Prepared Notebook Entry: Pride & Prejudice Entry

Passage:

“My dear Miss Eliza, why are not you dancing?- Mr. Darcy, you must allow me to present this young lady to you as a very desirable partner. You cannot refuse to dance, I am sure, when so much beauty is before you.” And taking her hand, he would have given it to Mr. Darcy, who, though extremely surprised, was not unwilling to receive it, when she instantly drew back, and said with some discomposure to Sir William,
“Indeed, sir, I have not the least intention of dancing. I entreat you not to suppose that I moved this way in order to beg for a partner.”
Mr. Darcy with grave propriety requested to be allowed the honour of her hand; but in vain. Elizabeth was determined; nor did Sir William at all shake her purpose by his attempt at persuasion. (21)

---------

Analysis:


The fact that Mr. Darcy is “extremely surprised” by Elizabeth’s hand to an extent shows his conceited and proud nature as a character. Also, the narration states not that he is willing to accept her hand, but that he is ‘not unwilling’ further suggesting a bit of resentment and hesitation. However, to Mr. Darcy’s surprise, Elizabeth draws her hand back from him and does not offer to dance with him. In this way, Elizabeth establishes herself as a sort of non-conformist to her society’s expectations. She refuses to dance with a wealthy single man that may show some interest in marrying her. In this way, she is very unlike her sister and goes directly against her mother’s wishes. In an attempt to redeem himself, Mr. Darcy tries to convince her to dance with him, but again, Elizabeth refuses. Ironically, it is Elizabeth’s pride that gets in the way of her dancing with Mr. Darcy. Simply, the two are too proud to dance.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

"I'm Not Scared" Notes

Notes: Page Text Response Epigraph That much he knew. He had fallen into darkness. And at the instant he knew, he ceased to know. -Jack London This interesting quotation begins the novel, I’m Not Scared. Ammaniti choses this quotation because it matches the book both literally and figuratively. Literally, there is a boy that “has fallen into darkness” literally as he is in a hole. However, the “fallen” boy can matches the subtle religious undertones of the novel. The fallen boy can represent the fallen people of Michele’s town and Michele, being the “guardian angel” of the boy is thus the guardian angel and savior of the people. 3 Maybe because once he had stuck a skull on his arm, one of those transfers you bought at the tobacconist’s and fixed on with water. This passage is interesting because it shows that the novel was not translated into “American English” but into “British English.” This is apparent through the use of the word “transfer” which, without context clues, to most Amer
Read more

Literary Analysis Sample: "The Disillusionment of Ten O'Clock" Explication

Disillusionment of Ten O'Clock The houses are haunted By white night-gowns. None are green, Or purple with green rings, Or green with yellow rings, Or yellow with blue rings. None of them are strange, With socks of lace And beaded ceintures. People are not going To dream of baboons and periwinkles. Only, here and there, an old sailor, Drunk and asleep in his boots, Catches tigers In red weather. “Disillusionment of Ten O’ Clock” By Wallace Stevens In his poem, “Disillusionment of Ten O’ Clock” poet Wallace Stevens observes and comments upon the empty and meaningless lives that many people lead. Stevens accomplishes this through the use of repetition and comparison, and more importantly metaphysical and artistic imagery. Throughout the first part- a shift occurring between lines 11 and 12 –words with negative connotations are used to build the empty and disillusioned tone that emanates through the poem and to set the context of the poem. The poem begins with Steve
Read more

Irony: “The Gospel According to Mark” Essay

Ironic Christ Figure In his short story “The Gospel According to Mark,” Jorge Luis Borges comments on the effects of preaching foreign beliefs to a group of people. Borges, however, makes his statement on the matter using an ironic situation that helps the reader understand the consequences of preaching what one does not practice more memorably. By using irony, Borges both injects the story with interest for the reader and suggests that there exists some greater power in the universe that punishes those that do preach what they do not believe. Borges begins developing the ironic conclusion of the story in the first paragraphs of the story when he describes the protagonist as a Christ figure and later contrasts the idea. Espinosa, the readers are told, is “thirty-three” with “an almost unlimited kindness and a capacity for public speaking,” (183) making him comparable to Christ at the age of His Crucifixion, who had gained followers with his kindness and charisma. Also, Espinosa, who
Read more