Bhiksu
University of Sri Lanka
Anuradhapura
External
Degree Program
English
Literature
E/ENGL
3024
Part-1
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Lecture
-1 Pride and Prejudice
Pride and Prejudice, romantic novel by Jane Austen, published anonymously in
three volumes in 1813. A classic of English literature, written
with incisive wit and superb character delineation, it centres on the turbulent
relationship between Elizabeth Bennet, the daughter of a country gentleman,
and Fitzwilliam Darcy, a rich
aristocratic landowner. Pride and Prejudice is set in rural England
in the early 19th century, and it follows the Bennet family, which includes five very
different sisters. Mrs. Bennet is anxious to see all her daughters married,
especially as the modest family estate is to be inherited by William Collins
when Mr. Bennet dies. At a ball, the wealthy and newly arrived Charles Bingley
takes an immediate interest in the eldest Bennet daughter, the beautiful and
shy Jane. The encounter between his friend Darcy and Elizabeth is less cordial.
Although Austen shows them intrigued by each other, she reverses the
convention of first impressions: pride of rank and fortune and prejudice against the
social inferiority of Elizabeth’s family hold Darcy aloof, while Elizabeth is
equally fired both by the pride of self-respect and by prejudice against
Darcy’s snobbery.
The pompous Collins subsequently arrives, hoping
to marry one of the Bennet sisters. Elizabeth, however, refuses his offer
of marriage, and he instead
becomes engaged to her friend Charlotte Lucas. During this time, Elizabeth
encounters the charming George Wickham, a military officer. There is a mutual
attraction between the two, and he informs her that Darcy has denied him his
inheritance.
After Bingley abruptly departs for
London, Elizabeth’s dislike of Darcy increases as she becomes convinced that he
is discouraging Bingley’s relationship with Jane. Darcy, however, has grown
increasingly fond of Elizabeth, admiring her intelligence and vitality. While
visiting the now-married Charlotte, Elizabeth sees Darcy, who professes his
love for her and proposes. A surprised Elizabeth refuses his offer, and, when
Darcy demands an explanation, she accuses him of breaking up Jane and Bingley.
Darcy subsequently writes Elizabeth a letter in which he explains that he
separated the couple largely because he did not believe Jane returned Bingley’s
affection. He also discloses that Wickham, after squandering his inheritance,
tried to marry Darcy’s then 15-year-old sister in an attempt to gain possession
of her fortune. With these revelations, Elizabeth begins to see Darcy in a new
light.
Shortly thereafter the youngest Bennet
sister, Lydia, elopes with Wickham. The news is met with great alarm by
Elizabeth, since the scandalous affair—which is unlikely to end in
marriage—could ruin the reputation of the other Bennet sisters. When she tells
Darcy, he persuades Wickham to marry Lydia, offering him money. Despite Darcy’s
attempt to keep his intervention a secret, Elizabeth learns of his actions. At
the encouragement of Darcy, Bingley subsequently returns, and he and Jane
become engaged. Finally, Darcy proposes again to Elizabeth, who this time
accepts. The work, which Austen initially titled First Impressions,
is the second of four novels that Austen published during her lifetime.
Although Pride and Prejudice has been criticized for its
lack of historical context, the existence of
its characters in a social bubble that is rarely penetrated by events beyond it
is an accurate portrayal of the enclosed social world in which Austen lived.
She depicted that world, in all its own narrow pride and prejudice, with
unswerving accuracy and satire. At the same time, she placed at its centre, as
both its prime actor and most perceptive critic, a character so well-conceived
and rendered that the reader cannot but be gripped by her story and wish for
its happy dénouement. In the end, Austen’s novel has
remained popular largely because of Elizabeth—who was reportedly Austen’s own
favourite among all her heroines—and because of the enduring appeal to men and
women alike of a well-told and potentially happily ending love story.
The arrival of the wealthy Mr. Bingley to
the estate of Netherfield Park causes a commotion in the nearby village of
Longbourn. In the Bennet household, Mrs. Bennet is
desperate to marry Bingley to one of her five daughters—Jane, Elizabeth, Mary, Kitty, or Lydia. When
Bingley meets Jane at a ball, he seems immediately smitten with her. Yet
Bingley's snobby friend Darcy is
rude to Elizabeth. Through the next few social gatherings, Jane and Bingley
grow closer, while Darcy, despite himself, finds himself becoming attracted to
Elizabeth's beauty and intelligence.
When Jane is caught in the rain while
traveling to visit Bingley, she falls ill and must stay at Netherfield.
