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EeroGallano
P.1
2/17/16
APLiterature
TheAmbiguityofLovesForm
Itsarelativelyrecentconceptthatmarriageshouldbeagreedonthebasisoflove,but
itsthetypeofloveuponwhichapairingisunionizedthatservesasafundamentalpointinJane
Austenscomedyofmanners,
PrideandPrejudice
.AccordingtoAusten,thedeterminingfactor
withinthesuccessfulnessofarelationshipisbasedonthedevelopmentoftheconnectionin
comparisontoashortlivedandhasty,passionatelove,themoreintricateandgrounded
compassionaterelationshiplastslongerandismoresuccessfulintheparentingofchildren.This
interpretationofloveisenforcedthroughJaneAustensuseofcharacterization,settings,and
irony.
Austenprovidesthereaderswitharosterofvariouscharacters,especiallyinpairs,to
suggestthatcompassionatelovedeterminesthegeneralhappinesswithinamarriageandtheir
competenceasparentsandcategorizescertainmarriagesthroughthecharacterizationofits
pairingmembers.ThefirstcoupleintroducedtothereaderisMr.andMrs.Bennet.Thespeaker
suggeststhatMr.Bennethadbeencaptivatedbyyouthandbeautyandignoredthefactthat
Mrs.Bennetmaintainedweakunderstandingandilliberalmind(286).Thiscaptivationbyher
beautyrenderstheirpairingaformofpassionatelove.ThespeakerevennotesthatRespect,
esteem,andconfidencehadvanishedforeverandthatMr.Bennetreliedoncountryand
booksandeven[hiswifes]ignoranceandfollyashisprincipalenjoymentswhichcanbe


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attributedtoafiery,passionatelovethathasfaded(286).Thedecayingrelationshipbetweenthe
BennetsgreatlyaffectstheirabilitytoparentMrs.Bennet,worriedthatherdaughterswouldfail
tofindacompanion,attemptstosetthemupformarriageinabsurdmanners.Forexample,when
JanewasheadingtoNetherfield,Mrs.Bennetsuggestedthat[she]hadbettergoonhorseback,
becauseitseemslikelytorainandthen[she]muststay[there]allnight,effectiveallotting
moretimewhichJaneandMr.Bingleycouldspendtogether.Anotherludicrousdemandwent
towardsMr.Gardiner,whowasaskedtofind[Mr.WickhamandLydia]out...andiftheyarenot
marriedalready,makethemmarry(345).Again,Mrs.Bennetsludicrousinsistencesare
wellintended,buttheycommentastohowunreasonableandorthodoxsheiswhenitcomesto
marryingoffherchildren.WhetherheractionsarejustifiedremainsirrelevanttheBennetsarent
entirelycapableofparenting.However,insteadofjustleavinganunworthyexampleof
parenting,Austenalsointroducesameritoriouscouplethatsuggestscompassionateloversas
idealparents.
DespitebeingsocloselyrelatedtotheBennets,theGardinersmaintainanentirely
differentandsuperiorstandardofrelationship.WhentravellingwithElizabeth,theGardiners
sharedasuitablenesswhichcomprehendedhealthandtempertobearinconveniences...and
affectionandintelligence(290).Derivingfromthisexcerpt,readerscaninferthattheyarea
satisfiedcouplewithhighregardforoneanotherandexpresspersistentcontentwiththeir
lifestyleregardlessoftheirnotbeinginthegentry.Itsthismaintainedsubtletyofjoythatisa
remarkabledifferencewiththeBennetsfadedandonceintensepassionateloveandalso
classifiesthecoupleascompassionatelylovingoneanother.Thisreflectstheirabilitytoparent.
Throughoutthenovel,theGardinersactasElizabethstrueparentalfigures.Therewereseveral


