Pride and Prejudice Essay Example for Free

overcharge and Prejudice EssayJane Austens refreshed Pride and Prejudice (1813) is believed to originate from the manuscript c wholeed First Impressions that have been written between 1796 and 1797. The initial title indicates that sheaths demeanor and evaluations are influenced by their first impressions. The sanction title stresses the importance of such psychological traits and mechanisms as self-respect and prejudice. In a fall of the novel personages change a lot so outlying(prenominal) as they understand that perfunctory attitudes and assessments are false when organism devoid of knowledge of the setting and intelligence of an exclusives character. The present paper tackles upon analysis of Austens book as cosmos researched by dint of a lens of psychology. Contemporary science introduced the mixer stomps concept which signifi gittly influences massess interaction indoors a given genial aggroup. Among many an some opposite(prenominal) big contri justions , the novel of interest teaches us to near carefully decisions as related to our interpersonal acting and judgment of group sections jibe to first impressions. The effects, dangers and consequences of previous(p) evaluations as based on affectionate stereotypes will be analysed with specific examples from the book.The novel under check up on is believed to be an example of psychological writing or novel of human relationships. As Sherry has declare, the writer is invariably aware of the presence of other individuals with whom it is either a duty or a pleasure to conflate (611). The very title of the book consists of twain psychological concepts. The unitary of superciliousness denotes a trait of character associated with high self-esteem. Another cardinal of prejudice refers to a situation when a person rents decisions regardless of the context and relevant features of a case or individual.In regard to the issue of Austens psychologism, critic ruddiness has cited Ian W att, an important theorist of literature from Stanford University. The latter has claimed Austen to be the commenting narrator in the sense that her analyses of characters and their states of mind, and her ironical collocation of motive and situation do not seem to come from an intrusive author but quite from some august and impersonal life story of sociable and psychological understanding (39). In his turn, another literary critic, Ryan, has defined Austens psychologism as an experiment in schematic psychology (33).The latter definition with its fierceness on the writers schematism in delineating peoples behavioral patterns and analyzing their internal and external drives seems to be really accurate, given the recent developments in psychological science. Just think of the plain statistics in Austens text, there are 48 references to the phenomenon of pride, which is accessible through direct observation, but there are alone 8 cases of mentioning the phenomenon of prejudice, w hich requires a deeper understanding of psychological mechanisms and sociable contexts.It seems that the writer lacks instruments and concepts to analyze human behavior at a deeper level but this is not Austens fault. Being unaware of any of the recent theories of social sciences, she nevertheless hits the very essence of the process that would later be called social stereotyping. Let us base this hypothesis on the example of the pride concept. First time it is explained in Chapter 5 by bloody shame Bennet, the most earnest of the Bennets, who is interested in social theory.Upon the puffiness at which the local society has got introduce with Fitzwilliam Darcy, the rich and handsome gentleman from London, women start discussing the newcomer and label him as being eat up with pride (Austen 25). On occasion, Mary has demonstrated her education, saying Pride is a very common failing human nature is particularly prone to it, and there are very few of us who do not cherish a feeling of self-complacency on the score of some quality or other, real or imaginary. Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously.A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our ruling of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us. (ibid. ) The validity of Marys (i. e. , Austens) scuttlebutt has been acknowledged many decades subsequently by contemporary psychologists including Hunyady and Ryan. Whereas Mary Bennet operates the phrase opinion of ourselves, when referring to characteristics ascribed to the self by an individual, Ryan uses the landmark self-ratings (191), and Hunyady employs the term self-image (189). Both Mary (i. e. Austen) and modern scientists are aware of the complexness of perceptions as featured by the upshot and instalments of the group. To proceed with comparison, whereas in the novel there is make a distinction between pride as a self-rating and vanity as the rating imposed by the com munity, Ryan speaks about the concept of social stereotype. The psychologist has acknowledged that it consists of the two basic elements the perceived stereotypicality of a group (i. e. , the perceived extremity of the cardinal magnetic dip) and the perceived dispersion, or diversity, of group members (191).This point is not Ryans unique invention. On the same issue, another social scientist, Hunyady, has show the duality of social processes as occurring twain within the specific group and outside it. Observing the complexity of relationships in dynamic social contexts, Hunyady has emphasized the following The categories of persons and the related stereotypes do not stand on their own but rather are components of some kind of a system. Stereotypes are the mosaic pieces of a picture formed of the whole society.One not only gets to know his individual companions or groups of his companions but to a fault tries to get a comprehensive view of the entire human world and of society , in which he and his fellows have a place and a more or less stable environment. (189) In other words, psychologists argue that in a process of exhibiting the new object to the social group, the behavior of group members in regard to this object is predicted by realistic group conflict theory and social cognition theories of social categorization. Every subject unit of the group