Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen

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Butterbescotch
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Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Post by Butterbescotch »

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In case you don't know here's the blurb.
"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife."

So begins Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen's witty comedy of manners--one of the most popular novels of all time--that features splendidly civilized sparring between the proud Mr. Darcy and the prejudiced Elizabeth Bennet as they play out their spirited courtship in a series of eighteenth-century drawing-room intrigues. Renowned literary critic and historian George Saintsbury in 1894 declared it the "most perfect, the most characteristic, the most eminently quintessential of its author's works," and Eudora Welty in the twentieth century described it as "irresistible and as nearly flawless as any fiction could be."

"The wit of Jane Austen has for partner the perfection of her taste."
--Virginia Woolf
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I'm currently reading it and I'm a bit tense reading a classic. Wish me Luck! :]
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Aileenhu
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Post by Aileenhu »

Of course I give you all the luck I can! I tackled that book not so long ago, and it was difficult. Good luck! I'm sure you'll love it in a way! :)
:D Enjoy your day~
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Teesie
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Post by Teesie »

Good Luck! :D It's a great story. One of my favorites.
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Fran
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Post by Fran »

@ Butterbescotch

Best of luck with the Bennetts hope you love it.

@ Teesie
Love the new avatar ... sexy or what? :lol:
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A world is born again that never dies.
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Butterbescotch
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Post by Butterbescotch »

@All

Thanks for the encouragement.

@Tessie

Cool avatar.

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Question
Miss Bingley offered her the carriage, and she only wanted a little pressing to accept it, when Jane testified such concern in parting with her, that Miss Bingley was obliged to convert the offer of the chaise into an invitation to remain at Netherfield for the present. Elizabeth most thankfully consented, and a servant was despatched to Longbourn, to acquaint the family with her stay, and bring back a supply of clothes.
Can you translate this? I have problem understanding that the offer "to remain at Netherfield for the present" is the same as "to acquaint the family with her stay".

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Why do women in the novel are really in need of a man?
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Fran
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Post by Fran »

Butterbescotch wrote:@All

Thanks for the encouragement.

@Tessie

Cool avatar.

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Question
Miss Bingley offered her the carriage, and she only wanted a little pressing to accept it, when Jane testified such concern in parting with her, that Miss Bingley was obliged to convert the offer of the chaise into an invitation to remain at Netherfield for the present. Elizabeth most thankfully consented, and a servant was despatched to Longbourn, to acquaint the family with her stay, and bring back a supply of clothes.
Can you translate this? I have problem understanding that the offer "to remain at Netherfield for the present" is the same as "to acquaint the family with her stay".

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Why do women in the novel are really in need of a man?
The central social issue in the book is the fact that because the Bennett's do not have a son, on the death of Mr Bennett everything goes to his nearest male relative thus leaving Mrs Bennett & her daughters total dependants of this relative unless they are married in the meantime. It was know in English social history as 'male primo-genture' and was a major theme in Jane Austens writings.
We fade away, but vivid in our eyes
A world is born again that never dies.
- My Home by Clive James
Melaniep
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Post by Melaniep »

Butterbescotch wrote:
Miss Bingley offered her the carriage, and she only wanted a little pressing to accept it, when Jane testified such concern in parting with her, that Miss Bingley was obliged to convert the offer of the chaise into an invitation to remain at Netherfield for the present. Elizabeth most thankfully consented, and a servant was despatched to Longbourn, to acquaint the family with her stay, and bring back a supply of clothes.
Can you translate this? I have problem understanding that the offer "to remain at Netherfield for the present" is the same as "to acquaint the family with her stay".
Remaining at Netherfield for the present means that they're going to stay (for a few days in this case) and acquainting the family with her stay means that they'll send a messenger back to Longbourn to let their family know.
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Teesie
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Post by Teesie »

Fran wrote:@ Butterbescotch

Best of luck with the Bennetts hope you love it.

@ Teesie
Love the new avatar ... sexy or what? :lol:
Oh, Yeah!!! I have another one of him that says "He can shiver me timbers any time" :wink: lol...I love it! Thanks Butterbescotch.
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Butterbescotch
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Post by Butterbescotch »

I'm confused on the author's reference of nouns. What do you mean Miss and Lady in a name?
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Melaniep
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Post by Melaniep »

Butterbescotch wrote:I'm confused on the author's reference of nouns. What do you mean Miss and Lady in a name?
In the author's time, and in the circles she socialized in, it was impolite to call somebody by their first name unless they're family or very close friends. So common people would be Mr, Miss, or Mrs. Bennet for example. If somebody was called Sir, that meant he was knighted (or his ancestor was and it passed down) and his wife would be Lady.

Does that help?
Butterbescotch
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Post by Butterbescotch »

Thanks it does.
But what do you mean by knighted? Moreover, the author at some point says Miss Bennet but there are 5 Bennets. I'm sometimes confused whether she refers to Jane or to Elizabeth. How to do I distinguish one from the other?
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Melaniep
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Post by Melaniep »

Butterbescotch wrote:Thanks it does.
But what do you mean by knighted? Moreover, the author at some point says Miss Bennet but there are 5 Bennets. I'm sometimes confused whether she refers to Jane or to Elizabeth. How to do I distinguish one from the other?
Knighthood is an honor that only the king or queen can give you. It's the lowest of English 'titles.' If the current Queen Elizabeth thought you were a pretty cool person deserving knighthood, there would be a ceremony where she would knight you. You'd be known after that as Sir Butterbescotch (Or Lady).

If all the Bennet sisters are in the same room, the eldest is usually referred to as Miss Bennet and the rest would be referred to as Miss Elizabeth Bennet, Miss Lydia, and so on.


Edit: I just had one of those embarrassing moments when you're laying in bed and realize you said or did something wrong. I told you wrong. If a woman is called Lady So-and-so, it's because she's the wife of a lord. Not a knight. Lordship is an inherited title. Passed on through landownership I believe.

Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong (again), I'm very tired! Haha!
Butterbescotch
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Post by Butterbescotch »

^Thanks I shall consider it right since I have no evidence to prove it wrong. :D

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Question. *Spoiler*

When Lydia eloped with Wickham, they were devastated but why do Mrs. Bennett wanted Lydia to marry Wickham despite the action?
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GotThatSwing
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Post by GotThatSwing »

It was a dishonor for an unmarried woman to leave alone with some man. No other would want to marry her after such a scandal. If Wickham married her, her honor would be redeemed.
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Post by Fran »

Butterbescotch wrote:^Thanks I shall consider it right since I have no evidence to prove it wrong. :D

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Question. *Spoiler*

When Lydia eloped with Wickham, they were devastated but why do Mrs. Bennett wanted Lydia to marry Wickham despite the action?
Because having run off with him if they don't get married in the social mores of the time it would be seen as devastating to Lydia's reputation & would make it highly unlikely anyone else would marry her. It would also be deemed to reflect negatively on the other Bennett sisters & make it more difficult, if not impossible, for them to find husbands. In that society for a single woman to be alone with a man not an immediate family member was a major social gaff .... regardless how innocent the meeting was. Reputation was everything.

For that reason having run off with Wickham it is considered essential that they marry to save her reputation .. the family can then cast it in the light of a romantic elopement. Hence Mrs Bennett's delight when Lydia arrives back married.

Austen is highlighting the fact that in the society of the period there were no options for women outside of marriage. Indeed Austen herself was really very exceptional in that she never married & supported herself by her writing.
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