Brief history of the novel as a genre:
Pride and Prejudice
Published in 1813, and originally titled as “First Impressions.”
Jane Austen never married, was homeschooled, and her family was of the lower fringes of the gentry. Maybe more like Charlotte than Elizabeth. At age 27, Austen was engaged to be married to a wealthy man, but broke the engagement the next day. What was she trying to communicate in writing this novel. Interestingly, she remains critical throughout of Charlotte marrying Mr. Collins.
Omniscient narrator
Social Conventions of the day: The etiquette of calling on friends and neighbors. Noted the lack of conventions today with email, texting, cell phones. The rapidity of change today may even contribute. We don’t have time to think and catch up to the new technologies as far as social conventions. Think of wondering whether to email or write a thank you — if you think to send one at all.
impertinence of talking to a person of higher standing without an official introduction
the “dance” of the dance
the significance of the ball. the uniqueness of the ball affording the opportunity of meeting and mingling.
Strong conclusions, quick judgements with very little to go on.
Was the function of gossip to garner information about the character of others.
Needing a husband. What factors today are similar to marrying well that determine a course for your life? Pedigree? the right school? the right neighborhood?
What are the perceptions we make of people who are rich? That they make of those who are not?
Diana noted the limited world view of Austen in terms of women versus Thomas Hardy writing at the same time period whose women were not limited by the need to marry well.
On Mrs. Bennet: Is Austen, through Elizabeth blaming the parents for Lydia’s demise. Mr. Bennet retreats to the library. He leaves Mrs. Bennet to fuss and fret and flatter in the business of rounding up suitors.
What does Jane Austen value:
She values the propriety of values. The appropriate degree of discetion. Very representative of the British reserve. She gives Elizabeth a self-awareness that allows her to be herself and hold her own in many situations with skill and strength.
Prejudice — given the limited opportunity of knowing who people really were, there were pre-judgments that were made that seem allowable
Pride — this is a character trait that has no justification — the attitude of a person who holds an air of haughty superiority.
Yet Austen does make some allowance for pride. Conversation with Mary at the end of Ch 5 about the difference between pride and vanity. And in Ch 11. In fact vanity is vilified more than pride. And in the end, her prejudice and his pride are both equally wrong.
And this led us to The Good True Beautiful — that they recognized their faults and chose to deal with them.