Analysis of Chapter 11 of "Pride and Prejudice"

Chapter 11 of "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen opens with two lines from the third person, or omniscient narrator, who is focalizing through Elizabeth Bennett. Focalizing, meaning that it is the narrator's voice that speaks, but we see through the eyes of the characters, gives us the chance to understand the characters without direct dialogue. By telling us that Elizabeth was 'growing more angry but trying to compose herself' (Pride and Prejudice, p148) you start to understand that something important must have happened in order to have affected Elizabeth in such a profound way. You can also begin to empathise with Elizabeth, and justify her anger as Mr Darcy has asked her to marry him, although he has more or less said that she is not worthy of the question.

Dialogue then begins from Elizabeth to Mr Darcy. Dialogue is used to reveal the character of the speaker and it also adds drama to the story. Not only are the words spoken important, it is also significant how the words are said. We already know that Elizabeth is angry, and are therefore not surprised that she rejects his offer of marriage. In this paragraph, Elizabeth explains to Mr Darcy that the way in which he had proposed to her had spared her the concern she might have had in refusing him. Using the word might here makes Elizabeth seem flippant, that she wants to convey to Mr Darcy that she might have actually had concerns about him, had he not been so awful to her. It seems ironic that Elizabeth tells Mr Darcy that he could have behaved in a more gentleman-like manner, when her manner in judging him so harshly has not been very ladylike! Austin uses irony to define and expand upon social themes in Pride and Prejudice including the correct judgement of others. I...

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... (Pride and Prejudice, p148). It becomes difficult to determine what is focalization and what is free indirect speech, and you have to be alert for the shifts in narratives, as Austin uses very subtle techniques.

Narrative voice and dialogue are just two ways in which Jane Austin shows readers her story. Her clever use of these allows the reader to respond to the characters she creates, whether it is to identify, empathize or sympathize with them, to like or disapprove of them or to pass moral judgement on their behaviour and values. You begin to step into a world that could be your own, and can start to understand the meaning of the word realism.

Bibliography:

Austen, J, Pride and Prejudice, (2004) Oxford University Press

Open University, Approaching Prose Fiction (2001) The Open University

Walder, D, The Realist Novel (1995) The Open University