The present book is a critical appreciation of Pride and Prejudice—the most celebrated and unforgettable novel of Jane Austen, who is acknowledged as the innovator of novels of manners. Although not recognized in her times, her popularity has increased with the passing of years and today her novels, like Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, and Emma, to name but a few, are not only widely read but have also been included in the syllabi of various universities across the world. Jane Austen’s work is known for its calmness, delicacy, exquisite touch, subtle irony and miniature grace. Pride and Prejudice is mainly concerned with the problems arising out of pride and prejudice in family life, courtship, marriage, meetings, the relationships that make up any community. The novel realistically paints a timeless portrait of society full of grandeur and hypocrisy. It has a perfectly balanced plot-construction and the enduring delight of this tale of romantic intrigue is rooted in Austen’s colourful, life-like characters. Jane Austen here succeeded in wedding realism to a lively dialogue and evolved a witty narrative style to express in the most vital manner the story of a young girl and her love. Even the element of humour finds full scope for its play in this novel. Thus, in pure technical excellence, the novel of Jane Austen is unsurpassed. It touches both our intellect and our emotions.
In the present critical study of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, attempts have been made to provide an in-depth study of all the key specialities of the novel—treatment of theme, plot-structure, narrative technique, realism, characterization, irony and humour. Beginning with the life and works of Jane Austen, the present book highlights the significance of the title of the novel and provides synopsis and chapter-wise summary, detailed character-sketches of both major and minor characters, a select bibliography and a brief glossary of difficult terms so as to induce interest in readers by enabling them to have an easy understanding of the novel. In addition to these, the book also acquaints the readers with the moralistic outlook and the narrow world of Jane Austen.
It is hoped that a perusal of this critical study will induce the general readers to read the novels of Jane Austen. It will particularly prove an easy-to-read resource for the students as well as teachers of English literature.
Dr Jibesh Bhattacharyya, a double M.A. (Modern and Old English) of Calcutta University, was conferred the degree of Master of Literature by Jadavpur University, Calcutta in 1975 for his thesis on John Ford. He carried on further research on John Ford and received the degree of Doctor of Philosophy from the same university in 1978. He was the Reader and Head, Department of English, Anandamohan College, Calcutta University, and served this institution for four decades. He was also a guest lecturer, Rabindra Bharati University, Calcutta, for about two decades. He has participated in several conferences and seminars on English literature all over India during the last three decades. His Papers have been published in many journals of repute like Indian Journal of English Studies, The Calcutta Review, Criticism and Research (B.H.U.), Punjab University Research Bulletin, Journals of the Department of English of Calcutta, Burdwan and Rabindra Bharati Universities, The Literary Half-Yearly (Mysore) and many others. His books The Dramatic Art of John Ford was published in 1984 and Select Studies in Literature, a collection of essays from Shakespeare to T.S. Eliot, most of which appeared previously in various distinguished journals, in 1994. His book on John Ford was favourably noticed in Notes and Queries (Oxford) in March 1987.
