Pride And Prejudice Novel Essay, Research Paper

In writing, one can express feelings they can never convey aloud. Letters allow

one to reveal their thoughts more personally and intimately than they can in

person. Staring at a blank page of paper is definitely less intimidating than

looking into someone?s eyes. Communication is such an important vitality, and

letter-writing the lacks loss of words, stuttering, awkward silences, and

uneasiness that conversations can sometimes carry. In the novel Pride and

Prejudice, letter-writing is almost as much a form of communication as

face-to-face conversation. In fact, letters provide some of the most intense and

important climaxes in the story, not to mention some of the most intense

secrets. This method that Austen uses effectively conveys the situation without

any interruption or delay. The most obvious example of a letter revealing

intimate feelings is Darcy?s letter to Elizabeth. After Lizzy accuses Darcy of

being greedy and lying, he leaves immediately without justifying his actions. In

the letter he writes her after their meeting, he explains, ?You may possibly

wonder why all this was not told you last night. But I was not then the master

enough of myself to know what could or ought to be revealed.? (pg. 137-138)

Even though Darcy?s character is very stubborn and intolerant, he was

threatened by her forceful nature, he felt as if he couldn?t confide in her.

Perhaps he is intimidated more by his feelings towards her because he has never

been so infatuated with a woman before. Nonetheless, his letter makes Elizabeth

realize the prejudice that lies in herself, as well as her love for Darcy. Jane

Bennet, Elizabeth?s older sister, expresses her feelings the most through her

letters to her sister. The ongoing relationship with she and Bingley often

brought grief to her, which she would write about to Elizabeth. After Bingley

failed to visit Jane in London, she wrote to Lizzy, ??if he (Bingley) had at

all cared about me, we must have met long, long ago? I cannot understand it.

If I were not afraid of judging harshly I should be almost tempted to say, that

there is a strong appearance of duplicity in all this.? (pg. 102) Through this

letter, and many others Jane wrote to her sister, she reveals her feelings of

betrayal, depression, and weakness. The only character who brings comic relief

through his letters is Mr. Collins. Even in his writing his pompous, egotistic

attitude is visible. The letters he wrote to the Bennet?s provided a way for

Mr. Collins to not only gloat about his relationship with Lady Catherine de

Bourgh, but also to condescendingly rehash the Bennet family troubles without

receiving a reaction. In his first letter to Mr. Bennet, he writes, ??I have

been so fortunate as to be distinguished by the patronage of the Right

Honourable Lady Catherine de Bourgh?whose bounty and beneficence has preferred

me to the valuable rectory of this parish, where it shall be by earnest endeavor

to demean myself with grateful respect towards her Ladyship?? (pg. 42) After

the news is said of Lydia?s running away with Wickham, Mr. Collins writes Mr.

Bennet another letter, stating, ?the death of your daughter would have been a

blessing in comparison of this.? (pg. 198) And, in yet another letter, he

writes, ?I am truly rejoiced that my cousin Lydia?s sad business has been so

well hushed up, and am only concerned that their living together before the

marriage took place, should be so generally known. I must not,

however,?refrain from declaring my amazement, at hearing that you received the

young couple into your house as soon as they were married.? (pg. 244) It is

obvious that Mr. Collins uses his letters as a way to ridicule the Bennet family

for their imperfections and place his station in the hierarchy of society well

above theirs. Letters are not only used throughout the novel to convey feeling,

but to also provide important developments. The first we hear of Lydia Bennet

running away with Mr. Wickham is through a letter from Jane explaining to

Elizabeth, ?An express came at twelve last night?from Colonel Forster, to

inform us that she (Lydia) was gone off to Scotland with one of his officers; to

own the truth, with Wickham!? (pg. 182) This occurrence is a great surprise

because not only is Lydia less than sixteen years old, but Wickham was, at one

time, pursuing Elizabeth. The news is one of the most scandalous events in the

novel, and by presenting it through a letter, Austen can more blatantly present

it without any distraction or interruption. Throughout the novel Pride and

Prejudice, letters are effectively used for a variety of purposes. Not only do

they reveal secrets and lies, but they also give a more in-depth insight to

certain characters. Every time a letter is written, the reader can expect to be

intrigued by what they learn from it. This clever form of narration that Austen

uses brings out the readers curiosity and makes the story more interesting

overall.

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