Book Review of Jane Austen‘s Pride and Prejudice
Yudha Dwi Hadi Saputra and Christina Resnitriwati English Department, Faculty of Humanity, Diponegoro University, Semarang 50275
Abstrak
Pride and Prejudice karya Jane Austen merupakan salah satu karya terbaik sastra pada zaman itu hingga sekarang. Buku ini mengisahkan tentang cinta antara Elizabeth dan Darcy yang terpaksa terhalang oleh status social pada zaman itu, yaitu zaman Victorian. Zaman Victorian itu tersebut terdiri dari tiga golongan masyarakat, yaitu kelas atas ( upper class), kelas sedang ( middle class), dan kelas bawah ( lower class). Di Final Project ini akan mendiskusikan tentang tema : cinta ( Love ) dan kelas social ( social class), sudut pandang dari Elizabeth (point of view) dan kelebihan serta kekurangan ( strengthen and weakness) dari buku ini. Final project ini akan mencoba untuk menganalisisnya lebih dalam lagi.
1.1. Background of the Study give the example of human love and social class from different point of view Pride and Prejudice is a story created especially from Elizabeth , the main by Jane Austen. This book may character from this novel, who almost represent the author to explore her mind be a perfect person. in writing. Love is one of the reasons why the writer chooses this book. The 1.3. Jane Austen and Her Works story in Pride and Prejudice is the reflection of what happened to people in According to Becoming Jane Austen : the Victory age. A domination of the Alife and Biography of Jane Austen , landlord power could be a weapon to Jane Austen was born in Steventon, get what they want and as a protector England, in 1775, where she lived for too when they had a trouble. Beside that the first twenty-five years of her life. the readers can learn a lot of things Her father, George Austen, was the about love from this book, because rector of the local parish and taught her Pride and prejudice is a book that largely at home. She began to write serves the readers about the experience while in her teens and completed the of love. original manuscript of Pride and Prejudice, titled First Impressions, 1.2. The Objectives of Study between 1796 and 1797. A publisher rejected the manuscript, and it was not To give a summary about —Pride and until 1809 that Austen began the Prejudice“,and to give a review about revisions that would bring it to its final —Pride and Prejudice“, especially to form. Pride and Prejudice was published in January 1813, two years the evening and haughtily refused to after Sense and Sensibility, her first dance with Elizabeth, which made novel, and it achieved a popularity that everyone did not like him such as has endured to this day. Austen arrogant and very unpleasant man. published four more novels: Mansfield Park, Emma, Northanger Abbey, and However, Mr. Darcy found himself Persuasion. The last two were increasingly attracted to Elizabeth‘s published in 1818, a year after her charm and intelligence. Jane‘s death. friendship with Mr. Bingley also continued to make relationship, and During Austen‘s life, however, only her Jane pays a visit to the Bingley immediate family knew of her mansion. On her journey to the house authorship of these novels. At one she was caught in a heavy rain and point, she wrote behind a door that caught ill, forcing her to stay at creaked when visitors approached; this Netherfield for several days. In order to warning allowed her to hide take care Jane, Elizabeth hiked through manuscripts before anyone could enter. muddy fields and arrived with a Though publishing anonymously spattered mud dress, that is enough for prevented her from acquiring an the disdain of the snobbish Miss authorial reputation, it also enabled her Bingley, Charles Bingley‘s sister. to preserve her privacy at a time when English society associated a female‘s When Elizabeth and Jane returned entrance into the public sphere with a home, they found Mr. Collins visiting reprehensible loss of femininity. In her their family. Mr. Collins was a young work, Austen is often critical of the clergyman who stood to inherit Mr. assumptions and prejudices of upper- Bennet‘s property, which had been class England. Nevertheless, Austen —brought,“ meaning that it could only be was in many ways a realist, and the passed down to male heirs. Mr. Collins England she depicts is one in which was full of self importance, though he social mobility is limited and class- was quite caught attention by the consciousness is strong. Bennet‘s girls. Shortly after his arrival, he proposed to Elizabeth. Meanwhile, 2. SUMMARY the Bennet‘s girls became friendly with militia officers stationed in a nearby Rich young man who named Charles town. At the beginning of winter, the Bingley rented the manor of Netherfield Bingleys and Darcy leaved Netherfield Park caused a great problem in near the and returned to London, much to Jane‘s village of Longbourn, especially in the worry. A further shock arrived with the Bennets. The Bennets had five young news that Mr. Collins had became daughters. The oldest one were Jane, engaged to Charlotte Lucas, Elizabeth‘s Elizabeth, Mary, Kitty, and the best friend and the poor daughter of a youngest was Lydia. Mrs. Bennet would local knight. Charlotte told to Elizabeth be happy if they all got married. that she was getting older and needed Bingley met Jane and spent much of the match for financial reasons. the evening dancing with her. His close Charlotte and Mr. Collins got married friend, Mr. Darcy, was unpleased with and Elizabeth promised to visit them at their new home. However, Miss Bingley visited her and behaved rudely, Shortly thereafter, however, a letter while Mr. Bingley failed to visit her at arrived from home, telling Elizabeth all. The marriage prospects for the that Lydia had eloped with Wickham Bennet‘s girls appeared bleak. and that the couple was nowhere to be found, which suggested that they might That spring, Elizabeth visited Charlotte, be living