Explore how Jane Austen presents the themes of love and marriage in volume 1 of Pride and Prejudice Essay Example for Free

Explore how Jane Austen presents the themes of love and marriage in volume 1 of Pride and Prejudice Essay It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife. The novel begins with a satirical quote, representing many peoples opinions on love and marriage at the time of writing. To many, marriage was a way of bettering themselves socially and economically, but seldom for happiness and love. Throughout the novel there are numerous and frequent references to this way of thinking, and Austen makes characters who think of love and marriage in this way appear ridiculous. One character made to look absurd is Mrs. Bennet. Most find her intolerable, and even her own daughters and husband are embarrassed by her regularly. In chapter one she says, A single man of large fortune What a fine thing for our girls! Nothing of Mr. Bingleys character is mentioned, but the fact that he is wealthy seems reason enough for Mrs. Bennet to approve of him. As will be future explored, Mrs. Bennet is derided throughout the novel, clearly showing that Austen herself does not approve of her way of thinking, as it is centred around the material rather than being centred around love or moral reasons. Despite being under constant pressure from her mother, due to the details of the entailment on the Bennets estate, Jane Bennet desires to marry for love, and eventually does so. The ever-important matter of money, however, does lie at the back of her mind. In chapter four, Elizabeth says, I give you leave to like him. You have liked many a stupider person. This suggests that Jane has courted men before, but they have either been lacking in character or in money, so she has not pursued their affections. In chapter four following the first ball a conversation between Jane and Elizabeth Bennet takes place. Rather than mentioning Bingleys fortune, Jane states that she admirers him due to his being sensible, good humoured, lively and states that she has never seen such happy manners. Throughout the book Jane is described positively, which influences the reader to think highly of her and views on marrying for love as just. Elizabeth, too, is presented as sensible and likeable. Though she mentions that the moment she fell in love with Mr. Darcy was after first seeing his beautiful grounds at Pemberley, she also mentions that she fell in love with him gradually, ensuring that his wealth was not the only factor taken in to account as she accepted his second proposal of marriage. Her primary interest seems to be in marrying for love, as she turned down a proposal from Mr. Collins which would have ensured her money, a home and a good reputation. With all of this taken into account, Eliza refuses due to Mr. Collins personality and the fact that she does not love him. In chapter nineteen Mr. Collins another ridiculed character makes his first proposal to Elizabeth. He makes it clear that he only makes the proposal due to Catherine DeBurghs advice. He also thinks it may benefit his happiness, though mentions nothing of hers. Much of the proposal is an insult to Miss Bennet as he retells Lady Catherines exact words (let her be an active, useful person, not brought up too high). Mr. Collins obviously does not love Elizabeth, nor is he pretending so. He seems to think that, due to the fact that he has good connections, Elizabeth would jump at the chance of marrying him. She refuses politely, yet Mr. Collins cannot see why she would refuse his offer. He is a prime example of someone who doesnt think love is a necessity for a successful marriage. He sees his proposal as an honourable gesture; as a way to compensate the Bennet family for the fact that he shall inherit the house upon Mr. Bennets death, but somewhat selfishly to better his own status and comfort. Soon after this, as Mr. Collins retreats with a slightly bruised ego, we learn that Miss Charlotte Lucas, a close friend of the Bennets, has accepted another proposal from Collins, presumably one of the same type. After Elizabeth confronts her on the news of their engagement Charlotte justifies her thoughts with the following: I am not romantic I ask only a comfortable home connections, and situation in life, I am convinced my chance of happiness with him is fair, as most people can boast on entering the marriage state. This, as well as her earlier comment relating to Jane fixing Mr. Bingley (almost as though discussing an animal, or assuming Bingley is broken due to his being unmarried). Perhaps Charlotte only seeks the above, or perhaps she is worried about what her peers would say about her being unmarried at such an age. In this period in time, women were talked about if unmarried in their late twenties. Someone with an opposite view to Charlotte is Caroline Bingley. Where the Bennet sisters and Charlotte Lucas aim to marry high and ensure their financial security, Caroline seems to scorn them for wishing to do so. She disapproves of Jane and her brothers relationship, which can be gathered from her trying to keep the fact that Jane was in London at the same time as her brother a secret. She seems convinced that her friends marrying anyone of a lower rank would be shameful, and that anyone wishing to marry her brother of Mr. Darcy must be after their money. While chasing the hope of gaining a desirable social status and money, Caroline Bingley may well forget about love and, even if it ever came along, may well suppress it in hopes of something better. The issue of indipendence may also be one that Miss Bingley considers. She lives with her brother and has to up and leave when he does so. The security and indipendence a marriage would bring is surely something she would have looked forward to. Her friend, Mr. Darcy, is well aware of womens attitudes at the time. He even goes as far as to warn his best friend against Jane Bennet, as he fears that she doesnt love Bingley as is only showing an interest in him for his wealth. This cynical attitude may have grown due to his pride and perhaps the effect of spending too much time with Charles Bingleys sisters. This seems evermore the case when listening to the piano at Netherfield; he thinks to himself that it may become dangerous to pay too much attention to Lizzy. He makes it clear that he regards her of a lower class in his refused proposal (He spoke well, but there were feelings besides those of the heart to be detailed His sense of her inferiority of its being a degradation of the family obstacles.) and is obviously concerned about other peoples opinions. Despite the fact that the story ends happily and both Elizabeth and Jane marry for love, the underlying theme of the novel is, predictably, pride and prejudice. Lydia, though eager to marry Wickham for love, runs the risk of being ostracised due to her living with him outside of wedlock. This, in turn, would ruin the reputation of her sisters. Despite being in love, would Darcy and Bingley want to get married to the siblings of a disgraced woman? If Darcy had not have been able to persuade Wickham to marry Lydia, would he in turn have abandoned Elizabeth? Though Austen strongly hints that she approves of marrying for love rather than money (through satirising some characters and not others), it is clear that reputation and etiquette were still as important, if not more important than love in ones marriage.

