"At present, indeed, they were well supplied both with news and happiness by the recent arrival of a militia regiment in the neighbourhood." (pg. 29)
The militia referred to here is a group of volunteer troops for homeland security against an anticipated Napoleonic invasion. Yet another cultural context clue added in by Austen to give the novel a sense of realism, the arrival of the militia also gives the Bennet daughters the chance to be taken in by Wickham and for Liz to continue to be mislead about Darcy.
Source: Pride and Prejudice Endnotes by Carol Howard
Monday, March 30, 2009
Vingt-Un
"Yes: these four evenings have enabled them to ascertain to they both like Vingt-Un..." (pg. 23)
Vingt-Un is French for "twenty one", the name of the card game. Austen's inclusion of this French term shows that many parts of England were influenced by the Norman invasion more than two hundred years before. French words trickled into the English language, usually as a fancier way of saying a simple English word.
Vingt-Un is French for "twenty one", the name of the card game. Austen's inclusion of this French term shows that many parts of England were influenced by the Norman invasion more than two hundred years before. French words trickled into the English language, usually as a fancier way of saying a simple English word.
Pride
"That is very true," replied Elizabeth, "and I could easily forgive his pride, if he had not mortified mine." (pg. 21)
Pride is the most important idea in Jane Austen's novel and this sentence perfectly illustrates this. The problem is not that Elizabeth OR Darcy is too prideful, it's that both of them are too prideful. Darcy has too much pride to see Elizabeth as an equal or even good enough to marry him and Elizabeth is too prideful to see past Darcy's cold manner and misguided actions. Austen's characterization of her two protagonists as too prideful shows that pride can lead to prejudice and severely color decisions.
Pride is the most important idea in Jane Austen's novel and this sentence perfectly illustrates this. The problem is not that Elizabeth OR Darcy is too prideful, it's that both of them are too prideful. Darcy has too much pride to see Elizabeth as an equal or even good enough to marry him and Elizabeth is too prideful to see past Darcy's cold manner and misguided actions. Austen's characterization of her two protagonists as too prideful shows that pride can lead to prejudice and severely color decisions.
Hack Chaise
"... and I dare say he had heard somehow that Mrs. Long does not keep a carriage, and had to come to the ball in a hack chaise..." (pg. 20)
A "hack chaise" is a rented carriage, like an old-fasioned taxi. This peice of gossip is important because it reveals how the Bennet women, including several other families, see Mr. Darcy. Because of his cool nature, the majority of the people Darcy met at the ball at Meryton now believe him to be extremely proud and that he thinks of himself as above the rest of him. The idea of misjudging people because of their outward actions or appearances is a prominent theme in Jane Austen's novel, just as the people of Meryton misjudge Darcy because he doesn't like conversing with strangers or dancing.
Darcy/Bingley Foil
"Bingley has never met with pleasanter people or prettier girls in his life . . . Darcy, on the contrary, has seen a collection of people in whom there was little beaity and no fashion, for none of whom he had felt the smallest interest..." (pg. 18)
In this passage, Austen uses foil to contrasts the views of Bingly and Darcy about the ball at Meryton Town Hall. This shows the drastically different personalities of each young man. While Bingley is open and inviting, Darcy is cold and austere. These two personalities are extremely important to the plot of Pride and Prejudice-- Darcy's harsh exterior is one of the main things that causes Liz to judge him and Bingly's openess is an important part of his relationship with Jane.
Link: http://www.tnellen.com/cybereng/lit_terms/terms/Literary.Terms.2.html#Foil
In this passage, Austen uses foil to contrasts the views of Bingly and Darcy about the ball at Meryton Town Hall. This shows the drastically different personalities of each young man. While Bingley is open and inviting, Darcy is cold and austere. These two personalities are extremely important to the plot of Pride and Prejudice-- Darcy's harsh exterior is one of the main things that causes Liz to judge him and Bingly's openess is an important part of his relationship with Jane.
Link: http://www.tnellen.com/cybereng/lit_terms/terms/Literary.Terms.2.html#Foil
The Liberty of a Manor
"...as he was now provided with a good house and the liberty of a manor..." (pg. 17)
The liberty of a manor means that the owner of the house has the right to hunt game on the grounds of the manor. Austen includes this small fact about Bingley to help the reader understand that Bingley is very well possessed now and that his owning his own manor means that he a prime candidate for marriage.
Source: Pride and Prejudice Endnotes by Carol Howard
The liberty of a manor means that the owner of the house has the right to hunt game on the grounds of the manor. Austen includes this small fact about Bingley to help the reader understand that Bingley is very well possessed now and that his owning his own manor means that he a prime candidate for marriage.
Source: Pride and Prejudice Endnotes by Carol Howard
The Boulanger
"... and the two-sixth with Lizzy, and the Boulanger..." (pg. 15)
The Boulanger was a simple dance done with couples in the 18th and 19th century. It was an especially popular dance at balls because couples traded couples several times, so everyone got the chance to dance with different members of the opposite sex. Austen references this dance because it was a dance done during her time and adding in cultural context clues gives the novel a more realistic sense about it.
Link: http://www.georgianindex.net/Dance/dance.html
The Boulanger was a simple dance done with couples in the 18th and 19th century. It was an especially popular dance at balls because couples traded couples several times, so everyone got the chance to dance with different members of the opposite sex. Austen references this dance because it was a dance done during her time and adding in cultural context clues gives the novel a more realistic sense about it.
Link: http://www.georgianindex.net/Dance/dance.html
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