obeys to a certain set of normative regulations.An individual does not function on his/her own but clearly fits into this or that community. Subsequently and inevitably, a person evaluates oneself according to the degree of membership, or the extent to which his/her ratings of the self, the group and social processes conform to the summated ratings of other people belonging to that group. As Ryan has indicated, there is a central tendency, or the core perception of the phenomenon that is agreed upon by all group members as being guided by a set of shared norms, and there are also deviations from the mainstr eam.The latter are allowed by those group subjects who are less inclined to stereotype the phenomena of life ascribable to their intellect and character. Taking this conceptual framework into consideration, we should admit that the stages of the social stereotyping process are brilliantly revealed by Austen in Pride and Prejudice, albeit the narrator employs a simple, non-scientific language. There is a specific group in the countryside nineteenth century England whose members share the common regulations concerning people and events. The highest value is attributed to the upper class membership, wealth, and appearance.There is the aura of a small, enclosed community of talking, visiting, and company (Sherry 611) that confines every person to the specific role and place. In this social atmosphere, first impressions, which are based on the abovementioned features of appearance and sweet styles (i. e. , those which do not pull up stakes from the central tendency), become the long-l asting tags for an individual. It is extremely difficult to overcome the sustainability of these immediately formed stereotypes. Since the very minute of arc of his entry to the ball room, Fitzwilliam Darcy drew the groups assist.He is a new person to the community, and at first sight he seems to be in accord with the shared set of norms so outlying(prenominal) as the man is high, good-looking and enjoys a substantial income of ten thousand a year. However, conforming to the stereotype of a good man in the sense of outlook and social position, Darcy becomes a breacher of discipline in terms of his relationships with other group members. Darcy is claimed to be proud to be above his company, and above being cheerful and not all his large estate in Derbyshire could then save him from having a most forbidding, annoying countenance (Austen 14).The reason for such a shift in attitudes is the mans denial of the spirit of companionship that is somewhat more important to the community t han the characteristics of its individual subjects, however handsome and wealthy they are. The pool cue to understanding the first impression of Darcy is provided in the scene where new-fangled women are discussing him after the ball. Charlotte Lucas, the best booster unit of the second Bennets daughters Elizabeth, who is the main female personage of the story, justifies Darcy by the fact that his high self-rating is understandable so far as he possesses every feature admired within the groupHis pride does not blow out of the water me so much as pride often does, because there is an excuse for it. One cannot wonder that so very fine a boylike man, with family, good deal, everything in his favour, should think highly of himself. If I may so express it, he has a right to be proud. (Austen 25) In other words, this is not the mans high self-esteem that hurts the senses of the locals. His drawback tackles upon not the pardonable attitude of pride but the regrettable vanity, or the indubitable negligence of the shared persuasion that the given social group is the best environment for any honor individual.Regarding the eagerness to enter the local community and borrow its toolkit of stereotypes, Darcy represents a sharp contrast to an amiable young officer, Mr. Wickham. The latter is as handsome as the former but is more eagerly accepted by the group so far as he gladly steps into social intercourses with every member of the circle. As the personage himself has confessed, I have been a disappointed man, and my spirits will not post solitude. I must have employment and society (Austen 98).This weakness and lack of the so to say privileged rod is initially perceived as a virtue by group members. Austens dictation is made evident in the scenes documenting the usual intercourse between group members so that the reader can get impression of the relationships permeating the group atmosphere and learn the principles which back up the social stereotypes of that ti me. To make a clue to her heroes characters, the writer provides short explanations of the peoples psychological background.People and events are evaluated by many people who exchange remarks on the issue of interest, although Austen takes a particular interest in the phenomena as perceived through the eyes of Elizabeth Bennet. This is a beautiful and brainy young lady of 20 days old who displays a lively, playful disposition, which delighted in anything ridiculous (Austen 16). She deserves the readers appreciation, demonstrating more facility of observation and less pliancy of temper than her sister, and a judgement too unassailed by any attention to herself (Austen 20).Due to her intellect and sociable yet a bit absent-minded character, Elizabeth exhibits the perfect ability to deviate from the central tendency in her assessments and evaluations of life matters. The second of Bennets daughters is obviously the only group member who could have appreciated Darcys ability to let the world slide, if not for the case of personal injustice. She cannot blank out the pain that has been caused to her own self-esteem. The thing is that Elizabeth has heard the handsome newcomer admitting that she is not enough beautiful to terpsichore with.The remark is enough for the young lady to start detesting the offender to her pride. As Elizabeth herself has stated, I could easy yield his pride, if he had not mortified mine (Austen 25). The first impression of Darcys rudeness at the ball is driven by the clash of self-esteems, and negative perceptions color the young ladys further conceptualization of the hero up to the very moment when he reveals his love toward her in Chapter 34. The futility of first impressions