Hinduism and Buddhisn Essay -- Religion, Karma, Krishna

Two major religious paths found in the Indian subcontinent are Hinduism and Buddhism (LR, 37). Hinduism is seen as a polytheistic and a monotheistic tradition that evolved from other Indian religious traditions. Hinduism is also known as Sanatana Dharma whose goal is to achieve moksha and live life according to the Dharma (LR, 43). Buddhism is a nontheistic religion that is based on the teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha, known as the Dharma, which offers a path to enlightenment by practicing compassion and achieving liberation from suffering (LR, 72). Hinduism today is known as Sanatana Dharma, which means eternal religion, law, cosmic order, and duty. This tradition began in the Vedic Age around the Indus Valley in India where it is said that the Vedas were created orally, but the orgins of the Vedas remains unclear. The Vedas were first written down around 1500 BCE and consist of collections of hymns containing of four parts: the Samhitas, the Brahmanas, the Aranyakas and the Upanishads (LR, 39-41). The Samhitas consist of hymns worshiping Vedic gods, the Brahmanas explain the meaning of rituals and sacrifices and provide instructions for performing these acts, the Aranyakas contain philosophical texts that are known as forest treatises, and finally the Upanishads, which is comprised of sophisticated philosophy that explains personal transformation that results from ritual participation. The Rig Veda is the oldest scripture of the Vedas which praises the four devas: Indra (the god of thunder and rain), Agni (the god of fire), S oma (a sacred drink) and Ushas (the goddess of dawn). The Upanishads were written by rishis, who were thought to be human forms of Brahman (the Supreme god), that express the principles of Sanatana Dharma.... ... five precepts (notes). Mahayana, the path of compassion and wisdom, is the second major school of Buddhism who regards the Buddha as a universal principle with three bodies. The first body has no form and encompasses the wisdom of the Buddha, the second is the body of bliss and emphasizes the Dharma, and the third is the body of transformation, in which the Buddha takes on many forms to help human beings achieve liberation from suffering (LR, 83). The Mahayanasutras are the scriptures followed that honor the Pali Canon, emphasizing the importance of religious experience (LR, 82). One form of Mahayana are bodhisattvas, future buddhas who are devoted to liberating others from suffering without having to leave society to do so. One important aspect of a bodhisattva is compassion for others, an important Buddha teaching that emphasizes on the idea on no-Self (notes).

How do The Odyssey and The Crucible use the hero in order to explore the concerns of their times?

