Jane also chooses to look upon things in a good light and tries to seek the positive. When Jane hears of the dislike Lizzie has for Darcy to start with, she mentions that she has heard on “intimate acquaintance” that he is “remarkably agreeable” and she believes him to be simply shy. What Austen might be doing here is teaching both us as the reader and Elizabeth that we should follow Jane’s example and be more balanced in our views, at times try to look on thing in a better light. However, Elizabeth is not receptive to this advice at least at the beginning of the book: just as in relation to Wickham, she believes he can do no wrong even when her sister Jane warns that she has heard “he is by no means a respectable young man.”
Austen uses Jane’s letters to show her views on many of the arising situations in Pride and Prejudice. The letters are a way for us to see Jane’s opinions without direct speech. The time when this is most evident is in the Chapter 46 when Lizzie receives
Jane’s letters about “Lydia and Mr. Wickham” because there is no other form of communication, Austen makes us aware of the reaction to the situation at home through letters sent to Lizzie. By doing this Austen can show her audience that their “poor mother is sadly grieved” and their “father bears it better,” without having to show us directly a scene and Meryton. This other form of structure means Austen has given her novel more variety and for this she is more likely to hold the readers interest and enthusiasm.
The title First Impressions does imply that such impressions are significant, but the extent of their significance is left open to the reader, to make up their own mind as they read the book. I believe Austen would have done this deliberately, to let the reader come to their own conclusions after reading the book. The title Pride and Prejudice has the same effect; we as the reader are left to decide who has demonstrated pride and who shown prejudice. I believe Pride and Prejudice to be the better name for the final novel for several reasons. Both pride and prejudice are prominent themes throughout the book with nearly all of Austen’s characters possessing or encountering them. The use of the word “Prejudice” captures the same notion as “First Impressions”. The use of the word “Pride” adds a further stress to her the characteristics she bestows on her characters. Thus highlighting that the novel demonstrates how prejudice may actually have its roots in pride. The title First impressions, covers the prejudice side of the novel, but I believe it misses out the emphasis on the importance of pride and how that pride it is portrayed.
Firstly, I believe Austen presents the importance of the title through the importance of pride as displayed by different characters. What are the different reasons for pride and should status and wealth determine who may have pride and who may not? These are questions Austen puts forward to her reader, and attempts to answer. We see two very contrasting examples of pride throughout the novel and these two come in the form of Mr. Darcy and Mr.Collins. Mr. Darcy has great “family,” status, “fortune” and the “desirable estate of Pemberley.” In contrast to Mr. Darcy, Mr Collins is considered an “odious man.” Austen structures this part of her novel well by giving us an idea of his characteristics and ways, before we have met the character in person Austen uses his letter to the Bennett’s to introduce his character. By doing this she has provided her self with a more interesting way of introducing the character than simply having him turn up and the first impressions coming on our fist meeting with him. The other characters views on the letter also help us to form a preconception or first impression. Austen dictates that Mr Bennet believes there is “a mixture of servility and self-importance in his letter.” When Austen does introduce Mr Collins we are only assured of our first prejudices, proving that sometimes pride can not only be recognised and prejudice generated in person but even in how an individual writes. We learn that Mr Collins has no reason to be proud save for his slight connection with ‘the grand’ Lady Catherine. By creating such different characters both of whom possess Pride, Austen is able to give insight to the causes and demonstrations of pride; thereby teaching the reader that the amount of pride that an individual possesses and the connections and status they have is of little or no consequence to their amount of self pride.