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instanceswhereElizabethdirectthemquestionsofintellectualsubstance,suchasthedifference
inmatrimonialaffairs,betweenthemercenaryandtheprudentmotive(184).Inthecaseofthe
Bennets,Elizabethspursuanceofwisdomarefewandfarinbetween,shouldanybeconsidered
atall.TheGardinersareundoubtedlyessentialcharacterswithinthenarrativeitsthroughtheir
guidancewasElizabethabletochangeherselfforthebetter,andtheyare,onaparallelnote,the
onlypersonswho...hadbeenthemeansofunitingthem(472).TheGardinerscompassionate
love,however,isnotpresentedwithasmuchintricacyanddesignasotherrelationships,mainly
theBennetstwooldestdaughters,JaneandElizabeth,andtheirrespectivepartners,Bingleyand
Darcy.
ThereareseveralaspectsofJaneandBingleysrelationshipthatallowsreadersto
classifyitasoneofcompassion.Forexample,Janeisanoptimisticandgoodheartedpersonwho
neversee[s]faultinanybody,whileBingleyalsosharessimilarlypositivetraitsofbeing
sensible,goodhumoured,[and]lively(15).Withthembothbeingwellmannered,kind,and
generous,itsalmostimpossibletodenythembeingthesocalledperfectpair.Theyveshown
trustandadeepmutualaffectionforoneanother,asduringtheirparting,theyrevealedthatthey
deeplymissedtheircompanion.Thoughdisparityfollowinganunansweredlongingforloveisan
attributeofpassionatelove,itmustbenotedthatJane,despitehavingexperiencedheartache,
doesnotseverelyemotionallycollapse,butinsteadpersistsandevenpursuesBingleys
whereabouts,andwhenallhopeseemedlost,understoodthatitmightbebettertoforgetabout
Bingley.Continuingonthesuccessesofacompassionaterelationship,JaneandBingleyhasalso
shownanabilitytoparent.Despitenotbeingtheirchild,Kitty,whospentthechiefofhertime
withhertwoeldersistersandpracticallybecomesadaughterlikefigure,becomesless


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irritable,lessignorant,andlessinsipidundertheirproperattentionandmanagement(469).
ThissuccessfulbehavioralimprovementofKittyrevealstheircompetencyasparents.However,
JaneandBingleysessentiallycoincidentalandperfectlycompatiblepairingservesreadersa
relativelyblandanduncomplicatedrelationshipthat,intheend,canreflectJaneseventual
feelingstowardsthismarriageinthelongrunanddoesnotyieldthesamelevelofhappinessas
thatshownwithinElizabethandDarcysrelationship,asElizabethishappiereventhanJane
upontheirengagement(465).
ThereareseveralreasonswhyElizabethandDarcy,despitetheirinitialtension,endup
beingthehappiestcouple.ItssafetoassumethatElizabethandDarcysrelationship
commencedonunevenground,constructedonhurriedandpreconceivedjudgement.However,
bypointingouteachothersarrogance,conceit,andselfishdisdain,theyveinadvertently
initiatedquestsofinvestigatingbehavioralcausesandpersonalhistoriesthatbenefitsthe
relationshipinthelongrun(232).Fromthis,theyveessentiallybecamecloserthanevenJane
andBingleyastheycomprehensivelyunderstandandrevealedthemselvestoeachother,
establishingstrongconnectionsofintimacyandtrust,elementsofacompassionaterelationship
andbecausebothElizabethandDarcyshareexperiencesofbehavioraltransformationasthe
storyprogressesandthereforelessblandexperiencesthatwillsurereignitetheirloveforeach
otheroverthecourseoftheirmarriage.Ascompassionatelovers,moresothanJaneandBingley,
ElizabethandDarcyhasalsoshowntopossesscompetentparentingabilitiesaswell.Asrevealed
withinJaneandBingleysrelationship,Kitty,alsounderElizabethandDarcysproperattention
andmanagement,becamelessirritable,lessignorant,andlessinsipid(469).Overall,their


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constantquarrelingandcriticismsofoneanotherenabledthemtobeintimate,trusting,and
lovingtowardsoneanotheronawiderrangeoflevels.
Austendoesaremarkablejobonexpandingherstatementsregardingcompassionatelove
anditstendencytoinducemaritalsuccessbyassociatingthecouplestotheirhome.ForMr.and
Mrs.Bennet,theirfamilyhome,Longbourn,servesasagreatexampletodisplaythegeneral
unsuccessfulnessoftheirmarriageandtheirinabilitytoprovideproperlyfortheirchildren
becauseoftheirpreviouslyrecognizedpassionatelove.Initially,onecaninferthattheestateis
quitesizable,especiallysincetheBennetswereverywellabletokeep[severalservants]
aroundthehouse(78).Despitetheimpressionthattheypossessprofoundamountsofwealth,the
factthatMr.CollinsisinheritingLongbournposesseriousobstaclestowardsthefutureof
theBennetsdaughters(74).Thisinevitableoccurrenceaddstothedirenessofmarryingofftheir
childrentomembersofthegentry,asMr.andMrs.Bennetcannoteffectivelyprovidefortheir
daughtersshouldtheformerdie.Theeffectsofthisweremadeevenmoreseverewiththe
readersrealizationthatMr.andMrs.Bennethaveabandonedalloftheirfinancial
responsibilitiesmerelybecausebythetimetheystoppedspendingrecklessly,itwasthentoo
latetobesaving(371).LongbournthusservesasanexampleofAustensuseofestatesasthe
stateoftheirrelationship.MuchliketheimpressionssetbyLongbournanditsservants,the
premiseofamarriedcouplesustainingafamilyoffivedaughtergivesthereaderanimpression
thattheBennetsareacapablefamily.However,asthenovelprogresses,thefamily,muchlike
thefutureoftheirestate,isshowntobebuiltonprecariousfoundation,afoundationofa
shortlivedandoncepassionatelovethatultimatelydoestheBennetsharm.Otherestatesalso


