01-06-2012, 05:40 PM
ASSIGNMENT OF COMMUNICATION SKILLS
LITERATURE SURVEY
There are several different stories in the novel “PRIDE AND PREJUDICE”. There is a main plot deals with Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy one of the sub story deals with Jane and Mr. Bingley. There are two other sub stories deals with Mr. Collins and Charlotte, Lydia and Mr. Wickham. All stories have a common language and theme.
How will you do love and marriage? This common in all stories gives unity to the whole novel story. The Elizabeth-Darcy affair and the Jane-Bingley affair begins almost simultaneously with some and simple language. They concern the joys and sorrows, hopes and fears, success and failures in daily lives.
The novel also deals with social literature like in the novel, the social life of the time, assemblies and balls were the order of the day. Gossip among women folk was a kind of hobby.
THEME:-
“Pride and Prejudice” moves round the theme of husband hunting. All the principal families those described in the novel are chiefly interested in finding suitable husbands for their grown up daughters. There seems to be a mad race for husbands because the Bennets, the Bingleys, the Lucases and Darcys are all alike on the same point of view. Dinners are given and visits are paid with this purpose in mind that in search of husbands. Grown-up girls also run about in search of matrimonial adventures. The novel does not go beyond the domestic aspirations of a few families. There is no consuming passion and love. The novel revolves round the fate and fortune of the Bennet family living at the village of Longbourn. The family has five grown up daughters and no son. Mrs. Bennet is all the time worried about the marriage of her daughters. She is very happy when a young man Mr. Bingley arrives the villages of Longbourn. It is a windfall for the parents of grown up daughters. A single bachelor young man with large fortune must be in need of a wife. Mrs. Bennet is wild with excitement. Mr. Bingley is invited to dinner so that he may choose and many one of the girls. Jane’s beauty catches his eyes.
Mrs.Long is a rival of Mrs. Bennet because the former has two nieces of her own, Mrs. Bennet hates her. She knows that she will never introduce Mr. Bingley. Mrs. Bennet intentionally sends Jane to Netherfield. She is delighted when Jane falls ill and stays among strangers so that she may hook a husband. Mrs. Bennet is overjoyed to know that Mr. Collins has to come to choose a wife from among the Bennet girls. He changes from Jane to Elizabeth. Mrs. Bennet forces Elizabeth to accept Mr. Collin’s proposal of marriage when the girl is not at all willing.
The mother been to have the satisfaction that two of her daughters are engaged and married. The youngest girl, Lydia is the favourite of her mother. Though she is a wild, untamed, noisy and foolish girl. The mother encourages her to go to Meryton to hook a husband from among the army officers. Mrs. Bennet is happy when l Lydia elopes with Wickham, Mrs. Bennet gives a warm welcome when Lydia and Wickham pay a visit after their marriage.
Mr. Collins is rejected by Elizabeth but he is gladly accepted by Charlotte Lucas. The younger girls are happy because the way is cleared for them. Miss. Bingley burns in the fire when she finds Mr. Darcy interest in Elizabeth. She is been to hook Mr. Darcy and similarly Lady Catherine wants to hook Mr. Darcy for her daughter.
This theme of husband hunting is echoed again and again in the novel. In the novel the hero’s pride creates a prejudice against him in the mind of heroine. Elizabeth dislikes Mr. Darcy for his vanity and pride but she develops a deep rooted prejudice against him. His pride keeps him away from her and her prejudice keeps her away from him. They are united when pride and prejudice disappear.
MINOR CHARACTER:-
Lady Catherine De Bourgh is the minor character. She is the mother of Lady Anne Bourgh. She is the aunt of Mr. Darcy. She is a widow with a large fortune. Lady Catherine wishes Mr. Darcy to marry her daughter. She thinks that the two estates may be united and Miss De Bourgh may have a very large fortune. Lady Catherine is a woman of high rank and is known as a woman of extraordinary talents and wonderful virtues. She is a patroness of Mr. Collins. Mr. Collins is very much obliged to Lady Catherine. He is all the time singing praises of her and behaves like her servant. There are many who worship her in her presence no guest or visitor can forget his inferior rank. She considers herself so great and important and an authority on all subjects. She gives advice to other on domestic affairs, home management, care of cows, poultry management. She always dictates order to others. She expresses her opinion in such a manner that nobody has the courage to challenge it. She is in the habit of praying and probing into the personal lives of others. She is surprised when Elizabeth also gives her opinion as Lady Catherine does. Only Elizabeth finds herself equal to the situation. She is not overawed by Lady Catherine but Lady Catherine has no patience to obey. She flares up with rage when somebody refuses to comply with her wishes. She goes to Longbourn to order Elizabeth not to try too many Mr. Darcy and leave the field free for her daughter. When Elizabeth refuses to oblige her than her anger was at the top. She gives warnings to Elizabeth. Lady Catherine and her daughter have same nature as for as Mrs. Bennet both are wanted to hook husbands her daughters. Her daughter is thin and small, pale and sickly. But Lady is keen to hook her nephew Mr. Darcy for daughter. She cannot control over her temper when her wishes are thrown in the soil. So she assumes herself so much superiority.