The concept of what constitutes a hero varies according to the values, culture, context and setting of the society in question. Homer in his epic poem The Odyssey and Arthur Miller in The Crucible through the portrayal of the hero's in their texts; Odysseus and John Proctor, reflect the values of the time in which the text was set but more importantly provide a social commentary on the context of the texts. Both looking to the past to provide answers and draw parallels with the present. The Odyssey was written approximately in 700 BC and was set in twelfth century BC, in what was known as the Bronze Age. The Greeks believed that this earlier period was a more glorious and sublime age, when Gods still frequented the Earth and heroic, godlike mortals with superhuman attributes populated Greece. The Odyssey is episodic in nature and in many ways consisted of nation building myths which were unifying and drew on what was common in Greek culture by detailing the exploits of the classical archetypal Greek hero, Odysseus. Essentially it is an epic tale in which the wicked are destroyed, right prevails, and the family is reunited. On the other hand, The Crucible was written in the early 1950's in America and is set in 1692 in Salem, a small town in colonial Massachusetts. It follows the witch-hunts of 1692 which began when several young girls were stricken with an illness characterized by symptoms of hallucinations and seizures, which were ascribed to witchcraft. This led to the eventual execution of thirty individuals for the crime of witchcraft. They were tried and convicted in an atmosphere of moral absolutism through which Miller alludes to the events which took place in the 1950's before the House of Un-American Activities Committee in Washington. The Crucible can be viewed as allegorical text not for anti-communism, or as a faithful account of the Salem trials, but as a powerful timeless description of how intolerance and hysteria can intersect and tear a community apart. Furthermore, in contrast with Odysseus, John Proctor is a tragic hero, who would rather die then confess and lived with a marred name. This idea of nobility is inseparable from the tragedy genre. Tragedy in many ways enlightens, in that it points the heroic finger at the enemy of a man's freedom. The quest for freedom is the quality in the tragedy which exalts. Both texts are framed by religious imagery. In The Odyssey Odysseus does not question the power of the Gods and in many ways Homers text can be viewed as a moral lesson, through the omnipresent nature of the god's as they guide the wandering hero home. This reflects the Greek notion that the gods exercise absolute power over the mortal world. In the poem mortals are constantly making sacrifices to the gods to earn their favour. Conversely, offending the gods creates immense problems as is illustrated through Poseidon's grudge against Odysseus for blinding his son Polyphemos. Moreover, it is only through Athena's guidance throughout the text that Odysseus can survive his dangerous adventures. This distinguishes an important point as it reiterates not only the all-powerful nature of the gods but also introduces the idea that if Odysseus the hero cannot survive without guidance from the gods then the rest of the members of society must accept their fate as lying in the hands of the gods. What must also be noted however are the characteristics of the gods, which were a mixture of magical, immortal powers and basic human instincts, the gods were not perfect. Through this portrayal of the gods in the text Homer presents a more glorious time in Greek culture in a time when Greece was only a shadow of its former greatness. This however varies in The Crucible which is set in a theocratic society, in which church and state are one and the religion practised was very austere form of Protestantism known as Puritanism. In this form of society there is no room for deviation from social norms, since any individual whose private life does not conform to the established moral laws presents a threat not only to society but also to the rule of God: â€Å"You must understand, sir, that a person is either with this court or he must be counted against it, there be no road between†. John Proctor challenges this religious identity of time and shows how man has used god to manipulate and control individuals and it is ultimately his choice not to confess to witchcraft, which is a true religious and personal stance. In this way The Crucible can be viewed a symbolic of the paranoia of the communism which pervaded America in the 1950s. Several parallels existed between the witch hunts of 1692 and the House Un-American Activities Committee's rooting out of suspected communists. As with the alleged witches of Salem, suspected Communists were encouraged to confess their crimes and to â€Å"name names,† identifying others sympathetic to their radical cause. Miller through the actions of the hero Proctor foregrounds the McCarthyist excesses, which wronged many innocents, making a strong political statement. Furthermore, both Odysseus and Proctor are flawed and fallible and both of them fall into the seductive charms of the ‘seductresses' as is portrayed in the texts. Women are presented as either ‘sainted virgins'; Elizabeth and Penelope or ‘seductresses'; Abigail and Calypso this dichotomy represents the patriarchal structures of the context of the texts. Moreover the texts also highlight the dangers of giving women power and of female sexual potency. Odysseus' infidelity when he is trapped by Calypso serves to reflect gender roles and the double standard in Greek society. Homer does not invite the responder to view Odysseus' infidelity with any disdain or disapproval: â€Å"withdrawing into the cavern's deep recesses, long in each others arms they lost themselves in love† (#250-51). It is somehow acceptable for Odysseus to sleep with another woman, while Penelope is represented as morally dubious for allowing the suitors to remain in the house. It is only Calypso who challenges these gender roles: â€Å"You unrivalled lords of jealously/ scandalized when goddess sleep with mortals†¦ † (#131-32). While Homer portrays these sexist views, he also through Calypso's dialogue brings to attention the double standards of the society and more importantly introduces a new idea which may have been viewed as subversive in Greek culture at the time. On the other hand in The Crucible, John Proctor as the play's tragic hero is honest, upright and blunt spoken, Proctor is a good man however his fatal flaw is his lust for Abigail Williams which leads to their affair. Proctor is very self-critical and this in a way reflects how his moral code is a product of the society in which he exists: â€Å"But I will cut my hand off before I'll ever reach for you again†. Once the trials begin, Proctor realizes that he can stop Abigail's rampage through Salem but only if he confesses to this adultery. This highlights how the hero must face a series of trials and tribulations in order to be redeemed, in Proctor's case these are more physiological battles whereas Odysseus faces more physical challenges. This illustrates the way in which the different contexts result in the formation of varying hero's reflecting the values of that particular society. Finally, Arthur Miller once said: â€Å"Nobody wants to be a hero†¦ but in every man there is something he cannot give up and still remain himself†¦ If he gives that up, he becomes a different man, not himself†¦ It is Proctor's self-critical nature which distinguishes him because he does not set out to be a hero. Normally he would not be considered a saintly individual, and he has not great eagerness to be a martyr due to his underlying guilt at his infidelity, which in turn he projects on Elizabeth: â€Å"I do not judge you. The magistrate sits in your heart that judges you. † Nevertheless when put to the final test, the meaning here of ‘crucible', he will go to his death rather than irrevocably compromise his integrity. Through his representation of Proctor as the tragic hero Miller creates a new post-modern ideology of the hero in which the hero is not extraordinary physically or mentally but rather what is heroic is the individual who stands by his personal principals, he does not set out to be the hero but rather the situation merely reveals the hero within. This notion explores the concerns of 1950 America in which the hero's were not the McCarthyist's as it might seem on outward examination but rather those who only through their personal actions transpired to be essentially heroic. In conclusion, The Odyssey and The Crucible through the representation of the hero in text foreground the concerns of their times. The texts have revealed to me that what constitutes the hero varying according to context and setting and can help us gain further insight into the concerns of the society in question. Essentially the characteristics, which form the hero, are fluid subject to the values and culture of the times.

