Pride_and_Prejudice

Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice written in the early 19th century is a classic novel that can be well dissected and understand by considering the values and attitudes in which people performed in that context. Fay Weldon’s Letters to Alice on First Reading Jane Austen, written in the late 20th century has enhanced this understanding through the intensive facts in which she has provided in her text about Jane Austen’s context. Both being a successful female writer, audiences are able to see the similarities in which both authors has made about the world of women. This similarity is established through the numerous values in which both texts have used to allow audiences to compare the lives of women in the two completely different contexts. These values include: marriage, self-actualisation. In her text, Weldon has used the idea of marriage to compare and contrast of how is it different in the context of Pride and Prejudice and the context of Letters to Alice. In Pride and Prejudice, the idea of marriage is convey through the decision in which characters made about marriage and their motive behind these decisions. In a highly patriarchal society, marriage is considered to be a need, and that happiness only occurs in special occasions, just as Charlotte Lucas says, “Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance”, the use of emotive languages allow readers to understand that women’s existence in the patriarchal society is to get marry. On the other hand, the main protagonist, Elizabeth Bennet fails to acknowledge this, as she remains strong and independent. In the text, Elizabeth marries due to love. This is evident in her rejection to Mr Collins and Mr Darcy, in which in that society is considered to be two very eligible men. “…you were the last man in the world whom I could ever be prevailed on to marry”, the use of high modality words showed how Elizabeth is determined that she will only marry for love and nothing else. By looking at Charlotte and Elizabeth, audiences are able to understand how the characters treat marriage differently. Furthermore, in Letters to Alice, Weldon presented the idea of marriage in a way that is different to that of Austen. In Letters to Alice, the idea of marriage was not as strong as Pride and Prejudice; this is accounted for the different context in which both texts are written in. In the late 20th century, marriage was not highly regarded in society, which is very different to that of early 19th century. This is evident in Aunt Fay’s description about the storyline of Alice’s newly written novel which is just a copy of what Alice is experiencing at the current stage “It is all, obviously, autobiographical”. The use of short sentence allowed Aunt Fay to get straight to the point and pointed out how marriage is not highly regarded in such society because Alice is having an affair with her professor who is married. Through the comparison made between both texts, audiences can see how the idea of marriage has revolved in different context and its power to control one’s life. In Letters to Alice, Weldon has used many techniques to mimic Austen’s style of writing in Pride and Prejudice, especially the use of self-actualisation as a theme of the text. In Pride and Prejudice, the value of self-actualisation is presented through the characters realising their full potential as they undergo conflict and growth. The main protagonist, Elizabeth is only aware of her true character when she realises about her flaws of judging others. Austen introduces Elizabeth to the audiences as one who has the “quickness of observation”, an ability to discern sincerity. Elizabeth’s path to self-actualisation occurs through various events, and the most notable one is through the letter from Mr Darcy. This letter challenges Elizabeth’s sense of self as she finally realised she is wrong. “she has been blind, partial, prejudiced, absurd”, Austen has used a range of descriptive language to describe Elizabeth’s feeling of realising her wrong doings. Austen’s purpose of humiliating Elizabeth is to convey the importance of self-actualising one’s full potential and that is to learn to know ourselves. As said before, Weldon has mimic Austen’s use of the value of self-actualisation, and while Austen invites audiences to parallel one’s lives to that of the characters, Weldon does this in a more demanding way. Through the use of the extended metaphor of The City of Invention, Weldon tries to get Alice to read literature, as she believes this allows her “to understand ourselves, and our pasts, and our futures”. Other than the use of the extended metaphor, Weldon also requested Alice to read her novel in which Weldon has purposely put in some odd elements, “you can tell me why it is unfinishable”, the use of a requesting tone is to allow Alice to self-improve an self-actualise her full potential in becoming a successful writer and which at the end, she does. Alice has also self-actualise as she has learnt to know herself as she turned from “black and green hair” to “your own hair back again”, this symbolises Alice has finally self-actualise herself and is more mature. Other than Alice, Aunt Fay has also self-actualise towards her advice to Alice on reading and writing as Alice is now successful without taking her advice. Through Alice, audiences are able to understand the importance of self-actualisation in order to become successful. In Pride and Prejudice, certain values are understood by considering the context. However, Letters to Alice explore these values in depth as Fay Weldon has provided evidence to support her view. In both novels, similarities can be made about the world of women which is established through similar values which includes: marriage and self-actualisation.