is demonstrated through the description of Elizabeths relationships with Darcy and Wickham as well as her understanding of Bingleys character.As it has been stated earlier, all three men fit the shared groups concept of an appropriate gentleman in terms of the ir looks and wealth, albeit Wickham is not as rich as the other two men and pretends to be a man who is unjustly insulted. He pretends to be modest and good-hearted when he says, I have no right to give my opinion or I am not qualified to form one (Austen 96) in regard to Darcys background, and immediately afterwards he does his best to ruin Fitzwilliams reputation. whole Wickhams envy of Darcy is demonstrated in the following characterization The world is blinded by his fortune and consequence, or frightened by his high and imposing readiness, and sees him only as he chooses to be seen (Austen 97). The remark provides the reader with a hint concerning Darcys manner of functioning within the upper class social circle. Among this threesome with Bingley being superficial and Wickham being villainous, Darcy is the only person to be criticized for the lack of that agreeable manner that Wickham demonstrates speaking even about insignificant matters.The intelligent and kind-hearted Lizzy cannot but feel that the commonest, dullest, most threadbare composition might be rendered interesting by the skill of the speaker (Austen 94) when she socialized with Wickham, whereas Darcys brisk and nonvoluntary manner of speaking makes the young lady feel uncomfortable. This is true that being compared to his friend Bingley or his rivalry Wickham, Darcy is not the object to readily fall in love and admiration with. He dances only with the two selected ladies and neglects the rest.This manner is regarded an offense to the aura of amiability, and he abstains from the social chit-chat. Besides this gentleman directly expresses his opinions of other people instead of camouflaging them under the veil of behind-the-back gossip. This personage makes it too clear that the local society is a array of people in whom there was little debaucher and no fashion, for none of whom he had felt the smallest interest, and from none received either attention or pleasure (Austen 22).He reveals indignation, boredom, or sarcasm in the situations when other men pretend to be pleased and amused. Judging from first impressions, Charles Bingley is more favored by the locals since he treats them as the nicest people he has ever met. In his turn, Wickhams reputation is based on the assertion that Darcy has devoid him of wealth, which puts the two men in the positions of a victim and an offender.This is only throughout a course of the plot development that the narrator makes clear that Bingleys sociality is explained by superficiality, and Wickham is a cheater who has attempted to wee Darcys younger sister. Utilizing the theories of social categorization, one may say that Wickham has been admitted to the local group more easily than Darcy because the former has readily belittled his self-rating in public conversations and demonstrated the greater extent of willingness to share the pre-established social regulations of the given group.Being compared to the sweet Mr. Bingleys beh avior, Darcys behavioral pattern is rooted in the wider cognitive scope and finer spiritual development. The latter is strong enough to disregard the central tendency as it exists in the given group. Being cleverer than his friend Mr. Bingley, who has managed to become the crowd puller, Darcy falls into the sin that is not pride per se but rather vanity. The local society would gladly accept him as the most important person if he had been willing to put himself on one leg so to say with other group members.It is only in Chapter 10 when the narrator lets readers learn more about Darcys understanding of pride and related concepts. In public opinion, his high self-esteem is a manifestation of haughtiness, whereas Wickhams apparently low self-rating is a sign of appropriateness as shown through humility. In his turn, Darcy detests the appearance of humility that is authentically the carelessness of opinion, and sometimes an indirect boast (Austen 60).Contemporary psychologists would c all Darcys conceptualizations of pride, humility, and boast as being driven by functional utility of human behavior. According to this hero, this is inappropriate to put down ones self-esteem just for the sake of being praised by other group members. Throughout the novel this personage outrides the vivid example of a person who shares certain believes common to the central tendency of stereotypicality but reveals energy to display also diversity in his ratings of the self and other people.The complexity and desirableness of social stereotypes is shown through Darcys and Elizabeths attitudes to each other. Whereas Lizzys stereotypes in regard to the man remain sort of frozen for a while under the mans satirical eye (Austen 30), Darcy is being engaged into the fast proceeding process, in a course of which he changes the initial perception of the young lady. The narrator specifies Darcys turn toward re-evaluating Lizzy Bennet as followsBut no sooner had he made it clear to himself an d his friends that she hardly had a good feature in her face, than he began to find it was rendered uncommonly intelligent by the beautiful expression of her dark eyes. To this discovery succeeded some others equally mortifying. Though he had sight with a critical eye more than one failure of perfect symmetry in her form, he was forced to acknowledge her figure to be light and pleasing and in spite of his asserting that her manners were not those of the fashionable world, he was caught by their easy playfulness.Austen 29) In other words, Darcys first rejection of the second daughter of Bennets has been caused by the incongruity between Elizabeths outlook and his own classical perception of beauty as a reckless symmetry of forms and elements. It is clear that the gentleman has initially been blinded by both his personal and group set of stereotypes that required women to conform to certain standards. Elizabeth does not seem to be classically beautiful, and her gaiety during the firs t meeting has poked the man away as a manifestation of social inappropriateness.