Elizabeth comes to Netherfield to care for Jane, and though Bingley's sisters
are rude and condescending to her (Caroline Bingley wants
Darcy for herself), Darcy's attraction to her deepens. Elizabeth, however,
continues to consider him a snob. Meanwhile, Mr. Collins, a
pompous clergyman and Mr. Bennet's cousin and heir, visits the Bennets in
search of a marriageable daughter. At about the same time, the Bennet sisters
also meet Wickham, an
army officer Elizabeth finds charming, and who claims Darcy wronged him in the
past. Elizabeth's prejudice against Darcy hardens. Soon after, at a ball at
Netherfield, Mrs. Bennet, much to Darcy's annoyance, comments that a wedding
between Jane and Bingley is likely to soon take place. Collins, in the
meantime, proposes to Elizabeth, who declines, angering her mother, but
pleasing her father. Collins then proposes to Elizabeth's friend Charlotte Lucas,
who accepts out of a desire for security rather than a need for love.
Bingley suddenly departs for London on
business, and Caroline informs Jane by letter that not only will they not be
returning, but moreover her brother is planning to wed Georgiana,
Darcy's sister. Jane is crushed. Elizabeth is sure Darcy and Caroline are
deliberately separating Bingley and Jane. The sisters' aunt and uncle, Mr. Gardiner and Mrs. Gardiner,
invite Jane to London hoping that she will get over her disappointment, but
after she arrives Caroline snubs her and she regrets letting herself fall in
love with Bingley. Elizabeth visits Charlotte and Mr. Collins, where she
encounters Collins' patron and Darcy's relative, the wealthy and formidable Lady Catherine.
Darcy arrives and surprises Elizabeth by joining her for long intimate walks.
She grows angry, however, when she learns that Darcy advised Bingley against
marrying Jane. Oblivious, Darcy announces his love for her and proposes
marriage. Elizabeth refuses his proposal, accusing him of ruining Jane's
marriage and mistreating Wickham. In a letter Darcy explains that he intervened
because he felt Jane did not truly love Bingley. Wickham, he writes, is a liar
and a scoundrel. Elizabeth begins to feel she has misjudged Darcy and may have
been rash in turning him down. Returning home, Elizabeth finds
that Lydia has
become smitten with Wickham. She urges her father to intervene, but he chooses
to do nothing. Elizabeth soon accompanies the Gardiners on a trip. During the
trip, Elizabeth visits Pemberley, Darcy's magnificent estate. She fantasizes
about being his wife there and is further impressed when he unexpectedly shows
up and introduces her to his charming sister, Georgiana. Bingley also arrives
and reveals that he is still in love with Jane.
Elizabeth's trip is cut short by a
letter from Jane announcing that Lydia has eloped with Wickham. Fearing a
scandal that will ruin all the daughters' futures, the Bennets search for Lydia
in London. When Mr. Gardiner tracks them down, Wickham demands his debts be
paid off in return for marrying Lydia. The Bennets assume that Gardiner gives
in to the demand, since Lydia and Wickham soon return, playing the happy
newlyweds. (Mrs. Bennet is happy that at least one of her daughters is
married.) Elizabeth soon discovers that Darcy, not Gardiner, paid off Wickham's
debts, out of love for her. Bingley and Darcy return to Netherfield and Bingley
finally proposes to an overjoyed Jane. While Darcy goes to London on business,
Lady Catherine visits Elizabeth, warning her not to marry Darcy. Elizabeth
refuses to promise. On his return, Darcy asks Elizabeth again to marry him.
This time she accepts, telling him her prejudice against him had made her
blind. Darcy acknowledges that his pride made him act rudely. Both couples are
married and the Bennet family rejoices in their daughters' happiness.
1. "It is a truth universally
acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want
of a wife."
2. These words are
spoken by Mrs. Bennet to Mr. Bennet on the news that a gentleman
of fortune has just moved to Netherfield Park, a nearby estate. The Bennets
begin this story with a peculiar problem: they have five unmarried daughters
and no sons. Their estate is entailed, or restricted in inheritance, to Mr.
Collins, a family cousin. Upon Mr. Bennet's death, Mr. Collins will inherit the
family lands, which will leave the Bennet daughters without a home or money. It
becomes vital; therefore, that at least one of the daughters marries well in
order to support and house their sisters (and mother if she is still alive)
should they not be able to marry.
3. Shortly after
arriving alone, Bingley brings to Netherfield his two
sisters, Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst; his brother-in-law, Mr. Hurst; and his
friend, Mr. Darcy, who also happens to be wealthy and unmarried. Not wanting to
miss a favorable introduction to their new neighbors, Mrs. Bennet pleads with
Mr. Bennet to call on Bingley so that she can begin introducing her daughters
to him. Initially Mr. Bennet refuses to play any part in matching any one of
his daughters with Bingley. He tells his wife that if she is so intent on
meeting the newcomers at Netherfield, she must visit Bingley herself.
