Book Report on Pride and Prejudice
Abstract: Jane Austen (1775-1817), whose novels are highly prized not only for light irony, humor, and depiction of contemporary English country life, but also for their underlying serious qualities. Pride and Prejudice has shaped Elizabeth, an intelligent, quick-witted, sensible and brave female image.
Key words: summary; Elizabeth; character; writing style
Pride and Prejudice is one of the most popular novels of Jane Austen, whose works of romantic fiction have earned her a place as one of the most widely read and most beloved writers in English literature. And no doubt her Pride and Prejudice is a shining pearl be cherished forever.
The novel is about the Bennet family and set in 18th century England. The Bennet family consists of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet and their five unmarried daughters. At that time, we know that a poor woman must marry a wealthy husband to have luxurious lives. That’s why Mrs. Bennet is so excited about the coming of Mr. Bingley, a wealthy young gentleman. To help all her daughters get married is the most important thing of her life.
Elizabeth is the second daughter in the Bennet family, and Mr. Darcy is unpopular because of his extremely aloof and proud attitude and is generally thought to be very disagreeable. This two is the main part of the novel. However, Darcy finds he has been attracted not only by Elizabeth’s physical beauty, but also by her sharp intelligence and witty observations gradually. He proposes marriage to her but is refused. Later Elizabeth finds how foolish she was when she knew the truth about
everything Darcy did for her family. The series of events which they both experience give them the opportunities to understand one another and the time to reconcile their feelings for each other, for the pride and prejudice. Finally, they are together.
Throughout the book, I love Elizabeth most. She is outstanding and totally different from other women around her. She dares to speak as well as act. In addition, no flattering to the rich. She is like a red rose, beautiful with throne. Actually she is the main heroine in the novel. Sensible, intelligent, humorous, has sharp mind and her own mind. From the beginning of the novel, we know that Mr. Bennet adores his Elizabeth more, because “she has something more of quickness than her sisters”. Though she is young and having been confined in the rural society, Elizabeth always has deep insight and watch things from her knowledge, which makes her distinctive. Also we cannot neglect her conversations are full of wit and humor. Her language is very concise and penetrating, especially in her dialogues with Darcy. It’s interesting to read their talks, which is like a “battle” but in a wit and intelligent way. Here is a description:
"Oh!" said she, "I heard you before; but I could not immediately determine what to say in reply. You wanted me, I know, to say "Yes," that you might
have the pleasure of despising my taste; but I always delight in
overthrowing those kind of schemes, and cheating a person of their
premeditated contempt. I have therefore made up my mind to tell you that I
do not want to dance a reel at all -- and now despise me if you dare."
This passage perfectly demonstrates Elizabeth is quick-witted and sensible. Her
sense and skillful words come from her ability to use knowledge as well as her self-confidence. It is the inner beauty of Elizabeth that has attracted Darcy rather than her appearance.
She is definitely brave and believes in love, she want to find a man she really loves. It is a precious character of Elizabeth I appreciate. She is determined and strong-minded, and she will do anything she thinks right rather than do everything according to social norms. She shows her mock towards some social rules. When Mr. Collins tells Elizabeth he wants to marry her so that she can take possession of her father’s legacies, and it’s good for both sides. Without hesitating, Elizabeth refuses him immediately. It’s beyond imagination at that time, especially under the pressure of her mother and the family house. I think the strongest rebellion Elizabeth has made against the social custom is that she marries Darcy despite that her family background is inferior to Darcy’s. Elizabeth and Darcy’s marriage is not admitted by the social norms. When Catherine comes to Elizabeth’s home to blame her for the engagement with her nephew Darcy, she is brave enough to negotiate with her. In the hierarchical society, she does not feel inferior. Instead, she is confidant and brilliant. We know in Jane Austen’s society, obedience is supposed to be the most important virtue of a woman. In a male-dominating society, women are supposed to behave like Jane in Pride and Prejudice, who is gentle, mild, pleasing and obedient. Women are imprisoned and constrained by the dominant ideologies of womanhood, and they are restrained in expressing their passion or telling the feelings about their experience. Men do not want women to have independent characters, because once women
become spirit-independent and powerful, they will threat the social structure in which men are masters of everything.
Jane Austen’s capability of writing subtle discrimination and her shrewd perceptiveness are showed in Pride and Prejudice; she is able to convey such a complex message using a simple and witty style. The e first sentence of the novel: "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife." In this statement, Austen has declared that the main subject of the novel will be courtship and marriage, and then she has established the humorous tone of the novel by taking a simple subject and she has told the reader that in the novel, either a husband in search of a wife, or a woman in pursuit of a husband. And the sentence also defines Austen's book as a piece of literature that connects itself to the 18th century period. Pride and Prejudice is 18th century because of the emphasis on man in his social environment rather than in his individual conditions. The use of satire and wit is a common form of 18th century literature, also make it belongs to18th century.
Jane Austen’s writing is from the experience of her own life, so she can describe a picture of life of her time vividly with her forceful insight and gentle wit. She is skillful in the interesting plot and quick-witted language of the novel, she also presents her attitude toward the society which seriously discriminates against women. Her attitude is ironic and critical. Elizabeth represents her to revolt against the tradition and convention, so we must aware that Jane Austen is one of the challengers of the male dominant tradition in the awakening of feminist
consciousness.
Works Cited:
Edward Corpland & Juliet Mcmaster, The Cambridge Companion to Jane Austen, 上海：Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press, 20xx.
Susan M. Shaw and Janet Lee, Women’s Voices, Feminist Visions, California: Mayfield Publishing Company, 20xx.