Pride & Prejudice Journal: Analysis of Satire and High Comedy

While reading P&P you will keep a hand-written dialectical journal focused on Austen’s use of satire/high comedy/comedy of manners.

What is Satire?

“Satire is writing that ridicules or criticizes individuals, ideas, institutions, social conventions, or other works of art or literature.” – From Prentice Hall Literature, 2007

You must keep in mind that satire is not just about ridicule; it is ridicule with a purpose. The writer of satire may use a tolerant, sympathetic, witty, and/or tongue-in-cheek tone (Horatian Satire) or an angry, bitter, condemning tone (Juvenalian Satire). Austen primarily employs the former.

Important Note: There are 3 Volumes in the book but the Prestwick House & Dover Editions do not reflect this, so make note of it in your text:

Prestwick House Edition: (The version we purchased this year)

Volume I: Ch. 1-23 (pp. 9-120) Volume II: Ch. 24-41 (pp. 121-208) Volume III: Ch. 42-61(pp. 209-end)

Dover Edition: (The version we purchased last year) Volume I: Ch. I-XXIII (pp. 1-91) Volume II: Ch. XXIV- XLI (pp. 91-163) Volume III: Ch. XLII-LXI (pp. 163-end)

Journal Requirements: For each Volume of the novel, you will select 4 quotations from that part of the text that reflect the ideas of high comedy/comedy of manners/satire and write them on the left side of your journal; your analysis of the quotation will be on the right side. This will be a hand- written (not typed) journal.

Choose interesting quotations and do a "close reading" so that your analysis is engaging and insightful and reflects an understanding of Austen's comedic and/or satiric purpose and use of language. You are required to analyze only 12 total quotations (4 per volume x 3 volumes) so put your energy into choosing quotations that speak to you and analyzing with depth of thought. By now you know what this means, so make sure you produce quality work.

This will be graded as an analytical essay (AP 9-Point Rubric). Each paragraph must include context and the importance of the quotation, along with Level 3 analysis of Austen’s comedic and/or satiric purpose. I have provided a few sample frames for the L3 part of your analysis on the page below.

This should go without saying, but as a reminder… All commentary must be your own thoughts and insights. Plagiarism from online sources or other students will result in a zero and a referral to administration for further discipline. Do your own work. L3 Frames (use if helpful):

Frame A: Austen (employs/ utilizes/ uses/ includes) (comedic or satirical strategy: hyperbole /understatement /overstatement/ irony/ incongruity/ absurdity) (in this quote/ here/ in this situation) in order to (satirize WHAT? Make WHAT point about her society?). This is effective because___ (elaborate/explain/answer the So What?).

Frame B: By including details such as (pithy quote or paraphrase), Austen effectively (employs/utilizes) (comedic or satirical strategy: hyperbole/ understatement/ overstatement /irony/ incongruity/ absurdity) to convey her satirical purpose (of/ which is) ___. Don’t forget to elaborate/explain!

Frame C: By juxtaposing (element 1) with (element 2), Austen reveals her underlying satiric purpose of ___. Her (intentions/strategy) are/is effective because ___.

Frame D: Austen’s purpose here is made clear: ___. Don’t forget to elaborate/explain!

Final Note: Please do not analyze the opening line of the text. We will have discussed that quote in depth as a class, so it is not an appropriate choice.