AGENDA
 Notes over themes
 Discussing chapters 2-7
 Homework: Reading chapters 8-13
Women, Patriarchy and
Property Rights
• Women had few legal rights
• Depend on men for protection and
•
•
•
•
survival
Women could not own property
(they were considered property)
Depended on fathers to “give them
away” to a lucrative marriage
At death, property went to another
male heir
Finding a husband was a necessity
not a social preoccupation
Women, Patriarchy and
Property Rights
• “Entailment” determined how
property would be passed through
several generations within a
family; usually closest male
relative
• Lady Catherine DeBourgh,
patroness of Rosings Park, is a rare
example of an independent woman
who inherits the estate of her
father.
Theme of Social Class and
Lack of Mobility
• Conflict that arises when members
of middle class, such as Bennets,
mingle socially with members of
the upper classes, represented by
Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley.
• Austen was critical of the social
barrier between middle and upper
class (while remaining silent about
members of lower class)
• Elizabeth Bennet breaks class
barrier
Theme of Marriage and Family
• Future of Bennet’s daughters
•
•
•
•
depends on successful union with
suitable husbands
Women often forced into marital
unions purely out of financial
necessity
New ideal of marriage and
partnership based on mutual
respect and love
Expectation of social network above
individual desire for privacy
Family’s reputation was tied to
reputation of each individual
member
Theme of Propriety, Social
Decorum, and Reputation
• Person’s value depends on respect
of friends and neighbors
• Woman who engaged in
inappropriate behavior with a man
prior to marriage was morally
corrupt. No virtue = social outcast
• Elizabeth values personal worth and
individual character over reputation
and status
• Standards of proper social etiquette
First Impressions
• Original title of P & P
• Premature preconceptions
complicate the relationships
between characters
• Both characters must set aside their
pride and prejudice and form an
opinion based on respect and cordial
friendship
• Error in judgment with Wickham
who creates a bad image of Darcy
• Must look beneath the surface of a
person’s character
Satire
• Humor or with in order to criticize
or ridicule a particular person or
group
• Disguise criticism of an intended
target by clothing it in humorous
language, funny characterizations,
and sarcasm
• Austen satirizes Mrs. Bennet and
her need to marry her daughters;
also Mr. Collins’ high opinion of
himself which often makes him the
laughingstock of society
Free Indirect Discourse
• Narrative style known as “free
indirect discourse”
• Third-person perspective to
convey ideas and thoughts from
point of view of a particular
character usually the heroine.
• Hard to determine objectivity of
ideas
• Precursor of “stream of
consciousness”
Comedy of Manners
• Uses elements of Satire to ridicule
or expose behaviors, manners,
flaws, and morals of members of
the middle or upper classes.
• Incorporate love affairs, witty and
comical exchanges between
characters, and the humorous
revelation of societal scandals and
intrigues
• Witty banter between characters
Chapters 2-4 Discussion Questions
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How does Austen use her characters as dramatic
foils? What examples are in the text? What purpose
does this have?
What can we gather about Mr. Bingley’s character by
the fact that he doesn’t allow himself to like Jane
until his he receives his sisters’ approval? What could
this foreshadow about his character?
How do the four main characters’ attitudes and
introductions foreshadow their coming romances?
How does Austen go against the grain of the typical
romance novel of her time?
Darcy vs. Bingley
Darcy pp. 6-7; 11
With fine, tall person, handsome
features, noble mien
Proud, having a most forbidding,
disagreeable countenance
ten thousand a year
Judgmental
-- Jane as “the only handsome one”;
laughs too much
-- “Your sisters are engaged,
and there is not another woman in
the room whom it would not be a
punishment to me to stand up with.”
Bingley
 lively and unreserved,
 danced every dance, was
angry that the ball closed so
early,
 talked of giving one himself
at Netherfield.
 Amiable
“I never met with so many
pleasant girls in my life, as I
have this evening”
Jane and Elizabeth
Jane 9-10
 Modest, surprised by
compliment
 “honestly blind to
follies.”
 P. 14 composed
Elizabeth
 Confident
 Hasty in her judgment
Agenda
1st & 2nd Finish Discussing Chapters 5-7
 Discussion over chapters 8-13
(Will be for a grade)
 Homework: Reading 14-19
 Quiz tomorrow over 1-19 first thing.
 Vocabulary Unit 10 Test moved to next week on
Wednesday! Start studying the words and
completing the practice sections in the
book.
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Chapter 5 & 6 Discussion Questions
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What is Charlotte’s opinion of marriage and
courtship? How is Austen commenting on her
society in this opinion?
What is Elizabeth’s opinion of Marriage and
courtship? How is Austen commenting on a new
trend in her society?
As Miss Bingley points out, what are the perceived
differences that could keep Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth
and Mr. Bingley and Jane apart?
What are the true barriers between Mr. Darcy and
Elizabeth?
