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T
he early to mid-18th
century saw the rise of
the novel and, a little later,
the development of Romanticism in
literature. By the close of the 18th
century, however, a new genre had
emerged in England—the novel of
manners, which moved away from
the excesses of emotion and flights
of fancy common to Romanticism.
Instead, it placed emphasis on
the beliefs, manners, and social
structures of particular groups of
people. These novels were often
dominated by women—both as
authors and as protagonists—and
for this reason were sometimes
wrongly dismissed as trivial.Jane Austen’s novels are the prime
examples of such literature, gently
satirizing the social mores of the
English country gentry, as well as
poking fun at the overindulgent
drama of gothic Romanticism.
Austen highlights the vulgarities
and follies of the English upper
classes: the importance of rank, the
stigma of social inferiority, and the
system of patronage are played out
via balls, visits, and society gossip.Social ups and downs
In Pride and Prejudice, the reader
follows the Bennet sisters in their
quest for an eligible bachelor. For
women, a good marriage was key
to maintaining or improving one’s
social status. The novel is told
mainly through the eyes of its
principal character, Elizabeth
Bennet (Austen’s own favorite
among her heroines), a good and
well-intentioned young woman.
She is one of the five daughters
of the intelligent but put-upon Mr.
Bennet, a country gentleman, and
his pushy, vulgar wife; their own
marriage being a perfect example
of how not to do it.
Elizabeth meets the aristocratic
Fitzwilliam Darcy, who is drawn to
her despite himself; however, sheIN CONTEXT
FOCUS
The novel of mannersBEFORE
1740 English author Samuel
Richardson’s Pamela is a
story about a servant girl
climbing the social ranks;
it is considered to be an early
novel of manners.AFTER
1847 Jane Eyre, by Charlotte
Brontë, critiques Victorian
class divisions and prejudice,
as well as the constricting
expectations faced by women.1847–48 The duplicity and
dishonesty of society life
are satirized via the exploits
of Becky Sharp in Vanity Fair,
by English novelist William
Makepeace Thackeray.1905 An American novel of
manners, Edith Wharton’s
The House of Mirth reflects
the social, economic, and
moral constraints that are
placed on women.A lady’s imagination is
very rapid; it jumps from
admiration to love, from love
to matrimony in a moment.
Pride and PrejudiceFOR WHAT DO WE LIVE BUT
TO MAKE SPORT FOR OUR
NEIGHBOURS AND LAUGH
AT THEM IN OUR TURN?
PRIDE AND PREJUDICE (1813), JANE AUSTEN
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