第一篇：傲慢与偏见英语书评
《傲慢与偏见》书评
《傲慢与偏见》是简·奥斯汀的代表作，是一部描写爱情与婚姻的经典小说，这部作品以日常生活为素材，一反当时社会上流行的感伤小说的内容和矫揉造作的写作方法，生动地反映了18世纪末到19世纪初处于保守和闭塞状态下的英国乡镇生活和世态人情。这部社会风情画式的小说不仅在当时吸引着广大的读者，时至今日，仍给读者以独特的艺术享受。
作品以男女主人公达西和伊丽莎白由于傲慢和偏见而产生的爱情纠葛为线索，共写了四起姻缘：伊丽莎白与达西、简与宾利、莉迪亚与威克姆、夏洛蒂与柯林斯。伊丽莎白、简和莉迪亚是贝内特家五个女儿中的三个姐妹，而夏洛蒂则是她们的邻居，也是伊丽莎白的朋友。男主人公达西与宾利是好友，且与威克姆一起长大，而柯林斯则是贝内特家的远房亲戚。
小乡绅贝内特有五个待字闺中的千金，没有子嗣，依照当时法律，他们死后家产须由远房内侄柯林斯继承，因此把五个女儿嫁到有钱人家，成了贝内特太太最大的心愿。新来的邻居宾利是个有钱的单身汉，他立即成了班纳特太太追猎的目标。在一次舞会上，宾利对班纳特家的大女儿简一见钟情，班纳特太太为此欣喜若狂。
男主角宾利的朋友达西先生仪表堂堂，非常富有，许多姑娘纷纷向他投去羡慕的目光;但他非常骄傲，认为她们都不配做他的舞伴，其中包括女主角伊丽莎白。伊丽莎白自尊心很强，决定不去理睬这个傲慢的家伙。
柯林斯为心安理得地继承财产，决定从贝内特家五个漂亮的女儿之中挑选一个“妻子”，于是向伊丽莎白求婚。遭到拒绝后，他马上转向尚未婚配急于找到“归宿”的夏洛蒂小姐，竟然得到应允。伊丽莎白应邀到新婚的柯林斯和夏洛蒂夫妇家中做客，不期遇见前来探望凯瑟琳夫人的达西。达西为伊丽莎白所倾倒，向她求婚，但因其言辞的傲慢，遭到伊丽莎白的愤然拒绝。同时，伊丽莎白指责达西对威克姆冷酷无情，更不应该破坏宾利同简的爱情。事后达西写信为自己申辩，令伊丽莎白的偏见逐渐消除。
第二年夏天，伊丽莎白随舅父母来到达西的庄园，与他再次相遇。她发现达西变了，不仅对人彬彬有礼，在当地很受人们尊敬，而且对他妹妹非常爱护，她对他的偏见消除了。正当其时，伊丽莎白接到家信，说小妹莉迪亚与身负累累赌债的魏克翰私奔了。这种家丑使伊丽莎白非常难堪，以为达西会更瞧不起自己。但事实出乎她的意料，达西得知上述消息以后，不仅替魏克翰还清赌债，还给了他一笔巨款，让他与莉迪亚完婚。自此以后，伊丽莎白往日对达西的种种偏见统统化为真诚。
宾利和简经过一番周折，言归于好，一对情人沉浸在欢乐之中。而一心想让自己的女儿嫁给达西的凯瑟琳夫人匆匆赶来，蛮横地要伊丽莎白保证不与达西结婚。伊丽莎白对这一无理要求断然拒绝。此事传到达西耳中。他知道伊丽莎白已经改变了对自己的看法，诚恳地再次向她求婚。到此，一对曾因傲慢和偏见而延搁婚事的有情人终成眷属。
从这个发生在英国的故事，男主角傲慢，女主角偏见，两人经历了很多的悲欢离合，终于排除了以前的误解，走到一起，过上幸福快乐的日子，我们可以看到的是什么呢?--人性，尊严
奥斯汀在这部小说中通过班纳特五个女儿对待终身大事的不同处理，表现出乡镇中产阶级家庭出身的少女对婚姻爱情问题的不同态度，从而反映了作者本人的婚姻观：为了财产、金钱和地位而结婚是错误的;而结婚不考虑上述因素也是愚蠢的。因此，她既反对为金钱而结婚，也反对把婚姻当儿戏。她强调理想婚姻的重要性，并把男女双方感情作为缔结理想婚姻的基石。书中的女主人公伊丽莎白出身于小地主家庭，为富豪子弟达西所热爱。达西不顾门第和财富的差距，向她求婚，却遭到拒绝。伊丽莎白对他的误会和偏见是一个原因，但主要的是她讨厌他的傲慢。因为达西的这种傲慢实际上是地位差异的反映，只要存在这种傲慢，他与伊丽莎白之间就不可能有共同的思想感情，也不可能有理想的婚姻。以后伊丽莎白亲眼观察了达西的为人处世和一系列所作所为，特别是看到他改变了过去那种骄傲自负的神态，消除了对他的误会和偏见，从而与他缔结了美满姻缘。伊丽莎白对达西先后几次求婚的不同态度，实际上反映了女性对人格独立和平等权利的追求。这是伊丽莎白这一人物形象的进步意义。
从小说看，伊丽莎白聪敏机智，有胆识，有远见，有很强的自尊心，并善于思考问题。就当时一个待嫁闺中的小姐来讲，这是难能可贵的。正是由于这种品质，才使她在感情问题上有独立的主见，并导致她与达西组成美满的家庭。