4. However, prudent
manners forbade a woman to call on a strange man, making
Mrs. Bennet powerless to begin the process which she hopes will lead to a
marriage between one of her daughters and Bingley. Following the pronouncement
that Mr. Bennet refuses to call on Bingley, Mrs. Bennet despairs that her
daughters will never be able to meet with the eligible bachelor. Yet Mr. Bennet
does call on Bingley, beginning the family's acquaintance with him. He takes
ironic pleasure in surprising Mrs. Bennet with the news after letting her
believe that he would not call on him.
5. The Bennet girls
meet the Netherfield party for the first time at a small
ball. Bingley proves to be personable and polite to the local folk, making him
instantly well-liked. Darcy, while handsome and noble looking, appears proud
and indifferent to participating in the activities of the evening or even
socializing with the other guests.
6. The eldest
daughter, Jane, is instantly drawn to Bingley, and he seems
equally attracted to her. Jane is portrayed as gentle, unselfish, and very
mannerly. Elizabeth is also well mannered, but possesses a very sharp wit and
refuses to be intimidated by anyone. Inclined to be protective of Jane and her
family, she nonetheless recognizes the faults of her parents and other sisters.
At the assembly, because of a shortage of men who dance, Elizabeth is left
sitting. She overhears Bingley encouraging Darcy to dance, suggesting that he
asks Elizabeth. Darcy curtly replies that "she is tolerable; but not
handsome enough to tempt me; and I am in no humor at present to give
consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men." Elizabeth,
though insulted, refuses to give Darcy's comment any weight, instead telling
the story to all her friends and ridiculing his pretentious behavior.
7. Jane and
Bingley's relationship continues to deepen during family
visits, balls, and dinners. His sisters pretend to like Jane, but are appalled
by her mother's vulgarities, her younger sisters' wild, loose
manners, and their lower economic position among the landed gentry. They find
great amusement in making fun of the Bennets behind Jane's back. Miss Bingley
is rich, attractive, elegant, snobbish, and conniving.
She is determined to marry Darcy, flattering him constantly -- though in vain
-- and disparaging Lizzy at every opportunity. She treats
Jane like a dear friend while secretly undermining her relationship with Bingley, who
she hopes will marry Darcy's little sister.
8. A particular
point of hilarity stems from the way Kitty and Lydia
chase after the young military officers stationed locally....» Darcy gives
Elizabeth the letter in which he comes clean about having put the kibosh
on Bingley's relationship with Jane due to her poor family connections because
he did not believe Bingley had serious feelings for Jane. He also reveals
that Wickham attempted to elope with Darcy's sister, Georgina which is why
Darcy does not think that Wickham is an honorable man. Lizzy is aggravated
with him about the Jane-Bingley situation, but does start to question Wickham.
9. In the next few
chapters, Lizzy has time to think about the letter Darcy
gave her and their feelings for each other begin to mature and deepen. •
Elizabeth agrees to tour Pemberly only because Darcy is thought to not be in
residence. She learns from the housekeeper that Darcy was as a boy,
"the sweetest, most generous-hearted boy in the world.” She also
says that as an adult, he never had a cross word for the staff. Elizabeth
is surprised by these revelations and also day dreams about being mistress of
such a fine estate.
10. Darcy
unexpectedly shows up at his estate and invites Elizabeth
to meet his sister, Georgina. Her traveling companions remark on his good
looks and good manners. Elizabeth meets Georgina and both get along very
well. Bingley's sisters continue to be Regency Era Mean Girls and try to
provoke Darcy after Lizzy leaves to say she's trashy
and that she's not
pretty, but he replies that he now thinks Lizzy is, "one of the handsomest
women of my acquaintance.”
Prejudice
Summary
Pride and Prejudice is
set primarily in the county of Hertfordshire, about 50 miles outside
of London. The story centers on the the Bennet family, particularly Elizabeth. The novel
opens at Longbourn, the Bennet family's estate. Mr. and Mrs. Bennet have
five children: Jane,
Elizabeth, Mary, Kitty, and Lydia. The family
engages in a conversation about Mr. Bingley, "a
single man of large fortune" who will be renting the nearby estate of
Netherfield Park. Mrs. Bennet sees Mr. Bingley as a potential suitor for one of her daughters.
The
Bennets first meet Mr. Bingley and his companions at the Meryton Ball. The
townspeople conclude that Mr. Bingley is perfectly amiable and agreeable.
Meanwhile, Mr. Bingley takes an immediate liking to Jane Bennet. Mr. Bingley's
friend Mr. Darcy, however,
snubs Elizabeth. The community decides that Darcy is proud and disagreeable
because of his reserve and his refusal to dance. Jane finds Bingley's sisters -
Caroline and Mrs. Hurst - to
be amiable, but Elizabeth sees them as arrogant.
