Comparing Pride And Prejudice And Mrs. Dalloway

Pride and Prejudice and Mrs. Dalloway are both British novels written by women during times of great change. Jane Austen and Virginia Woolf each address the rules and social order and their effect on human relationships, but the novels are separated by more than a century and by very different styles. In each novel, a fascinating woman chooses to reject a serious marriage offer. Mr. Darcy endures a rejection from Elizabeth Bennett bravely and is rewarded in the end by her change of heart and a change of circumstances. Peter Walsh suffers from his rejection from Clarissa Dalloway all of his life and it colors his achievements and relationships. Why does Mr. Darcy’s rejection meet with stoicism and a happy ending while Peter Walsh’s reinforces

As a novel that addresses social behavior, Austen’s work poses questions regarding marriage as a social tool from the very first page. The knowledge that a wealthy gentleman has leased a local estate fills Mrs. Bennett with presumptions and delight. As the mother of five marriageable daughters, she would, of course, agree that “a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife” (5). It is no surprise that the rest of the novel follows the entertaining stories of some of her daughters as they make steps and missteps in the realm of romance. The juxtaposition of the two couples, Jane Bennett and Charles Bingley and Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy, allows the author to comment on the nature of relationships and their pitfalls. One of these potential pitfalls is a reflection of the time period in which the novel is

Darcy is misunderstood by the Bennetts and their friends from the beginning. His apparent cold behavior at the dance leads others to a false assumption about his excessive pride. Elizabeth and Darcy’s first meeting results in hurt and slighted feelings for her and the dawning of confusion for him. He declares Elizabeth, “tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me” (12). Such an inauspicious beginning eventually blossoms into a full-scale misunderstanding between them. Because they are thrown together in various social circumstances, Darcy and Elizabeth have many opportunities to observe each other, converse, and sometimes dance. Because they are from different economic classes—he has 10,000 pounds a year at his disposal and she will be homeless upon the death of her father—their relationship faces an obstacle. Another obstacle is the behavior of Elizabeth’s parents and some sisters that is a source of embarrassment. While it is true that Austen comments on the changing nature of the time period that might be more welcoming to cross-class marriages, she also suggests it is often more than just a matter of money that separates