Jane Austen: Pride and Prejudice, Chapter I of Volume I (Chap. 1) Go to table of contents. IT is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife. However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighbourhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families, that he is considered as the rightful property of some one or other of their daughters. ``My dear Mr. Bennet ,'' said his lady to him one day, ``have you heard that Netherfield Park is let at last?'' Mr. Bennet replied that he had not. ``But it is,'' returned she; ``for Mrs. Long has just been here, and she told me all about it.'' Mr. Bennet made no answer. ``Do not you want to know who has taken it?'' cried his wife impatiently. ``You want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it.'' This was invitation enough. ``Why, my dear, you must know, Mrs.

Long says that Netherfield is taken by a young man of large fortune from the north of England; that he came down on Monday in a chaise and four to see the place, and was so much delighted with it that he agreed with Mr. Morris immediately; that he is to take possession before Michaelmas , and some of his servants are to be in the house by the end of next week.'' ``What is his name?'' `` Bingley .'' ``Is he married or single?'' ``Oh! single, my dear, to be sure! A single man of large fortune; four or five thousand a year. What a fine thing for our girls!'' ``How so? how can it affect them?'' ``My dear Mr. Bennet ,'' replied his wife, ``how can you be so tiresome! You must know that I am thinking of his marrying one of them.'' ``Is that his design in settling here?'' ``Design! nonsense, how can you talk so! But it is very likely that he may fall in love with one of them, and therefore you must visit him as soon as he comes.'' ``I see no occasion for that.

You and the girls may go, or you may send them by themselves, which perhaps will be still better; for, as you are as handsome as any of them, Mr. Bingley might like you the best of the party.'' ``My dear, you flatter me. I certainly have had my share of beauty, but I do not pretend to be any thing extraordinary now. When a woman has five grown up daughters, she ought to give over thinking of her own beauty.'' ``In such cases, a woman has not often much beauty to think of.'' ``But, my dear, you must indeed go and see Mr. Bingley when he comes into the neighbourhood.'' ``It is more than I engage for, I assure you.'' ``But consider your daughters. Only think what an establishment it would be for one of them. Sir William and Lady Lucas are determined to go, merely on that account, for in general, you know they visit no new comers. Indeed you must go, for it will be impossible for us to visit him, if you do not.'' ``You are over-scrupulous, surely. I dare say Mr.

Bingley will be very glad to see you; and I will send a few lines by you to assure him of my hearty consent to his marrying which ever he chuses of the girls; though I must throw in a good word for my little Lizzy .'' ``I desire you will do no such thing. Lizzy is not a bit better than the others; and I am sure she is not half so handsome as Jane , nor half so good humoured as Lydia . But you are always giving her the preference.'' ``They have none of them much to recommend them,'' replied he; ``they are all silly and ignorant like other girls; but Lizzy has something more of quickness than her sisters.'' `` Mr. Bennet , how can you abuse your own children in such way? You take delight in vexing me. You have no compassion on my poor nerves.'' ``You mistake me, my dear. I have a high respect for your nerves. They are my old friends. I have heard you mention them with consideration these twenty years at least.'' ``Ah!

you do not know what I suffer.'' ``But I hope you will get over it, and live to see many young men of four thousand a year come into the neighbourhood.'' ``It will be no use to us if twenty such should come, since you will not visit them.'' ``Depend upon it, my dear, that when there are twenty I will visit them all.'' Mr. Bennet was so odd a mixture of quick parts, sarcastic humour, reserve, and caprice, that the experience of three and twenty years had been insufficient to make his wife understand his character. Her mind was less difficult to develope. She was a woman of mean understanding, little information, and uncertain temper. When she was discontented, she fancied herself nervous. The business of her life was to get her daughters married; its solace was visiting and news. Famous first line: “It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.” Is this still true? What about single women in possession of a good fortune? How can that link with modern times?