After
further interactions, it becomes evident that Jane and Bingley are interested
in one another. However, while Bingley makes his partiality quite obvious, Jane
is universally cheerful and somewhat shy. Charlotte Lucas,
Elizabeth's best friend, has a very pragmatic view of marriage. She recommends that
Jane make her regard for Bingley more obvious. At the same time, Mr. Darcy
begins to admire Elizabeth, captivated by her fine eyes and lively wit.
She, however, remains contemptuous towards him.
When
Jane is invited for dinner at Netherfield, Mrs. Bennet refuses to provide her
with a carriage, hoping that the impending rainstorm will force her to spend the
night there. After getting caught in the rain, Jane actually falls ill and has
to remain at Netherfield for many days. Upon hearing that Jane is ill,
Elizabeth walks to Bingley's estate through the muddy fields. Caroline Bingley and
Mrs. Hurst are scandalized by Elizabeth's rumpled appearance, but join Bingley in
welcoming her nonetheless.
Elizabeth continues to impress Darcy
during her time nursing Jane at Netherfield. However, she remains blind to his
affections and continues to see him as a proud and haughty man. Caroline, who
hopes to attract Mr. Darcy herself, grows extremely jealous of Elizabeth and
mocks her lowly status.
Mrs. Bennet and her younger daughters
come to Netherfield to check on Jane, and Elizabeth is mortified
by their foolish behavior and complete lack of manners. Bingley's admiration
for Jane continues unabated, though, and his affection is evident
in his genuine solicitude for her recovery. After Jane
recovers, she returns home with Elizabeth.
Meanwhile,
a militia regiment is stationed at the nearby town of Meryton,
where Mrs. Bennet's sister Mrs. Phillips lives.
Mrs. Phillips is just as foolish as Mrs. Bennet. Lydia and Kitty love to stay
with their aunt in Meryton so they can socialize (and flirt) with the military
officers.
Mr. Collins, Mr. Bennet's distant
cousin, writes a letter stating his intention to visit. Collins is in line to
inherit Longbourn because the estate has been entailed away from any female children. Mr.
Collins is a clergyman, and his patroness, Lady Catherine de
Bourgh (who is also Darcy's aunt), has suggested that he find a wife.
Therefore, Collins hopes to make amends for the entailment by marrying one of
Mr. Bennet's daughters. Mr. Collins proves himself to be a silly man, speaking
in long, pompous speeches with an air of solemn formality. The Miss Bennets and
Mr. Collins go for a walk to Meryton. On the way, they meet an officer in the
regiment named Mr. Wickham. They
also run into Mr. Darcy. When Darcy and Wickham see each another, both men become visibly
uncomfortable.
Wickham shows an immediate partiality
for Elizabeth, and they speak at length over the following days. In one of
these conversations, Wickham explains his past with Darcy. Darcy's father had
promised that Wickham, his godson, would inherit a good living after the
elder man's death. However, Darcy failed to fulfill his father's dying wishes
and left Wickham to support himself. Elizabeth, already predisposed to think badly of Darcy, does not question Wickham's account. When
Elizabeth tells Wickham's story to Jane, however, Jane refuses think badly of
either Wickham or Darcy, insisting that there must be some misunderstanding.
Bingley hosts a ball at Netherfield.
He and Jane spend the whole evening together and their mutual attachment
becomes increasingly obvious. However, Mrs. Bennet speaks loudly about their
imminent engagement, and Elizabeth notes that Darcy overhears her. Later that
evening, Darcy asks Elizabeth to dance and she reluctantly accepts. She does
not enjoy it and cannot understand why he asked her. Mr. Collins pays
particularly close attention to Elizabeth at the ball, and even reserves the
first two dances with her.
The next day, Mr. Collins proposes to
Elizabeth. She refuses, but it takes him a while to accept her rejection; he
assumes she is simply playing coy (as he believes females do). Mrs.
Bennet is extremely angry at Elizabeth for refusing Collins, but Mr. Bennet is
glad. Mr. Collins quickly shifts his attentions to Charlotte Lucas. He proposes
to Charlotte, and she accepts. Elizabeth is disappointed in her friend for agreeing
to marry such a silly man simply for the sake of financial security.
Bingley travels to London for business
but plans to return to Netherfield. His sisters and Darcy soon follow him. Soon
thereafter, Caroline writes to Jane to say that Bingley has changed his plans
and will not return to Netherfield for at least six months. Caroline also
informs Jane that she hopes Bingley will marry Darcy's younger sister in order
to unite the two families' fortunes. Jane is heartbroken. Elizabeth thinks that
Darcy and Bingley's sisters have somehow managed to dissuade
Bingley from proposing to Jane.