在《傲慢与偏见》中，奥斯汀还写了伊丽莎白的几个姐妹和女友的婚事，这些都是陪衬，用来与女主人公理想的婚姻相对照。如夏绿蒂和柯林斯尽管婚后过着舒适的物质生活，但他们之间没有感情，这种婚姻实际上是掩盖在华丽外衣下的社会悲剧。
第二篇：傲慢与偏见书评
A Book Review of Pride and Prejudice
Written by Jane Austen and set at the background of leisurely countryside life in 18th and19th century, Pride and Prejudice is a classical English novel which flows in the river of human wisdom. Though it was written by an advanced female pioneer, inevitably, its defects can’t be concealed
It was the first time to compose a novel in female’s angle at that era and that enriched English literature in a fresh way. The elaborate description of local customs and practices also facilitates its vividness and variety. Both its plot and language are fine designed and corrected repetitively. The novel draws a detailed picture of four romantic love stories and eventually has a happy ending though they might be misunderstood by pride, prejudice, reserve or statues. It is acknowledged commonly that this novel is the start of a new writing style.
The most controversial issue about this book is the artificial writing style and it was criticized by many writers and academicians. The plain progress, narrow theme and the limitation of the countryside life are the main shortcomings of Jane Austen’s works. As a result, Pride and Prejudice is hard to avoid being regarded as this kind of book. But one cannot deny that this is definitely a typical and great work during that period and even in human history.
第三篇：《傲慢与偏见》书评
在奥斯汀创作的《傲慢与偏见》中，女主人公伊丽莎白出身于小地主家庭，为富豪子弟达西所热爱。达西不顾门第和财富的差距，向她求婚，却遭到拒绝。伊丽莎白对他的误会和偏见是一个原因，但主要的是她讨厌达西的傲慢。因为达西的这种傲慢实际上是地位差异的反映，只要存在这种傲慢，他与伊丽莎白之间就不可能有共同的思想感情，也不可能有理想的婚姻。以后伊丽莎白亲眼观察了达西的为人处世和一系列所作所为，特别是看到他改变了过去那种骄傲自负的神态，消除了对他的误会和偏见，从而与他缔结了美满姻缘。伊丽莎白对达西先后两次求婚的不同态度，实际上反映了女性对人格独立和平等权利de追求。这是伊丽莎白这一人物形象的进步意义。