| Pride and Prejudice Questions | Q & A | GradeSaver Answered by jill d #170087 on 2/23/2012 6:47 AM This is the first sentence of Pride and Prejudice and stands as one of the most famous first lines in literature. Even as it briskly introduces the arrival of Mr. Bingley at Netherfield—the event that sets the novel in motion—this sentence also offers a miniature sketch of the entire plot, which concerns itself with the pursuit of “single men in possession of a good fortune” by various female characters. The preoccupation with socially advantageous marriage in nineteenth-century English society manifests itself here, for in claiming that a single man “must be in want of a wife,” the narrator reveals that the reverse is also true: a single woman, whose socially prescribed options are quite limited, is in (perhaps desperate) want of a husband. The social milieu of Austen’s Regency England was particularly stratified, and class divisions were rooted in family connections and wealth. In her work, Austen is often critical of the assumptions and prejudices of upper-class England.

She distinguishes between internal merit (goodness of person) and external merit (rank and possessions). Though she frequently satirizes snobs, she also pokes fun at the poor breeding and misbehavior of those lower on the social scale. Nevertheless, Austen was in many ways a realist, and the England she depicts is one in which social mobility is limited and class-consciousness is strong. Socially regimented ideas of appropriate behavior for each gender factored into Austen’s work as well. While social advancement for young men lay in the military, church, or law, the chief method of self-improvement for women was the acquisition of wealth. Women could only accomplish this goal through successful marriage, which explains the ubiquity of matrimony as a goal and topic of conversation in Austen’s writing. Though young women of Austen’s day had more freedom to choose their husbands than in the early eighteenth century, practical considerations continued to limit their options. Even so, critics often accuse Austen of portraying a limited world. As a clergyman’s daughter, Austen would have done parish work and was certainly aware of the poor around her. However, she wrote about her own world, not theirs.

The critiques she makes of class structure seem to include only the middle class and upper class; the lower classes, if they appear at all, are generally servants who seem perfectly pleased with their lot. This lack of interest in the lives of the poor may be a failure on Austen’s part, but it should be understood as a failure shared by almost all of English society at the time. In general, Austen occupies a curious position between the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Her favorite writer, whom she often quotes in her novels, was Dr. Samuel Johnson, the great model of eighteenth-century classicism and reason. Her plots, which often feature characters forging their respective ways through an established and rigid social hierarchy, bear similarities to such works of Johnson’s contemporaries as Pamela, written by Samuel Richardson. Austen’s novels also display an ambiguity about emotion and an appreciation for intelligence and natural beauty that aligns them with Romanticism. In their awareness of the conditions of modernity and city life and the consequences for family structure and individual characters, they prefigure much Victorian literature (as does her usage of such elements as frequent formal social gatherings, sketchy characters, and scandal).

Source(s) Log In To Your GradeSaver Account Email SparkNotes: Pride and Prejudice: Chapters 1–4 Pride and Prejudice Chapters 1–4, page 2 page 1 of 2 Summary: Chapters 1–2 It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife. (See Important Quotations Explained ) The news that a wealthy young gentleman named Charles Bingley has rented the manor known as Netherfield Park causes a great stir in the neighboring village of Longbourn, especially in the Bennet household. The Bennets have five unmarried daughters, and Mrs. Bennet, a foolish and fussy gossip, is the sort who agrees with the novel’s opening words: “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.” She sees Bingley’s arrival as an opportunity for one of the girls to obtain a wealthy spouse, and she therefore insists that her husband call on the new arrival immediately. Mr. Bennet torments his family by pretending to have no interest in doing so, but he eventually meets with Mr.

Bingley without their knowing. When he reveals to Mrs. Bennet and his daughters that he has made their new neighbor’s acquaintance, they are overjoyed and excited. Summary: Chapters 3–4 (See Important Quotations Explained ) Eager to learn more, Mrs. Bennet and the girls question Mr. Bennet incessantly. A few days later, Mr. Bingley returns the visit, though he does not meet Mr. Bennet’s daughters. The Bennets invite him to dinner shortly afterward, but he is called away to London. Soon, however, he returns to Netherfield Park with his two sisters, his brother-in-law, and a friend named Darcy. Mr. Bingley and his guests go to a ball in the nearby town of Meryton. The Bennet sisters attend the ball with their mother. The eldest daughter, Jane, dances twice with Bingley. Within Elizabeth’s hearing, Bingley exclaims to Darcy that Jane is “the most beautiful creature” he has ever beheld.

