Section One's Chapters one through ten should be done. Hope you are enjoying the read. Before we discuss the book, I need to let you know about some administrative things that I have set up. The first is that I have set most of you up to create your own posts. Your should have received an email inviting you to create posts, which is what this is. If you did not receive this email it might be that I don't have your most up to date email address. The other way to participate is to make comments that can be seen by everyone.
I have a few little things I want to say about the first few chapters. The first is that I had to remind myself that Austen wrote this book in a time when many parents were arranging to marry their children into equal or better situations. The concept of the good match was thought provoking. What makes a good match? In Mrs. Bennett eyes it would be a man who is kind, and has means to provide. Also, the idea of which of her daughters to match with the new man in town. Comically enough is Mr. Bennett reluctance to marry off the daughters in a hurry. He lacks interest in the whole activity. I will stop her for now as I want to hear your impressions of the first ten chapters before putting to much out there.
Can't wait to hear from all of you.
Ann
5 comments:
The first ten chapters of Pride and Prejudice definitely live up to the expectation that this is a romantic comedy. As I was reading it for some reason I felt like it was an 19th century version of "Desperate Housewives."
I'll honestly say that the whole time I was busy looking for the relevance of the title Pride and Prejudice in the book itself. So far I guess you could say that Darcy represents "Pride". However after reading a Wikipedia article about Pride and Prejudice - I was cautioned not to look too deeply into the title because apparently the book was called "Pride and Prejudice" for commercial reasons (it followed Sense and Sensibility). So I won't try to strain myself too hard looking for too much relevance.
Like Anne, I needed to remind myself of how marriages were arranged way back in the 19th century. However if I think hard enough the matchmaking going on between Mrs. Bennett, Mr Bingley and her daughters is not too much of a leap from what goes on in some families today. I have a grandmother who is constantly trying to play matchmaker with my sisters. They get tons of pressure to get married, and tons of comments like "see if so-and-so has a brother". So, although we probably don't see situations as exaggerated as what went on during the time of Jane Austen - for some modern day families - it's not that unheard of.
I think it's good to remember that women of the gentry or aristocracy had few options open to them besides marriage. Pretty much the only respectable occupations for a lady were those of governess or paid companion. And the other issue was that at that time in England families tried to keep the wealth and property intact. Most of it went to the oldest male heir which meant the younger sons might have to go into law, the church, army or navy, and might not be in as good a position to marry.
So all that combined meant there were fewer eligible bachelors around than ladies of good birth who wanted to marry them.
Silly as she is, Mrs. Bennett does have a point in worrying about getting her daughters married. How she goes about it is another matter...
Ok, so far I think Mr. Darcy is for lack of a better word, jerk. He reminds me of my brother. Cocky and arrogant. They both tend to think they are right and better then others. Howvever once a women that they can't forget walks into their view it changes. For her anyway. Darcy is all about pride. I do think however that Lizzy Bennett is too smart for her own good, for her day in age anyways. She is bold like her mother. I can't wait to read more!
Catie
I personally think that Mr.Darcy represents both pride and prejudice. The way he acts towards Mr.Bingley and the oldest Miss Bennet suggests that he does not like the idea of them getting together.
I agree with Catie that Lizzy is too smart for her own good, and this will probably get her into trouble later in the book.
Interesting enough, I have read all of your comments and have a couple thoughts in reflection.
Elena is correct in reminding us that there were few options for women in Miss Bingley's and the Bennett's position in life.
It is funny in today's world that women are still pressured to get married let alone the importance of a good match. It is all over the media.
Catie says that Darcey's a jerk, yet I wonder if there is a reason he is so guarded.
Page 52: What is it about Elizabeth that Bewitches Darcey in the first place.
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