In many ways this is a satirical novel. What is something Austin satirizes?
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10 comments:
Anonymous
said...
One of the biggest things Austin satirizes is the class system / upper class society at the time. One example I found really amusing was how when one of the Bennet girls eloped, the Bennet familty was shamed. But their reputation was smoothed over by bribing a prominent upper-class man to shove it under the table and give the family a good name among his peers. In general, much of Elizabeth's time, especially in the early parts of the novel, is spent observing her upper-class aquaintances' treatment of her. Ms. Bingley in particular treats Elizabeth (and the Bennet family in general) like dirt just because they are not quite upper class material.
I agree with Sarah, Austin is definately satirizing the society's values at that time. Everyone cares about other people's buisness and status. Mrs. Bennet is a prime example of someone looking to get higher in the class system. She is extremly caught up with the affairs of other people and values money over love for her daughters' husbands.
Definately agree with sarah this whole book is about that. Each classes opposes the other yet in the end they end up greatly intermingling. Elizabeth does seem to kind of observe though and passes by many rich tendancies that add to the satire
Everybody seems to be saying that Austin satirizes the class system, and that makes a lot of sense to me. However, I would consider this satire to be one part of a larger mocking of society (I am a little unsure of myself though because I can't really know the specifics of society during the time period that this story takes place during). For instance, one could say that Mrs. Bennet's hope of getting all her daughters married is a bet excessive. I would guess that Austin might be poking fun at the standard society sets as far as the need to marry. Also, and I don't know if I'm being kind of stereotypical here, but my impression is that gold-diggers are generally women, yet that is what Wickham seems to be. Maybe that is supposed to be comical.
The most obvious use of satire in this novel, I would have to say is in the examination of the class system. This is extremely clear with Mr. Collins, who is often found to be talking of how much better the people who are higher in the class system than him are much better people. He humerously puts himself down because the class system taught people to feel bad if they were of lower classes.
As several other people have said before me Austin obviously has satirized the class system within the society. The book is all about the Bennets working their way up through the class system and they have to do this buy marrying honorable men. By marrying up they move up. Through this conflict Austin satirizes the class system.
Alright so clearly the class system is at the forefront of Austen's satire, but I think one of the more specific aspects that she's making fun of comes from the first line of the book: "a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife". Throughout the novel Austin pokes fun at the standards which govern the marriage of people during the time. Under this clearly falls the importance of the class system as well as the value of money and 'manners'. In fact, one could say that something as vague as society itself falls under the scrutiny of Austen's satire.
I agree with everyone else that Austin satirizes the class system, but I also think she satirizes the way that people move up in society, especially women. They only way they can move up is by marrying. I believe she wishes women to be a little more independent. She satirizes the class system this way, because men can move up if they make enough money, but women cannot do that. They have to marry someone with status and money. -Kori
aside from the class system, i alos agree tha tthe idea of marriage becomes satirical. people become so ignorant about marraige, that the sotry kind o fmakes fun of this huge, socially important concept. a good example of this is when lydia gets married very early, but the marraige turns out horrible. its the story making fun at this time for women, and in a way is provign that early marraige isnt really as good as it is made out to be, and that this whole "every girl needs ot get married" idea is a jokee in reality because its not reasonable
I agree with everyone else in saying that Austin satirizes the class system and society at the time. Her descriptions of the Bingleys' lifestyle, of Mr. Darcy's, and especially of Lady Catherine are very satirical. When I was reading the various exchanges between Lady Catherine and the others, I very quickly began to hate her, and I think that this is exactly what Austin was aiming for in her satirization of the upper class throughout the novel.
10 comments:
One of the biggest things Austin satirizes is the class system / upper class society at the time.
One example I found really amusing was how when one of the Bennet girls eloped, the Bennet familty was shamed. But their reputation was smoothed over by bribing a prominent upper-class man to shove it under the table and give the family a good name among his peers.
In general, much of Elizabeth's time, especially in the early parts of the novel, is spent observing her upper-class aquaintances' treatment of her. Ms. Bingley in particular treats Elizabeth (and the Bennet family in general) like dirt just because they are not quite upper class material.
-Sarah
I agree with Sarah, Austin is definately satirizing the society's values at that time. Everyone cares about other people's buisness and status. Mrs. Bennet is a prime example of someone looking to get higher in the class system. She is extremly caught up with the affairs of other people and values money over love for her daughters' husbands.
Definately agree with sarah this whole book is about that. Each classes opposes the other yet in the end they end up greatly intermingling. Elizabeth does seem to kind of observe though and passes by many rich tendancies that add to the satire
Everybody seems to be saying that Austin satirizes the class system, and that makes a lot of sense to me. However, I would consider this satire to be one part of a larger mocking of society (I am a little unsure of myself though because I can't really know the specifics of society during the time period that this story takes place during). For instance, one could say that Mrs. Bennet's hope of getting all her daughters married is a bet excessive. I would guess that Austin might be poking fun at the standard society sets as far as the need to marry. Also, and I don't know if I'm being kind of stereotypical here, but my impression is that gold-diggers are generally women, yet that is what Wickham seems to be. Maybe that is supposed to be comical.
Drew McGlincy
The most obvious use of satire in this novel, I would have to say is in the examination of the class system. This is extremely clear with Mr. Collins, who is often found to be talking of how much better the people who are higher in the class system than him are much better people. He humerously puts himself down because the class system taught people to feel bad if they were of lower classes.
~Alyssa
As several other people have said before me Austin obviously has satirized the class system within the society. The book is all about the Bennets working their way up through the class system and they have to do this buy marrying honorable men. By marrying up they move up. Through this conflict Austin satirizes the class system.
Matthew Fitch
Alright so clearly the class system is at the forefront of Austen's satire, but I think one of the more specific aspects that she's making fun of comes from the first line of the book: "a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife". Throughout the novel Austin pokes fun at the standards which govern the marriage of people during the time. Under this clearly falls the importance of the class system as well as the value of money and 'manners'. In fact, one could say that something as vague as society itself falls under the scrutiny of Austen's satire.
-Victoria M
I agree with everyone else that Austin satirizes the class system, but I also think she satirizes the way that people move up in society, especially women. They only way they can move up is by marrying. I believe she wishes women to be a little more independent. She satirizes the class system this way, because men can move up if they make enough money, but women cannot do that. They have to marry someone with status and money.
-Kori
aside from the class system, i alos agree tha tthe idea of marriage becomes satirical. people become so ignorant about marraige, that the sotry kind o fmakes fun of this huge, socially important concept. a good example of this is when lydia gets married very early, but the marraige turns out horrible. its the story making fun at this time for women, and in a way is provign that early marraige isnt really as good as it is made out to be, and that this whole "every girl needs ot get married" idea is a jokee in reality because its not reasonable
I agree with everyone else in saying that Austin satirizes the class system and society at the time. Her descriptions of the Bingleys' lifestyle, of Mr. Darcy's, and especially of Lady Catherine are very satirical. When I was reading the various exchanges between Lady Catherine and the others, I very quickly began to hate her, and I think that this is exactly what Austin was aiming for in her satirization of the upper class throughout the novel.
-Kayleigh
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