Bingley suggests that Darcy dance with Elizabeth, but Darcy refuses, saying, “she is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me.” He proceeds to declare that he has no interest in women who are “slighted by other men.” Elizabeth takes an immediate and understandable disliking to Darcy. Because of Darcy’s comments and refusal to dance with anyone not rich and well bred, the neighborhood takes a similar dislike; it declares Bingley, on the other hand, to be quite “amiable.” At the end of the evening, the Bennet women return to their house, where Mrs. Bennet regales her husband with stories from the evening until he insists that she be silent. Upstairs, Jane relates to Elizabeth her surprise that Bingley danced with her twice, and Elizabeth replies that Jane is unaware of her own beauty. Both girls agree that Bingley’s sisters are not well-mannered, but whereas Jane insists that they are charming in close conversation, Elizabeth continues to harbor a dislike for them. The narrator then provides the reader with Bingley’s background: he inherited a hundred thousand pounds from his father, but for now, in spite of his sisters’ complaints, he lives as a tenant.

His friendship with Darcy is “steady,” despite the contrast in their characters, illustrated in their respective reactions to the Meryton ball. Bingley, cheerful and sociable, has an excellent time and is taken with Jane; Darcy, more clever but less tactful, finds the people dull and even criticizes Jane for smiling too often (Bingley’s sisters, on the other hand, find Jane to be “a sweet girl,” and Bingley therefore feels secure in his good opinion of her). Analysis: Chapters 1–4 The opening sentence of 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”—establishes the centrality of advantageous marriage, a fundamental social value of Regency England. The arrival of Mr. Bingley (and news of his fortune) is the event that sets the novel in motion. He delivers the prospect of a marriage of wealth and good connections for the eager Bennet girls. The opening sentence has a subtle, unstated significance.

In its declarative and hopeful claim that a wealthy man must be looking for a wife, it hides beneath its surface the truth of such matters: a single woman must be in want of a husband, especially a wealthy one. 1 Pride and Prejudice: universally acknowledged guide to the human heart - Telegraph Pride and Prejudice: universally acknowledged guide to the human heart Jane Austen's classic novel, at 200 years old, is a book without equal, writes Victoria Lambert. Enduring love: Matthew Macfadyen (Mr Darcy) and Keira Knightley (Elizabeth Bennet) in 'Pride and Prejudice’ (2005) By Victoria Lambert Comments "It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.” Thus begins Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, one of the most famous opening lines of any novel ever written. It is a story that has touched hearts for exactly 200 years: girl meets boy, girl loses boy, girl gets boy.

Behind that simple premise, Pride and Prejudice is surprisingly iconoclastic as much as comforting, an unputdownable read that challenges perceptions, and subtly marks a line in feminist history and thought. Here, the ladies – as described by Jane Austen – are firmly in charge. Pride and Prejudice is Germaine Greer parcelled up in a Cath-Kidston rose-patterned pinny, tied up with an Emma Bridgewater-style bow. But early 19th-century feminism is not why millions of women – and, yes, one or two men – have devoured the book over and over again until thumbed copies lie in tattered heaps. Or why its first edition, published on January 28, 1813 (priced at 18 shillings), sold out, thanks to positive reviews. (It was reprinted that same year and a third edition published four years later.) Or why, having never been out of print, it is now believed to have sold more than 20 million copies worldwide. My own love affair with it began when I was 12, approaching the angst of teenage girlhood. And, from the first page, I fell in love.

