In my recent post about Mark Twain paying a sly homage to Pride & Prejudice....
http://sharpelvessociety.blogspot.com/2011/12/mark-twains-veiled-tribute-to-pride.html
...I stated my opinion that Jane Austen intentionally wrote the scenes when Lizzy Bennet keeps encountering Darcy accidentally during her rambles at Rosings/Hunsford, so as to remind the reader of Charlotte Lucas "accidentally" running into Mr. Collins in Meryton.
The question has now arisen as to whether this is actually an obvious meme in the text, and is in fact an opinion universally held by Janeites who've read Pride & Prejudice.
Therefore, I think it would be very interesting to take a sampling to find out how Janeites think on this point. So, without further ado, please give your opinion as to the following statement:
"Jane Austen intentionally wrote the scenes when Lizzy Bennet keeps encountering Darcy accidentally during her rambles at Rosings/Hunsford, so as to remind the reader of Charlotte Lucas "accidentally" running into Mr. Collins in Meryton."
Here are your six choices, please pick only one:
#1: No, absolutely not!
#2: No, but my opinion is not firm.
#3: I am completely unsure.
#4: Yes, but my opinion is not firm.
#5: Yes, except Jane Austen did not do this intentionally, it was an unconscious action on her part as an author.
#6: Yes, it's obviously so!
I think it would be fascinating to get a range of responses, and although I personally do take this question to the shadow story, it's not at all necessary to take this particular question to a shadow story interpretation, because any of the above answers can be easily fit into a normative interpretation of the novel. It really boils down to your opinion as to what you think Elizabeth's awareness is of her own feelings for Darcy prior to his proposal. Is she unconsciously drawn to him in spite of herself?
Here are the rules if you want to participate in this poll:
1. Post your answer as a comment to this post, below, with your real name. If anyone responds anonymously, I will remove your comment.
2. Preferably, you will accompany your answer with whatever explanation you wish to give, the longer the better as far as I am concerned.
3. I will keep this poll open indefinitely, to allow time for a number of answers to eventually be given.
So, if you're one of the people who've been reading along in this blog (and I know there are a lot of you, judging by the large amount of traffic I get every day, from all over the world), here's your chance to emerge briefly from the shadows and express yourself on a question of interest to most Janeites.
Cheers, ARNIE
“Jane Austen, Book Owner”
2 weeks ago
2 comments:
#6, She has several repeating plots and characters such as this one. In your example I would consider it more of perhaps a forshadowing of events to come rather than a look back at a minor character. I don't believe I truly bought that it was all an accident, I assumed that Darcy was stalking her, or vice versa. But I could be wrong in my assumption.
Also, to quote a great Buddhist wise man Osho "Nothing happens accidentally, everything has a causal link behind it." Maybe I am looking further into it that maybe I should, but, if she was thinking out her characters on even a mental level. a human thinking level. If they were real fleash and blood humans. They would obviously be drawn to each other, and thus would unconsciously seek the other out. But that may be a stretch. I have been known to go out there a bit.
Sorry about the typos, I did not proof.
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