Dialogue In Pride And Prejudice

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Dialogue in Pride and Prejudice

The characters, in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, come to life through dialogue. Some characters have an inability to stop talking, while others remain quite and save their words for times when they need to convey their feelings. The dialogue in Pride and Prejudice is unlike that of Shakespeare's play where characters have lengthy monologues, the dialogue is more conversational, very witty and clever. Rarely is there a character embarking on a extensive speech, and there are not any chapters solely devoted to describing each and every physical characteristic of each person. Jane Austen uses dialogue to portray the personality of her characters, to allow the reader to see the underlying feelings and meanings behind the characters words.

Mr. Bennet's character reveals itself in his conversations with his wife and his daughters. When we first meet Mr. Bennet, the women in his life are encouraging him to introduce himself to the wealthy new habitant of Netherfield. Mr. Bennet's wife believes that Mr. Bingley, the new owner of Netherfield, would make a good husband for one of her five daughters however Mr. Bennet, does not see the importance of his visiting Mr. Bingley and this upsets Mrs. Bennet,. " ‘Mr. Bennet,, how can you abuse your own children in such a way? You take delight in vexing me. You have no compassion for my nerves' " (7). This quote is from Mrs. Bennet, addressing Mr. Bennet, and is quite typical of her dramatization of her life, Mr. Bennet, responds to accusations in a way that causes Mrs. Bennet, ever more suffering. " ‘You mistake me, my dear. I have a high respect for your nerves. They are my old friends. I have heard you mention them with consideration these twenty years at least' " (7). Mr. Bennet, is a character of few words, though when he resides with six women who enjoy conversing it is most presumably an ordeal for one to speak his thoughts or opinions unless they are requested. Mr. Bennet's response to his wife's claim of infliction of vexing is an early example of the character's dry wit which accompanies him in every situation. Later on in the novel his beloved daughter, Elizabeth, is proposed to by a rather slimy character, Mr. Collins, a cousin of the family and when Elizabeth rejects his proposal Mrs. Bennet, runs to Mr. Bennet, for support in making Elizabeth wed Mr.

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