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Essay #2: Critical Analysis of Pride and Prejudice
Purpose: Literary criticism is an extension of the social activity of interpreting. One reader writes down
his or her views on what a particular work of literature means so that others can respond to that
interpretation. The critic’s specific purpose may be to make value judgments on a work, to explain his or
her interpretation of the work, or to provide other readers with relevant historical or biographical
information. The critic’s general purpose, in most cases, is to enrich the reader’s understanding of the
literary work. Critics typically engage in dialogue or debate with other critics, using the views of other
critics to develop their own points. Unfortunately, when critics assume that their readers are already
familiar with previous criticism, the argument may be difficult to follow. Since this novel does not
contain much action, its primary strength comes from the characters. Austen breathes life into them
through their qualities, faults, choices, inconsistencies, and mistakes, which influences our own feelings
and opinions about them. We are there to observe, be annoyed, laugh, sigh, and maybe even cry, but
what is perhaps most powerful is we are there to learn from them.
Task: With literary criticism in mind, choose one of the following options and write a critical analysis:
1. Is pride a virtue or a vice in the novel?
Pride is directly discussed in a couple of occasions, but it is demonstrated in the actions of Mr. Darcy,
Lady Catherine, and even Elizabeth. What is unclear, however, is whether this personality trait is to be
condemned or praised. For example, the philosophical Mary Bennet claims that pride “is a failing
indeed” but is also common to human nature. In analyzing Darcy’s mannerisms, the residents of
Hertfordshire label him as proud (with a negative connotation, of course). However, a little later Darcy
himself expresses that “where there is a real superiority of mind, pride will be always under good
regulation”. Which do you agree with? Is pride an inexcusable “failing” or can it be acceptable and even
necessary at times?
2. Why are manners so important in the novel?
After Mr. Wickham relates his version of the connection between him and the Darcy family, Elizabeth
validates his words by declaring “there was truth in his looks”. This is because Wickham’s smooth and
appealing manners won over the entire village of Hertfordshire. Essentially, they are all guilty of hasty
generalization when it comes to sketching the characters of these two men, but there is obviously an
importance they place on manners. In fact, every character is judged either by others or implicitly by the
author based on their manners (or lack thereof), which illustrates how significant it must be in the world
of this novel. Why do you think this is? Can manners be deceiving? Are they an important part of social
interaction?
3. What purpose do the ridiculous characters in the novel serve?
Elizabeth is our heroine and Darcy definitely our hero; both have flaws and imperfections, and they are
also an adequate blend of reason and emotion combined. However, with the exception of a few other
characters, they are the only admirable ones. The rest of the characters, including Mrs. Bennet, Kitty,
Lydia, Mary, Lady Catherine, and Mr. Collins are undeniably ridiculous. Being self-centered, self-
involved, ignorant, and closed-minded, these characters are there to constantly annoy or produce
mocking laughter. However, Austen gives them certain traits that we can recognize in a lot of people.
With that in mind, is there a reason why she includes such a large number of ridiculous characters in her
novel? What is Austen trying to teach or convey through the use of so many flawed characters?
4. Who is the moral authority of this novel?
When first meeting Lady Catherine, we are told that “she was not rendered formidable by silence; but
whatever she said, was spoken in so authoritative a tone, as marked her self-importance”. Basically,
since she has superiority in rank, she assumes that same superiority applies to all matters, whether she is
a direct expert in it or not. However, just because she claims to be an authority in everything does not
mean we believe her or find her credible. As a matter of fact, our experience with the faults and
inconsistencies of these characters makes us constantly seek a moral center. We are in an endless quest
to figure out who knows best and whose judgment we can rely on with confidence. Who do you choose
as the moral authority of this novel and why?
5. How do estates symbolize their owner?
During Austen’s time, it was common for an estate to symbolize its owner. In other words, the estate
said a lot about the quality of the person managing it. For instance, when Elizabeth sees Pemberley for
the first time, she reflects, “She had never seen a place for which nature had done more, or where natural
beauty had been so little counteracted by an awkward taste. They were all of them warm in their
admiration; and at that moment she felt, that to be mistress of Pemberley might be something!” It may
even be argued that Elizabeth’s feelings towards Darcy changed after seeing Pemberley for the first time.
Choose an estate mentioned in the novel and explain how it symbolizes its owner. Be sure to use
specific examples from the novel to support your answer. This essay allows you to merge symbolism
with a character analysis.
Guidelines: Please make sure you read the following carefully to receive a passing grade.
* Essay should be 4-6 pages in MLA format. For more information on MLA, visit:
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/24/.
* Essay should be well-formatted and correctly cited. This includes a Works Cited page, in-text citations,
and correct formatting of all visuals you incorporate.
* You are required to use 5 sources:
1. The first source should be our book, Pride and Prejudice. Though I am not strict about this,
you should have at least 3-4 quotations from the novel.
2. The second source should be one scholarly article from Jasna.org. This is a website dedicated
specifically to Jane Austen and her work. It has tons of excellent scholarly articles covering
numerous topics from Austen’s novels. You should quote from this source at least twice.
3. The third source should be a current newspaper or magazine article. Some blogs (depending
on who is writing them) can also be an acceptable source type. You should quote from this
source at least once.
4. The fourth source should be one you choose yourself, whether it is a media article (from a
magazine, newspaper, website, or credible blog), a scholarly article (a scholarly source from a
journal), or a book chapter (from a non-fiction book). You have the freedom to choose this one
but whatever source you choose, please make sure it is credible. You should quote from this
source at least once.
5. Finally, the fifth source should be a strong visual that you format correctly and analyze
insightfully. Please consult our Visual Rhetoric slideshow to review the rules on using visuals.
Don’t forget to include the citation information for this visual in your Works Cited page.
Professors Tutorial Describing what to do:
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