Pride and Prejudice Adaptations in Modern Film Essay -- Jane Austen

Love in Relationships vs. Love for OneselfIn a twenty-four hour period where loving yourself first is not only accepted that often expected, it is a stretch for the 20th (or 21st) century mind to see marriage as a necessity, as it was for Jane Austen and some of the greatest of her heroines. Marriage for money and convenience, as well as familial preservation, formally dominated matchmaking choices. Love and romance were simply luxuries in the business-like fashion of marriage. Austen contested this reality and criticized it, but she also placed one thing higher up romance the Self. Austen undoubtedly prizes respect for the Self above social expectation and relationships. Handler and Segal (45) noted that themes of independence, dependence, and choice are recurring throughout all of Austens works. Recent film adaptations to Austen have decided to inform these themes, however, in exchange for playing up the romance. These films reveal the 20th century emphasis on romance at the c ost of excluding the already established immenseness of self-knowledge. Pride and Prejudice, Austens first written but later published novel, is a commentary on the importance in society of inheritance and achievement. Austen ostensibly valued ones achieved virtues over inherited status, a revolutionary notion for a female of the day. Elizabeth Bennet, Austens own mouthpiece to criticize her times, link up the gap between 19th century sensibility and 20th century self-exploration. Lizzy, though given the opportunity on more than one occasion (Mr. Darcys first and Mr. Collinss only proposal) to save herself from her impending poverty as well as preserve her familys estate, choose rather to be alone than to be in a situation that would compromise her principles. She is a woman of a strong-willed character who puts herself above her societys expectations of her. If Elizabeths parents had known of her initial refusal of Darcy their disbelief would have probably outweighed her reasons for rejecting him. Even Mr. Bennet, though a staunch supporter of Elizabeth, may not have felt that she had acted providentially flip overing the familys situation. This was before her sister Jane was engaged to the wealthy Mr. Bingley, and concern over the future entailment of the estate to Mr. Collins was still great. She didnt even consider Darcy until her began exhibiting signs that he respected her, such as his ... ...rement for well-rounded development, and as it has become more common, its importance has been taken for granted. How Austen would deal with this present reality is unsure but likely with some disdain. Austen did not preach revolution and womens rights, she only presented her world as she saw how it was and how it should be. Now that the Self has now been placed on the back burner for romantic interests or has been ballooned to the point of excess is only a creation of the present, a true novelty in human history. That our mediums for entertainment ricochet th is is only as expected to fit our cultural ideas.Works CitedAusten, J. Pride and Prejudice. Penguin Putnum, Inc. wise York 1989.Fielding, H. Bridget Joness Diary. Penguin Putnum, Inc. New York 1996.Handler, R., Segal, D. Jane Austen and the Fiction of Culture. Rowman & Littlefield, Inc. Maryland 1999.Haskell, M. The Innocent Ways of Renee Zellweger. New York Times, April 8, 2001.Bridget Joness Diary 2001 directed by Sharon Maguire.Clueless 1995 directed by Amy Heckerling.Emma 1996 directed by Douglas McGrath.Pride and Prejudice miniseries 1995 BBC/A & E