Darcy and Pride (chap 5)
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Jane’s view of Darcy 13
Pride
Ms. Lucas: he has the right to be proud.
 Mary’s view:
“Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to
what we would have others think of us.”
 It depends on whether one’s pride is inner directed or
outer directed.

Love and Marriage
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“There is so much of gratitude or vanity in almost
every attachment, that it is not safe to leave any to
itself. …there are very few of us who have heart
enough to be really in love without encouragement. ”
(15)  unrequited love is not really possible.
“Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of
chance. . . . it is better to know as little as possible of
the defects of the person with whom you are to pass
your life.'‘ a matter of chance and choice, though the
chancy elements are indeed hard to control.
Darcy and Eliza
P. 16—judging by appearance and according to
contemporary standard
 P. 17 Lucas' party:
 Eliza – aware of being gazed at,
-- defensive with her wits
(e.g. a. “"Keep your breath to cool your porridge-and I shall keep mine to swell my song.''
b. Turns down the dance invitation.)
 Ms. Bingley’s response p. 19 –treats admiration as
“love” (a jealous woman)
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Chapter 7 Discussion Questions
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What are Mr. & Mrs. Bennet’s opinions on Lydia
and Catherine’s attitudes? What does this say
about Mr. & Mrs. Bennet’s own attitudes toward
parenting? Who is the worse parent in your
opinion?
Chapters 8-12 Discussion Questions
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What barrier reappears and is strongly emphasized throughout
these chapters? How is this barrier illustrated?
Through their dialogue in chapter 11, what do we learn about
the internal characteristics of Mr. Bingley, Elizabeth, and Mr.
Darcy?
What is the distinction in class made throughout chapters 812?
What paradox is beginning to emerge in both Mr. Bingley and
Mr. Darcy’s attitudes towards class and marriage with the
Bennet sisters?
How are both Elizabeth & Mr. Darcy clouded by pride &
prejudice?
Agenda
In-class
review/grading of
yesterday’s quiz.
Discussion of essential
questions from chapters 14-25
(6 slides)
Homework: Reading 26-31
Chapter 13-14 Discussion Questions
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Why has Mr. Collins come to Longbourne?
What is his character like, and to what does Austen attribute his
personal characteristics? What figurative purpose will/does this
character serve?
How does Mr. Collins’ behavior toward Lady Catherine help to
further illustrate his character?
What does the Longbourne estate entailment mean for the Bennet
sisters? How is Austen making a comment on her society with this
inclusion? How does Austen’s characterization of Mr. Collins further
aid in establishing her views on English inheritance laws?
What can we begin to assume about Lady Catherine’s personality
and attitude based solely on Mr.Collins’ description of her, her
daughter, and her estate?
Ch. 15-17
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What connection is foreshadowed in chapter 15?
What is Mr. Wickham’s character like? How does
Austen attempt to give the reader clues as to
Wickham’s character in her style of writing?
Why does Mr. Wickham reveal his connection to Mr.
Darcy to Elizabeth? How is this incongruent with
societal customs of the day?
What are Elizabeth and Jane’s greatest foibles? How
do these different shortcomings begin to affect the
course of the plot?
Ch. 18
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How does Elizabeth’s prejudice against Mr. Darcy
continue to affect the plot?
How does the Bennet family behave at the Netherfield
ball? What effect will this have on Jane and Elizabeth’s
marriage prospects?
How are the social interactions of the early 19th
century different from today’s? Why is such
importance placed on rank and wealth?
Ch. 19-20
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Summarize Mr. Collins’ proposal speech. What is
ironic in its contents?
How does Austen comment on her society’s utter
triviality in the style in which Mr. Collins’ marriage
proposal and Elizabeth’s subsequent refusal is
written? What is Mr. Collins’ attitude toward his own
words and statements? What is Elizabeth’s? How
does this illustrate Austen’s critique of her society?
Given Charlotte’s earlier views on marriage, what
could her munificence in offering to entertain
Mr.Collins foreshadow?
Ch. 21-23
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How do Jane and Elizabeth’s opinions of Caroline Bingley’s letter differ?
What is this contraposition serve?
What can the reader conjecture about the true cause of Mr. Bingley’s
removal from Netherfield? Analysis questions chapters 22-23
How does the following quote best summarize Charlotte’s decision to
marry Mr. Collins: "Without thinking highly either of men or of
matrimony, marriage had always been her object; it was the only
honorable provision for well-educated young women of small fortune,
and however uncertain of giving happiness, must be their pleasantest
preservative from want."
How is Austen using Charlotte and her marriage as a foil for Elizabeth
and her views of marriage?
Ch. 24-25
 How
does Austen continue to portray
Mr. and Mrs. Bennet as inept parents?
 How does Austen use Mr. and Mrs.
Gardiner as foils for Mr. and Mrs.
Bennet?