Mr.
and Mrs. Gardiner,
Elizabeth's aunt and uncle, come to Longbourn to visit. Noting Jane's sadness,
they invite her to stay with them in London for a while. Elizabeth hopes that
Jane will run into Bingley while in London. Mrs. Gardiner warns Elizabeth
against marrying Wickham because of his poor financial situation. While Jane is
in London, Caroline Bingley is extremely rude to her. Jane assumes that Mr.
Bingley knows she is in London, and since he does not call, she decides he no
longer cares for her. In Meryton, Wickham suddenly transfers his attentions
from Elizabeth to Miss King, a woman
who has recently acquired 10,000 pounds from an inheritance.
Elizabeth
travels to visit Charlotte (now Mrs. Collins) at her new home in Kent, along
with Sir William Lucas and Maria Lucas. On
their way, the travelers stop to visit Jane and the Gardiners. Mrs. Gardiner
criticizes Wickham's change of affections, but Elizabeth defends him. During
her stay in Hunsford, Elizabeth and the others are often invited to dine at
Rosings, Lady Catherine's large estate. Lady Catherine is completely arrogant
and domineering. After Elizabeth has been at the parsonage for two
weeks, Mr. Darcy and his cousin Colonel Fitzwilliam visit
Rosings. Elizabeth and Colonel Fitzwilliam get along very well. Darcy also pays
a lot of attention to Elizabeth and often visits the parsonage. He also
purposely meets her during her daily walks through the nearby gardens. One day,
Colonel Fitzwilliam mentions to Elizabeth that Darcy recently saved a close
friend from an imprudent marriage. Elizabeth realizes that Fitzwilliam is
referring to Bingley and Jane. She is so angry at Darcy that she gives herself
a headache, which keeps her from visiting Rosings that night.
Darcy visits Elizabeth while she is
alone at the parsonage and confesses that he wants to marry her despite her low
family connections. Elizabeth is shocked at his arrogant address and rudely
refuses him. She also rebukes him for acting in such an ungentlemanly manner
and accuses him of ruining Jane's future happiness and betraying Wickham. Darcy
is shocked that Elizabeth has declined his proposal and leaves.
The next day, Darcy finds Elizabeth
and hands her a letter. She reads it after he is gone. First, Darcy defends
himself for dissuading Bingley from proposing to Jane. Not only were Jane's
family connections low, but she did not seem to show any particular preference
for Bingley. Darcy then details his side of the Wickham story. Before his
death, Darcy's father asked Darcy to provide Wickham with a living, provided
Wickham enter the clergy. Wickham, however, did not want to enter the clergy,
and asked Darcy for 3,000 pounds to study law. Wickham soon squandered all his
money on a dissolute lifestyle and then asked Darcy for
another stipend, promising to enter the clergy this time. When Darcy
refused, Wickham seduced Darcy's teenage sister, Georgiana.
Before they could elope, Darcy intervened and saved Georgiana's honor.
Elizabeth
initially refuses to believe Darcy's claims, but comes to consider the possibility
as she reflects on Wickham's behavior. She realizes she was inclined to believe
Wickham because she was prejudiced against Darcy and because she was flattered
by his attention. Soon afterwards, Elizabeth returns home, stopping to collect
Jane on the way. Meanwhile, Mrs. Bennet, Lydia, and Kitty are upset because the
regiment is leaving Meryton and moving on to Brighton. Lydia is then invited to
join Colonel Forster and Mrs. Forster in
Brighton. Elizabeth advises her father to refuse Lydia's request, believing
that her sister's frivolous nature will get her in trouble there.
However, Mr. Bennet does not heed Elizabeth's advice.
Soon
afterwards, Elizabeth goes on vacation with the Gardiners. Their first stop is
close to Pemberley, Mr. Darcy's estate. The Gardiners want to take a tour, and
Elizabeth only agrees once she learns that Darcy is currently away. During
their tour of the estate, Mrs. Reynolds, the
Pemberley housekeeper, praises Darcy unequivocally. Elizabeth also expresses some regret
that she will never be mistress of this estate. The travelers suddenly run into
Darcy, who has arrived early. Surprisingly, Darcy is extremely cordial to both
Elizabeth and the Gardiners. He tells Elizabeth that he wants her to meet
Georgiana as soon as she arrives the next day. The next morning, Darcy and
Georgiana visit Elizabeth and the Gardiners at their inn. Bingley soon joins
them, and Elizabeth can see that he still thinks fondly of Jane. Elizabeth and
Mrs. Gardiner return the courtesy by visiting Pemberley, where Bingley's
sisters treat them quite rudely.
