Satire In Pride And Prejudice

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Recommended: Feminism in the pride and prejudice

In Judith Wylie’s article, Dancing in Chains: Feminist Satire in Pride and Prejudice, Judith explains how satire is used to focus on Jane Austen’s use of comic characters. The article targets the great deal of feminism that is present in Pride and Prejudice. Jane Austen breaks away from the traditional ways of society with men writing comedy and satire by trespassing the province of male comedic writings through her stupidity in her characters in the novel. Jane Austen also uses the female role to make fun of traditional views and goes against the stereotypes of women being subjects. The article, Dancing in Chains: Feminist Satire in Pride and Prejudice, is agreeable because it dissects how feminism was used to separate man and woman in society. …show more content…

Jane Austen uses a character like Elizabeth, according to Judith, to "argue in the same track as men", in which Elizabeth shows her smart ability to counter the feminist satire (1). An example in Pride and Prejudice is the Mr. Collins proposal. Mr. Collins proposal is similar to a script, meaning it is well thought out and he has a specific outcome in mind. This specific outcome he has in mind is one of ignorance and superiority: “To fortune I am perfectly indifferent, and shall make no demand of that nature on your father...[O]n that head, therefore, I shall be uniformly silent; and you may assure yourself that no ungenerous reproach shall ever pass my lips when we are married. ' ' (Jane Austen, 81). Mr. Collins automatically assumes Elizabeth will accept his proposal, but Elizabeth, using her smart sensibility that goes against the traditional views at the time, rejects Mr. Collins and laughs at his proposal. However, later Mr. Collins proposes to Charlotte Lucas, in which she accepts the proposal, and consequently Charlotte falls into the norm of marrying for 'purely business ' instead of today 's values of marriage consisting of an equal love and respect for one another. Mr. Collins assumption of acceptance and superiority in class and wealth over

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