Close Analysis of the Opening of Pride and Prejudice The first sentence talks about something that it presumes every person understands and agrees

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Close Analysis of the Opening of Pride and Prejudice

The first sentence talks about something that it presumes every person understands and agrees with as it says, 'It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife'. It is a statement that related back to the era that Jane Austen wrote in: an era when people not only married for love but also on the grounds of rising up the social hierarchy, making useful connections and acquiring a large wealth. This is a theme that is discussed during Pride and Prejudice through the actions of the characters.

Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice was published in 1813 and we can tell this through lexis and style in the first few paragraphs. For example, the lexical choices such as ' Michaelmas' and 'chaise and four'. At this time it was common for many wealthier people to travel around in a horse-drawn carriage. The fact that this chaise is driven by four horses indicates the fortune of the owner. This is perhaps what Mrs Bennet saw as she discusses whether the new neighbour may be suitable for any of her daughters. This is proved further as it is said that he had ' servants [that] are to be in the house by the end of the week'. Many middle- and upper-class families had some sort of servant or maid service in the household.
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We can also tell that this novel was written a long time ago is that Mrs Bennet says that the man must have at least four or five thousand, making him a fine thing for her girls. This amount of money may not seem an extraordinary amount and yet in the 19th century, this would have been a lot of money to people.

The sentences are also quite long compared with what we might find today. For example, one sentence is "Why ,my dear, you must know...and some of his servants are to be in the house ...

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