One morning, Elizabeth receives a
letter from Jane, announcing that Lydia has eloped with Wickham. Worse yet, the
family fears that Wickham does not actually intend to marry her. Jane asks
Elizabeth to return home immediately. As soon as Elizabeth reads the letter, Darcy
arrives at the inn. In her frantic state, Elizabeth tells him what has
happened. Darcy feels partially to blame, since he never publicly exposed
Wickham's wickedness.
Elizabeth
and the Gardiners depart for Longbourn almost immediately. There, a hysterical Mrs. Bennet has locked herself in her room. They learn from Colonel
Forster that Wickham has amassed over 1,000 pounds of gambling debts. The next
day, Mr. Gardiner leaves
for London to join Mr. Bennet, who is already there looking for Lydia. After
many days of fruitless searching, Mr. Bennet returns home, leaving the search
in Mr. Gardiner's hands.
Soon, a letter arrives from Mr.
Gardiner announcing that Lydia and Wickham have been found. Wickham has agreed
to marry Lydia if Mr. Bennet provides her with her equal share of his wealth.
Considering the size of his debts, Mr. Bennet knows that Wickham would never
have agreed to marry Lydia for so little money. He concludes that Mr. Gardiner
must have paid off Wickham's debts to solidify the deal. After their marriage, Lydia
and Wickham visit Longbourn. Lydia is not the least bit remorseful for her conduct. Nevertheless, Mrs. Bennet is very happy to have one of
her daughters married. At dinner, Lydia lets it slip to Elizabeth that Darcy
was present at her wedding. Curious, Elizabeth writes to Mrs. Gardiner for
details. Her aunt explains that it was Darcy who found Lydia and Wickham and
paid off Wickham's debts. Mrs. Gardiner believes that Darcy did this out of
love for Elizabeth.
Bingley and Mr. Darcy soon return to
Netherfield Park, and they call at Longbourn frequently. After several days,
Bingley proposes to Jane. She accepts, and the family is very happy. In the
meantime, Darcy leaves on a short business trip to London. While he is gone,
Lady Catherine comes to Longbourn, furious after hearing a rumor that Elizabeth
and Darcy are engaged. She forbids Elizabeth from ever accepting a proposal
from Mr. Darcy, but Elizabeth is completely offended and refuses to promise
anything. Lady Catherine leaves in a huff.
After returning from his trip, Darcy
tells Elizabeth that his affection has not changed. She then reveals that her
feelings have changed and that she would be happy to marry him. They discuss
how and why their sentiments have changed since Darcy's first proposal. Darcy
has since realized he was wrong to act so proudly and place so much emphasis on
class differences. Elizabeth, meanwhile, accepts that she was wrong to judge
Darcy prematurely and admits that she allowed her vanity to affect her
judgment. Both couples marry. Elizabeth and Darcy live at Pemberley. After
living in Netherfield for a year, Jane and Bingley move to an estate near
Pemberley. Lydia and Wickham tire of each other eventually, and Lydia keeps
asking her sisters for money. Kitty spends most of her time with her two elder
sisters, and her education and character begin to improve. Mary remains at home
to keep her mother company. Mr. Bennet is very happy that his two oldest
daughters have married so happily, and Mrs. Bennet is glad that her daughters
have married so prosperously.
Sources:
·
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Pride-and-Prejudice
·
https://www.slideserve.com/carlotta/plot-summary-for-pride-and-prejudice-by-jane-austen-at-meryton
·
https://www.gradesaver.com/pride-and-prejudice/study-guide/summary
Lecture-2
Eveline by James Joyce
The
protagonist of the story, Eveline is a hard-working Irish woman around age
nineteen living with her father in
her childhood home in Dublin. She lives a hard life caring for her abusive
father and two children who
have been left in her care, while also working in the Stores, the popular name
for a local shop. She gives all of her earnings to her father, who still scolds
her and accuses her of spending her money irresponsibly. He also has
increasingly begun to threaten her, since she is no longer a child and neither
of her brothers, Harry and Ernest,
nor her mother,
are around to protect her anymore. As a result of this stress, Eveline has
begun to suffer from heart palpitations. Despite this, she still appreciates
the familiarity and comfort of home, so it is particularly hard for her to make
a decision when she finds herself contemplating whether or not to run away to
Buenos Ayres with her lover, Frank.
Much like in “Araby,” the conflict of the story happens entirely in the
protagonist’s mind. Eveline feels obligated to stay in Dublin and fulfill her
responsibilities and keep her promise to keep the house together, but she also
feels that she should have the right to pursue her own happiness, rather than
always attending to the needs of others. Eveline is deeply religious and
continually prays to God, asking for guidance with her difficult decision. She
feels perpetually powerless over her situation, and looks to either God or
Frank to save her. Afraid of ending up like her mother, who continually
sacrificed herself for her family and eventually went insane, Eveline decides
to go meet Frank at the station and continue with her plan to run away.