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presenttheirconceptsregardingtherelationshipsinvolvingtheirownersindifferentmanners,
whichalsocommentonthesuccessofmarriagebasedoncompassionatelove.
NetherfieldistheestateofthewellmanneredandextremelygenerousBingley.The
estateofNetherfieldmanagestoparalleltheblandrelationshipbetweenBingleyandJaneby
beingpresentedwithoutsubstantialamountsofdetail.Thegrandeuroftheestatemaybe
generallyannounced,buttherestofitsaspectshavetobeinferred.AnexampleinwhichAusten
leavesthereaderstoinferNetherfieldscompositionofgiganticroomsiswhenMissBingley
invitesElizabethtotakeaturnabouttheroomafterhaving[sat]solonginoneattitude(66).
Aroomwithenoughspaceforonetooperateherlegseverynowandthen,likehowonetakesa
strollinapark,givesthereadersinsightastotheactualsizeoftheroomsinNetherfield,
however,inamannerthatforcesinference.WiththelackofdetailAustenprovidestoher
readers,theestatethusbearsnospecialtyasitdoesnotassertitsownimageryontothereader.
ThisdrawsparallelsalongsidetherelationshipbetweenJaneandBingley,wheretheblandnessof
therelationshipboresreadersandlacksengagement.Theestatedoesnotpossesasenseof
intimacywiththereaderinstead,Netherfieldbecomesanotherobjectmentionedinpassing,and
thoughit'sobviousthattheestatemaintainsadistinctlevelofopulence,readersarentleftas
astoundedthisenthusiasmseemsappropriatelymatchedbyJaneonly[smiling]onher
engagementwithBingley,whereas[Elizabeth]laughsatherengagementwithDarcy,ascribing
thelatterwithmoreeagerness(465).ItmustalsobementionedthatNetherfieldParkisletat
lastorrentedbyBingley,andhavingestablishedtheparallelsbetweenNetherfieldandJaneand
Bingleysrelationship,itsnotoutrageoustosuggestthattheestatesstatusasatemporary
settlementcouldreflecttheultimateoutcomebetweenJaneandBingley,despitetheirinitially


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beingcontent(1).Inregardstotheestatesrelationtothecouplesabilitytoparent,Netherfield
isundoubtedlyfitforraisingchildren,justlikehowJaneandBingleyhaveexpressedtheir
competenceasparents.Regardless,Netherfield,becauseofitslackofmeticulousdetail,doesnot
engagereaders,andthoughbecauseofitsgrandeurwillpeopleobviouslywanttoresidewithin
theestate,itfailstocomparetothepainstakinglydescribedandoverwhelminglygrandestateof
Pemberley.
TheestateofthepridefulMr.Darcy,Pemberley,ispresentedtothereadersinavery
differentmanner.InsteadofrushingoverthegeneraldescriptionofPemberley,Austendecides
toengagethereaderwithinsaneamountsofaccurateimagery.Thereaderispresentedwitha
large,handsomestonebuilding,standingwellonrisingground,andbackedbyaridgeofhigh
woodyhills(293).Immediatelythereaderisforcedtoestablishaprettyclearpictureofthe
estateand,muchlikeElizabethinthisscene,engulfinitsextravagancy.Likethenumerous
scenesinvolvingDarcyandElizabethsquarrelling,theestaterevealsitselftoitsreaders,
establishingasenseoftrustandlikening.Becauseoftheestatesmeticulousdescription,readers
areengagedaswelltheestatefailstobecomeboringlikeitssiblingestatebackinDerbyshire.
Thelevelofdetailfurthersuggestsasenseofadmiration,onethatsnotelicitedfromthelackof
detailregardingNetherfield,asthespeakergoesontostatethatEverydispositionoftheground
wasgoodorhow[Elizabeth]lookedonthewholescene...withdelight(294).Theestatethus
showsthattherelationshipbetweenElizabethandDarcyisgreaterinmanyaspectsthanthat
betweenJaneandBingleyattributed.Theestatealsorevealsthecouplesabilitytoparentas,
muchlikeNetherfield,Pemberleyisundoubtedlyanfittingplacetoraisechildren.Muchlike
howPemberleyisthegrandestofestatespresentedinthenovel,ElizabethandDarcys


