Letters are important in the world of Pride and Prejudice, the 1813 novel by Jane Austen. Letters start everything and letters end everything. Letters seems like important, private conversations.
Letters in Pride and Prejudice do more than just convey words—they unravel secrets and expose someone’s vulnerabilities, and keep the story’s most pivotal moments going. Dive deep into Jane Austen’s beautifully-crafted work here.
Let’s look at a Pride and Prejudice book analysis in the light of these very letters.
My Dear Friend,
If you’re not so compassionate as to dine today with Louisa and me…
That would be one other those letters in the beginning that started everything, gave a push to the feelings of its sender and receiver and invited Jane “Miss Bennet” to be a companion to Caroline “Jealous” Bingley and Louisa.
Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen
Did you know that there are over 40 letters in the novel Pride and Prejudice either direct or paraphrased, that contribute to the overwhelming number of different opinions and point-of-views and aspects of the plot highlighted throughout?
Let’s start from the beginning: Pride and Prejudice, the classic contemporary written by Jane Austen has been a timeless masterpiece, uniting elements of romance and drama to tell the story of its main characters, The Bennets, Bingleys, Mr Darcy and acquaintances.
Jane Austen in Pride and Prejudice frequently uses the epistolary form of fiction—story told through the use of letters—in many different parts, to form an important part of the narrative and plot, and giving frequent breaks from the long, plain text to put in other opinions and incidents.
Letters in Pride and Prejudice
We’re talking about an era where the only means of communication apart from face-to-face dialogue was letter-writing and thus, even in the novel itself we find it to be such an integral part of the daily lives of its characters.
Letters, written by characters, to characters, exchanged between friends and family (and sometimes people with not so cordial relations) have succeeded in presenting dynamic pictures of character development and plot structuring.
Many plot twists and turns in Pride and Prejudice are brought about with the use of letters. Imagine Elizabeth beginning to doubt her perception of Mr Wickham with one single letter.
It comes about as a surprise when Jane writes in her letter to Elizabeth regarding Lydia’s elopement with Mr Wickham. Darcy’s letter to Elizabeth clarifying things to her regarding himself and Wickham proves to be another such example where analyzing the words written becomes an integral part of the process of evaluate the feelings of the sender. This particular letter, probably one of the longest makes way for the proceeding of the story by clearing misunderstandings and ignorance.
Letters in Pride and Prejudice are frequently exchanged as invitations to social functions and events, which is what Jane receives for the ball hosted by Mr Bingley. Wedding invitations are also sent through letters, as well as congratulatory notes.
Families write to each other frequently too, as we see as a constant exchange of composition between Jane and Elizabeth when they are apart, Mr Darcy and his sister Georgiana, as well as the Gardiners and the Bennet family.
A letter introduced Mr Collins before he made an entry into the scene. It was used by Jane Austen to establish Mr Collins as a pompous, self-indulgent man with a strong and arrogant sense of self. Lady Catherine too, is being talked about in letters at some places until she actually enters the action of the novel by meeting Elizabeth.
Whether it be desperately waiting for a letter from Ms Bingley to clarify her doubts and fears regarding Mr Bingley’s match with miss Darcy, letters come as agents of relief, or sometimes the exact opposite, as the Bennet family anxiously awaits a letter from Mr Gardiner as he travels to London to look for Lydia.
In this image we can come to see letters as the answers to the characters’ questions, or fuels to their fears.
Mr Darcy, for instance, has been shown as a socially inept person from the very beginning, but all the misunderstandings regarding him are cleared through that one letter he sends to Elizabeth seeking clarification on her part regarding her perception of him. This comes right after his first proposal to her, (the one she rejected, you know, we all remember that.)
Jane Austen conveys the deepest of emotions through letters in her work. Because sometimes the most genuine of feelings, the truest confessions cannot be spoken out loud, but written down quietly into the gentle silence of pen and paper.
Letters also help readers to get a look into different POVs of the characters; this helps us understand how all constituents of the society might be thinking. We get an insight into what’s happening outside of the primary course of events.
Jane Austen fills in plot points through the use of letters, giving us a clear understanding into what might not be evident through the action going on.
And the letters go on and on. So does the story. If I ever revisited the story and begin reading it from the beginning again, I would see Elizabeth being so prejudiced against Mr Dacry, rightfully so, since Mr Darcy himself would be too proud, obviously since he wouldn’t have fallen in love with her as of yet.
Let’s not forget what he admits to her towards the ending, upon her asking when did he realize his affections for her: “I cannot fix on the hour, or the spot, or the look or the words, which laid the foundation. It is too long ago. I was in the middle before I knew that I had begun.“
This was a story of pride that lead to prejudice, dislike that ultimately just lead to love.
…
I am the happiest creature in the world. Perhaps other people have said so before, but not one with such justice. I am happier even than Jane, she only smiles, I laugh. Mr Darcy sends you all the love in the world, that he can spare from me.
Conclusion
And this is how it ends.
Elizabeth, once so fierce-willed and sometimes even a cynic in her prejudices ends up finding her perfect match. She, like a lone soldier in the world of middle class fears and discrimination, now finds true love and is happy at last, and the fact that this exact message is also conveyed through a letter shows the significance of them.
Imagine if Mrs Gardiner hadn’t sent that letter to Elizabeth telling her who had helped find Lydia in the end after all hope had been almost lost? Imagine if Caroline Binkley hadn’t invited Jane to that ball?
We would’ve missed out on one beautiful tale of love, morality and social class.
Share this post with literary enthusiasts and Jane Austen fan clubs! Check out similar literary analysis here:
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See you next time!