此外，奥斯汀还写了伊丽莎白的几个姐妹和女友的婚事，这些都是陪衬，用来与女主人公理想的婚姻相对照。如夏洛特和柯林斯尽管婚后过着舒适的物质生活，但他们之间没有爱情，这种婚姻实际上是掩盖在华丽外衣下的社会悲剧。
《傲慢与偏见》尽管题材比较狭窄，故事相当平淡，情节缺乏曲折丰富性，对人物心理和社会现实高度的描写也不足。但不同于大多数书都是从男性的角度看世界，《傲慢与偏见》充满了女性思想色彩，包括世界观和生活方式，而且也充分地反应当时时代的风貌。加上奥斯汀善于在日常平凡事物中塑造鲜明的人物形象，不论是伊丽莎白和达西那种作者认为值得肯定的人物，还是威肯和柯林斯这类遭到讽刺挖苦的对象，都写得真实动人。同时，奥斯丁的语言是经过锤炼的，她在对话艺术上讲究幽默与讽刺，常以风趣诙谐的语言来烘托人物的性格特征。这种艺术创新使她的作品具有自己的特色。
第四篇：傲慢与偏见的书评
爱情不管是在小说,电影还是生活中,都占有举足轻重的地位. <傲慢与偏见>讲述了简和宾利,伊丽莎白和达西;莉迪亚和威克姆,夏洛特和柯林斯的四段婚姻.我们都知道,前者是建立在爱情的基础上的,而后者则是建立在利益上的. 说到<傲慢与偏见>,我想先说下它的作者简.奥斯汀.她生于1775年,当时英国文坛处于青黄不接的时期.泛滥着感伤派小说和哥特传奇小说.与之不同的是,奥斯汀是讽刺主义的.幽默的讽刺艺术.她的作品都是围绕婚姻这个话题而展开的.就象<理智与情感>,<爱玛>,她的小说中的很多情节都与她的生活有着密切的关系. 其实奥斯汀的书常常给人视野狭窄的感觉
多描写的是乡村舞会啊,以及家庭的事,由于作者本人的原因. 简一生未嫁,很大一部分原因是出于她对于爱情的考量.她认为没有爱情,万万不可结婚.一定要严肃谨慎.简生于外表光鲜,其实却已经破败的牧师家庭,她的母亲希望可以通过简的婚姻来挽救这个家庭.所以当乡村富有却头脑笨拙的绅士向她求婚时,她拒绝了,她认为彼此志不同,道不合,难以成就美满的家庭.在此时,她又遇上了改变她一生的人,汤姆,但是,利益总是排前头.没有了真爱,连婚姻都变的苍白无力了,所以简放弃了. 虽然自己没有得到幸福,但她小说中的人物却都有美满的结局.能从简的生平中看到与<傲慢与偏见>共通的东西吗?这就是主角伊丽莎白的人生.她先被刻板平庸的牧师柯林斯求婚,这段婚姻意味着贝内特家的财产有保障了,而她却因为没有爱便不能结婚这个理由拒绝了.而他与达西的几次分分和和再次说明了真爱万岁这个观点. 下面我介绍下人物: 1:伊丽莎白
伊丽莎白聪明漂亮,有主见,大方从容,她生于一个中产家庭,但当时的法律规定,遗产不能有女子继承,于是一旦她父亲去世,她将顷刻成为一个穷光蛋.拒绝了父亲财产继承人柯林斯的求婚.富有的庄园主人达西在罗辛斯向她求婚时,也被她拒绝了,因为她认为,达西剥夺了她的心上人威克姆应得的财产,而且在求婚问题上表现的极端傲慢,在她姐姐的爱情上也很不光彩,妨碍了她姐姐获得幸福.但之后,误会解除后,她对达西产生了好感.在最后,两人终于结为伉俪. 2:达西
达西身材魁伟，相貌英俊，气宇轩昂, 达西一年有一万镑的收入，见识不凡，受过良好教育。也正是由于如此优越的条件,使得他在男宾远远少于女宾的情况下,还不愿步下舞池,邀请伊丽莎白跳舞.更何况他又出身豪门，拥有巨额财富，权倾四野，有那样的表现更让那些低他一等的人觉得到他的傲慢.之后当她发现伊丽莎白的美丽,的与众不同时,他开始希望更多的去了解她,但殊不知他在大家心中的傲慢形象已经根深蒂固了,所以他的举动常常被理解为瞧不起大家,瞧不起下等人.但是,最后他因为伊丽莎白而改变,为了伊丽莎白的妹妹私奔的事而奔波,却不求回报.最终赢得了伊丽莎白的好感. 3:简
伊丽莎白的姐姐,郡里有名的大美人.性格温柔.喜欢宾利却不好意思表白,但在误会之后,终于与宾利结为夫妇. 4:宾利
一个阔少爷,租了内瑟菲尔德庄园,初次见面就爱上了简,但由于其随遇而安的心态差点与简失之交臂. 5:威克姆
虚伪的军官,花天酒地,任意妄为,却披着良善的外衣.恶意诽谤达西,使得伊丽莎白对达西产生深刻的偏见. 6:莉迪亚
贝内特家的么女,放荡不羁,爱慕军官,感情生活复杂,见异思迁.与威克姆私奔,经达西救助嫁给威克姆.
