1. Pride and Prejudice Volume III Reading Check
Place phones in testing pockets, get out 1 sheet of notebook paper, and a blue or black pen.

2. Irony in Pride and Prejudice

3. Irony – Part One: Ironic Dialogue
Pride and Prejudice much of the humor depends on the reader’s ability to pick up on the ironic implications of the dialogue.
Mr. Collins
Mary Bennet
Mr. Bennet
What comparisons and contrasts might we draw from these 3 speakers of verbal irony?
Nearly everything Mr. Collins says is ironic in that he thinks his words are a reflection of his intelligence and good manners when they are actually a reflection of his ignorance and bad taste.
He known for being particularly verbose in his use of the apology during speech. He apologizes for things that require no apology just for the sake of seeming decorous, but it comes off as pretentious.
He also makes a point to write very effusive letters, including his greatest condolences of their misfortunes with Lydia, and makes a point to say that he narrowly escaped this connection by Elizabeth’s refusal of his proposal. This is far from polite and it seems he is rubbing this in their face rather than actually commiserating with the family.
We see a similar irony of speech in Mary Bennet, who, like Collins, thinks she has a deep moral intelligence; in fact, she is poorly educated and pretentious. At times Mary strings together so many clichés that it is hardly possible for a sensitive reader to take her seriously.
Unlike Mr. Collins and Mary, Mr. Bennet does not expose his own folly when he speaks, but rather he reveals the folly of others. Mr. Bennet frequently means the opposite of what he says when speaking to others. However this dispassion for the world around him causes his many problems later with Lydia and her unruliness. This could also be attributed to his indulgence in his wife’s silliness.
Some particularly funny instances are his interactions with Mr. Collins, how he regards his sons-in-law, and his last letter to Mr. Collins

4. Irony – Part Two: Ironic Perspective and POV
In P & P the comic perspective is consistently developed through irony. The central irony in the plot is located in the two key discoveries of Elizabeth.
What are these two discoveries?
What plot twists instigate these discoveries?
What are the roles of letters and locations in these discoveries?
In P & P the comic perspective is consistently developed through irony. The central irony in the plot is located in the two key discoveries of Elizabeth, the first coming at mid-point in the novel when Darcy, who she thinks despises her, proposes marriage.
The second discovery comes at the end of the novel when Elizabeth realizes that Darcy, the man she thought she despised, has become, on her better understanding, the man she loves.
The plot twists that instigate these discoveries are, on the part of Elizabeth, but NOT the reader, Darcy’s proposal. However, Elizabeth’s decision to visit Charlotte allowed Darcy to interact with her more, thus allowing an opportunity for him to grow fond and propose. If she had stayed home, none of this could have occurred.
Darcy’s letter to Elizabeth was crucial. It was this letter that challenged her beliefs of Wickham and Darcy himself, and after contemplating it for much time, she realizes the validity of what Darcy has written. With this realization, she must grapple with her own ignorant prejudice towards Darcy and must feel the shame of her awful behavior towards him (which will continue to cause her mortification even upon their engagement).

5. Irony – Part Two: Ironic Perspective and POV
The point of view in P&P is omniscient in that the narrator seems to know everything about each character’s thoughts, feelings, and moral worth – “Mr. Collins was not a sensible man.”; “Mrs. Bennet was a woman of mean understanding” – but even omniscient narrators are limited in what they choose to reveal and conceal.
From whose perspective is the book largely written?
How does this perspective affect the plot twists of the novel?
With Darcy?
With Wickham?
One way the narrator develops this irony is through dialogue. Since Elizabeth is the central character in P&P, we assume the story will be told from her point of view, but the narrator may choose at times to let the reader know more than Elizabeth knows. We learn in the first part of the novel that Darcy begins to admire Elizabeth. If we did not know Darcy’s real feelings, we would fail to see the humor and irony in Elizabeth’s behavior toward him. Since Elizabeth does not know Darcy’s real feelings, and since Darcy, because of his pride, tries to conceal his feelings, much of their dialogue is ironic. All of which we would not see if the perspective did not occasionally shift and if the POV was not omniscient. Thus, we cringe at the situational irony of Elizabeth thinking that her distaste for Darcy was mutual, and then low-and-behold! He proposes. This is also dramatic irony for us, which also would not be possible without the shifts in perspective. That is why the POV that Austen developed is so important– free indirect discourse– it allows for tons of ironic and comical situations!
Furthermore, what does this perspective reveal about the reader himself??? WE are also very prejudice in our judgements of Darcy. Like all of the other characters, we are only given the perspective of Lizzy, and, thus, we are moved to dislike Darcy, feel offense at his affront at the Meryton ball, and inclined to like Wickham and hope for a romantic relationship between him and Lizzy. In this aspect of the story, however, the omniscient point of view limits the reader’s knowledge, providing no more information than the heroine. We do not know that Wickham is a liar and fortune hunter, but, like Elizabeth, we are taken in by his good looks and pleasant manners. We are thus prepared for a surprising reversal. We are easily misguided by Elizabeth’s perspective up until the point that Darcy delivers his letter to Lizzy which details the cause for the riff between him and Wickham. This is later further supported by the gossip about Miss King and Wickham, which leads the reader to agree with Elizabeth that there was truth in Darcy’s letter and it is not just further victimization of Wickham. We are allowed time to process this reversal just as Elizabeth is– that way we still LIKE our heroine– otherwise she would just seem dense. We follow her process in realizing her own folly, and thus our own folly in believing these outward manners.
Ironically, this leads the most hated (due to his pride and prejudice) character initially to be the most victimized by our righteous heroine, and, indeed, by US the righteous readers!!

