Austen does not depict all characters in a constant, laughable light, yet Mr. and Mrs. Bennet’s demeanors remain invariable. Mr. Bennet almost always responds drily and sarcastically. After finally visiting Mr. Bingley, he calls it “‘very unlucky’” for they “‘cannot escape the acquaintance now’” (9). Instead of simply declaring he fulfilled Mrs. Bennet’s wish of meeting Mr. Bingley, he spins it as a melodramatic misfortune. Near the novel’s conclusion, Mr. Bennet’s letter to Mr. Collins about Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy’s marriage reads, “Console Lady Catherine as well as you can. But, if I were you, I would stand by the nephew. He has more to give’” (312). Mr. Bennet’s apathetic nature only emphasizes others’ diligence, such as Elizabeth or Mr. Darcy, who helps expedite Lydia’s marriage. Opposingly, Mrs. Bennet outwardly complains of her “nerves” and readers can practically hear her shouting dialogue, following Austen’s plentiful exclamation point usage. Mrs. Bennet’s ridiculousness showcases how Jane or Mr. Bingley, for example, proves calm and rational. Therefore, readers become attached to the Elizabeth/Darcy and Jane/Bingley narratives for their characters’ responsible and reliable “dispositions.”
While Mr. and Mrs. Bennet’s humorous portrayals improve other characters’ likeability, Mr. Collins separates himself as comic relief. Mr. Collins’ social ineptitude appears at all the wrong moments, such as his ill-judged marriage proposal to Elizabeth. Although Austen wants readers to feel for Elizabeth during this awkward moment, she alleviates the discomfort through Mr. Collins’ comical denial, who says, “‘...it is usual with young ladies to reject...the man...and that sometimes the refusal is repeated a second, or even third time’” (91). Mr. Collins’ condemning letter towards Lydia’s elopement also comes at a trying time for the Bennets, but his exaggerated condolences, such as “‘the death of [Lydia] would have been a blessing’” (242), actually take away from the situation’s severity. Austen uses Mr. Collins’ extreme formality to mitigate tense scenes and critique some people’s inflated aristocratic tendencies.
Contrasting brief comic relief, Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy’s interactions demonstrate that humor, irony, wit and all related elements add life and sustainability to human relationships. From their first conversations, Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy do not hold back from sarcastic and playful quips. During Elizabeth’s time at Netherfield, Mr. Darcy asks her if she would like to dance, to which Elizabeth replies, “...I do not want to dance a reel at all—and now despise me if you dare” (46). Mr. Darcy, without hesitation, says, “Indeed I do not dare” (46). Although they may not explicitly state their affection, their borderline flirtatious remarks show readers that young, 19th-century lovers could still have fun. If readers can move past Austen’s antiquated language, they can find sheer absurdity and suggestive exchanges throughout all of Pride and Prejudice.
I love that you've brought this up, and I hadn't really thought about the characters' interactions this way before. Obviously Mrs. Bennet is somewhat hysterical and brings the audience a great deal of humor, but interactions like Mr. Collins' proposal to Lizzie are also funny in their own way.
ReplyDeleteIt can be exceptionally difficult for modern readers to grasp the nuances and contexts of literary works that were written two hundred years ago, but just like you mentioned, it can be done, and it's worth it to put in that extra work for this novel.
The beginning of the novel is pretty plain as far as this goes, but as soon as Lizzie and Darcy start to bicker and banter more, it really picks up. There is a lot of mischief in the dialogue if you read between the lines. At times it can just seem like the characters are being rude or pretentious, but their dialogue is meant to be read with more humor than many might think for a novel from the 1800s.
Elizabeth's interactions with her family also provide a great deal of humor. She upsets her mother to no end by not accepting Mr. Collins' proposal, and her mother practically threatens to disown Elizabeth over it. Overreactions and dramatizations are part of what makes this novel so enjoyable to readers, even hundreds of years later.
ReplyDeleteI love that you’ve brought attention to this nuanced technique - I definitely did not catch it myself throughout the reading. It’s interesting that Austen has not only compartmentalized her humor in each individual character, but that she made them well-developed enough to create humor even in their interactions.
Another quote that I marked in my book was when Elizabeth responded to being invited to tour the Lakes.
“What delight! What felicity! You give me fresh life and vigour. Adieu to disappointment and spleen. What are men to rocks and mountains?”
Her keen sense of sarcasm plays well with the dry, conservative tone that Mrs. Gardiner sets in the scene.
I agree that the tone picks up in the latter chapters, especially the humorous elements between the sisters. As character personalities set in, we see lots of banter derived from generational differences and making fun of the snobby ways in which people like Miss Bingley. This ironic mirror is what preserves Pride and Prejudice’s comedy in my opinion, and keeps it enjoyable all these years past.