Irony in Pride and Prejudice argumentative essay
Irony in Pride and Prejudice Irony forms the alma mater of Jane Austen’s novels. Likewise, “Pride and Prejudice” is steeped in irony of theme, situation, character, and narration. Austen uses it to establish the contrast between appearance and reality. As one examines “Pride and Prejudice”, one discovers the ironic significance of how pride leads to prejudice and prejudice invites pride. Importantly, the novel elucidates how both “Pride” and “Prejudice” have their corresponding virtues bound up within them: an intricate relationship that is at once contradictory yet deep.
This goes in parlance with the critics of Austen who hold that she used irony as a shield to express her radical ideas. It enables her to expose the ills behind social institutions like marriage, aspects of the class system, and the entailing of property along gendered lines. It also enables her to expose authorial figures and national icons: a vicar (Collins), an officer in Her Majesty’s Armed Forces (Wickham), and an aristocrat (Lady Catherine.) It is interesting to note that in maintaining this mocking tone while dealing with controversial themes, Mrs.
Bennet’s role becomes particularly important. Her social ineptness allows her to speak the truth about the unfairness of the system that threatens her daughters with lives of poverty and humiliation. She speaks honestly and openly about throwing her girls into the paths of rich men, and of course she has a point. Marriage was the only hope for educated ladies of the era, but only Mrs. Bennet has the ability to talk openly about it. And yet she is condemned as a woman of ‘illiberal mind’ and ‘mean understanding. Irony reflects not only a kind of awareness of the less admirable aspects of the human condition, but also a belief that such things are impossible to change. British satire has always had its conservative strand, which comes from skepticism about grand social statements and projects. As critic Alan Bloom puts it: “Irony flourishes on the disproportion of the way things are and the way they should be, while accepting the necessity of this disproportion. ” “In “Pride and Prejudice” there is much irony of situation too, which provides a twist to the story. Mr.
Darcy remarks about Elizabeth that: “tolerable but not handsome enough to tempt me…” We relish the ironical flavour of this statement much later when we reflect that the woman who was not handsome enough to dance with was really good enough for him tomarry. He removes Bingley from Netherfield because he considers it imprudent to forge a marriage alliance with the Bennet Family, but himself ends up marrying the second Bennet sister. Collins proposes to Elizabeth when her heart is full of Wickham and Darcy proposes to her exactly at the moment when she hates him most. Elizabeth tells Mr.
Collins that she is not the type to reject the first proposal and accept the second but does exactly this when Darcy proposes a second time. The departure of the militia from Meryton was expected to put an end to Lydia’s flirtations. Ironically, it brings about her elopement. The Lydia-Wickham episode may seem like an insurmountable barrier between Elizabeth and Darcy, but is actually instrumental in bringing them together. Lady Catherine, attempting to prevent their marriage only succeeds in hastening it. Irony in character is even more prominent than irony of situation.
It is ironical that Elizabeth who prides herself on her perception is quite blinded by her own prejudices and she errs in judging intricate characters. Wickham appears suave and charming but is ironically unprincipled rouge. Darcy appears proud and haughty but ironically proves to be a true gentleman when he gets Wickham to marry Lydia by paying him. The Bingley Sisters hate the Bennets for their vulgarity but are themselves vulgar in their behaviour. Darcy is also critical of the ill-bred Bennet Family but ironically his Aunt Catherine is equally vulgar and ill-bed.
Thus, the novel abounds in irony of characters. The narrative of “Pride and Prejudice” too has an ironic tone which contributes much verbal irony. Jane Austen’s ironic tone is established in the very first sentence of the novel. “It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife. ” What Austen implies is that we understand the opposite – a single woman must be in want – of a man with a good fortune. Similarly, there is much verbal irony in the witty utterances of Mrs. Bennet. He tells Elizabeth: “Let Wickham be your man.
He is pleasant fellow and would jilt you creditable …” In the words ‘pleasant fellow’ is hidden a dramatic irony at the expense of Mr. Bennet, for Wickham is destined to make a considerable dent to Mr. Bennet’s complacency. It is noteworthy that Jane Austen did not show any cynicism or bitterness in using her irony to draw satirical portraits of whims and follies. Rather, her irony can be termed comic. It implies on her side an acknowledgement of what is wrong with people and society. It is interesting to note that in the novel, it is the villainous character Wickham and lady Catherine – who are responsible for uniting Elizabeth and Darcy.
She uses irony to shake her major figures of their self-deception and to expose the hypocrisy and pretentiousness, absurdity and insanity of some of her minor figures. It is definitely possible to deduce from her works a scheme of moral values. Andrew Wright rightly points out that irony in her hands is ‘the instrument of a moral vision’. Sarcasm may be the lowest form of wit, but the skilful use of irony is much prized. The ironic tone of the novel contributes to its multiplicities of meanings. True, Austen’s use of irony can be hard to interpret in specific cases, but it does lend to the novel an aura of beauty and interest.