Secondly Austen uses Charlotte Lucas as well as Jane to contrast to Lizzie; Charlotte does not find Mr.Darcy’s pride to “offend” her “so much as pride often does.” Charlotte feels “there is an excuse for it,” She also believes “he has a right to be proud.” Charlotte Lucas and Jane is portrayed as characters in the novel that Austen uses to show balance. She is very materialistic and in comparison to Lizzie who announces she “could never marry a man” she “didn’t love”. Through out Austen uses language to show the immense opposites of what will make Lizzie and Charlotte content. Austen uses words such as “passion” to show the contrasting feeling of desire and love, she makes this situation rather ironic buy marrying Charlotte to Mr. Collins, a man whom we perceive to have “pride” for all the wrong reasons. Even though Charlotte has professed she can only stand “pride” in situations the individual has “a right to be proud.” Thus showing that Charlotte possesses little pride and is happy to settle for what she can get. Austen also uses her to present others pride and give a contradicting view to Elizabeth’s views on pride. Austen uses structural trepidation in the chapters following Lizzie’s refusal of Mr Collins, we see him immediately make the tip to “Lucas Lodge” and soon after we hear he is now “engaged to Charlotte.” The Bennet family reactions are to this news are shown in the 20 and then again in chapter 22. But the order which Austen chooses to present her chapters keep her reader in suspense about the full details and credibility of this information, because at first hearing, we like Lizzie are doubtful of this being “entirely true.” She has a chapter in-between, twenty one, where we hear of My Bingly’s “departure from Netherfield” and this structure means she has her reader eager to read on and find out the full details and extent of the Collins/Lucas relationship.
Thirdly, a point often overlooked by many readers is the pride one may possess about a relation or friend for example to be proud to know a person, or to have pride in watching another develop. There are examples of this throughout Austen’s novel. The most poignant I believe to be the pride Mr. and Mrs Bennet have for their daughters, in particular Lizzie and Jane. Austen shows us that Mrs. Bennet is fully aware that Jane is one of the most “handsome” girls in “Hertfordshire,” and does not hesitate to remind others of this fact. This is less than pleasant for her daughters though, and at many points Austen shows their embarrassment as well as structuring the novel to show other characters views on Mrs Bennet. She is referred to one of Jane’s “unfortunate” relations and at this stage she does not realise that she is doing exactly the opposite of what she sets out to do, attract husbands. Mrs Bennet is portrayed as very bold and talkative; both of these trades are two, which in Austen’s time would not have been good aspects of character in a Lady. And for this at first we might condemn her.
I think Austen anticipates the prejudice the reader will have towards certain characters. By leading us to form a certain opinion to start with, she shows us that usually people have reasons for their behaviour. Many of her characters overlook this just as it is overlooked society today. She manipulates us with her use of language. The earliest example of this would be Mrs. Bennet. With Mrs. Bennet Austen uses the structure of her novel top show the woman’s worse qualities to start off with, such qualities that “embarrass” her daughters, but then our feelings are changed as we start to understand why she cats how she does. At a time when women where still considered socially inferior to men, sons more important than daughters and when property could only be passed on to a male relation, Austen chooses to make the central focus of her novel a family who have only daughters. By doing this Austen gives her reader an understanding of the importance of “marrying” the daughters to “fine young gentlemen.” This is what Mrs. Bennet must do for her daughters to secure their safety after Mr.Bennet dies. We might to start with have some prejudice towards her for this, but as we get to know the situation better, we understand that she is merely a mother who wants the best for her daughters, even if it does cause them great “embarrassment” and she is seen by others as “silly” and a gossip. The very first page of the book opens in a way which introduces us to Mrs Bennet’s ideals. The famous quote “It is a truth universally acknowledged that man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of wife” seems to suggest that mothers see “young men” who are “rich” as the perfect prey, but Austen teaches us through her novel, by showing the impending poverty the daughters may face, that Mrs. Bennet’s approach is justifiable, thus proving our original prejudices towards Mrs. Bennet to be wrong.
Austen uses Pride in ones family to show another side of the pride one can possess, and to show different sides to her characters. Mr. Bennet also possess pride in his children thought, believes Lizzie “has something more of a quickness than her sisters.” But mainly also shows the many people who have pride in Darcy’s character, his house keeper describes him as “the best master that ever lived” and his sisters professes she could wish for no “kinder brother.” Austen educates her reader that pride in others is something valuable to posses, to an extent, where as it is pride in ones self that can be the wrong. These good opinions expressed by others also help to change Elizabeth’s initial prejudice against Darcy. So by the end of the novel Austen has given us an understanding that Pride in the right proportions is what is needed.