This life, a view from a small Hampshire vicarage, with its complicated social mores, its parties and picnics, obsessions with class and money, drew me in to the point of obsession. I woke, ate and slept with the heroine Elizabeth Bennet and her family, even to the extent, now and then, of asking my mother for “a dish” of tea (rather than a modern cup), a ghastly teenage affectation she bore with silent stoicism. My happiness rose and fell with Lizzie’s. Its indirect, narrative style I found utterly engaging. It wasn’t hard for me – a younger sister (of three), growing up in the countryside (albeit Somerset) – to find it a textbook for future romantic happiness. It warned me to look out for the dashing Wickhams who might tarnish my honour and the creepy Collinses who could offer at best a stolid alternative to life on the shelf. But it spoke, too, of the Bingleys and Darcys who were the real prizes – for their true love, not just for their wealth (although it’s as easy to love a rich man as a poor one, as many a Mrs Bennet will have known).

Related Articles Goldsmiths launch £10,000 literature prize 23 Jan 2013 And when Austen wasn’t slicing up the men, she was defining women into tribes (long before the Spice Girls): the pretty, the funny, the clever, the bookish, the bold. Of course, I knew that in real life I was an Elizabeth – not the handsomest, not the fastest, but the “sparkiest” of girls. My true love would value me for my mind first and foremost, and that – like Elizabeth – is what I would want. Some warn that Pride and Prejudice sets modern girls up to fail. At night, we dream of an honourable man like Darcy. By day, we learn that many modern men favour the pulchritudinous countenance of a Miss Jane Bennet, the rather relaxed morals sported by Lydia-a-likes, and especially the juicy inheritance behind an Anne de Bourgh. Against those temptations, which Elizabeth among us fancies our chance? Coraggio, whispers the author, be true to yourself.

Thirty-five years later, living just eight miles from Chawton, Austen’s home, now a museum devoted to her, I find my love for the book endures (although I have long since found my Darcy). So what keeps me – and so many others – wedded to this novel? Especially when we could just whack on the Colin Firth box set instead? Certainly, I enjoy a hit of Georgian grace and fantasy: a dip into that world where problems could be solved by a new gown, an invitation to a ball, or some scrumptious item of gossip. And I appreciate more knowingly Austen’s descriptions of how money rules society. But it is Austen’s knack of describing the human heart that still sets my literary pulse racing, and makes me long for a quiet corner in which to curl up with the book. And now I read it with my daughter in mind; will she, too, find Pride and Prejudice, the gold standard of love stories, a primer for romantic life? SparkNotes: Pride and Prejudice: Important Quotations Explained Important Quotations Explained Key Facts 1.

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife. This is the first sentence of Pride and Prejudice and stands as one of the most famous first lines in literature. Even as it briskly introduces the arrival of Mr. Bingley at Netherfield—the event that sets the novel in motion—this sentence also offers a miniature sketch of the entire plot, which concerns itself with the pursuit of “single men in possession of a good fortune” by various female characters. The preoccupation with socially advantageous marriage in nineteenth-century English society manifests itself here, for in claiming that a single man “must be in want of a wife,” the narrator reveals that the reverse is also true: a single woman, whose socially prescribed options are quite limited, is in (perhaps desperate) want of a husband. 2. “Which do you mean?” and turning round, he looked for a moment at Elizabeth, till catching her eye, he withdrew his own and coldly said, “She is tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me; and I am in no humour at present to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men.

You had better return to your partner and enjoy her smiles, for you are wasting your time with me.” These words describe Darcy’s reaction at the Meryton ball in Chapter 3 to Bingley’s suggestion that he dance with Elizabeth. Darcy, who sees the people of Meryton as his social inferiors, haughtily refuses to condescend to dancing with someone “not handsome enough” for him. Moreover, he does so within range of Elizabeth, thereby establishing a reputation among the entire community for pride and bad manners. His sense of social superiority, artfully exposed in this passing comment, later proves his chief difficulty in admitting his love for Elizabeth. The rudeness with which Darcy treats Elizabeth creates a negative impression of him in her mind, one that will linger for nearly half of the novel, until the underlying nobility of his character is gradually revealed to her. 3. “In vain have I struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.” Elizabeth’s astonishment was beyond expression. She stared, coloured, doubted, and was silent.

