Pride and PrejudiceJane Austen

Pride and Prejudice By Jane Austen

Tapping into Background Knowledge…

› What do you know / what have you heard about this novel?

› What do you think you will learn / what do you hope to learn as we read this novel?

Pride and Prejudice and Jane Austen in Pop Culture

Austen’s Hollywood Power – Credits “Entertainment Weekly”

Pride and Prejudice and Jane Austen in Pop Culture

Austen's novels and her personal life have been adapted into film, television, and theater, with different adaptations varying greatly in their faithfulness to the original.

“Becoming Jane” (film (2007)– staring Anne Hathaway Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (parody book) -

Seth Grahame Smith “Pride and Prejudice” (film 2005) – staring Kiera

Knightly “Jane Austen’s Fight Club” – Viral YouTube Clip / Trailer These are just a few of the examples of Austen’s

influence on our culture.

Jane Austen’s Pop Culture influence Cont…

http://online.wsj.com/video/video-clip-jane-austens-fight-club/3F45ECC2-6790-45E2-A68F-415764D39F87.html

Did you know: The film “Clueless” is based on Jane Austen’s novel Emma ?

Did you know the famous Reese Witherspoon film” Bridget Jones’s Diary” borrowed its basic plot elements from Pride and Prejudice ?

ANGLOPHILIA …. And the only cure is more…..

FISH AND CHIPS! God save the QUEEN!!!!!! Keep calm and Jane Austen ON!

Jane Austen 1775-1817 Grew up in an upper class family Educated by father, brothers, and her

own reading Supported by her family in writing Writes:

› 6 novels› 27 short stories

Dies of TB in the prime of her writing career

Style & Themes

Plots realistic to her time and own experiences:› women having to depend on marriage to

get anywhere in the world (historical times)

› Love vs expectations (broken heart at 20)› Relationships with siblings and family

(sister is her best friend)› Small town situations (growing up in the

country)

Themes

Marriage Money Class Self Knowledge and awareness

Pride and Prejudice Background…

In the early 1800’s – few middle class women could choose not to marry or marry simply for love.

Women could not enter occupations and earn their own living. › Governess › Writer › Inheritance – males

Marriage

Path to financial security for women Attracting a husband was a big priority Education outside of the domestic

sphere was of little importance A few things that were of big

importance: › Singing, playing an instrument, reciting

poetry, drawing, painting, embroidery = a “well rounded education” for women

Style

Romance – love – different than the “Romantic Era”

Realism – things exactly how they are in every day life

Setting – Pride and Prejudice

England – 1800’s Homes of middle and upper class families living

in the countryside outside of London Industrial revolution in full swing – efficiency

and profitability – newly rich middle class eager to show off.

Problems – › Unemployment › Starvation – “Bread Riots” › Repressed workers , repressed free speech › Agricultural depression › Austen excludes these events…

Heroine of Pride and Prejudice

Elizabeth Bennet› Middle Class › A-typical – intriguing , complex › “For the first time in English literature,

outside Shakespeare, we meet heroines who are credible, with minds, with the capacity to think for themselves, with ambition and wit.”

Characters Elizabeth Bennet –

Second daughter of Mr. Bennet; very smart and outspoken

Fitzwilliam Darcy – condescending gentlemen; best friend to Charles Bingley

Jane Bennet – oldest Bennet daughter

Charles Bingley – Rich neighbor of the Bennets; Darcy’s best friend

Mr. Bennet – modest gentleman with a sarcastic sense of humor

Mrs. Bennet – foolish, noisy woman whose only goal in life is to get all her daughters married

George Wickham – handsome, greedy militia officer

Lydia Bennet – youngest Bennet sister; gossipy, immature and self involved

Mr. Collins – clergyman who will inherit Bennet property

Miss Bingley – Charles's sister; wants Darcy

Lady Catherine – Noblewoman Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner – Mrs. Bennet’s

family Charlotte Lucas – Elizabeth’s friend Georgiana Darcy – Darcy’s little sister Mary Bennet – Middle Bennet sister;

bookish Catharine Bennet – fourth sister; like Lydia

Genre

Comedy of Manners – satirizes the manners and affections of a social class, often represented by stock characters (the rich uncle, the nosey aunt, the overbearing mother, etc.)

Austen's satire – her critique of society is subtle and good humored , but she definitely points out the follies and shortcomings of her characters.

Basic Info

Tense: Past tense Tone: Comic, satiric Narrator: third – person omniscient narrator Antagonist: Snobbish Class – consciousness

(as embodied by Lady Catherine de Bourgh and Miss Bingley)

Theme(S): › Impediments to Love › The Necessity of Good Behavior › The Unfortunate Power of Class

Other Novels by Jane Austen

Sense and Sensibility Mansfield Park Emma Northanger Abbey Persuasion