Part Five: A Book and Movie Comparison

Source: Wikipedia

Hello readers, welcome to my final blog post. While this may not be the grandest finale ever, I thought it would be fun (and perhaps entertaining) to compare the novel Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen with the movie version (of the same name) that is directed by Joe Wright. I hope you will enjoy, and I definitely will miss discussing and reflecting on the book :'(

Also: my apologies to Ms. LaClair, who specifically recommended that I shouldn't watch this version of the movie in my previous blog post. But here I am. Writing a blog post about it. While it may not be the best adaptation, I thought it would make for a good comparison. Please do not let my grade suffer. :)


❦ Part Five: A Book and Movie Comparison❦

What the Movie Did Right-

Firstly, even though this doesn't involve the actual content comparison, I would like to acknowledge Keira Knightly's performance. A quick Google search shows me that she was nominated for Best Actress, and I do believe that it was well deserved. While I know little about acting, it seems challenging to act in period pieces, especially when the dialogue is different from what would be spoken in the modern day. I think that on her part, she portrayed Elizabeth well by capturing both her independence and free-thinking mind.

Additionally, I thought that the balance between side characters and main characters was very well done. In the story, there are many different characters that are important to remember, and if done carelessly, had the potential to create a confusing mess. However (while I may be biased because I have read the book),  I found that the plot in the movie was primarily easy to follow because there seemed to be a very thought-out and careful balance between subplot and the main plot. It's very hard for movie adaptations to include most of the subplots without the story's main story from becoming too slow and boring (I could definitely rant about the 2019 adaptation for Little Women), and Pride and Prejudice overcame that challenge.

This film was made for a mainstream audience so the dialogue was simplified in order for it to be easier to understand, however I did occasionally notice a few lines taken directly from the book when there was an important scene, which I do appreciate. While I could easily argue that the movie is not accurate because the speech is simplified, I really can not criticize this movie for it's abilities to attract a mainstream audience. I am glad that they made the movie easy to understand and allow for a broader audience to appreciate the stories and work of Jane Austen. The way that the director did this was very thorough and successful without straying too much away from the novel.

One specific scene that I really thought portrayed the motif and concept of marriage very well was the scene in which Elizabeth and Charlotte discuss Mr. Collins. The movie really emphasizes Charlotte's desperation to find a husband not because she is looking for love, but because she believes that her time is running out due to her age and because she is desperate for the security in some financial reassurance. This scene criticized the time period very well, for it shows Charlotte's need for dependency, since there were not many reasonable options for women back then. Even while the scene itself is not entirely accurate to what happens in the book, I do believe that it adds to the movie a hidden deeper meaning.

What I Would Have Liked to See (more or less of):

Listen, I get it-- romance movies are more successful when there is actual romance in it, but did they really have to beef it up that much?  Was it necessary to have them fight in the rain, or have them walk towards each other dramatically as the sun rises in the background? Where were the walks? About 20% of the book consists of characters going on walks through the gardens, but not once did anyone do that in the movie.

So much potential!!!!

In my opinion, what the director messed up the most was Darcy and Elizabeth's relationship itself. From the opening scene to the last, there was an attraction between each other in their lingering gazes, which took away from the original dynamic between the two. Their feelings and opinions towards each other felt pretty monotone and fell flat in their characterizations as opinionated and complex main characters capable then other feelings besides undying love.  Elizabeth's hatred for Darcy before she read his explanation letter did not seem as extreme as the book, nor did his sudden proposal to her seem at all shocking or surprising as it should have been-- also, the scene took place outside instead of inside for some random reason I can't deem important enough.

In the movie, Darcy's proposal was a real missed opportunity to show Jane Austen's personality and humor. Reading this scene in the novel, my reaction was of surprise to the point that I almost found it humorous. Because this is a mainstream movie, I was shocked that they didn't convey it that way, and in my opinion, it was because the "hidden attraction" between the two was overdone to the point where negative comments towards each other through banter did not seem as genuine, and actually seemed out of place. If I were to re-direct the movie, I would make it so that Darcy's emotions are less readable, and Elizabeth doesn't feel herself attracted to him until the plot is developed deeper.

I was also surprised that the director did not decide to play more on the concepts of "pride" and "prejudice" except for a few lines. The general public opinion in the society was not used to convey the characterization of Darcy, which I was saddened to not see. The only person who really saw Darcy as having too much pride was Elizabeth, and even that was short-lived.