However, at the last minute she can only stare at the sea,
overcome by anxiety and emotion, and watch Frank board the ship alone. Eveline
is driven by fear, but also by her sense of helplessness. She knows that she
does not love Frank, and could easily end up in another abusive situation, just
like her mother.
Sources:
https://www.litcharts.com/lit/eveline/characters/eveline-hill
Lecture-3 What did the Buddha teach?
According to some of the earliest
Buddhist texts, after the Buddha became enlightened he didn’t know whether he
could teach anyone what he had realized, because it was so far beyond normal
experience. But old friends and acquaintances could tell him that he had
achieved something absolutely extraordinary, and they wanted what he had. Eventually,
after enough people begged him to share his realization, he agreed to teach.
What he could impart, he said, was only a handful of leaves compared with the
infinitely vast forest of wisdom inherent in awakening. But simply believing in
what he said wasn’t the point, the Buddha cautioned. The important thing was
having a roadmap to enlightenment. That handful of leaves was sufficient to
provide a complete path of practice by which anyone could attain the same
awakening he had.
The first sermon the Buddha
gave was the heart of his teaching, known as the four noble truths. The first
truth is that life inevitably contains dukkha—suffering, pain, and
dissatisfaction. Indeed, life itself—the very fact of being born, getting old,
and dying—is suffering, never mind all the limitless other types of stress and
suffering experienced in a lifetime. The second noble truth is that suffering
has a cause, and the cause is manufactured by our own minds. It is the mind’s
craving and ego-fixation that keep us bound to the endless cycle of birth and
death, and thereby endless suffering. Because we are ignorant of the cause of
our suffering, we constantly look to the wrong sources for happiness, none of
which are enduring or reliable.
The third noble truth is
that there is a way out. By apprehending the true cause of dukkha and the means
to its end, we can free ourselves and achieve enlightenment. The way out is
based not on belief, however, but on our own embodied experience of how we
cause ourselves to suffer and of the true nature of reality. The fourth noble
truth is the path of practice that leads to awakening. This is known as the
noble eightfold path, a path of living ethically, training the mind, and
cultivating wisdom. When factors of the path are developed and enacted
simultaneously, they can open the door to enlightenment.
Sources: https://tricycle.org/beginners/buddhism/what-did-the-buddha-teach/
Fundamental
Teachings
The word Buddha means The Awakened One, coming from the
Sanskrit root budh – 'to wake'. He is a man who has woken
fully, as if from a deep sleep, to discover that suffering, like a dream, is
over. The historical Buddha was however a man like any other, but an
exceptional one; what he rediscovered was a way that anyone can walk, providing
that they are so inclined.
The historical Buddha Gautama was not the first Buddha.
There had been others who had walked the way before him. He was not a god, a
prophet or any kind of supernatural being. He was, as we have seen, one who was
born, lived and died a human being. A remarkable human being, who discovered a
way of achieving true wisdom, compassion and freedom from suffering. He
'rediscovered an ancient way to an ancient city' that had been covered up and
forgotten. Through his own efforts he was able to find the way out of suffering
to liberation, and those that have followed him have kept that way open. The
Buddha did not teach that a God created the Universe. He pointed to a great Law
or Dharma running through everything that exists. It is by living in accordance
with this Law that true Wisdom and Compassion and hence freedom from suffering
may be achieved. Suffering may only be overcome, however, by being confronted
and lived through. In the Buddha's words: 'Suffering I teach and the way out of
suffering.' Fundamental Buddhist doctrines include the following:
The
Chain of Causation / The Twelve linked Chain of Causation
This important doctrine teaches the interconnectedness of
all things and in particular the law of Karma and the mechanism by which we
create a world of suffering for ourselves and others, and the opposite; the way
to live that reduces suffering for all, and leads to liberation.
The
Three Signs of Being
(1)
Change
(2) Suffering
(3) no
'I'
The first, Change, points out the basic fact that nothing in the world is fixed
or permanent. We ourselves are not the same people, either physically,
emotionally or mentally, that we were ten years - or even ten minutes ago!
Living as we do, then, as shifting beings upon shifting sands, it is not
possible for us to find lasting security.
As regards the second Sign, we have already seen how it
was the experience of suffering that sent the Buddha off on his great spiritual
quest, though suffering is not a very good translation of the original word,
dukkha. Dukkha implies the generally unsatisfactory and imperfect nature of
life. However, it does not follow that Buddhists believe that life is all
suffering. Buddhists do believe that there is happiness in life, but know that
it does not last and that even in the most fortunate of lives there is
suffering. Happiness is subject to the law of change and impermanence.
