Analysis Essay
“Pride and Prejudice”
Pride and Prejudice is a novel written in the late 1700’s and early 1800’s by Jane Austen. At this time period there was also a rise of the “Second British Empire”. “Austen wrote it at a time when there was the rise of the “Second British Empire,” and was one of the first authors to ever divulge into the writing possibilities of a topic such as Post Colonialism” (Brant, British Colonization). Pride and Prejudice however explores several other literary theories aside from Post Colonialism (notably Feminism, Marxism and Realism). Post Colonialism is the aftermath of colonization and is viewed as one of the most comprehensive literary theories for this novel. Post Colonialism is a vital aspect of the novel as it demonstrates the significance of wealth and social status and also reveals social hierarchy in which the roles of men dominate over that of women. Reading the novel while applying the literary theory of Post Colonialism clearly demonstrates the importance of which first impressions are meant to reflect the Post Colonial society in which the story is situated in.
The first occurrence in which we see first impressions used to reflect the Post Colonialism society that novel takes place in is during the ball at Meryton. The ball plays a significant role in the novel as it brings two couples together, namely Mr. Darcy and Ms. Elizabeth, as well as Mr. Bingley and Ms. Jane) together for the first time. It is at this time and place that Mrs. Bennett makes her first impressions of Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley, both who possess great wealth and power. As expected, Mrs. Bennett living in a Post Colonialism society thinks astonishingly high of them, despite not even speaking a word to them. Mrs. Bennett thinks of them to be exceptional and noteworthy young men. During the course of the ball however, it is learned that Mrs. Bennett’s perspective of Mr. Darcy quickly becomes bitter. Mrs. Bennett had hoped that Mr. Darcy would be able to “colonize”, so to speak, one of her daughters allowing them to prosperous, wealthy life but we see that she does not think the same when we read, “[Mr. Darcy] was the proudest, most disagreeable man in the world, and everybody hoped that he would never come there again Amongst the most violent against him was Mrs. Bennet, whose dislike of his general behaviour was sharpened into particular resentment by having slighted one of her daughters” (Page 8, Pride and Prejudice).
