2012-2013学年第一学期《英国文学》课程期末考试试卷

Happy Love is Grasped by Women Themselves

Pride and Prejudice, the masterpiece of Jane Austen, presents readers 4 kinds of loves and marriages, using the up-and-down love story caused by pride and prejudice between Elizabeth and Darcy as link. In the work, Darcy was gradually attracted by Elizabeth, but because of his pride and cool face and Elizabeth’s prejudice to him learning from others, they didn’t have a chance to exchange their true feelings and got a deep understanding. We could gain many understandings throughout the book, for example, knowledge-equipped independent and good-mannered women worth more appreciating and admiring, so women should not be trapped by the traditional rules and come for self-consciousness. But the dominant thesis, I think, the author want to express is that class distinction should not be a hindrance for the pursuit of personal love and happiness and women should fight for their independent dignity and equal rights.

For our modern women, the most instructive understanding we can get from the work is being independent and excellent. Many women, now, are looking forward to find a rich and good husband but ignores their own cultivation. While for the author and the society in the 18 and 19 centuries, the novel aimed more at criticizing the old and ridiculous traditional marriage.

We can first have a brief understanding about the background in British society at that time. In the 18th and 19th century, according to the social conditions in Britain, a good marriage for a young woman was critical. This phenomenon was closely associated with the British society and the status of women in the society. Women were not well respected compared with the ones in the present society. There was no equality between woman and man. Women were considered to be inferior to men in terms of intelligence and capacity. The central life of women was forced to be staying at home, their roles were to deal with the family affairs, such as taking care of the children and serving for the husband. From this aspect, we can easily know the writing purpose of Jane was to call on the women’s consciousness to capture their own happiness and get rid of the constraint of the traditional marriage concept.

Then, looking into the book, we can find that the author describes 4 kinds of loves and marriages, which is for us to make a comparison. Elizabeth and Darcy’s marriage and Jane and Mr. Bingley’s marriage are based more on love and appreciation than economy, appearance and sexual impulse. Though there are some differences between the two kinds, such as characteristics, but the

2012-2013学年第一学期《英国文学》课程期末考试试卷

author believe they are both happy love. However, the love between Lydia and Wickham and Collins and Charlotte, which were the most accepted marriage style at that time, are regarded as tragedies. Jane was calling on women to have a change with the attitudes toward traditional marriage and to fight for their freedom to ask for true love. The book gives out the massage that women’s life should be held in their own hand.

At last, let’s come back the name of the novel, Pride and Prejudice. They are always thought as usual faults we will made that cause misunderstanding. But because of the pride and prejudice, we could see Elizabeth’s firm pursuit for her true love. She is the ideal image for women as well as the most charismatic person in the novel, born a middle-class family but never giving in the traditional rules toward women. She and Darcy presents us an ideal and fully successful love and tell all of us that a happy and strong marriage takes time to build and must be based on mutual feeling, understanding, and respect.

第二篇：Pride and Prejudice 傲慢与偏见读后感

Pride and Prejudice

" It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.” this sentence is the first sentence of the book---Pride and Prejudice. The whole book was wrote with humorous tone ,from the beginning of the book .we can feel it and this sentence told us a background of the book . in that time ,it is a view which universally accepted by people that a rich man must have a good wife.

Jane Austen is the author of this book , she was an English novelist.Her realism, biting social commentary and masterful use of free indirect speech and irony have earned her a place as one of the most widely read and most beloved writers in English literature.Her most popular among the Austen’s works is Pride and Prejudice that takes the theme of love and marriage in a mildly humorous way of expression. As a female writer, she shows different attitudes toward marriage by depicting several young women with different character and economic position and horizon of knowledge. She shows her idea about love and marriage in this book, although she had never married .

When I read this book , I feel that almost every character in it is distinctive.For example,Mrs. Bennet was a woman who was eager to marry off her daughters. Mr. Bingley was a friendly young man, but his friend, Mr. Darcy, was a very proud man who seemed to always feel superior.Elizabeth was a clever girl who always had her own opinion.

There four couples in that book,and these couples reflect three types of marriage. We can find one type marriage or another in our real life. Someone get married for a good economic condition,meanwhile someone get married for love . Elizabeth’s best friend Charlotte married with Mr.Collins when Charlotte’parent were speedily applied to for their marriage and it was bestowed with a most joyful alacrity.just because Mr.Collins has a dignity job and some considerable wealthy. Jane is Mr.Bennet’s first daughter, she fell in love with Mr.Bingley,a wealthy gentleman. They love each other ,but there is worldly prejudice which prevent their love . Although Mr Bingley had shrank during a period ,at last ,the true love make them together.

