For my blog project, I decided to take quotes out of the novel and compare them side by side to emphasize the irony and inconsistencies that Jane Austen intentionally put into her characters to make them more life-like.
“Pride and Prejudice” Ironies and Inconsistencies
…that make this Elizabeth Bennet smile J
Mrs. Bennet’s opinion of Mrs. Long
“I do not believe Mrs. 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.” (Chapter 2)
“I do think Mrs. Long is as good a creature as ever lived—and her nieces are very pretty behaved girls, and not at all handsome: I like them prodigiously.” (Chapter 54)
One sentence steeped in irony
“I believe, ma’am, I may safely promise you never to dance with him [Mr. Darcy].” (Chapter 5)
Charlotte Lucas’s view on matrimony
“‘it is better to know as little as possible of the defects of the person with whom you are to pass your life.’ ‘You make me laugh, Charlotte; but it is not sound. You know it is not sound, and that you would never act in this way yourself.’” (Chapter 6)
“Charlotte the wife of Mr. Collins was a most humiliating picture!” (Chapter 22)
Mr. Darcy looking at Elizabeth Bennet
“‘I [Mr. Darcy] have been meditating on the very great pleasure which a pair of fine eyes in the face of a pretty woman can bestow.’” (Chapter 6)
“‘Mr. Darcy, who never looks at any woman but to see a blemish, and who probably never looked at you [Elizabeth] in his life! It is admirable!’” (Chapter 57)
Elizabeth Bennet and second proposals
“I do assure you that I am not one of those young ladies (if such young ladies there are) who are so daring as to risk their happiness on the chance of being asked a second time.” (Chapter 19)
“A man who has once been refused! How could I ever be foolish enough to expect a renewal of his love? Is there one among the sex, who would not protest against such a weakness as a second proposal to the same woman? There is no indignity so abhorrent to their feelings!” (Chapter 54)
Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy’s proposals
“In such cases as this, it is, I believe, the established mode to express a sense of obligation for the sentiments avowed, however unequally they may be returned. It is natural that obligation should be felt, and if I could feel gratitude, I would now thank you. But I cannot…” (Chapter 34)
“Elizabeth…immediately, though not very fluently, gave him to understand that her sentiments had undergone so material a change…as to make her receive with gratitude and pleasure his present assurances.” (Chapter 58)
Mrs. Bennet’s fears for Mr. Bennet
“And now here’s Mr. Bennet gone away, and I know he will fight Wickham, wherever he meets him and then he will be killed, and what is to become of us all?...Oh! my dear brother…above all, keep Mr. Bennet from fighting.” (Chapter 47)
“What, is he [Mr. Bennet] coming home, and without poor Lydia?...Sure he will not leave London before he has found them. Who is to fight Wickham, and make him marry her, if he comes away?” (Chapter 48)
Mr. Bennet and forgiveness
“Into one house in this neighborhood they shall never have admittance. I will not encourage the impudence of either, by receiving them at Longbourn.” (Chapter 50)
“‘You ought certainly to forgive them, as a Christian, but never to admit them in your sight, or allow their names to be mentioned in your hearing’ That is his notion of Christian forgiveness!” (Chapter 57)
