ladyCatherineDeborah.ThoughMr.Collinsoffersanextremeexample,heisnottheonlyonetoholdsuchviews.hisconceptionoftheimportanceofclassisshared,amongothers,byMr.Darcy,whobelievesinthedignityofhislineage;missBingley,whodislikesanyonenotassociallyacceptedassheis;andWickham,whowilldoanythinghecantogetenoughmoneytoraisehimselfintoahigherstation.CourtshipbetweenDarcyandElizabethandbetweenBingleyandJaneInasense,PrideandPrejudiceisthestoryoftwocourtships?ThosebetweenDarcyandElizabeth,BingleyandJane.Withinthisbroadstructureappearother,smallercourtships:Mr.Collins’sabortedwooingofElizabeth,followedbyhissuccessfulwooingofcharlotteLucas;missBingley’sunsuccessfulattempttoattractDarcy;Wickham’spursuitfirstofElizabeth,thenofthenever-seenmissking,andfinallyofLydia.Courtshipthereforetakesonaprofound,ifoftenunspoken,importanceinthenovel.Marriageistheultimategoal;courtshipconstitutestherealworking-outoflove.Courtshipbecomesasortofforgeofaperson’spersonality,andeachcourtshipbecomesamicrocosmfordifferentsortsoflove(ordifferentwaystoabuseloveasameanstosocialadvancement).ConclusionPrideandPrejudicewastherepresentativeworkofJaneAusten.Itgaveavividexpressionofthereactionaryandtraditionalcountrylifeandpeople’smindsduring18thcenturiesand19thcenturiesinBritaintous.ThisgreatnovelnotonlyattractedthousandsofreadersinAusten’stime,butalsogaveaspecialfeelingtotoday’speople.Inordertomakemuchmorepeopleknowthebook,thepapershowsthemainideaoftheprideandprejudiceTheThemesofPrideandPrejudice班级：统本英贸1001姓名：李冬晓学号：101150000413