Irony in Pride and Prejudice

1. Irony in Pride and Prejudice Ironic Dialogue in Pride and Prejudice

2. Irony – Part One • In Pride and Prejudice much of the humor depends on the reader’s ability to pick up on the ironic implications of the dialogue. Nearly everything Mr. Collins says is ironic in that he thinks his words are a reflection of his intelligence and good manners when they are actually a reflection of his ignorance and bad taste.

3. Irony • We see a similar irony of speech in Mary Bennet, who, like Collins, thinks she has a deep moral intelligence; in fact, she is poorly educated and pretentious. At times Mary strings together so many clichés that it is hardly possible for a sensitive reader to take her seriously.

4. Irony • Unlike Mr. Collins and Mary, Mr. Bennet does not expose his own folly when he speaks, but rather he reveals the folly of others. Mr. Bennet frequently means the opposite of what he says when speaking to others. • You should have no trouble finding details from the novel to support these claims. • FIND AND DOCUMENT THREE EXAMPLES FOR FRIDAY’S CLASS

6. Irony – Part TwoIronic Perspective in Pride and Prejudice • In P & P the comic perspective is consistently developed through irony. The central irony in the plot is located in the two key discoveries of Elizabeth, the first coming at mid-point in the novel when Darcy, who she thinks despises her, proposes marriage.

7. Irony • The second discovery comes at the end of the novel when Elizabeth realizes that Darcy, the man she thought she despised, has become, on her better understanding, the man she loves. One way the narrator develops this irony is through dialogue. Since Elizabeth does not know Darcy’s real feelings, and since Darcy, because of his pride, tries to conceal his feelings, much of their dialogue is ironic.

8. Point of View in Pride and Prejudice • The point of view in P&P is omniscient in that the narrator seems to know everything about each character’s thoughts, feelings, and moral worth – “Mr. Collins was not a sensible man.,” “Mrs. Bennet was a woman of mean understanding” – but even omniscient narrators are limited in what they choose to reveal and conceal.

9. Point of View • Since Elizabeth is the central character in P&P, we assume the story will be told from her point of view, but the narrator may choose at times to let the reader know more than Elizabeth knows. We learn in the first part of the novel that Darcy begins to admire Elizabeth. If we did not know Darcy’s real feelings, we would fail to see the humor and irony in Elizabeth’s behavior toward him.

10. Point of View • In other parts of the story, however, the point of view does not provide the reader with more information than the heroine. We do not know that Wickham is a liar and fortune hunter, but, like Elizabeth, we are taken in by his good looks and pleasant manners. We are thus prepared for a surprising reversal when Elizabeth reads Darcy’s letter and begins to realize that her mistaken impression of Wickham is caused by her prejudice against Darcy.

11. The Comic Point of View in Pride and Prejudice • In P&P, the point of view is comic not only because it dwells on the folly of some characters and the wit of others, but because it reveals in society a rational and moral order that makes it possible for sensible characters to live happy and responsible lives, even if they get married. The comic point of view encourages us to see that unhappiness is mostly not caused by fate or some inherent human perversity but by errors that sensible people can avoid. If Charlotte Lucas makes a merely prudent marriage, having neither feeling nor respect for her husband, then she is likely to be, even deserves to be, unhappy. If Lydia Bennet sacrifices prudence, even morality, for the sake of a passionate attachment, then she too is likely to make and deserve an unhappy marriage.

12. Comic Point of View • On the other hand, the comic point of view suggests that Darcy and Elizabeth, having overcome their pride and prejudice and having struck a balance between prudence and passion, are likely to have a fortunate marriage, a “happy ending.”

13. Comic Point of View • The comic view of this novel shows us that society may be foolish, materialistic, and hypocritical, and yet offers some people a fair chance at “rational happiness,” providing they correct their faults, improve their dispositions, and moderate their desires.