6. Irony – Part Three: The Comic Point of View
In P&P, the point of view is comic not only because it dwells on the folly of some characters and the wit of others, but because it reveals in society a rational and moral order that makes it possible for sensible characters to live happy and responsible lives, even if they get married (even because one of the purposes of the novel is to satirize courtship and marriage).
Let’s look at the marriages:
Charlotte and Mr. Collins
Lydia and Wickham
Elizabeth and Darcy
Jane and Bingley
So, can we base their moral success or failure on their marriages?
Unlike the fates that we see in Greek Drama or the inherent folly that we see in Shakespeare, the comic point of view encourages us to see that unhappiness is mostly not caused by fate or some inherent human perversity but by errors that sensible people can avoid.
You all debated whether it was more important to view the marriages and relationships from the perspective of history and economy or today and love. We see the essential problem that Jane Austen sees in her own time period. 1. times are a-changing and 2. it is ridiculous to have to combine the ideas of love and social stratification. Perhaps to end the debate, we can talk about the success of each marriage from this comic point of view– it is the closest we can get to what moral we are to draw from the novel.
How are each of the marriages perceived by the narration?
Charlotte and Mr. Collins: If Charlotte Lucas makes a merely prudent marriage, having neither feeling nor respect for her husband, then she is likely to be, even deserves to be, unhappy.
Lydia and Wickham: If Lydia Bennet sacrifices prudence, even morality, for the sake of a passionate attachment, then she too is likely to make and deserve an unhappy marriage.
Elizabeth and Darcy: On the other hand, the comic point of view suggests that Darcy and Elizabeth, having overcome their pride and prejudice and having struck a balance between prudence and passion, are likely to have a fortunate marriage, a “happy ending.”
Jane and Bingley: WAIT– theirs is largely based on passion, though it is also prudent for Jane’s family. So determining a moral success or failure also depends on their ability to change– our dynamic characters are more likely to be moral successes.
The comic view of this novel shows us that society may be foolish, materialistic, and hypocritical, and yet offers some people a fair chance at “rational happiness,” providing they correct their faults, improve their dispositions, and moderate their desires.

8. Irony – Part Four: Themes based on Irony
Other ironic aspects also shape our understanding of the novel. Essential we need to draw some conclusions about life from the tale of Pride and Prejudice. These are some of the ironic aspects that provide thematic ideals.
Ironic connection of “pride” and “prejudice”
How does one lead to the other, how do the thematic concepts play out in the novel? Are the concepts ever at odds rather than in tandem? Are their definitions “prejudice”?
Satirical portraits of villains
Think of the actual outcomes of Mr. Wickham’s treachery and Lady Catherine De Bourgh’s snobbery.
Satirical portraits of the heroes.
How is each an ironic character? If our heroes are depicted this way, what conclusion can we draw about life? How does this affect the reader’s selfhood?

9. Stand and Deliver
Mr. Collins often expresses his views about marriage in the novel. Ask students to write and deliver a sermon on marriage, playing the role of Mr. Collins delivering the sermon to his congregation. Have students decide, before writing the sermon, on the context in which the sermon is to be delivered (for example, after his own marriage, during Lydia's disappearance, or around the time of Elizabeth's marriage to Darcy).

10. Say what?
Students will work in groups to select a scene from the novel and paraphrase the scene in contemporary English.