Thinking Activity : Pride and Prejudice

 Pride and prejudice

Pride and Prejudice is an 1813 novel of manners written by Jane Austen. Though it is mostly called a romantic novel, it is also a satire. The novel follows the character development of Elizabeth Bennet, the dynamic protagonist of the book who learns about the repercussions of hasty judgments and comes to appreciate the difference between superficial goodness and actual goodness.

Jane Austen 

Jane Austen was an English novelist known primarily for her six major novels, which interpret, critiqued, and commented upon the British landed gentry at the end of the 18th century. Austen's plots often explore the dependence of women on marriage in the pursuit of favorable social standing and economic security. Her works critique the novels of sensibility of the second half of the 18th century and are part of the transition to 19th-century literary realism. Her use of biting irony, along with her realism, humor, and social commentary, have long earned her acclaim among critics, scholars, and popular audiences alike.

1) Which version of the Novel is more appealing? Novel or Film(Adaption)? Why?

Pride & Prejudice was written by British author Jane Austen and published in 1813. The main character is Elizabeth Bennett and the story follows Elizabeth and her family as they deal with issues such as marriage, social class, and misunderstandings. The Bennett family consists of Elizabeth, her mother, her father, and her four unmarried sisters. The Bennett family is of the landed gentry, they have money but are not insanely rich. The novel is also a love story between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, although they initially dislike each other when they meet. They get off on the wrong foot, Elizabeth’s pride keeps her from seeing Mr. Darcy as anything except the negative first impression she initially had of him. While Mr. Darcy’s prejudice towards Elizabeth’s lower social class blinds him to her many good qualities. Other plotlines include Mr. Bingley (Mr. Darcy’s good friend) wanting to marry Elizabeth’s older sister Jane, but encountering obstacles because of differences in social class and her younger book has family, friendship, and an unconventional love story. This is probably Austen’s most famous novel and is considered to be a classic.

The 2005 movie starred Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Bennett and Matthew Macfadyen. The movie was filmed in England and was marketed towards a mainstream audience. Originally, the movie was going to be very true to the book. All the dialogue was kept the same and almost the entire movie was going to be from the perspective of Elizabeth (like the book). In the end, the dialogue in the film varied between being exactly the same as the book in some scenes, while most scenes had altered dialogue. This was done to help a modern audience better connect with the movie and the characters. The movie also features scenes from the perspective of Mr. Darcy, these are additional and not in the book. This was done to show Darcy as more human as well as to show the genuine closeness of his friendship with the character of Mr. Bingley. The movie was well-received by critics, with Keira Knightley being nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress and was a success at the box office. Austen fans and British viewers of the film had divided opinions.

2) Character of Elizabeth Bennet

Elizabeth Bennet is an intelligent and spirited girl with a sharp wit. She is keen in studying other people’s characters. Initially, she dislikes Darcy for his arrogant and conceited attitude and has sympathies for Wickham but later on, she falls in love with Darcy when she observes the change in his attitude and his help for Lydia’s marriage.

3) Mr.Fitzwilliam Darcy

A handsome, wealthy, and proud man who rejects to dance with Elizabeth at a ball but with the passage of time, he feels a change in himself and falls in love and proposes to Elizabeth. Initially, she rejects his first proposal, and when she realizes his true love; she accepts her love and marries him.

4) Give Illustrations of the Society of that time.

Jane Austen's novels: Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, and Northanger Abbey, had the most significant effect on upper-middle-class individuals' attitudes towards education, and her novels made many individuals think about education, particularly English education, in a groundbreaking new way.

5) If you were a director or screenplay writer, What sort of Difference would you make in the making of the movie?

If I were Director or Screenplay writer I would have added more Dramatic scenes as shown in Indian Theatres.

6) Who would be your choice of actors to play the role of Characters?

 

Characters                   Actors

Elizabeth Bennet        Shraddha Kapoor

Mr. Darcy                    Mahesh

    Mr. Bingley                  Harsh Rajput

            Jane Bennet                Shumona chakravarti

Mr.collins                     Ranvir Shorey

Wickham                     Aditya Narayan

7) Write the scene you liked the most.

    The Scene where Elizabeth Bennet Rejects the Proposal of Mr.Darcy.

8) Compare the Narrative Strategy of the Novel and Movie.

Pride and Prejudice is narrated by a third-person omniscient narrator. The narrator has access to the thoughts and feelings of the characters and describes these to the reader. The narrator of the novel also frequently adds commentary about characters and their actions, which shapes the reader’s perception. For example, at the start of the novel the narrator describes Mrs. Bennet as “a woman of mean understanding, little information, and uncertain temper.” Although the narrator has access to every character’s interior life, the novel’s events are usually told from Elizabeth’s point of view.