![]() Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us." - Mary Bennet, Volume I: Chapter 5 A person may be proud without being vain. Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously. By all that I have ever read, I am convinced that it is very common indeed that human nature is particularly prone to it, and that there are very few of us who do not cherish a feeling of self-complacency on the score of some quality or other, real or imaginary. "Pride.is a very common failing, I believe. That Austen can imply such a desperate reality in a superficially breezy and straightforward line is evidence of her mastery. Each Miss Bennet knows that without a husband of decent means and status, she risks living a life as a powerless and potentially destitute spinster. ![]() in want of a wife," but Austen's novel is centered on her female characters as they struggle to succeed within this oppressive patriarchy. The line's grammatical focus is on "a single man. However, the irony in this line conceals an implicit criticism. ![]() In the world of Pride and Prejudice, individuals are defined by their marital opportunities and financial holdings. In the first line of the novel, Austen reveals two of its primary themes: marriage and class (particularly as indicated by money). "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife." - Narrator, Volume I: Chapter 1
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |