COMPARATIVE LITERATURE (A Final Assignment)

Jane Austen’s View of Love In Her Works ‘Sense and Sensibility’ and ‘Pride and Prejudice’ through the Main Characters: Conflict Resolution

Nur Hidayah Natsir F022 171 004

INTRODUCTION

Literature is one of literary works in which generally refer to the work that tells something in fiction and imaginary. Reading literary fiction can expand our perspectives, make way for appreciation of life, provide virtual experiences, aid in problem-solving situations, inspire and motivate readers in their endevours, and help us recognize the cultural aspects of other people (Rahman, et al., 2019). According, Theory of Literature by Rene Wellek and Austin Warren (1985), Wellek stated (Wellek, 1985: 4) Literature as one of the imaginary works, literature performs various problem of human and humanity, and the life. Again, Rahman (2018 & Weda) stated that literature has a high status in a civilized community. Appreciation of literary works as cultural product is a must. This is because, literature in its various genres, presents social messages which hopefully bears tolerance and harmony in countries inhibited by different ethnic groups. They propose their literary work based on the experience and observation on the life of society; in other words, literature portrays the human life. The technical use of comparison in literature contain of themes, genre, and movements, and trends of a minimal pair of two literatures going beyond the confines of one country and even through translation. Comparative literature is a study to identify the literary works based on the literary elements within intrinsic elements and extrinsic elements (Astiantih, 2017) but does not only concentrate on the literary elements, but also other aspects like history, religion, knowledge, society, etc. To add the value of literature by David Damrosch (2009:46) stated that reading the world literature gives people a big chance to expand their literary and cultural horizons far beyond the boundaries of their own culture. Jane Austen’s first novel ‘Sense and Sensibility’ was first published in 1811. Her novel story told us about three sisters and their life, this three sister named Elinnor, Marianne, and also Margaret, after the death of her loving parents they have to survive life with their half-brother and their life changed after that, such as moving from the estate they have

1 previously lived at, to a relative’s cottage. The female main characters of this novel are Elianor and Marianne, as they are the older sisters. Jane Austen’s considered greates work ‘Pride and Prejudice’, published in 1813, became one the best received of Austen’s novels until now and it tell us the story of Bennet family and their new neighbour, especially when Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley came into their life. The main characters, Elizabeth characters’ stand out because her wittiness and very sensible. In the family she act as a second oldest from her five sisters, Elizabeth Bennet have no other choice than waiting for a marriage, since it is known that daughters does not have the right to inherit their parents’ wealth. In the story later, One of the higlights in this novel when Elizabeth and Mr Darcy grew a very unexpected relationship based on pride and prejudices with each other. These Austen’s two most famous novels in both Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice, promotes a certain type of romantic relationship: a long-lasting relationship before passionate love-affairs, and Austen brought the message that it is not important with love first sight but what more important is for couples to get to know one another before starting a relationship or getting married. According to Moore’s Book Warrior, Magician, Lover: there are important differences in certain personality traits and maturity within characters in this novel. There are obvious similarities between the two novels, and in this paper will try to analyze direct parallels between the two novels’ main characters and their relationships. This paper will be presented a comparison between two Jane Austen’s greatest work, Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility on her view about love and marriage. the first concentrating on the parallels of the male characters, the second on the female parallels, which also includes the view on romantic relationships in Austen’s works.

DISCUSSION a. Male Characters

Sense & Sensibility: Colonel Brandon --- Pride & Prejudice : Mr Darcy

In Pride & Prejudice, Darcy’s first impressions of the countryside are not favourable, and unfortunately, he expresses them in a poor manner to Bingley, when Elizabeth Bennet is in earshot. As Lizzy is not impressed by what she overhears, her dislike for Darcy grows; meanwhile he is increasingly attracted to Elizabeth. Colonel Brandon quickly holds Marianne in high esteem, but because to his character, he act her very slowly and carefully. Mr Darcy, after having insulted Elizabeth and her entire circle of friends & family, grew a positive