together out of wedlock. Mr. who now lived near the home of Mr. Gardiner and Mr. Bennet went off to Collins‘s patron, Lady Catherine de search for Lydia, but Mr. Bennet Bourgh, who was also Darcy‘s aunt. eventually returned home empty- Darcy called on Lady Catherine and handed. Just when all hope seemed lost, encounters Elizabeth, whose made a letter came from Mr. Gardiner saying presence to lead him to make a number that the couple had been found and that of visits to the Collins‘s home, where Wickham had agreed to marry Lydia in she was staying. One day, he made a exchange for an annual income. shocking proposal of marriage, which Elizabeth quickly refused. She told At the last, Wickham and Lydia married Darcy that she considered him arrogant and came back to Longbourn briefly, and unpleasant, then angry with him for where Mr. Bennet treated them coldly. steering Bingley away from Jane and Shortly thereafter, Bingley returned to disinheriting Wickham. As for Netherfield and resumed his courtship Wickham, he informed Elizabeth that of Jane. Darcy went to stay with him the young officer was a liar and that the and paid visits to the Bennets but made real cause of their disagreement was no mention of his desire to marry Wickham‘s attempted to elope with his Elizabeth. Bingley, on the other hand, young sister, Georgiana Darcy. pressed his suit and proposed to Jane, to the great pleasure of everyone but This letter caused Elizabeth to Bingley‘s unfriendly sister. While the reevaluate her feelings about Darcy. family celebrated the wedding, Lady The militia was leaving town, which Catherine de Bourgh visited to made the younger, rather man-crazy Longbourn. She blamed Elizabeth and Bennet‘s girls hopeless. Lydia managed said that she had heard that Darcy, her to obtain permission from her father to nephew, was planning to marry her. spend the summer with an old colonel Since she considered the Bennet an in Brighton, where Wickham‘s regiment unsuitable match for a Darcy, Lady would be stationed. With the arrival of Catherine demanded that Elizabeth June, Elizabeth went on another promised to refuse him. Elizabeth journey, this time with the Gardiners, spiritedly refused, saying she was not who were relatives of the Bennets. She engaged to Darcy, but she would not visited Pemberley, after making sure promise anything against her own that Darcy was away, and delighted in happiness. A little later, Elizabeth and the building and grounds, while was Darcy went out walking together and heard from Darcy‘s servants that he was Darcy told her that his feelings had not a wonderful and generous master. changed since the spring. She gently Suddenly, Darcy arrived and behaved accepted his proposal, and both Jane œ warm and friendly toward her. Darcy and Elizabeth - Bingley were conquer even the most difficult of married. conditions.
3. Review of Jane Austen‘s Pride 3.2 Class and Prejudice
3.1 Love The theme of class is related to reputation, in that both reflect the hardly Pride and Prejudice contains one of the ordered nature of life for the upper, most liked love stories in English middle and lower classes in Regency literature: the courtship between Darcy England. and Elizabeth. As in any good love story, the lovers must avoid and defeat 3.2.1 The People in Upper Class numerous stumbling blocks, beginning with the tensions caused by the lovers‘ According to About Britain , the Upper own personal qualities. Elizabeth‘s class, that was important to know whom pride makes her misjudge Darcy that you could speak with - especially if you based on a poor first impression, while hadn't been properly introduced. For a Darcy‘s prejudice against Elizabeth‘s woman, being asked to dance by a poor social standing blinds him, for a complete stranger could pose an time, to her many goodness. Austen, etiquette problem which might have meanwhile, proposes countless smaller effect for days. Young ladies were obstacles to the realization of the love constantly chaperoned. To be found between Elizabeth and Darcy, including alone with a gentleman who was other Lady Catherine‘s attempt to control her than family was tantamount to social nephew, Miss Bingley‘s pride, Mrs. death. Her reputation would be ruined Bennet‘s ignorance, and Wickham‘s and her gentleman companion would deception. In each case, unrest about find himself the object of gossip, and social connections, or the desire for most usually derision. better social connections, disturb with the workings of love. Darcy and The established career for society Elizabeth‘s realization of a mutual and women was marriage - full stop. They soft love seems to imply that Austen were expected to represent their views love as something independent of husbands with grace and provide these social forces, as something that absolutely no scandal. Charity work can be captured if only an individual is would be accepted, but only if it was able to escape the effects of hierarchical very unbeliever, sewing for the poor, or society. Austen does sound some more putting together food baskets. realist notes about love, using the Gentlemen had to keep track of when it character of Charlotte Lucas, who was proper to either smoke or have a marries the clown Mr. Collins for his glass of sherry in front of ladies. When money, to demonstrate that the heart to bow and to whom to tip your hat does not always dictate marriage. Yet could cause gossip if the wrong with her central characters, Austen decision was made. Members of suggests that true love is a force Victorian society kept busy with parties, separate from society and one that can dances, visits, dressmakers, and tailors. Keeping track of what other people in 3.2.3 The People in Lower Class your social class were doing was also a full-time occupation. The Victorian society did not recognize that there was a lower class. 