Analysis of Pride and Prejudice

Pride and Prejudice was first published in 1813, and has consistently been Jane Austen’s most popular novel (The Republic of Pemberley). Pride and Prejudice starts out with the Bennet household being especially excited to hear the news that a young gentleman named Charles Bingley has rented the manor in the nearby village of Longbourn. Mrs. Bennet is desperate for her five daughters –Jane, Elizabeth, Mary, Kitty, and Lydia- to be married (SparkNotes Editors). After a few social events, Mr. Bingley continues to grow a friendship with Jane, as Mr. Darcy, Mr. Bingley’s friend, starts to grow attracted to Elizabeth’s charm (SparkNotes Editors). Jane goes for a visit to Bingley’s mansion, and becomes very sick from her journey. Elizabeth goes to care for Jane at the Bingley’s place. Mr. Bingley’s sister become jealous of Jane because Darcy continuous attention to her. At the beginning of winter, the Bingleys and Darcy return to London (SparkNotes Editors). Jane continued to make trips to the city in hope of seeing Mr. Bingley. The next spring, while visiting a friend Elizabeth runs into Darcy. One day, he makes a shocking marriage proposal to Elizabeth, who quickly refuses (SparkNotes Editors). Darcy leaves her, but delivers a letter to her before he does. In this letter he explains why he encouraged Mr. Bingley to stay distant from Jane, and how the young officer, Wickham, was a liar. The letter caused Elizabeth to reconsider her feelings for Darcy (SparkNotes Editors). In June, Elizabeth and relatives go on a journey North near Pemberley, which is Darcy’s estate. Elizabeth runs into Darcy who acts as if nothing had ever happened. Elizabeth receives a letter saying that her sister Lydia had eloped with Wickham andthey both ran away together. She then hurries home in search for Lydia. Shortly after, Bingley and Darcy return to Netherfield and Bingley proposes to Elizabeth (SparkNotes Editors). A little later, Elizabeth and Darcy go out walking and he tells her his feelings have not changed since the spring. She excepts his proposal, and both Jane and Elizabeth are married (SparkNotes Editors).

SparkNotes Editors. “SparkNote on Pride and Prejudice.” SparkNotes.com. SparkNotes LLC. 2007. Web. 22 Apr. 2010. http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/pride/
"Pride and Prejudice -- Jane Austen." Jane Austen The Republic of Pemberley. Web. 22 Apr. 2010. http://www.pemberley.com/janeinfo/pridprej.html.

Major Works

Pride and Prejudice was first written in the late 1700’s, then rewritten in 1811 and finally published in 1813 (The Works of Jane Austen). It is one of the most popular of Jane Austen’s works. Pride and Prejudice is the journey of dealing with misjudgments that occur when you first meet someone. Then how those misjudgments can change after learning more from the other person (The Works of Jane Austen).

Mansfield Park was written between 1811 and 1813 (The Works of Jane Austen). It is Jane Austen’s most complex novel. It has multiple themes, dealing from education to the differences between appearances and reality (The Works of Jane Austen).

Emma was written in 1814-1815 (The Works of Jane Austen). Emma is a coming-to-age novel about a young woman and the trouble she gets into along the way (The Works of Jane Austen).

Sense and Sensibility was first published in 1811 (Sense and Sensibility). It is the story of two sisters, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood. They are upper class meaning they could not work. This novel gives a detailed portraiture of the decorum surrounding courtship and the importance of marriage to a woman’s livelihood and comfort (Sense and Sensibility).

Northanger Abbey was not published until after her death (Jane Austen's Writings). It is the story of Catherine Morland and her first trip away from home. After she meets a young man and visits his family’s house, she learns to distinguish between Gothic fiction and ordinary life (Jane Austen's Writings).

"Jane Austen's Writings." Jane Austen The Republic of Pemberley. Web. 16 Apr. 2010. <" target=_blank>http://www.pemberley.com/janeinfo/janewrit.html#northabbey>.
"Sense and Sensibility." ENotes - Literature Study Guides, Lesson Plans, and More. Web. 16 Apr. 2010. <http://www.enotes.com/>.
"The Works of Jane Austen." Austen.com Jane Austen Novels, Fan Fiction and More. Web. 16 Apr. 2010. <http://www.austen.com/novels.htm>.