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relationshipisthehappiestamongstthosepresentedbecauseoftheirintimateandtrustinglove.
ThevariousestatespresentedthroughoutthenovelaresuccessfullyutilizedbyAustentooffer
hercommentaryregardingthedifferenteffectsofrelationshipsfoundedonpassionor
compassion.However,Austenscomedyofmannersalsoheavilyreliesonitsironictoneto
conveyherideas.
Ironyinthenovelisprimarilyusedintwodifferentmanners:toridiculeandtorefine.
Austenassignsheruseofironydifferingemploymentstohelpdrawdistinctionsbetweenalove
basedonpassionandthatbasedoncompassion.Ironyusedtoridiculeisutilizedprimarilyon
relationshipsbasedonamatuerlovers.Mr.andMrs.Bennetareperfectexamplesofthisuseof
ironyastheyreconstantlybombardedwithimpressionsofbeingfoolishtomocktheremnantsof
theironcepassionatelove.Mrs.Bennet,inparticular,isridiculedthroughhercontradictory
statementsregardingMrs.Longsbeingaselfish,hypocriticalwoman,followedbyher
declarationof[having]noopinionofher(5).Thislineofdialoguealoneridiculesherenough
tothepointwhereshesseenasbeinginane.EvenMr.Bennetfindsherignoranceandfolly[to
contribute]tohisamusementthisdirectlycontrastswiththeexpectationsofahusbandtenderly
lovinghiswifeinsteadofmockingher,andthustheironycontinuestoridiculethecouple(286).
Essentially,theironynotonlyridiculesthecouple,butthetypeoflovethatattractedthemboth
tomarriage.Thereaderthusattemptstoturnawayfromcouplesfoundedonimpulsive,
ungroundedlove,andleantowardsamorecontent,maturedlove,revealingtheunsuccessfulness
ofpassionatelove.However,ironyisnotalwaysusedtoridicule.
Ironyisalsousedtoinvokerealizationswithincharactersabouttheirownbehaviors,thus
leadingtotheirbehavioralrefinement.Thisisdominantlyemployedbetweenthetwocharacters,


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DarcyandElizabeththisuseofironyforcesbothofthemtostripawaytheirprideandprejudice
andthenrecollectthemselveswithamorematuremanner,amaturitythatsessentialin
compassionatelove.Forexample,ElizabethwasastoundedbyMr.Collinsstatementthatitis
usualwithyoungladiestorejecttheaddressesofthemanwhomtheysecretlymeantoaccept
(129).However,itseemsthatthestatementdoesapplyafterallwhenshelaterwishedthatDarcy
would[bring]onhertherenewalofhisaddressesregardlessofthefactthatsheheadamantly
andaggressivelyrejectedDarcysfirstproposal(318).Shehadshedherpridefulaspects,
forgettingtheherinitialrejectionandunashamedofchanginghermind,andunderstood
humility,thusrevealinghermaturingbehavior.Itmustbenotedthattheironyutilizedinboth
purposes,ironytoridiculeandironytorefine,arebasedonthescopeinwhichironyis
employed.Mrs.BennetsremarkaboutmaintainingnoopinionaboutsMrs.Longonlyspansfor
oneline,whereastheironyemployedonElizabethspannedthescopeofaconsiderablelengthof
thenovel.ThistransformationisnecessaryforAustentodrawthedistinctlinebetweenthe
pridefulandprejudicialandthematuredandwise.ItsthroughthisutilizationofironyisAusten
abletoassertthespecifictraitsofacompassionate,andtherefore,longlastinglove.
InavarietyofmannersisAustenabletopresenttoherreadersthedistincttraitsthat
constituteasuccessfulcompassionateloveortheinevitablyregrettablepassionatelove.Despite
thecontrastingdistinctionsthatareattributedtobothformsoflove,Austenalsoacknowledges
thatlovecannotbeclearlyclassified,thatinbetweencompassionateandpassionateloveliesa
grayareathatrefusestobedefined,thatiscomprisedofattributesborrowedfrombothformsof
love.
PrideandPrejudice
refusestogivereadersasimplisticrepresentationoflove,andin


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Austenscomedyofmanners,loveispresentedasitis:apowerfulandambiguousentitywiththe
abilitytocondemnwithregretorawardwithjoy.