This he considered sufficient encouragement, and the avowal of all that he felt and had long felt for her, immediately followed. He spoke well, but there were feelings besides those of the heart to be detailed, and he was not more eloquent on the subject of tenderness than of pride. His sense of her inferiority—of its being a degradation—of the family obstacles which judgment had always opposed to inclination, were dwelt on with a warmth which seemed due to the consequence he was wounding, but was very unlikely to recommend his suit. Darcy’s proposal of marriage to Elizabeth in Chapter 34 demonstrates how his feelings toward her transformed since his earlier dismissal of her as “not handsome enough.” While Elizabeth rejects his proposal, this event marks the turning point in the novel. Before Darcy asks Elizabeth to marry him, she feels only contempt for him; afterward, she begins to see him in a new light, as certain incidents help illustrate the essential goodness of his character. At this moment, however, Elizabeth’s eventual change of heart remains unforeseen—all she thinks of is Darcy’s arrogance, his attempts to interfere in Bingley’s courtship of Jane, and his alleged mistreatment of Wickham.

Her judgment of Darcy stems from her initial prejudice against his snobbishness, just as his pride about his high social status hampers his attempt to express his affection. As the above quote makes clear, he spends more time emphasizing her lower rank and unsuitability for marriage to him than he does complimenting her or pledging his love. “He was not more eloquent on the subject of tenderness than of pride,” the narrator states; Darcy must prioritize love over his sense of superiority before he is worthy of Elizabeth’s hand. 4. They gradually ascended for half a mile, and then found themselves at the top of a considerable eminence, where the wood ceased, and the eye was instantly caught by Pemberley House, situated on the opposite side of a valley, into which the road with some abruptness wound. It was a large, handsome, stone building, standing well on rising ground, and backed by a ridge of high woody hills;—and in front, a stream of some natural importance was swelled into greater, but without any artificial appearance. Its banks were neither formal, nor falsely adorned. Elizabeth was delighted.

She had never seen a place where nature had done more, or where natural beauty had been so little counteracted by an awkward taste. They were all of them warm in her admiration; and at that moment she felt that to be mistress of Pemberley might be something! These lines open Chapter 43 and provide Elizabeth’s introduction to Darcy’s grand estate at Pemberley. Her visit to Darcy’s home, which occupies a central place in the narrative, operates as a catalyst for her growing attraction toward its owner. In her conversations with the housekeeper, Mrs. Reynolds, Elizabeth hears testimonials of Darcy’s wonderful generosity and his kindness as a master; when she encounters Darcy himself, while walking through Pemberley’s grounds, he seems altogether changed and his previous arrogance has diminished remarkably. This initial description of the building and grounds at Pemberley serves as a symbol of Darcy’s character. The “stream of some natural importance . . .

swelled into greater” reminds the reader of his pride, but the fact that it lacks “any artificial appearance” indicates his basic honesty, as does the fact that the stream is neither “formal, nor falsely adorned.” Elizabeth’s delight, and her sudden epiphany about the pleasure that being mistress of Pemberley must hold, prefigure her later joy in Darcy’s continued devotion. 5. Elizabeth was much too embarrassed to say a word. After a short pause, her companion added, “You are too generous to trifle with me. If your feelings are still what they were last April, tell me so at once. My affections and wishes are unchanged, but one word from you will silence me on this subject forever.” Elizabeth feeling all the more than common awkwardness and anxiety of his situation, now forced herself to speak; and immediately, though not very fluently, gave him to understand, that her sentiments had undergone so material a change, since the period to which he alluded, as to make her receive with gratitude and pleasure, his present assurances. This proposal and Elizabeth’s acceptance mark the climax of the novel, occurring in Chapter 58.

Austen famously prefers not to stage successful proposals in full, and the reader may be disappointed in the anticlimactic manner in which the narrator relates Elizabeth’s acceptance. It is important to remember, however, that the proposal and acceptance are almost a foregone conclusion by this point. Darcy’s intervention on behalf of Lydia makes obvious his continuing devotion to Elizabeth, and the shocking appearance of Lady Catherine de Bourgh in the previous chapter, with her haughty attempts to forestall the engagement, serves to suggest strongly that a second proposal from Darcy is imminent. The clunky language with which the narrator summarizes Elizabeth’s acceptance serves a specific purpose, as it captures the one moment of joyful incoherence for this supremely well-spoken character. She accepts Darcy’s proposal “immediately,” the narrator relates, but “not very fluently.” As Elizabeth allows herself to admit that her love has supplanted her long-standing prejudice, her control of language breaks down. The reader is left to imagine, with some delight, the ever-clever Elizabeth fumbling for words to express her irrepressible happiness.