No-I, the third Sign, is a little more difficult. Buddhists
do not believe that there is anything everlasting or unchangeable in human
beings, no soul or self in which a stable sense of 'I' might anchor itself. The
whole idea of 'I' is in fact a basically false one that tries to set itself up
in an unstable and temporary collection of elements. Take the traditional
analogy of a cart. A cart may be broken down into its basic components -axle,
wheels, shafts, sides, etc. Then the cart is no more; all we have is a pile of components.
In the same way 'I' am made up of various elements or aggregates (khandhas):
form (rupa-khandha), feeling-sensation (pleasant, unpleasant, neutral),
(vedana-khandha), perception (sanna-khandha), volitional
mental activities
(sankhara-khandha), sense consciousness (vinnana-khandha).
The Four
Noble Truths
(1) The Noble Truth of Suffering
(2) The Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering
(3) The Noble Truth of Cessation of Suffering
(4) The Noble Truth of the Way leading to the Cessation
of Suffering: The Noble Eightfold Path.
Buddhism begins with the fact of suffering. However, before we can do
anything about it, we must know its cause, which is the deeply-rooted sense of
'I' that we all have. Because of this we are always struggling to get things that
are pleasurable and avoid things that are painful to find ease and security,
and generally to manipulate people and situations to be the way 'I' want them.
And because the rest of the world does not necessarily fit in with what I want,
we often find ourselves cutting against the general flow of things, and getting
hurt and disappointed in the process. Suffering may be therefore brought to an
end by transcending this strong sense of 'I' so that we come into greater
harmony with things in general. The means of doing this is The Noble Eightfold
Path.
The
Noble Eightfold Path
(1)
Right View
(2)
Right Thought
(3)
Right Speech
(4)
Right Action
(5)
Right Livelihood
(6)
Right Effort
(7)
Right Mindfulness
(8) Right Concentration
The Wheel is the symbol of the Dharma and is shown with
eight spokes which represent the Noble Eightfold Path. Right View is important
at the start because if we cannot see the truth of the Four Noble Truths then
we can't make any sort of beginning. Right Thought follows naturally from this.
'Right' here means in accordance with the facts: with the way things are -
which may be different from how I would like them to be. Right Thought, Right
Speech, Right Action and Right Livelihood involve moral restraint refraining
from lying, stealing, committing violent acts, and earning one's living in a
way harmful to others. Moral restraint not only helps bring about general
social harmony but also helps us control and diminish the sense of 'I'. Like a
greedy child, 'I' grows big and unruly the more we let it have its own way.
Next, Right Effort is important because 'I' thrives on idleness and wrong
effort; some of the greatest criminals are the most energetic people, so effort
must be appropriate to the diminution of I, and in any case if we are not
prepared to exert ourselves we cannot hope to achieve anything at all in either
the spiritual sense nor in life. The last two steps of the Path, Right
Mindfulness or awareness and Right Concentration or absorption, represent the
first stage toward liberation from suffering. To be aware and at one with what
we are doing is fundamental to proper living, this practice takes many forms
but in the West the formal practice is called meditation. In the most basic
form of Buddhist meditation, a person sits cross-legged on a cushion on the
floor or upright in a chair. He/she quietly watches the rise and fall of the
breath. If thoughts, emotions or impulses arise, he/she just observes them come
up and go like clouds in a blue sky, without rejecting them on the one hand or
being carried away into daydreaming or restlessness on the other. It should be
learnt under the guidance of a teacher just as the Buddha too learnt
meditation.
Three
Fires
(1) Desire/Thirst
(2) Anger
(3) Delusion
'Your house is on fire, burns with the Three Fires; there
is no dwelling in it' - thus spoke the Buddha in his great Fire Sermon. The
house he speaks of here is the human body; the three fires that burn it are (1)
Desire/Thirst, (2) Anger and (3) Delusion. They are all kinds of energy and are
called 'fires' because, untamed, they can rage through us and hurt us and other
people too! Properly calmed through spiritual training, however, they can be
transformed into the genuine warmth of real humanity. In General 'Not to do any evil; to cultivate good; to
purify one's heart - this is the teaching of all the Buddhas.'
Although Buddhists value highly such virtues as loving
kindness, humanity, patience and giving, perhaps they value wisdom and
compassion most of all. The idea of ahimsa or harmlessness is very closely
connected with compassion. The compassionate desire to cause no harm to all
beings including animals, plants, and the world in general. In all things
Buddhism places great stress on self-reliance and the Buddha himself told his followers
not to believe without questioning, but to test it for themselves. Buddhism is
also a very practical religion and aims at helping people to live their lives
peacefully. Buddhists also try to practice the Buddhist virtues actively in
their everyday lives. The final goal of all Buddhist practice is to bring about
that same awakening that the Buddha himself achieved through an active
transformation of the heart and passions and the letting go of I.
Sources: https://www.thebuddhistsociety.org/page/fundamental-teachings