7:贝内特先生
偏爱二女儿伊丽莎白,不苟言笑,变幻莫测,好挖苦人. 8:贝内特夫人
智力贫乏,神经质,孤陋寡闻,喜怒无常,一碰到不如意的事就以为神经架不住了.她人生的大事,就是把女儿嫁出去,人生的快慰,就是拜访亲友和打听消息. 9:夏洛特
伊丽莎白的好友,趁伊丽莎白拒绝柯林斯先生时主动出击,嫁给了柯林斯先生. 10:柯林斯先生
贝内特家的远亲,也是继承人.是个牧师.喜欢巴结罗辛斯的凯瑟琳夫人. 11:凯瑟琳夫人
达西的姑妈,希望自己女儿嫁给达西,多方阻挠达西与伊丽莎白,最后,也就是她,无意中促成了这段婚姻. 说完人物,我们就来谈这书的名字. <傲慢与偏见>,达西的傲慢与伊丽莎白的偏见,本书原名是<初次印象>,即伊丽莎白初次便认为达西是个傲慢的人.这种念头使得她毫不犹豫的相信了威克姆对达西的污蔑.但后来作者向我们阐述,初次印象的不牢靠,人要多加接触才能了解对方. 伊丽莎白既反对为金钱而结婚，也反对把婚姻当儿戏。她强调理想婚姻的重要性，并把男女双方感情作为缔结理想婚姻的基石。
然而就在重重误解、心机、成见与持续华丽表面生活的遮掩下，挡不住的爱情仍如结晶的璞玉一般，终究不能不脱颖而出，傲慢与偏见的人性两貌，在种种环环相扣的冲突中清晰的突出，作者以她圆润、敏锐、幽默而细致的笔触，十足荡气回肠的描绘这一群人的恩怨爱恨。
第五篇：Review of Pride and Prejudice (傲慢与偏见英文书评)
Review of Pride and Prejudice
--Rassendyll Yan
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is regarded as one of the most famous English literature ever since it was first published in 1813. The book telling a story of the Bennets with five daughters but no sons has a micro but deep insight of society and human nature. The title covers two main psychological features of general people which are shown in the characters of the novel of which, more specifically, „pride‟ indicates Mr. Darcy, the hero, while „prejudice‟ indicates Miss Elizabeth Bennet, the heroin.
Summary The novel begins with the entrance of a rich bachelor, Mr. Bingley with his two sisters, Caroline Bingley and Luisa Hurst and his friend, Mr. Darcy to Longbourn and Mr.s Bennet‟s requiring her husband call upon the newcomers to see if one of theirs five daughters can marry the gentleman. Mr. Bingley is attracted by Jane Bennet, the eldest of the five at their first meeting, they fall in love with each other after several balls and at the mean time, Elizabeth Bennet the second eldest of the five seizes the attention of Mr. Darcy. However, because of family dignity from the man and the prejudice caused by imprudent judgment of the lady, the Darcy-Lizzy relationship hasn‟t the same development as that of Mr. Bingley and Jane, the prejudice of which has deepened even further with the appearance of Mr. Wickham, the son of Mr. Darcy‟s late father‟s steward, and his intended wrong saying of Mr. Darcy. And Elizabeth is even fond of Wickham herself. When the Bennets and the neighborhood observe the development of Mr. Bingley and Jane, Mr. Collins pays a visit to Longbourn who is the cousin of the girls and the heir of the property of the Bennets after Mr.. Bennet die. Mr. Collins is a clergyman and crazily admires his patroness, Lady Catherine de Bourgh who happens to be sister of Darcy‟s mother. Mr.. Collins offers his proposal to Elizabeth Bennet during his stay in Longbourn, but rejected. The he turns to Charlotte Lucas and marries her to fulfill his purpose to visit Longbourn—getting married. As the consequence of the conspiracy of Caroline Bingley and Mr. Darcy, Mr. Bingley believes the indifference of the Jane, thus, they separate. Even when Jane pays a visit to Caroline when she is in London with her uncle and aunt, Mr. and Mr.s Gardiner, they keep this as a secret to Bingley After the marriage of Mr. Collins and Charlotte, Elizabeth is invited to visit them in Hunsford, where they pay several visits to Lady Catherine de Bourgh. During Elizabeth‟s stay in Hunsford, she meets Mr. Darcy and his cousin Colonel Fitzwilliam, the former of which offers a proposal in an arrogant manner to Elizabeth but refused. The next day Elizabeth receives a letter from Mr. Darcy which tells the truth about his interfering of Bingley-Jane relationship as well as the evil of Mr. Wickham particularly the intended elopement with Georgiana Darcy, younger sister of Mr. Darcy. Elizabeth returns to Longbourn with mixed emotion and her feeling to Mr. Darcy begins to change. Lydia receives an invitation to Brighton with Colonel Forster‟s wife. Though trying to persuade her father, Elizabeth doesn‟t make it to prevent Lydia from the trip to Brighton.