Appropriately for the title, the combination of Pride and Prejudice is shown most powerfully through Austen’s two central characters, Darcy and Lizzie. Lizzie has her prejudices against Darcy right from the start of the novel, when he “slights” her at the first “assembly” at which they meet. After this Lizzie confesses to Charlotte that she would not mind “his pride so much” if he had “not mortified” her own. From this we glean the important understanding that Lizzie’s prejudice has its origins in her own slighted pride, and Austen shows us how damaging this combination of both pride and prejudice can be. Judgements arise from people’s pride as well as from their prejudices. Austen explores judgement in her novel by presenting her reader with a series of judgements they themselves must make, often co-inciding with those made by Elizabeth. We also need judgements to explore other characters; sometimes Austen uses one character’s opinions on another to give us as view of them. In most cases this is Lizzie, as the majority of the novel is set through her eyes, but the moderate views of Jane provide an important counter-balance, as do those of more minor characters such as Georgiana Darcy and the housekeeper of Pemberley.
Elizabeth is an intelligent and shrewd character but it is true that she does allow her self to fall into foolish prejudices. In exploring the significance of the title “First Impressions” I have analysed her tendency to form quick judgements about people which later prove unreliable. Her positive judgement of Wickham is based in part on the negative opinion which she has already formed of Darcy, which was itself based to large extent on her own wounded pride. This recognition may have influenced Austen in adopting the new title. Lizzie has some steadfastness where her opinions are concerned. She makes her mind up on a matter and will not let others affect it. In this sense she is very similar to Darcy who professes his “good judgement once lost is lost forever.” Austen shows us here that even those with the most wit and intelligence can be wrong. By doing so Austen warns her reader that one should consider all facts and information before making a judgement and keep all options open at any stage. I believe here she is condemning pride as well as prejudice, as a very poor characteristic.
In spite of this, what may redeem her characters is the fact that both Darcy and Elizabeth are able to discuss their failings. When Lizzie is at Netherfield looking after Jane not only are the scenes between herself and Darcy ones of great sexual tension and wit and Austen uses the language in the conversation between them to show this. These scenes are important scenes to a reader forming an ongoing opinion on Lizzie and Darcy. Both admit “natural defect cannot be over come.” Lizzie immaturely tells Darcy his failing is “to hate everybody” whereas his is slightly more accurate in explaining hers is “wilfully to mis-understand them.” Austen makes clear to the reader that neither of these is completely true. That Darcy does not hate everyone at all, we see from the compassion he frequently shows towards his friend Bingley and his devotion to his sister. While Lizzie may not see her own faults, she is not guilty of deliberately misunderstanding others: all she has done is to jump to a hasty, but genuine, misjudgement, based in part on her own “wounded pride”. Thus Austen shows that both characters have large amounts of self pride and prejudice towards others. She creates a heroine with flaws, a trait we see in other novels such as Emma where the central character though always professing to do so much for others, possess more pride than we are at first lead to believe. By doing this Austen creates a realistic character in a real situation for her reader, someone they can easily empathise with, as nobody is perfect. The novel shows that every person posses some pride and some prejudice no matter how hard they try not to.
Austen uses the fact that her novel was published in three separate books to her advantage. Although today the book is generally sold as one, then she was given the opportunity of creating suspense for the reader. The each part of the novel was on shelves with a few months in between, so for example at the end of the first book, the reader with be in anticipation about the imminent arrival at Permberly. This means she can then use this to her benefit and leave her reader in suspense right up until the last moment on what the “handsome, stone building” look like. So she has used the structure of her book to add to the effect of her character Lizzie finally meeting the “proud” Mr. Darcy’s House.
Finally, the last reason why I believe Pride and Prejudice to be a superior title, is its effect grammatically and when pronounced compared to “First Impressions”. The two words are bold nouns, dictating strength as well as depth. They form a title which is easy to pronounce. It also has the repetition and alliteration to grab a reader’s attention. Austen did this with another of her books Sense and Sensibility. For example the title could have been Pride and Judgement and still highlighted the main themes, but would not have had quite the same ring. While first impressions are an important theme in the book, at its heart is the inter-relationship of pride with prejudice and for this reason I believe the final title was the best choice and Austen made the right decision.
