Comments on: Hating Pride and Prejudice; Criticism of the novel

By: Jessica

Jessica — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 19:25:46 +0000

how do u cite this?

By: Reynee

Reynee — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 21:47:43 +0000

To Regina: Bronte wrote more than just one book in her life, however, I think most would agree that it is much better to have written one great book, as oppose to have written many “okay” ones. With that said, I would have to say that I am one of the many fools who find great fault with “Pride and Prejudice”; although, I have read it often, mostly for homework assignments, and for my own amusement (I guess you can say that I love to hate “Pride and Prejudice”). The fact that this book is much loved by most people, especially by those who can claimed that “Pride and Prejudice” is the only book they have ever finished, is not surprising. It is a simple love story that is filled with unnecessary and frivolous drama – more like the Victorian version of “Twilight.” For those who wish to simply escape, a novel like “Pride and Prejudice,” is a good read.
My obsession with this book, however, is why this very silly book is regarded as great literature, so much so, that it is required reading in high schools and universities. I have read it several times, (again, mostly for homework and amusement) but find myself trying to find what makes this novel worthy of the title of good literature. The only thing that I have discovered is that the more I read this novel, the more I dislike it, especially the title character, Elizabeth Bennet. Really, much of the praise of her character, I find, are much like Elizabeth’s own judgments of every character she encountered: misguided or just flat out wrong. Really, I would find that much of the characteristics that many of her fans want to give her, really belong to another character of another novel, which for some strange reason, is often confuse with “Pride and Prejudice,” which is Jane Eyre from the novel of the same name (The ONE, I suppose, Regina was referring to). As for Jane Austen herself, I find that I have a hard time informing an opinion on her. In one novel, she seems to declare that love is most important in determining a good marriage, yet in another, like “Sense and Sensibility,” she seems to declare that only good sense makes for a good marriage. With this confusing ideology, it is not a surprise that she never married herself, since she probably did not know what she wanted in a marriage. With “Pride and Prejudice,” I cannot determine as to what message she really wanted to relay to her readers. In one sense, I want to believe that Austen’s purpose was to reveal, perhaps, that the fantasy of falling in love, where money and social standing didn’t matter, is just that, a fantasy; and any person, Elizabeth Bennet, who would make such a claim, especially in the Victorian era, is a hypocrite. However, if Jane Austen had much in common with Elizabeth Bennet, and indeed, felt that the only thing wrong in her character was that she judged Mr. Darcy too harshly at first, then I would have to say, in a most vulgar but precise manner, that Jane Austen was simply a bitch.

By: dusterella

dusterella — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 07:54:50 +0000

The one from Mark Twain is disappointing. I would think, being an ironist, he would enjoy P&P since it’s so full of delicious irony. Unless, of course, he was being ironic in his quote, which would make more sense

By: Lien

Lien — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 04:27:59 +0000

@Taylor The only one out of the other 2 that came up with something close to constructive criticism would be Bronte and I’m not really sure what she was going for. Good ol’ Churchill wanted to add war-fueled drama…..into the mix.

By: Beth

Beth — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 11:07:34 +0000

Bronte’s argument makes absolutely zero sense to me. Just because Austen doesn’t describe the country? We don’t all want to hear about rolling hills and pretty flowers, wake up! (oh wait, she can’t, she’s dead…)

By: Kate the Book Buff

Kate the Book Buff — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 17:14:56 +0000

I had to laugh at Bronte’s criticism as most people these days feel their books are quite similar.

By: Regina

Regina — Fri, 07 May 2010 12:12:06 +0000

Gosh, I’m glad I never did meet mark Twain. And who was Charlotte Bronte, who wrote one book in her life, and one with Jane Austen-ish characters, complain about it? I think Mark Twain makes a point, if you read his books, but neither does Winston Churhill, who was PM of a modern-ish Britain, where we all certainly relate to Pride and Prejudice in every day life.

Anyway, Pride and Prejudice wasn’t meant to be so historically correct, it wasn’t meant to be about “blu hills and fresh air”. Its just a fun book to enjoy and take a look at human personalities, as well as the things most of us care about like money, love, society.

By: Taylor

Taylor — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 17:43:03 +0000

So… anyone have something constructive to add?

Mr. Clemens’ humorous jab aside, I feel there’s a great deal of valid criticism here–Austen’s work *is* highly insular and precious. Better to address these aspects than mindlessly worship the author’s infallibility. Or are these “flaws” what make people like her work?

By: Tracy

Tracy — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 04:56:27 +0000

I agree with Raquel. Such violent words!!

By: Raquel

Raquel — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 02:46:46 +0000

I would like to dig him up and beat him over the skull with his own shin bone when I read these words!