More Help Irony In Pride And Prejudice Irony In Pride And Prejudice How does Jane Austen use wit and irony in Pride and Prejudice? Tamara K. H. | Middle School Teacher | (Level 3) Educator Emeritus Posted on December 13, 2012 at 8:41 AM A great deal of Austen's wit is actually seen through the use of irony. In Pride and Prejudice, we see all three types of irony displayed: verbal, situational, and dramatic. The use of verbal irony particularly expresses Austen's use of wit. Verbal irony is usually recognized as sarcasm. It is the moment someone, such as a character or narrator, says one thing, but means the complete opposite. One perfect example of verbal irony can be seen in the very opening line of the book, "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife" (Ch. 1).

The irony in this line is that, while the women of an English village in Austen's time might "acknowledge" the truth above, the wealthy men the line is referring to actually might not; therefore, the above is not really a "truth universally acknowledged." Instead, this opening line is a perfect example of sarcasm, or verbal irony, and a perfect example of Austen's wit. Situational irony describes a moment when something occurs and the exact opposite was expected to occur. Either the audience or the characters can have the opposite expectations. One instance of situational irony can be seen early on in the novel at a party that takes place at Lucas Lodge. After Elizabeth is asked to play and sing, the party begins to dance. At the same moment that Sir Lucas is trying to convince Mr. Darcy to join in the dancing, Elizabeth begins walking towards them. Mr. Darcy so adamantly protests dancing to Sir Lucas, even insulting the activity, saying, "Every savage can dance," that when Sir Lucas sees Elizabeth and encourages Darcy to dance with her the reader as well as Elizabeth are very surprised when Darcy "requested to be allowed the honour of her hand" (Vol. 1, Ch. 6).

Darcy's behavior in this instant is a true reversal of his earlier behavior, especially at the Meryton assembly. Hence, this is a perfect example of situational irony. In addition, the moment is also amusing due to the sudden change of behavior, also making it another example of Austen's wit. Dramatic irony occurs when the reader is aware of something that the characters have no idea of. This scene is also a fine example of dramatic irony. The reader has already begun to get the impression that Darcy feels an attraction for Elizabeth, which the reader began to see when she was tending to her sister at Netherfield. Therefore, the reader knows that Darcy's sudden interest in dancing with Elizabeth is actually genuine while Elizabeth still believes that he dislikes her and is merely asking in an attempt to be well mannered. Again the situation is amusing due to both Elizabeth's and Darcy's reactions to the situation. Hence, again, this use of dramatic irony also demonstrates Austen's wit.

Sources: kanwal786 | Student, Undergraduate | (Level 2) eNoter Posted on March 2, 2013 at 12:43 PM As one examines “Pride and Prejudice” one is struck with the fact of the ironic significance that pride leads to prejudice and prejudice invites pride. Both have their corresponding virtues and defects bound up with them. They are contradictory and supreme irony is that intricacy, which is much deeper, carries with it a great danger, unknown to simplicity. This type of irony runs through all of Jane Austen’s novels. In “Pride and Prejudice” there is much irony of situation too which provides a twist to story. Mr. Darcy remarks about Elizabeth: “tolerable but not handsome enough to tempt me.” We relish the ironic flavor of that statement much later when we reflect that the woman who was not handsome enough to dance with was really good enough to marry. Mr. Darcy removes Mr. Bingley from Neitherfield because he thinks it imprudent to forge a marriage alliance with Bennet family, but he himself ends up by marrying second Bennet daughter, Elizabeth. Elizabeth tells Mr.

