- "A woman must have a thorough knowledge of music, singing, drawing, dancing, and the modern languages, to deserve the word; and besides all this, she must possess a certain something in her air and manner of walking, the tone of her voice, her address and expressions, or the word will be but half deserved." (p. 26)
Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy describe the endless list of characteristics a women must possess in order to be considered accomplished. Elizabeth chimes in with the remark "I am no longer surprised at your knowing only six accomplished women. I rather wonder now at your knowing any." Jane Austen creates this scene for better understanding of Darcy's demanding request of attributes of a worthy woman. His beliefs reveal his social superiority attitude and high standards. Austen also emphasizes the importance of dialogue in
Pride and Prejudice in this passage. Through dialogue, Elizabeth is proved to be a successful debater (something that immediately attracts Darcy to her) and Darcy's conceitedness shines. Ultimately, the dialogue in this novel strengthens the readers understanding of the characters' personalities.
Photo Credit:
Balancing Life. Photograph.
Idsmediatalk.com. Web. 13 Mar. 2010. http://ldsmediatalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/balancing_life.gif.
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