Themes and Influences

Jane Austen explores many different themes in her novels. She shows different perspectives under different situations, but with varied consequences. The four major themes are individual and society, freedom and limitation, Imagination verses reason, and love and marriage (Jane Austen: Overview). Austen shows the relationship of the individual and how they relate to society and others, by showing the consequences to their actions (Jane Austen: Overview). Some critics think the issue of constraint or limitation of the living condition in society was the heart of Austen’s achievements (Jane Austen: Overview).The debate of imagination versus reason can be seen in the characters by what consequences occur from showing their imagination rather than listening to the dictates of reason (Jane Austen: Overview). Finally love and marriage can be seen by her protagonists have the ability to naturally love intelligently or if they developed it (Jane Austen: Overview).
Austen was influenced by her lively and affectionate family circle. They provide a stimulating context for her writing (Britannica Online Encyclopedia). She was also influenced by her close friendships. It was Austen’s world and surroundings which she used as her settings, characters, and subject matter of her novels (Britannica Online Encyclopedia).

"Jane Austen (English Novelist) -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia." Encyclopedia - Britannica Online Encyclopedia. Web. 09 Apr. 2010. www.britannia.com/history/biographies/jausten.html.
"Jane Austen: Overview." Web. 09 Apr. 2010. www.bookrags.com/Jane_Austen .

Career and Successes

Jane Austen is a well know and much enjoyed English author. Even though she just published six novels, her works have become the basis for true romance stories since early 1800’s. Jane published her first novel, Sense and Sensibility in 1811. She followed up with Pride and Prejudice in 1813, Mansfield Park in 1814, Emma in 1815. She also had two of her novels published after her death. They were Persuasion and Northanger Abbey in 1817. She also had many minor writings which include Juvenilia. Juvenilia were mainly written for her family’s enjoyment before she started writing her novels. Several were incomplete and had miscellaneous fragments (Jane Austen Biography).
Her novels have been turned into great motion pictures. The first release was a TV production in 1938 of Pride and Prejudice. In 1995, Sense and Sensibility was made into a film. In 1996, Emma was made, and then in 1998 Mansfield Park was released. In 1995 Pride and Prejudice, TV mini-series was a successful adaption and was viewed by over 10 million British views. There have been many releases and remakes of Jane Austen’s novels into both movies and TV series. Since the days of motion pictures, screenplay writers, directors and actors have tried to portray the spirit and essence of Jane Austen’s work with some being successful while others falling short (Jane Austen Info Page).



"Jane Austen Biography." Jane Austen - Biography, Timeline, Novels, Movies, Quotes and Fashions. Web. 02 Apr. 2010.www.janeausten.org.
"Jane Austen Info Page." Jane Austen The Republic of Pemberley. Web. 02 Apr. 2010.www.pemberley.com/janeinfo/janelife.html .

Biography

Jane Austen was born on December 16, 1775 in Steventon, Hampshire England, and died on July 18, 1817. She was the second daughter and seventh child in a family of eight. Her father was an educated man who encouraged the love of learning into his children. Her mother was known for all the stories and verses she told. Austen's relationship with her family had a large effect on the context of her writing (Jane Austen Novels, Fan Fiction and More).
The earliest know writing from Austen was reported in about 1787 and continues through 1793. She wrote a large collection including plays, verses, short novels, and other proses. Her best known novels were Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Emma, and Persuasion (Jane Austen Novels, Fan Fiction and More).
In 1802, Austen agreed to marry Harris Bigg-Wither, a 21 year-old heir of a Hampshire family. She then changed her mind the next morning. There are a number of other stories connecting her to someone who died soon after she fell in love. Austen's novels are focused deeply on love and marriage. It is a wonder who they are about. From her novels, you can understand she was once a woman who found love but also experienced the disappointment it can have (Jane Austen).
In her last 18 months, she was busy writing. Her fatal illness occurred around early 1816. Austen believed she suffered from bile, but the symptoms make possible for a case in a modern clinical assessment that she was suffering from Addison's disease. She then died in Winchester on July 18, 1817 and was buried six days later in Winchester Cathedral (Jane Austen).

Austen.com/ Jane Austen Novels, Fan Fiction and More. Web. 26 Mar. 2010 http://www.austen.com/

"Jane Austen." 2010. Biography.com. 26 Mar 2010 http://www.biography.com/articles/Jane-Austen