Collins that she is not the type of girl who rejects the proposal first time and accepts the second. But she does exactly when Mr. Darcy proposes her second time. The departure of militia from Meryton seems to put an end to Lydia’s flirtations but it brings about her elopement. Lydia-Wickham episode may seem like an insurmountable barrier between Elizabeth and Darcy, but is exactly instrumental in bringing them together. Lady Catherine attempts to prevent Darcy’s marriage with Elizabeth, but only succeeds in hastening it. It is interesting to note that ironically, it is the villainous character of Wickham and Lady Catherine who are responsible for uniting the hero and heroine (Elizabeth and Darcy). Irony in characters is even more prominent than the irony of situation. It is ironical that Elizabeth who prides herself on her perceptions is quite blinded by her own prejudice and errs badly in judging intricate characters. Wickham appears gentle and charming but is ironically unprincipled rouge. Darcy appears to be proud and haughty, but ironically proves to be a true gentleman. The Bingley sisters hate the Bennet’s for their vulgarity, but are themselves vulgar in their behavior.

Jane Austen’s ironic tone is established in the very first sentence of the novel: “It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of good fortune must be in want of a wife.” Actually a man with a good fortune does not need a wife nearly so much as a single woman is greatly in need of a wealthy husband. There is much verbal irony in the witty utterance of Mr. Bennet. He tells Elizabeth, “let Mr. Wickham be your man. He is a pleasant fellow and would jilt you considerable………’’ in the word pleasant fellow there is hidden a dramatic irony at the expenses of Mr. Bennet. For Wickham is the man, who has been destined to make a considerable dent on Mr. Bennet’s complacency. Austen did not any bitterness in using irony in her novel, to draw satirical portraits of whims and follies. Rather her irony can be termed as comic. It implies on her side, an acknowledgement of what is wrong with people and society. Austen used her irony to shake her major figures of their self-deception, and to expose the hypocrisy and pretentiousness, absurdity and insanity of some of her minor figures.

It is definitely possible to deduce from her work, a scheme of moral vision. Andrew Wright rightly points out that irony in her hand is an instrument of a moral vision. like 3 dislike 0 September 16, 2012 at 11:39 AM In 'Pride and Prejudice', the author uses a great deal of wit and irony. Sometimes one hears it in the authorial voice, as in the opening lines 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". Authorial comments intrude very little into the story, but when they do, they are often ironic and almost always witty. Then there is wit and irony as employed by the characters in the novel. Elizabeth and her father are the most witty characters in the novel. Elizabeth, in fact, is noted for her "sparkling wit". Her father's comments are witty and often ironic and the exchanges between the two add much to the enjoyment of the reader. (See for instance the conversation between Elizabeth and her father after Jane had been jilted by Mr. Bingley). Apart from verbal irony that is apparent in conversations between Elizabeth and Mr.

Bennet, there are ironic characters. Mr. Collins, Lady Catherine and Mrs. Bennet fall into this category. They are ironic because there is a discrepancy between the way they see themselves and the way they appear to the reader. Then there are ironic situations - as when Fitzwilliam Darcy unwittingly reveals to Elizabeth that Mr. Darcy had been instrumental in separating Jane and Mr. Bingley. This episode is closely followed by the appearance of Mr. Darcy who offers his hand in marriage to Elizabeth - at the precise moment when she is furiously angry with him. like 2 dislike 0 September 16, 2012 at 2:44 PM In chapter 14 ofPride and Prejudice,Mr. Collins is asked by the Bennets to read a passage from a book to the family. The book the Bennet sisters choose, however, raises little delight on Mr. Collins’ part. The girls choose a novel, and, of course, he never reads novels.

Instead, he decides to read a chapter from Fordyce’sSermons to Young Womento the ladies, since he agrees with Fordyce’s impression that “there seem to be very few, in the style of a Novel, that you can read with safety, and yet fewer that you can read with advantage.”1In Jane Austen’s time, the late 18thand the beginning of the 19thcentury, most Englishman shared Mr. Collins’ and James Fordyce’s opinion. Novels were regarded as useless pieces of literature. They posed a risk to the virtuousness and decorum according to which the members of the English society, especially the female ones, were expected to behave. Writing a novel was regarded as an even worse thing to do than reading one. Hence, in particular the female writers of Austen’s time stressed the educational character of their novels, thus meeting the society’s expectations.

