文學與人生 Dream sees the invisible, feels the intangible and achieves the impossible.

The rise of the English novel in the eighteenth century was marked by a claim of realism. It culminated in the works of Jane Austen. Discuss any one of them as a realistic novel.

        During Austen's time (1775~1817), Romanticism reached its zenith of acceptance and influence, but she rejected the tenets of that movement. The romantics extolled the power of feeling, whereas Austen upheld the supremacy of the rational faculty. Romanticism advocated the abandonment of restraint; Austen was a staunch exponent of the neo-classical belief in order and discipline. Austen supported traditional values and the established norms, and viewed the human condition in the comic spirit. In the spirit of general "realism", Austen is opted for depiction of everyday activities and experiences, instead of a romanticized or similarly stylized presentation.

       The point of view in Pride and Prejudice is told through Elizabeth, but not in first person. As a result, the mood of the novel lacks dramatic emotions. The main actions of the novel are the interactions between opinions, ideas, and attitudes, which weaves and advances the plot of the novel. The emotions in the novel are to be perceived beneath the surface of the story and are not to be expressed to the readers directly.

        In the novel the main subject is stated in the first sentence of the novel: "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife." In this statement, Austen has declared that the main subject of the novel will be courtship and marriage.

        Money plays a central role to the plot of Pride and Prejudice. Because of the entail, the Bennet women will have a bleak financial future after Mr. Bennet dies. When readers recognize this, Mrs. Bennet's pursuit of husbands for her daughters takes on a sense of urgency.

        The novel also reveals Austen’s opinions and thoughts on the subject of marriage.
The marriage between Darcy and Elizabeth reveals the characteristics that constitute a successful marriage. One of these characteristics is that the feeling cannot be brought on by appearances, and must gradually develop between the two people as they get to know one another. In the beginning, Elizabeth and Darcy were distant from each other because of their prejudice. The series of events which they both experienced gave them the opportunity to understand one another and the time to reconcile their feelings for each other. Thus, their mutual understanding is the foundation of their relationship and will lead them to a peaceful and lasting marriage. This relationship between Elizabeth and Darcy reveals the importance of getting to know one’s partner before marrying.

        However, the marriage between Mr. Collins and Charlotte is based on economics rather than on love or appearance. It was a common practice during Austen’s time for women to marry a husband to save herself from spinsterhood or to gain financial security. In Pride and Prejudice, Austen dramatizes gender inequality and shows that women who submit themselves to this type of marriage will have to suffer in tormenting silence as Charlotte does.

        Since its immediate success in 1813, Pride and Prejudice has remained one of the most popular novels in the English language. The things that happen in Pride and Prejudice happen to nearly all readers — embarrassment at the foolishness of relatives, the unsteady feelings of falling in love, and the self-realization from a big mistake. The psychological realism of the novel is revealed in the quick recognition we have of how the key characters feel.