 In the novel, the subtle opinions of others create the dynamic of characters having a lot more depth, especially through Mrs. Bennet. One of the primary reasons why the requested marriage to Mr. Darcy seem so outrageous is because Mrs. Bennet is so disgusted by Mr. Darcy's unreasonable and pride, which is saying a lot because she was excited for the marriage between Lydia and Mr. Wickham after they had casually returned from running away.

Besides some minor parts of the movie I disagree with, I genuinely do not despise the movie. If anything, it definitely helped me picture the ages of the characters, what the balls were like, and how the different classes dressed. Would I recommend watching it? Yes. But did it have so much missed potential? Also yes.

Thank you for reading my blog post, and thanks for sticking around. Hopefully later in life I will have more opportunities to do assignments similar to this, for it was very satisfying to give my insight and opinions.

Farewell,
-Lily

Citations:

     Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. The Modern Library, 2000.

    Wright, Joe, director. Pride & Prejudice. Studio Canal, 2005.

Part Four: Meaning of the Work as a Whole

Source: Random Musings

Hello and welcome back to another blog post! I can now officially say that I have completed reading Pride and Prejudice, and that it was definitely nice and satisfying to see a happy ending. Today in my blog post, I will be discussing the meaning of the work as a whole, how this meaning is developed, and briefly looking at thematic ideas and relevancy. I hope you enjoy reading!

❦ Part Four: Meaning of the Work as a Whole ❦

In this final section, we are able to see closure for almost all of the main and side characters: Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth are now happily married, Mr. Wickham and Mrs. Wickham (Lydia) are debt free -but slyly asking Elizabeth for money-, Mrs. Bennet is satisfied that most of her children are married, and Mr. Bingley and Jane live only thirty miles away from Elizabeth.

Besides the mean Lady Catherine who despises the marriage of Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth, everyone essentially receives a happy conclusion for themselves, which is a satisfying contrast from the other novels that we have read in the class. It was nice not having to read a completely open ended ending (Handmaid's Tale), or an ending in which two main characters plummet off a cliff (Song of Solomon),  or even one where the main character hangs himself (Brave New World).

All great novels, regardless.

It is a nice change to read a book of literary merit and not feel somewhat mortified at the end, but still understand and reflect on the deeper meaning. Actually, because there is an expected ending, it somewhat fortifies the larger meaning of the novel.

In my previous blog posts, I believed that the intentions made by Jane Austen were to criticize  marriage as not being an act of love, but as being a mutual agreement for personal benefit. However after reaching the end of the novel and reflecting on Austen's work, I realize that in some ways I am missing a portion to this idea: personal benefits aren't always a bad and shallow reason for marriage.

Even though Mr. Bingley and Jane do not truly love each other, they are happier and better off because they are together. You could even look into Mr. and Mrs. Bennet's relationship-- they may have differentiating opinions, but they have a successful marriage because of how much they love their children. Both examples show happy and mostly healthy relationships, but their marriages are very different. Actually, every couple in the novel has a different reason for marriage.

While you could argue that Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy's marriage is the most successful because they truly love each other, I can't deny the fact that the other couples in the story still receive and deserve a happy ending too. In some ways, best self-interest is shown in a positive light instead of a frequent negative light.

This is most likely one of the main reasons why this novel is still so successful in our modern society; marriage is still considered an important part of our culture and lifestyle. Until the concept of marriage becomes extinct (like in Brave New World), readers will still relate to and deeply connect with the meaning that Pride and Prejudice conveys.

You could especially compare and contrast the works of Brave New World and Pride and Prejudice in the sense that they have similar meanings, but different ways of conveying it. Pride and Prejudice shows the pursuit of happiness through specifically marriage, while Brave New World shows this  pursuit differently through the need for a balance in both happiness and knowledge.

 However, in contrast, Brave New World shows this in extremes: John from the reservation is miserable but knowledgeable, while the population of the modern society is carefree but oblivious. Pride and Prejudice shows this happy medium between the two extremes that Brave New World shows. The ending of Pride and Prejudice shows all of the characters finding happiness, but not creating for themselves the "perfect life". The Wickhams are not wealthy, Lady Catherine still hates Elizabeth, and not all of the Bennet daughters are married off just yet. While the two novels are starkly different in plot, time period, and context, they both interestingly show similar opinions on the fact that a balanced amount of happiness is best.

This concludes my analysis on the meaning of the work as a whole and the ending to the novel. I have a tradition with myself that every time I finish a book, I try and find/compare the movie version. My mom has been dying to watch it with me, so after my last blog post, you know where I'll be.

Hope you enjoyed reading :)
-Lily

Citations:

Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. The Modern Library, 2000.