After a long misery time in her home, Elizabeth is asked to go north with her uncle and aunt. They pay a visit to Pemberley, Mr. Darcy‟s estate. The earlier return of the master surprises both Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy. And the change in Mr. Darcy‟s attitude confuses Elizabeth and he ever wants to make his sister Georgiana acquaintance with Miss Elizabeth. There she also meets Mr. Bingley and his sisters. When Elizabeth enjoying her journey, two letters from Jane ends the trip earlier than plan—their youngest sister Lydia has run away with Wickham. Elizabeth and her uncle and aunt hurries to Longbourn and Mr. Gardiner set out to assist Mr. Bennet in finding Lydia while Mr.s Gardiner remains at Longbourn to look after the Mr.s Bennet and rest of the family. Lydia is found at last and marries Wickham in town. When the new couple returns to Longbourn, Lydia gives out that Mr. Darcy was in the wedding of Wickham and Lydia. Elizabeth discovers that it was Mr. Darcy who help find Wickham and Lydia and persuade Wickham to marry Lydia. Bingley and Darcy suddenly return to Meryton and visit the Bennets again. Bingley soon get engaged with Jane. At the mean time, Lady Catherine de Bourgh suddenly drops by Longbourn to make Elizabeth promise not to marry Darcy. Elizabeth rejected firmly and Darcy comes propose again, accepted by Elizabeth. At last, they get married and live happily together. Characters
Elizabeth Bennet Elizabeth Bennet is the second of the five daughters of the Bennets who is the heroin of the novel. She is a smart independent woman, deeply loved by her father, Mr. Bennet. She has her own unique opinion of whatever she meets, and always likes to make judgments at the first sight, which naturally leads to some mis-judgment and prejudice—her misunderstanding of Mr. Darcy. She is a brave woman who is true to herself. She always follows her own feeling when dealing with different kinds of things happen in her life. Her dislike of Mr. Darcy, her travel to look after Jane, her initial fancy of Mr. Wickham, her rejection of Mr. Collins proposal, her temped prevention from Lydia going to Bridgton, etc, all of these show her loyalty to her own feelings. And because of her direct personality and braveness, she catches the attention of Mr. Darcy and makes his propose twice and, finally, get her happiness. She also shows her courage to court equality, (though not the main theme of the novel nor the author‟ tendency to court equality) when Lady Catherine de Bourgh rudely requests her not to accept any of Darcy‟s proposal. „In marrying your nephew, I should not consider myself as quitting that sphere. He is a gentleman; I am a gentleman‟s daughter; so far we are equal.‟ This what she says to Lady Catherine de Bourgh and her rejection to de Bourgh expresses her being true to herself which may has been lost and should be learnt by people or everyone who always thinks about surrender to limits and restrictions around them. Fitzwilliam Darcy Fitzwilliam Darcy, the hero of the novel, is the wealthy owner of a famous family estate of Pemberley in Derbyshire. His is the first been noticed by crowds because of his handsome appearance and big fortune. But he is soon regarded disagreeable because of his silence and seldom dancing with women. But his demerit is not pride as many people think. Mr.s Gardiner has corrected it as obstinacy—„ “He has been accused of many faults that he did not do himself; though I am sure (and I do not speak it to be thanked, therefore say nothing about it,) your uncle would most readily have settled the whole.” ‟ He is also deeply trusted by his friend Mr. Bingley and really loves and cares about his sister, Georgiana.
