Pride and Prejudice

Throughout history, artists, especially writers and musicians, have sought to portray those things in society that they deemed intolerable. Sometimes it was an issue of social conscience, or a political issue that was being kept from the general public. Whatever the catalyst, Jane Austen’s reason for writing the novel, Pride and Prejudice, may well have been to rail against the injustices that women were having to endure during her time. Her vehicle of choice was biting satire and carefully constructed comedy.
“For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbors, and laugh at them in our turn?”(Austen, Ch. 57).
This statement by Mr. Bennet seems to be shared by Jane Austen in many respects. Her use of comedy belies at times the serious issue which she addresses, which is that of the oppression of women. This line subtlety reemphasizes one of her major themes, which is that of prejudice. Everyone is too busy making fun of the ‘other guy’ that they fail to see ...