Why is it called pride and prejudice? Elizabeth and Darcy’s story can answer this question. Elizabeth is the most intelligent and quick-witted ,her honesty, virtue, and lively wit enable her to break free from the nonsense and bad behavior that pervade her class-bound . But she is still a living person that lives in society,she also has shortages, she also treats someone like Darcy with prejudice. She did not really comprehend Darcy, and when someone said something bad about Darcy , although she did not comprehend him, she had already thought he is a bad person.Elizabeth is disgusted by his pride and has a prejudice about Darcy .Meanwhile ,Darcy did not like Elizabeth, because the prejudice of social standing,but before long Darcy fell in love with Elizabeth. because of her lovely behavior,After a series of affairs, such as Mr. Wickham’s defamation about Mr.Darcy, all these things increased Elizabeth’s prejudice about Mr. Darcy. So when Mr.Darcy asked Elizabeth to marry him it is

no doubt that Elizabeth seriously rejected.Afterwards Mr. Darcy wrote a letter to Elizabeth in order to remove her misunderstandings of him. Gradually Elizabeth’s prejudice of Mr. Darcy disappeared. Moreover,she feels that he is a good man and lose her heart to Mr.Darcy. So their love story give us a proper reason why Austen called this novel Pride and Prejudice.

“Yes,vanity is a weakness indeed. But pride---where there is a real superiority of mind,pride will always under good regulation.” this word is said by Mr.Darcy. I am so agree with his view of pride . Pride is not always bad , I think everyone should have his or her own pride . It not means that you will look down on other people, but means you will have your own temperament which make you unique and it can make yourself better. Mr.Darcy is a pride person , because he has been good educated and he is wealthy. And in that time , there is so much prejudice in society. The class concept rooted in people’s heart. But Mr.Darcy is still a good person , he is frank and sincere. When he think a person is worth to make friends,he will give all his sincere friendship to him,like Mr.Bingley. Mr.Darcy considered a lot for his best friend---Mr.Bingley. He think Mr.Bingley should not get married with Jane ,because he think Jane’s family and her relatives will put Mr. Bingley and his family to shame .It is better for him to marry a lady from a wealthy and good background family.Although it really hurts Jane ,and because of it ,Elizabeth hates him so much. But when Mr.Darcy realized that he loves Elizabeth, he change his prejudice, true love can contain all the things which he can not tolerate before. the beginning of the book, I also have some prejudice with Mr.Darcy, but when I following my reading, I really like him.

Love seems to be the perpetual theme all over the world. But actually what is love? Everyone has his or her own opinion . In my opinion, true love just like a meandering stream which glides through the meadow.and meanders through the valley, it is serene and pure. When two people love each other , they can hand in hand to get over all the difficulties and until the end of life. True love is so precious ,but everyone can have it as long as you seek for it bravely no matter what difficulties you may face. But many people give up their right to seek for true love ,they get married with the person that they do not love . Marriage is the distillation of love ,it give two people’s love a protection and a warm home . Marriage is a very important thing in our life , it is the beginning of one’s new life and it is also an end of the past life. But sometimes love and marriage are totally two different things. Love is pure, but marriage is not always pure,there are many mundane factors in a marriage . A marriage with no love is destined to unhappy and failure .but it really make me feel paradoxical when there is an old saying that everything goes wrong for poor couples, will one couple be happy in marriage which only have love? In present world , we can not live without money and material, it is hard for me to choose ,but after reading this book, I get an ideal in my mind which solve my puzzle.Pride and Prejudice reveals the author herself attitude towards marriage which love and marriage based on money, property and social status is not perfect, but it is also stupid without considering all of these. There are several couples who have not so perfect marriage in this novel,for example,Elizabeth’s sister Lydia get married with Wickham .The couple had eloped

from their hometown . Finally Mr.Bennet are forced to agree their marriage. Mr.Wickham is believed as a imprudent and extravagant person and without any wealthy.Lydia is very young,she has never been taught to think on serious subjects ,she has been given up to nothing but amusement and vanity and did things without consideration. Their marriage based on impulsion and a little love and without family and material support. It is not wise for them to get married.. Such income as theirs,under the direction of two persons so extravagant in their wants,and heedless of the future,they often need Elizabeth support.Their manner of living, even when the restoration of peace dismissed them to a home,was unsettled in the extreme.they were always moving from place to place in quest of a cheap situation.Mr.Wickham’s affection for her soon sunk into indifference; Lydia’s lasted a little longer and in spite of her youth and her manners, she retained all the claims to reputation which her marriage had given her. Their marriage more like a tragicomedy.their marriage tell us that marriage can not be act purely on impulse,you should considerate a lot. Meanwhile Elizabeth is a female who is in pursuit of independent personality and equal right .she has a correct view on marriage.It demonstrate Elizabeth’s independent understanding for a happy marriage. In my opinion,Elizabeth’s marriage is also not perfect, because they did not receive Mr.Darcy’s relative’s blessing,but it is important,course marriage is theirselves, they are happy or not only themselves can judge. You can make everyone be happy sometimes.

The author values true love in marriage.Marriage based on true love is viewed as a happy . I agree with her ideal ,but it is necessary for us that you should also considerate other factor.