MAJOR CHARACTER:-
Mr. Darcy is a major character of the novel. Mr. Darcy can rightly be called the hero of the “PRIDE AND PREJUDICE”. He is a very suitable character created by Jane Austen. He is a very suitable character created by Jane Austen. He is quite and dynamic. He looks quite noble and dignified in appearance. Ladies regard him as handsome and look at him with great admiration. He is a rich man with annual income of 10000 pounds. He is a landed aristocrat and man of fashion. He suffers from superiority complex. He considers it below his dignity to mix with ordinary people. He comes to be regarded as the proudest and most disagreeable man in the world. At the Meryton ball, he is disliked for his superior airs. He dances only with Mrs. Hurst and Miss. Bingley. He is heart throb of Miss. Bingley. He believes that Elizabeth is just tolerable but not beautiful enough to tempt him. Elizabeth over hears this remarks made by Mr. Darcy. She is cut to the quick and develops a prejudice against him. Mr. Darcy certainly dominates over his friend. He dictates and Mr. Bingley obeys his orders. On his advice Mr. Bingley leaves the Netherfield Park. One day he suddenly makes a declaration of his love and a proposal of marriage to Elizabeth. He is terribly shaken when Elizabeth rejects his proposal. He told that he is insulted by her and he likes her against his will. His eyes are opened by Elizabeth. His pride is humbled and it proves turning point in his life. Now Mr. Darcy has changed. He realized his faults and corrects them. He clears the misunderstanding in the letter to Elizabeth. He explains the reasons for opposing the marriage of Mr. Bingley and Jane. He also tells about Wickham who has tried to elope with his sister. Elizabeth finds great truth in Mr. Darcy. She begins to melt. The letter is a turning point in their relations. Mr. Darcy finds it difficult to prove his love to Elizabeth. He has in love with her without knowing it. But he is very honest and sincere in his love. He is ideal brother to his sister and servants. He provides his valuable serves to Bennet family when Lydia elopes with Wickham. He traces them out and brings round Wickham to marry Lydia. He saves the Bennet family from shame and ruin. His sacrifice is acknowledged by Elizabeth. It is rewarded by Elizabeth when she accepts his proposal for marry. His slow and steady love wins the heart of a sincere girl.
STYLE:-
Now let’s discuss about style of this novel. Jane Austen had a keen sense of humour. She was always for the bit of fun. She loved to laugh at the follies and weakness of human beings. In her novel she creates a lot of fun and makes us laugh. She creates comedy out of human folly. Her humour is always gentle. It is full of satire and irony. The character of Mrs. Bennet is rich of humour in the novel. She is foolish and fussy woman. The only aim of her life is to see her five daughters married. Day and Night she makes plans to hook husbands for their girls. Mr. Bingley is a single man with large fortune and such a man must be in need of a wife. Mrs. Bennet thinks it is windfall for her daughters as he may fall in love with one of them. Aim of each girl in the novel is same to hook a husband. But no any other aim has present in the novel. Each daughter of Mrs. Bennet in search of husband that is similar in the novel which part is come again and again. Mrs. Bennet turns a blind eye to the shame when Lydia elopes but she is extremely happy at thought of Lydia’s elopement. She is foolish lady. The novel revolves round the fate and fortune of the Bennet family. Visits are paid, dinners are given and balls are arranged with this purpose in mind to search a husband that is similar in each purpose and task.
The novel also serves as a piece of social document. It contains social manners and life of the time. As we go through the novel we come into contact with such representations of the upper middle class. We come to know the main concerns of mothers and daughters of the middle class families. Their main concern is matrimony.
The novel also tells us about proud. As a child Mr. Darcy had been spoilt by his parents. His parents were themselves very good people. But they taught him to be selfish and dominating to care for nobody outside his own family circle. He shows paradox and pride in the balls. He writes these words to Elizabeth “You taught me a lesson, hard indeed at first but most advantageous. By you I was properly humbled.”
The novel does not involve in other life problems of the society. Her characters do not become involved in dangerous. In this novel everyone worries about in his own life. The novelist makes her readers smile at the human weaknesses and the superficialities of the people society.
MOST INSPIRING CHARACTER:-
Elizabeth Bennet is a wonder creation of the novelist. Her character is most inspired me because she is sharp in intelligence. She is called the heroine of the novel. Elizabeth is one of the five daughters of the Bennets. She is second to Jane in birth and beauty. She is the favourite of her father because she is quick in understanding and sharp of brain. For these qualities I inspired from her character. Her grace, charm and humour make her all the more fascinating. Elizabeth is bold enough to tell Mr. Darcy to his face that she dislikes him because he is the proudest and disagreeable man. She rejects his proposal of marriage. But she has a terrible prejudice against Mr. Darcy. She rejects his proposal because of her prejudice. She jumps to the conclusion that Mr. Darcy is responsible for Wickham’s absence from the ball but the truth is that Wickham avoids Mr. Darcy’s presence. But Elizabeth’s prejudiced mind refuses to see the reality. She is ready to believe anything and everything against Mr. Darcy. As a result she develops sympathy for Wickham and her prejudice against Mr. Darcy. It is because of prejudice that she fails to understand the true character of Wickham. Her eyes are opened to reality when Wickham elopes with her sister Lydia. She is not foolish like Mrs.Bennet who encourages her daughters to hook husbands. She does not run after husbands but husbands run after her. She holds her head high with dignity and self-respect. She rejects the proposal of marriage made by Mr. Collins she tells him that he cannot make her happy. Her relationship with Mr. Darcy begins with hatred, dislike and prejudice and ends in love and understanding. They are united when their pride and prejudice disappear. In Mr. Darcy she has found an equal match. Elizabeth has rejected Mr. Collins as he is not worthy of her. She also finds something dangerous in the wild, foolish nature of Lydia and she warms her father that if Lydia is not checked she will be brought disgrace to herself and her family. She advises her father secretly not allow to Lydia to go to Brighton.
COMPARATIVE STUDY:-
The most comparative study in novel is that in this novel, did not mention any other great events although novelist’s life spanned a period of wars, revolution. She does not provide any other daily life information, like other novels there is no political, religious revolutionary life of her characters. She only writes about sense of humour literature. In the novel, characters only know how to hook a husband or wife? This is the only aim of novel. Therefore I can say this novel does not provide any proper guidance to the younger students or readers.