Readers always get to know his characteristic from the observer, from people around him like the neighbours in Longbourn or Mr.s Reynolds. It is showed from different angles but each of them has it own prejudice, otherwise, which forms a relatively clear image of Mr. Darcy. Here it doesn‟t mean he is a 100% perfect man. It shouldn‟t be regarded proper to make decision for others especially when it comes to the one concerning lifelong happiness and the interest of others. His interference in the relationship between Mr. Bingley and Jane which brings so many ups and downs in the plot and influences so many people around has been strongly opposed and criticized by Elizabeth. Though admitting later after Elizabeth‟s refusing his proposal and gaining her forgiveness and understanding, Mr. Darcy or part of his decision should not be regarded as morality. Mr. Bennet He is a gentleman with five daughters and because he doesn‟t have male heirs his property must be inherited to his nephew Mr. Collins. He is a wise and humorous man who loves reading. He really cares about his second daughter, Elizabeth. From the observation of Elizabeth, Mr. Bennet‟s marriage is unfortunate—„Her father, captivated by youth and beauty, and that appearance of good humour, which youth and beauty generally give, had married a woman whose weak understanding and illiberal mind, had very early in their marriage put an end to all real affection for her. Respect, esteem, and confidence, had vanished for ever; and all his views of domestic happiness were overthrown.‟ But still, here comes to respectful side of Mr. Bennet‟s character—„But Mr. Bennet was not of a disposition to seek comfort for the disappointment which his own imprudence had brought on, in any of those pleasures which too often console the unfortunate for their folly or their vice. He was fond of the country and of books; and from these tastes and arisen his principal enjoyments. To his wife he was very little otherwise indebted, than as her ignorance and folly had contributed to his amusement. This is not the sort of happiness which a man would in general wish to owe to his wife; but where other powers of entertainment are wanting, the true philosopher will derive benefit from such as are given.
The book gives a relatively thorough comment of the impact on the whole family exerted by Mr. Bennet‟s impropriety as a husband. It goes, via the feeling of Elizabeth, like this—„She had always seen it with pain; but respecting his abilities, and grateful for his affectionate treatment of herself, she endeavoured to forget what she could not overlook, and to banish from her thoughts that continual breach of conjugal obligation and decorum which, in exposing his wife to the contempt of her own children, was so highly reprehensible. But she had never felt so strongly as now, the disadvantages which must attend the children of so unsuitable a marriage, nor ever been so fully aware of the evils arising from so ill-judged a direction of talents; talents which rightly used, might at least have preserved the respectability of his daughters, even if incapable of enlarging the mind of his wife‟
Mr. Bennet is kind of man who has his own philosophy of life. He loves reading, and his own decision. He really cares about his family and daughters, which can be shown from his initial visit to Mr. Bingley and his immediate departure after Lydia‟s running away with Wickham. Besides his laziness also makes his family depressed—„The whole party were in hopes of a letter from Mr. Bennet the next morning, but the post came in without bringing a single line from him. His family knew him to be on all common occasions, a most negligent and dilatory correspondent, but at such a time, they had hoped for exertion.‟
Though not being the leading character of the novel, the author still paid much attention and efforts on the establishment of the character, which makes Mr. Bennet a real and lovable person. Mr. and Mr.s Gardiner This couple, though not the leading characters of the novel, witnesses and influences so much of the development of the story. Mr. Gardiner is Mr.s Bennet‟s brother and a successful businessman of sensible and gentlemanlike character, greatly superior to his sister as well by nature as education. And his personality and characteristic seem different by the traditional judgment and stereotype of others—„The Netherfield ladies would have had difficulty in believing that a man who lived by trade, and within view of his own warehouses, could have been so well bred and agreeable.