"Regulated Hatred"
Harding begins by acknowledging that Austen provides a place of escape and refuge with her writing for the sensitive when “the contemporary world grew too much for them” (p296). His interpretation is that her books are meant to be read and enjoyed by the people whom she disliked. He believes that thinking of her work as “satire” is misleading. Instead, she uses satire as a means of existence for her critical attitudes. She was required to remain on good terms with those in her everyday life, and knew that her existence depended on the values they implied. According to Harding, it is in this way that her novels gave her a way out of that dilemma through her use of satire that was unobtrusive and allowed for “spiritual survival” (297).
Her method, as stated by Harding, is as follows: She offers her readers every excuse for regarding the people whom she detests and fears as exaggerated figures of fun. For example, Mr. Collins is given a bit more comic exaggeration than Lady Catherine de Bourgh, who is a “possible human being” (p298). Comic effect is gained when she brings the caricatures into direct contact with “real people.” For example, when Mr. Collins visits the Bennets and brings his proposal to Elizabeth.
In addition to the proposal scene being comic fantasy, it is also a glimpse of Elizabeth’s nightmare in which economic and social institutions have power over the values of personal relationships and that the “comic monster” is almost able to get her. (p298)
In short, he sees Austen’s use of satire as a means of self-preservation, that her caricatures are a criticism of real people in real society, and that people turn to her books not for escape, but for an ally against things and people which were to her “hateful” (299).
Harding presents Collins as a caricature who is not necessarily “real.” However, his second marriage situation would be considered a “real” event of that time. Similarly, do you think Darcy is a “real” caricature? Is his proposal another glimpse into Elizabeth’s nightmare? Or the “real thing?”
1. I think darcy is a real caricature, but he is exaggerated through out the book in a drama like way, when in the beginning he is making fun of people, and in the middle of the book, when he shocks elizabeth with his words. Which makes him more of a exaggerated character, but still making him seem real to the readers because of his constant role in the book. Some situations makes him seem more real, like when he is sitting down and writing, I think darcy is the most real when he is writing in general, as seen as when he tells the truth to elizabeth when he gives her his letter.
ReplyDelete2. His proposal to elizabeth "scares" her, but I think everyone knows that she is secretly attracted to him, when she realizes it. Mr. Collins proposal defiantly was a nightmare for elizabeth because he did not attract her at all, and was so "Cringey." And, Mr. Collins proposal is a exaggerated caricature, because he had no real feelings for her, and she didn't either, leaving it as a "Nightmare" for elizabeth. But Mr. Darcy's proposal has real feelings behind it and she has real feelings for him as well, but there is so much in the way of those feelings that it could of been a "Nightmare" for her.
I think that Darcy is meant to be one of her halfway characters. I think he is part caricature, because he is related to a non-caricature, but partway because he doesn't seam real in the ways that he won't participate at the dances and that he sometimes acts in weird ways. For example, when he proposes to Elizabeth he enters the room and sits about as he pleases and asks a woman who he considered ugly to marry him. I think the this also goes to show Elizabeth's nightmare, although he would not be gaining from the marriage she is expected to take it, because of her gain, but she fears that they will never be in love (Due to *first impressions*). Overall, Elizabeth gets another glance at her nightmare and we see the partial caricature of Mr. Darcy.
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ReplyDeleteI love the discussion going on here. I won't interject into Caroline's or Ivy's interpretations, but I did want to add a fabulous quote from the movie Miss Austen Regrets (watch it if you haven't already!!!). I paraphrase: "the only way to have Mr. Darcy is to invent him."
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