Sociology Essay - 2203 Words

The social growth of the young in different classes A Youth in Poverty nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;To most, it’s very easy to imagine how it would feel to grow up without much of anything in life. Hell...I can tell you first hand what it feels like to not have a decent pair of shoes or pants without holes in them, or old â€Å"hand-me-down† toys while most of the kids you know have â€Å"state-of-the-art† toys. To many children in this kind of situation, it seems like a very bleak world to live in. No child should ever have to experience this kind of life. However, due to ignorant parents and an even more jacked-up government, there are many children that will always be in this predicament. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Now, it would be hard†¦show more content†¦Parents are always telling their kids to, â€Å"Appreciate hard work.† But this lesson is more profound in the poor. A parent that has lived in poverty all their life will tell their child to, â€Å"Always work hard, and never settle for less. Don’t let your kids go through what I made you go through.† With this lesson at heart, a child will likely work hard at everything they do in life. This can expand to getting good grades in school, working hard at their chores, and doing good work whenever they get a job. This is a priceless lesson that children in poverty can keep close in mind. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Now, there are many, many, many bad things about living in poverty. I can easily write a 20-page paper on the bad things the most poor kids have to go through. But I’m only going to list the one thing that I feel is going to rip most people apart at the seams. This risk goes for all classes, but is most common in poor people. This potential threat is nothing more than jealousy. A person that says they never felt jealousy is lying thought their teeth. 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