‟ He wins the respect of Mr. Darcy by his character and promotes, to some extend, the relationship between Darcy and Elizabeth. „Mr.s Gardiner, who was several years younger than Mr.s Bennet and Mr.s Philips, was an amiable, intelligent, elegant woman and a great favourite with all her Longbourn nieces.‟ She has an intimate relationship with the two elder sisters of the Bennets. Her existence is a great consolation to the two ladies. She witnesses all the relationships of the Bennet‟s ladies—she reminds Elizabeth to be careful about her affection towards Mr. Wickham, she picks up Jane in London to give her comfort, she bring Elizabeth to travel Pemberley where she meets Mr. Darcy and acquaints with Miss Darcy, she witness the marriage of Lydia and Wickham and she observes the affection of Mr. Darcy to Elizabeth. Mr.s Bennet Mr.s Bennet is one of the most interesting and vivid characters of the novel. Being a mother of five daughters, her major task and ambition is to marry her daughters to rich, handsome young men. The novel points out her personality and characteristics directly at the very first chapter—„Her mind was less difficult to develop. She was a woman of mean understanding, little information, and uncertain temper. When she was discontented she fancied herself nervous.‟ She judges people at her first sight and purely controlled by her temper and situation. In chapter 2, when Elizabeth refers to Mr.s Long‟s promise to introduce Mr. Bingley, she just says like this „I do not believe Mr.s Long will do any such thing. She has two nieces of her own. She is a selfish, hypocritical woman, and I have no opinion of her.‟ But after she regains hope that her eldest daughter, Jane, may marry well she just says something really kind about Mr.s Long. She doesn‟t set an ideal model to her youngest daughter and spoils her too much. Actually she doesn‟t know how to behave herself and pass her value directly to Lydia. However the demerit of her personality does really make Mr.s Bennet an impressive character. The amazing irony of the author makes Mr.s Bennet a true-to-life person. Mr. Collins Mr. Collins is the cousin of the five Bennet ladies and the heir of the Bennts‟ property. Mr. Collins is obsequious, pompous and lacking in common sense. „Mr. Collins was not a sensible man, and the deficiency of nature had been but little assisted by education or society; the greatest part of his life having been spent under the guidance of an illiterate and miserly father; and though he belonged to one of the universities, he had merely kept the necessary terms, without forming at it any useful acquaintance. The subjection in which his father had brought him up, had given him originally great humility of manner, but it was now a good deal counteracted by the self-conceit of a weak head, living in retirement, and the consequential feeling of early and unexpected prosperity.‟ He meets Lady Catherin de Bourgh merely by a „fortunate chance‟ so that he admires the Lady with heart and soul, and regards all she says as golden words. The novel clearly shows his motivation of visiting Longbourn family—„Having now a good house and very sufficient income, he intended to marry; and in seeking a reconciliation with the Longbourn family he had a wife in view, as he meant to choose one of the daughters, if he found them as handsome and amiable as they were represented by common report. Also, as he says frankly to Elizabeth—‘But the fact is, that being, as I am, to inherit this estate after the death of your honoured father, (who, however, may live many years longer,) I could not satisfy myself without resolving to choose a wife from among his daughter, that the loss to them might be as little as possible, when the melancholy event takes place—which, however, as I have already said, may not be for several years‟, he console himself by marrying one of the daughter. He doesn‟t have any feeling or passion of love either. He merely takes it for granted that he may get the affection of Elizabeth because of his income, status and his connection with both Lady Catherine de Bourgh and the Bennets. (Elizabeth‟s rejection of Mr. Collins‟ marriage proposal is welcomed by her father, regardless of the financial benefit to the family of such a match.) The author made Mr. Collins an interesting and ridiculous character.