The consequence of this was that most of the novels were riddled with didactic comments and attempts at moral indoctrination, lucidly expressing the religious and virtuous end of their pieces of literature.2In contrast to the obtrusive morality of the majority of novels at that time, Austen’s pieces of work are strongly marked by an ironic tone, a subtle humour and highly ambivalent statements. This ambivalence and high use of irony makes it, even today, difficult to determine Austen’s attitudes towards society and the question whether her novels are to be interpreted as conservative, modern or feministic pieces of literature. Romantic novel, Bildungsroman, comedy of manners and comedy of character are some examples for the various terms Austen’s novels have been labeled.3 In particular inPride and Prejudice,an ironic tone is predominant throughout the novel. As Klingel Ray states, Austen is “first and foremost a satirist. And for a satirist, irony is the major tool of language.”4In order to analyse the novel thoroughly and adequately, it is thus of paramount importance to study Austen’s use of irony and her intentions and motives behind the ironic statements and events in the book.

like 1 dislike 0 Pride and Prejudice: Hidden Lusts - Google Books Pride and Prejudice: Hidden Lusts Mitzi Szereto 3 Reviews Imagine that Jane Austen had written the opening line of her satirical novel Pride and Prejudice this way: "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a good romp and a good wife ? although not necessarily from the same person or from the opposite sex." In Pride and Prejudice: Hidden Lusts Mr. Darcy has never been more devilish and the seemingly chaste Elizabeth never more turned on. The entire cast of characters from Austen's classic is here in this rewrite that goes all the way. This time Mr. Bingley and his sister both have designs on Mr. Darcy's manhood; Elizabeth's bff Charlotte marries their family's strange relation and stumbles upon a secret world of feminine relations more to her liking; and, in this telling, men are not necessarily the the only dominating sex. And of course there's some good old fashioned bodice ripping that shows no pride or prejudice and reveals hot hidden lusts in every page-turning chapter.

Pride and Prejudice - Wikiquote Pride and Prejudice Pride and Prejudice (1813) is a novel written by Jane Austen Contents Quotes Chapter 1 "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife. However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighborhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families, that he is considered the rightful property of someone or other of their daughters." Simple: Everyone knows this is true: that a man who is not married and who has much money, must want to have a wife. Even if people don't know what the man thinks when he comes into a neighborhood, this idea is stuck so firmly in the minds of the people of the neighborhood that they think he belongs to one of their daughters. "She [Mrs. Bennet] was a woman of mean understanding, little information, and uncertain temper." Simple: She was a woman who did not understand things well, who did not have much information, and who got angry easily.

Chapter 3 "She is tolerable, I suppose, but not handsome enough to tempt me; I am in no humour at present to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men. You had better return to your partner and enjoy her smiles, for you are wasting your time with me." (Mr Darcy to Mr. Bingley about Elizabeth Bennet) Simple: She is okay, I guess, but not beautiful enough for me. Right now I'm not in the mood to help young ladies feel important, at least not young ladies that other men don't want. Please go back to your partner and enjoy watching her smile, because you're wasting your time talking to me. "But I can assure you," she added, "that Lizzy does not lose much by not suiting his fancy; for he is a most disagreeable, horrid man, not at all worth pleasing. So high and so conceited that there was no enduring him! He walked here, and he walked there, fancying himself so very great! Not handsome enough to dance with! I wish you had been there, my dear, to have given him one of your set-downs. I quite detest the man." (Mrs.

Bennet to Mr. Bennet about Mr. Darcy) Simple: "But I can tell you," she added, "that it is not important that he likes Lizzy; because he is a most cross, horrible man. He is not good enough to make happy. He is so proud that I cannot bear him! I wish you had been there, my dear, to stop him from being proud. I really hate him." Other websites

Question: Which novel begins "It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife..."?
Answer: Pride and Prejudice