Jane Austen has remained a very famous novelist with audiences all around the world after her death over 200 years ago. Her works, which are entertaining, thought-provoking, and funny, have featured several protagonists with distinct traits that appeal to a wide range of readers. This research attempts to stimulate a larger conversation on how the interior lives of characters are depicted in novels and the influence that such depictions may have on readers' ability to build relationships. When examining the characteristics of Austen's works that have likely contributed to their popularity, one notable aspect emerges from a range of academia: Austen's rich depiction of characters' lives and experiences as a method of captivating them to the readers. Although this is not unique to Austen as a writer, it is frequently the subject of study for her works, particularly Persuasion and Pride and Prejudice. Some of the numerous ways that Austen addresses the evolution of Elizabeth Bennet's internal thoughts in Pride and Prejudice include Elizabeth being labeled the reasonable voice amongst her family, the representation of Elizabeth's quick judgments, and so on. Austen used a method known as free indirect speech to establish her characters' interior voices. Elizabeth Bennet is a strong heroine in the novel and has other interests than men, money, and the militia. Elizabeth is everywhere in the novel and Austen portrays this by using a narrative device called focalisation. This means, that events are viewed through Elizabeth and the novel revolves around her - she is the focal point. The same can be said for Anne, the protagonist and heroine of Persuasion.
Austen loved experimenting with different ways of depicting a character's inner life, and the vast range of personalities she spoke about with her protagonists gave her enough chance to do so. Jane Austen makes it obvious to the reader from the start of Persuasion that Anne Elliot is the outsider of her family. Even though she hasn't done anything to upset them, she is so pleasant to be around that they feel free to exclude her and use her for their selfish ends. To them, 'her word had no weight; her convenience was always to give way-she was only Anne' (Austen, pp.5, 1993) Anne's calm demeanor is matched by a shrewd trait of thriftiness, which aids her father and sister in getting through a tough financial period. Anne tries from the opening of the chapter to persuade her father to be reasonable when it comes to cutting costs as 'every emendation of Anne's had been on the side of honesty against importance' (Austen, pp.12, 1993). Anne's character is very similar to Elizabeth Bennett's - they both have wit and wisdom and use it for the better of their families. However, both of their families are self-centered and only care about themselves.
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Fiona Stafford discusses how lighter tones in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice mask some of the darker elements. To some extent, I agree with Stafford, but I also believe that most of these darker elements are diminished towards the end of the novel. For instance, Stafford argues that a lot of the events in Pride and Prejudice stem from war-based stories and the military. 'Despite the light tone of Pride and Prejudice, the military presence constitutes a more serious element than might initially seem apparent.' (Stafford, 2004) This states that although Austen uses satire in her novel, she also speaks about real-life situations that were underlying problems at the time.
In Pride and Prejudice, there are hints of the wars. The entry of the military unit is particularly exciting for the people in the book since it means the town will be flooded with young males. The troops' presence was likewise not always comforting. When a unit of military men arrived in a town, it signified that men some of whom were weary and restless would be around. They might be a danger to young ladies in terms of drunkenness, misbehavior, and flirtation. George Wickham's obnoxious demeanor underlines the dangers of a permanent military presence in the area. This may come as a surprise to some readers. The novel's framework, on the other hand, makes it obvious that daily life continues even during warfare, and many citizens would not have been bothered by the conflict. Austen's portrayal of the militia commanders is influenced by their current reputation for sexual encounters, which first occurs in Chapter 7 of the novel. Catherine and Lydia Bennet are captivated by the striking colors of military uniforms; 'They could talk of nothing but officers; and Mr. Bingley's large fortune, the mention of which gave animation to their mother, was worthless in their eyes when opposed to the regimentals of an ensign.' (Austen, pp.26, 1993) This has some dark elements to it, as the ladies are only concerned about good-looking men and money. This takes us back to the beginning of the novel, right to the very first lines, 'It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.' (Austen, pp.3, 1993) This paints a picture for the rest of the novel and establishes an authoritative, male-dominated world. 'The opening sentence presents itself as a hypothetical premise, visibly unreliable or unstable, which is capable of being rewritten, undermined or even parodied, and will be tested and worked out throughout the rest of the novel.' (Watson, pp.139, 2015) This irony from Austen is the linchpin that holds the novel together and brings it full circle. Austen writes in the third person omniscient which means she allows the reader to have access to the 'internal consciousness of different characters,' (Watson, p. 155, 2015).
So, lighter tones are shown in both Pride and Prejudice and Persuasion. However, these lighter tones are masking some of the darker ones. While the criticizing tone makes fun of the characters, it also draws attention to societal problems. The novel argues that characters with more money or greater social rank are not always better or brighter, and Austen takes a harsh stance against those who obsess about their social standing.
Similarly, while describing how women's lives were restricted during the story's historical period, the novel's mood may be rather harsh. Because marriage was typically a woman's sole means of obtaining financial security, there was a constant push for her to accept the first financially secure man who promised to marry her. The work also adopts a scathing tone toward the unrealistic expectations imposed on women to be well-behaved and talented in meaningless but decorative things. For instance, there is a lack of pure love in the novel and most of the couples are together for the sake of family, or financial security.
Mr. Wickham is an excellent example of the light-dark contrast. His allure, which enchants both the Bennet daughters and their mother, is palpable throughout the first half of the novel. Later on, it is revealed that this character hides a rascal who deceives young females.
So, what do pride and prejudice mean?
At the time of Austen's writing, the connotations of pride and prejudice were dissimilar. Being proud was not always regarded as a positive quality. Unlike now, when individuals talk about being proud of their hard work or accomplishments, being proud in Austen's day suggested someone felt he or she was superior to others or wasn't open to connecting with diverse types of people. Prejudice was usually defined as having a preconceived notion about someone based on speculation or biases rather than the person's real behaviors and personality. Prejudice nowadays can refer to forming assumptions about someone based on their ethnicity or religion, for example. However, prejudice in Austen's period was more often based on reputation, rumor, or misconstrued acts. Mr. Darcy, for instance, is the figure who is far more proud and prejudiced. On one side, his arrogance is reasonable, given his money and social status. He is accustomed to being considered a higher authority and a powerful figure, and social codes of behavior ensure that people of lesser social status approach him with respect. The Bennet families and their neighbors become prejudiced toward Darcy as a result of his early showing of pride. This takes place when he refuses to dance with Elizabeth because he thinks he is far superior, 'There is not another woman in the room, whom it would not be a punishment for me to stand up dance with.' (Austen, pp.14, 1993) Elizabeth is a lot more determined to overcome her prejudice. Because she is proud and dislikes being regarded as a second-class citizen, she is angry when Darcy insults her family when he proposes to her. The lightness of tone serves to obscure the harshness of the English class structure at the time. For example, Elizabeth's lightheartedness in making a joke about Mr. Darcy refusing to dance with her hides the fact that such arrogance had real-world ramifications for persons lower on the social ladder who were denied access to luxury based on their background.
Austen's light touch, particularly in the voice of the omniscient third-person narrator, reassures the audience that all will be settled peacefully in the end. The tone of the story is satirical from the start, as the unidentified narrator lures the reader in by imparting their understanding of fundamental marital truths. Austen utilizes Elizabeth's naive attitude and inclination to notice the funny sides in what is happening around her as the narrative point of view to lighten the severe characteristics of the class structure while also exposing them.
Overall, the tale is about Elizabeth and Jane's search for love without jeopardizing their decency, and to marry for love rather than money.
In conclusion, there are darker elements in both novels and most of them surround the role of a woman. Women should marry a suitable man and not someone they simply love. He must have a big house and an even bigger bank balance.
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