Comical Nature of PnP

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06-15-2009, 02:00 AM
flicka

Comical Nature of PnP

Hi
I'm writing an English Extended Essay as part of the IB curriculum.. its basically just a 4000 word essay that has a pretty significant part on your final grade.
I'm looking at writing about Comedy in Jane Austen's novels... particularly, Pride and Prejudice (for now anyway). Any suggestions?
I've found the 'using it to mock her society' thing, but is there anything more to it?
I'm really worried because I feel like it's kind of evanescent.. and I'm finding it boring as well. More so, does anyone have any other suggestions for topics/research questions? I'm desperate!!!!!!
06-15-2009, 07:05 AM
Gladys

Quote:

Originally Posted by flicka

I've found the 'using it to mock her society' thing, but is there anything more to it?!

While Austen mocks society, she also seems to be playfully mocking her reader. I feel that the seriousness with which she deals with Elizabeth and Darcy for instance, hides a more sceptical view of human nature and its foibles. As though she is daring the reader to accept her very proper and respectable comedy at face value. Her irony is deeper than first appearances would suggest.
07-05-2009, 07:09 AM
warm

Quote:

Originally Posted by flicka

Hi
I'm writing an English Extended Essay as part of the IB curriculum.. its basically just a 4000 word essay that has a pretty significant part on your final grade.
I'm looking at writing about Comedy in Jane Austen's novels... particularly, Pride and Prejudice (for now anyway). Any suggestions?
I've found the 'using it to mock her society' thing, but is there anything more to it?
I'm really worried because I feel like it's kind of evanescent.. and I'm finding it boring as well. More so, does anyone have any other suggestions for topics/research questions? I'm desperate!!!!!!

I don't think you need to worry about it being evanescent.
It is indeed quite obvious how she mocks certain aspects of her society through the creation of caricature characters who so exaggerate these values and then poking fun at them.
07-05-2009, 10:00 AM
JBI

The use of unstable irony as a way of critiquing - I know W. C. Booth wrote a nice chunk about her in The Rhetoric of Irony, which is a pretty good Aristotelian text for approaching ironic literature, and essentially all the really good jokes in Austen seem hidden within carefully planted ironic, often savage statements - everything is, because it is expected people realize the absurdity of the situations and characters without Austen saying as much.