2 feelings towards her as they spend time together when she is taking care for her sick sister in Mr Darcy’s residency. Both Darcy and Colonel Brandon is not obvious about his attraction or regard for their loved ones, but their feelings develops and as men who are in a position to choose if they want to marry, it is obvious that Elizabeth and Marianne are, in their eyes, suitable partners. They are both such a responsible and mature men and respect their women more than a lust at first sight. In Sense & Sensibility, Colonel Brandon and Mr Darcy personify the mature man in their respective novel, which can be seen in their character traits as well as their relationships with others. When the Dashwoods (Sense & Sensibility) are forced to leave their home and move into Barton Cottage, they socialize with Mrs Dashwood’s cousin Sir John, his wife and mother-in-law. Soon, the Dashwoods are also acquainted with Sir John’s good friend Colonel Brandon who quickly forms an interest for Marianne. He is very quiet and shy, and Mariane sees very little of interest in him, despite Sir Johhn’s and his family’s insistencee on them being a good match. As for Mr Darcy in Pride and Prejudice, he is acquainnted with the Bennet-sisters and their parents when his frriend Bingley moves into a house in Netherfield, and Darcy and Bingley’s two sisters and brother-in-law accompany Both Brandon and Darcy feel duty to inform to the heroine, their love-interest about the previous lives of their previous people that lived there, and thus tell the women their wards’ stories. “...Willoughby has seduced Brandon’s ward, who has been protected and cared for by Colonel Brandon, after Willoughby abandoned her, while she was pregnant...” (Shmoop, 2018) Dashwood sisters told by Brandon’s about Mr. Willougby true character which may make it easier for Marianne to get over her heart-break. Darcy and Brandon has a very selfless and honourable personality which is highly visible when it comes to their confessions to Elizabeth and Elinor about their issue and their relationships with Wickham and Willoughby. These two man not talks very much, also generally careful of what they say, what they say is all the more relevant, when they do chose to speak. This makes their personal confessions eveen more important. There are some kind of interesting paralles in this novel happened among the characters, the contents of Darcy’s and Brandon’s speeches has good similarities about how both girls had been taken from school into the care of someone who seems so trustworthy. Mr. Darcy and Colonel Brandon show their heroic personality in time of need for their heroine then Marianne discovers Brandon’s positive qualities more and more in a time of need. When it comes to Darcy, he is held higher in esteeem by Elizabeth after he tells her about the true character of Wickham, especially revealed Mr Wickham true ill intention to 3 Mr. Darcy’s sister, and later when he helps the Bennet family restore their honour after the youngest Bennet-sister Lydia’s withdrawal with Willoughby. Marianne and Elizabeth see both of men heroics act in a more and more positive side after they both Darcy and Colonel Brandon stood up for them, and finally fall in love with the men and then marry them.

b. Female Characters: Elinor Dashwoon In Sense and Sensibility Elizabeth Bennet In Pride and Prejudice

Both Elinor Dashwood and Jane Bennet similiraties that theyr both oldest in their respective family, and both are level-headed and sensible. The two couples are similar in nature and in what they consider important in life; all are calm, thoughtful and and tend not to show their emotions. As they are separated from their love interests, both women accept it and not particularly feel disturbed by the thought of it and to keep things to themselves is always been their choice. ...He may live in my memory as the most amiable man of my acquaintance, but that is all. I have nothing either to hope or fear, and nothing to reaproach him with. A little time therefore – I shall certainly try to get the better ....(Pride and Prejudice, 106) These women uniqueness that are sensible and have a level-headed which is the reason for them reacting seemingly calmly to their love-interests’ departures. The level- headedness of Elinor and Jane makes it important for them to be certain of their heroes’ feelings before they themselvess can assume anything regarding their relationships. Elianor and Jane reunited with their loved ones in the end and they finally come to an understanding that there is a mutual interest and high esteem between them, they marry. As both women’s families believe that more has been said than actually has been said, it is, in fact, the families who make assumptions and make references and allusions to a possible relationship. Although it is shameful to Elinor and Jane, both of these heroine keep it by themshelves.

Conclusion

To sum up, Austen promotes a certain kind of romantic relationship through the use of archetypes in her stories, Austen shows her preference for a certain type of romantic relationship, Hazel Jones (2009) describes as “the very best kind of union, based on compatibility, affection and respect, one certainty described: that marriages based on love and esteem were more likely to endure the test of time than those contracted for material gain”. There are paralel-characters mirroring each other in Jane Austen’s two novels Sense

4 and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice, and that these parallels present certain archetypical personality traits, that determine their characters’ ending. In this novel, the author Jane Austen show us the use of a certain types of personality character traits that can be found in two novels parallel charactersin order to promote her vision of a happy long-lasting romantic relationship.

References

Austen, J. (1994). Pride and Prejudice London: Penguin Books.

Austen, J.. (2012). Sense and Sensibility. Amersham: Transatlantic Press

Cardell, M. (2013). Love and Marriage in Jane Austen’s Novels ‘Sense and Sensibility’ and ‘Pride and Prejudice’ kandidatuppsats i engelska SPL 2012-144

Cowden, T. D., LaFever, C., Viders, S. (2000). The Complete Writer’s Guide to Heroes & Heroines Sixteen Master Archetypes. New York: Watson-Guptill

Remak, H.H. (2010). Comparative Critical Studies, Volume 7 Issue 2-3, Page 229-241, ISSN 1744-1854 Available Online Aug 2010

Jones, Hazel. (2009). Jane Austen and Marriage. A&C Black: UK Patrice. (2007). 101 Things You Didn’t Know about Jane Austen – the Truth about the World’s Most Intriguing Romantic Literary Heroine. Rahman, F., & Weda, S. (2018). Students’ perceptions in appreciating English literary works through critical comment: A case study at Hasanuddin University and Universitas Negeri Makassar. Asian EFL Journal, 20(3), 149-172.

Rahman, F., Amir, P., & Tammasse. (2019). Trends in Reading Literary Fiction in Print and Cyber Media by Undergraduate Students of Hasanuddin University. International Journal of Education and Practice, 7(2), 66-77.

Rahman, F., & Weda, S. (2019). Linguistic Deviation and The Rhetoric Figures In Shakepeare’s Selected Plays. XLinguae, 12(1), 37-52. Wellek, René, and Austin Warren. (1957). Theory of Literature. New York: Harcourt, Brace & World

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