'The Poor' The example of people who are coming were invisible. Those members of from the upper class are : the people England who worked as chimney from Royal family and Land Lord sweeps, ratcatchers, or spent their days meanwhile in the Pride and Prejudice: in factories had no place in the position All Bingley‘s family, Fitzwilliam Darcy of the upper class, although their and Mr. Collins. services would be needed from time to time. The general attitude was that the 3.2.2 The People in the Middle poor deserved the way they lived. If good moral choices had been made, the Using the proper title was of the utmost poor wouldn't be living the way they importance. "Ma'am" or "Sir" was did. always appropriate. If "Ma'am" was seen, it was necessary that you 3.3 Point of view 'disappear', turning to face the wall and avoiding eye contact. Life was easier, Elizabeth point of view of social class though, amidst your fellow servants. in the —Pride and Prejudice“: Although private relationship was 1. Elizabeth does not see the people frowned upon, it wasn't against the rules from their status or where they come, for those 'below stairs' to enjoy singing, but she appreciates people more dancing, and other social activities deeply by their own behaviors and together. characters. For example: —… Elizabeth listened Quite often the 'upper class' of the in silence. She was not sure. Mrs. servant world, the head of housekeeper Hust and Miss Bingley were fine and housekeeper, would put aside their ladies and knew how to please but arrogant roles in the household and join she thought they were too proud. their fellow servants in joy. But come Like their brother, they had a fortune the morning, they would order supreme but they chose to forget the money once again. Having a profession was had come from trade….“ (Austen another way of being a member of the 1978:16) middle class of Victorian society. 2. a. Elizabeth is full confidence and Shopkeepers, doctors, nurses, a she does not care with her schoolmaster, or parish priest were all appearance when she visited her notable professions. sister in the Netherfield where they have differences classes. The examples of people who are For example: —……when arrived at coming from the upper class are: the Netherfield, her legs were tired, her people from in the Pride and Prejudice: stockings were dirty and her face All Bennett‘s family, and Mr. George glowed with the exercises…“ Wickham. (Austen 1978:16) b. This is the point that Elizabeth comments about Mr. Darcy, she is very brave when she the readers are not a lower class say that she want to forgive Darcy community, but the readers can feel if he did not underestimate her, their world and atmosphere from this because Elizabeth had an honor to book. —Pride and Prejudice“ is not the be a woman. only, book with love theme, but also a For example: "…I could easily book that consists of Jane Austen‘s forgive his pride, if he had not childhood and her fear social class mortified mine….." (Austen communities, that is why this book can 1978:25) bring the readers included in the story deeply. From the story and plot, this 3.3 The Strengths of —Pride book has a strong characteristic, setting and Prejudice“ and theme, simple, not confusing but quite interesting. With more than 150 Pride and Prejudice offers advantages pages, it is not easy to keep the reader in correlating with social criticism interested to finish this book. during the Victorian era. The sense of the Victorian era can be summarized 3.4 The Weaknesses of —Pride through this novel as this novel involves and Prejudice“ some turbulence within the society, especially between the upper classes The weakness of Pride and Prejudice is and the lower classes. Interactions and contained in the character of Mrs. conflicts among characters contained in Bennet, a character that makes readers the Pride and Prejudice novel have become cynical over what she did strengthen the idea that social class is as a mother. She should support what is able to shape human's perception. This best for their children not to "swap" his novel is able to reveal that most of son as a pay-off family. In pride and society during the Victorian era prejudice Mrs. Bennet are too interfere increasing their living standard through in determining her child's soul mate, so the social classes, in this case is the that her children become feel annoy and upper class. Wealth is crucially angry sometimes. important in Pride and Prejudice. The quotation bellow shows to the reader that a marriage is considered able to change people‘s living standard because a woman can move to the upper class if a person from the upper class marryes her (engagement between Bingley and Jane or Elizabeth and Darcy).
The writer considered that —Pride and prejudice“ is as one of the best books. This book is very interesting to read for its high quality. The main point that makes this book great is the story and the character. Jane Austen can bring the readers to the lower class world even 4. Conclusion BIBLIOGRAPHY
The writer has opinion that —Pride and Austen, Jane. 1972. Pride and Prejudice“ is one of the greatest novels prejudice. London : Oxford ever. This novel causes an effect not University Press. only in literary world but also in real E Jacobs Hendry and Edgar V. Roberts. life, especially in love Elizabeth and 2007. Literature, An Darcy as a symbol lower and upper Introduction to Reading and class. Jane Austen as the author of this Writing. New Jersey : Prentee book successfully expresses his Hall. aspiration. This book gives the reader Gioia, Dana and X.J. Kennedy. an answer from the question about Literature, An Introduction to impossible love. Bigger as a Fiction, Poetry and Drama. representation of lower class, plays his Eight edition. New York : role greatly. The readers may feel like Longman Publisher. that Bigger is real, as if he is really alive GradeSaver LLC. Biography of Jane in this world. This novel is not based on Austen. 1999. true story, but this novel is even more