Pride and Prejudice, Lady Catherine and Tone, Essay Example

The novel Pride and Prejudice is novel by the author Jane Austen, which depicts manners as perceived by different individuals within society. She highlights the differences that are brought about by social class, and how it affects their manners, especially the middle and upper class of society. Jane Austen was born into the family of a clergyman, spending most of her life in the middle and upper class of society. It her own experiences that influence her depiction characters in her novel through the use of tone, also depicting lady Catherine as a negative figure.

Lady Catherine as a Negative Figure

From the excerpt, Jane Austen depicts Lady Catherine is depicted as a negative figure as she is satirized as the epitome of grade dame. She is depicted as a completely imperious and domineering woman who is used to having her way. This is evident in the excerpt below;

“Miss Bennett,” replied her ladyship, in an angry tone, “you ought to know, that I am not to be trifled with. But however insincere you may choose to be, you shall not find me so. My character has ever been celebrated for its sincerity and frankness, and in a cause of such moment as this, I shall certainly not depart from it.”

From the excerpt, her choice of words “… I am not to be trifled with” reveals the way she is used to having things her way. Her domineering side is revealed as her words implicate certain consequences that are associated with her not getting her way. This is also depicted in the way that she places stress on the object pronouns you and me to highlight the difference in class and position between the two women. This is also depicted in that manner in which she refers to Elizabeth as “a young woman of inferior birth, of no importance in the world, and wholly unallied to the family”. She holds the notion that individuals should associate within their social class, a factor that, in her opinion, should not allow the proposed union between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy.

She is also depicted as a pompous woman with her reference to the nature of her character. She highlights the fact that her true nature has never been a pleasing one. She admits to the fact that she possesses the qualities of blunt sincerity and frankness, and is not in any way apologetic about it. She speaks her mind, regardless of the effect that her words on others’ emotions.

The scene depicted in the excerpt epitomizes her controlling and pompous nature. She has travelled a long way from the comfort of her estate to let her strong sentiments known to Elizabeth. She comes all the way to tell her that her supposed proposed marriage to Mr. Darcy is a ludicrous affair. Her intention in her coming is to cause the proposed marriage between Mr. Darcy and Miss Elizabeth Bennett to stop or fail. She intends to intimidate Elizabeth to the point of questioning the need for marriage with Mr. Darcy. Furthermore, her controlling nature is also defined by her expectance of instant obedience from everyone around her. She appears surprised with the bold manner with which Elizabeth defies her will and wishes in their conversation.

“Miss Bennett, do you know who I am? I have not been accustomed to such language as this”.

This also depicts the fact that she takes pride in flaunting her wealth and class to individuals of class that she perceives to be lower than hers. She is able to feed her need for superiority by constantly alluding to the fact that she is of a different social class. This reveals how she believes in her won exceptionalism, that sets her apart from the rest, giving her the right to issue judgment about the affairs of other individuals, especially those closely related to her.

She embodies aristocratic pride in her speech. Her choice of words clearly establishes her pride. She is depicted as a woman who holds her public image and relations in high esteem, as long as those relations serve to uphold her public image. She seeks to impose her will on everyone, especially those that she has close relations with. She attempts to force the proposed marriage between Mr. Darcy and her own daughter. She speaks of the arranged marriage between Mr. Darcy and her daughter from the time of their infancy.

“While in their cradles, we planned the union: and now, at the moment when the wishes of both sisters would be accomplished in their marriage…”

She is also depicted as a selfish individual who wants to gain maximum control over her environment, including all the people in her life. She profoundly speaks of honor, decorum and prudence to Elizabeth, only because her argument serves her own selfish interests, hers and her sister’s. In her endeavor to lay asunder the relationship between Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth and push the marriage to her own daughter, she fails to take into consideration the feelings, needs and wants of Mr. Darcy. She quickly criminalizes Elizabeth to have used her art and allurements to sway the Mr. Darcy’s resolve in honoring his betrothal to Lady Catherine’s daughter. Should Mr. Darcy marry Lady Catherine’s daughter, it would fulfill hers and her sister’s fantasy of having their children marry.

The Use of Tone as a Formal Characterization

Jane Austen has effectively employed tone to develop the characters of both Lady Catherine and Elizabeth. As discussed before, Lady Catherine’s pompous and grandiose nature is depicted in the way that she stresses object pronouns, you, me,her and he in her conversations. This intonation reveals the fact that she is overly obsessed about social class and is the foundation for almost all her arguments. The author also highlights her angry tone at the beginning of the excerpt, indicating her general opinions regarding Elizabeth’s proposed union to Mr. Darcy.

The author has effectively employed tone to bring out the defiant nature of Elizabeth. Elizabeth’s defiance towards the wishes of Lady Catherine to have Mr. Darcy marry Lady Catherine’s daughter are revealed in the tone and her choice of words as depicted below;

“Yes, and I had heard it before. But what is that to me? If there is no other objection to my marrying your nephew, I shall certainly not be kept from it by knowing that his mother and aunt wished him to marry”

This also reveals the nature of her love towards Mr. Darcy. She is depicted as an individual who is loyal to a fault, willing to defy the wishes and desires of society to realize their own happiness.

There is considerable evidence of a satirical tone throughout the excerpt. Elizabeth Bennett reveals her ability to gain humor from a position of misfortune, holding on to optimism regardless of the odds that are against her. She responds to Lady Catherine’s visit in an unintimidated and defiant manner, having little respect for social structure.

In conclusion, the author has effectively employed tone throughout the excerpt to develop the characters of Lady Catherine and Elizabeth. The satirical aspect of their conversations reveals their defiant nature and their unwillingness to cede ground to an individual they believe to be unworthy. She also depicts Lady Catherine as a negative figure, the epitome of Grande dame, a woman who is largely imposing and controlling.