Besides, Jane Austen also painted other characters successfully, including Lady Catherine de Bourgh, Lydia, Mr. Wickham etc. She uncovered the merit and demerit of every character sharply and vividly and made all of them true-to-life. Readers can often find something in common in their daily life. Comments Plot
Most of Jane Austen novels were set in English village, where life is simple and where there is a seldom social change. Therefore, much of the attention of the author is paid on people—the changes of people as Elizabeth once tells to Mr. Darcy. As for a novel, the twists and turns of the plot are most important and catching. The main plot of the novel is the development of Darcy-Elizabeth relationship, during which the alteration of their attitude towards each other plays a very important role. But focusing mainly on these two people may make the story dull and tiresome, so the author skillfully use Mr. Collins, Mr. Wickham and also their marriage as ingredients to make the plot more lively and complicated (both Mr. Collins and Mr. Wickham have more or less affected Elizabeth‟s emotional life) Besides, the coincidences of the story are also attracting. What I want to mention here is the one-day earlier returning of Mr. Darcy to Pemberley which gives further development of the relationship between him and Elizabeth. Style Pride and Prejudice, like most of Jane Austen‟s works, employs the narrative technique of free indirect speech (the free representation of a character‟s speech—not the words actually spoken by a character, but the words typify the character‟s thoughts, or the way the character would think and speak, if he or she thought or spoke. By using narrative that adopts the tones and vocabulary of a particular character (like Elizabeth) Austen invites the reader to follow events from Elizabeth‟s viewpoints, sharing her prejudices and misapprehensions. We can find a lot in the story, and mainly from Elizabeth and Mr.s Gardiner who show their viewpoints and thoughts and let the reader know what exactly what they think. Theme
Though the novel is entitled with „pride‟ and „prejudice‟, the theme of the novel is not simply about these two feelings and I think the title just stands for the hero and heroine of the novel. This is a love and marriage story but talks more than love, or shows other things by presenting a love story.
One simple and obvious theme in Pride and Prejudice and much of Austen‟s work is the importance of environment and upbringing on the development of young people‟s character and morality. In Pride and Prejudice, the failure of Mr. and Mr.s Bennet as parents is blamed for Lydia‟s moral judgment; Darcy on the other hand, has been taught to be principled and scrupulously honourable, but he is also proud and overbearing. Kitty, rescued from Lydia‟s bad influence and spending more time with her older sisters after they marry, is said to improve greatly in their superior society. We can learn from some of Elizabeth‟s thoughts about her parents and how she looks into the education of the five girls of the family. The novel talks more about classes and freedom. Though Austen‟s novel doesn‟t aim at the social revolution and changes directly, it really uncover people‟s thoughts and awareness of the problem of the gap between classes and the pursuit of freedom and equality. The historical events which defined the social and political background of Jane Austen‟s adult life were the French Revolution and the subsequent wars between England and France. It is a well-worn fact that these events make little explicit appearance in her novels; but in so far as they highlighted the question of relationship between classes and also, though the repressive social response to them in England, the limits of individual rights to free expression, they are central to Pride and Prejudice, and specifically to the relationship between Darcy and Elizabeth. No one has a stronger sense of the social impossibility of this relationship than Lady Catherine de Bourgh: „My daughter and my nephew are formed for each other. They are descended on the maternal side, from the some noble line; and, on the father‟s, from respectable, honourable, and ancient, though untitled families…and what is to divide them? The upstart pretensions of a young woman without family, connections, or fortune. Is this to be endured! But it must not, shall not be. If you were sensible of your own good, you would not wish to quit the sphere, in which you have been brought up.‟ She speaks for the aristocratic concept of marriage as a contract between families, Elizabeth and Darcy oppose to this the concept of marriage as a personal agreement between individuals. For Darcy, he is determined to pursuit his love and happiness in spite of convention and family dignity. And for Elizabeth, she has got great courage to enter into a superior class. The novel ends therefore with an emphatic statement that the social gulf, much stressed by Elizabeth in earlier passages of the novel, has been crossed. With her dangerous tendency to mock and challenge convention, she has brought „a little liveliness‟ to Darcy, but she has also, on a social level, brought the middle classes into the home of the aristocracy. Conclusion Though written more than hundred years ago, the characters in the novel still seems vivid and real today. And the themes of the story deserve people‟s thoughts and reflection through the social development of human society.
Reference
1. Introduction by Dr Ian Littlewood, University of Sussex in Pride and Prejudice, Wordsworth Classics 2. Pride and Prejudice from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 3. Pride and Prejudice published in 1813, Microsoft Student with Encarta Premium 2009