In her novel Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen successfully incorporates various social and mental awakenings that, in turn, serve as significant turning points in the novel. These dramatic shifts in character, much like Elizabeth's evolving perception of Darcy and the foreshadowing of Lydia's "imprudent" marriage to Wickham, correspondingly convey a sense of suspense and excitement to the reader. Ultimately, the use of such devices encourage the reader to read further into the text, and help produce a feeling of excitement, and a much anticipated climax.
In the beginning of the novel Jane Austen gives a brief insight into the relationship of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, revealing how Mr. Bennet "Captivated by youth and beauty, and that appearance of good humor .had married a woman whose weak understanding and illiberal mind, had very early in their marriage put an end to all real affection for her" causing his "respect, esteem, and confidence to be vanished for ever; and all his views of domestic happiness to be overthrown." Ironically Wickham's actions, particularly his fondness of 15 year old Lydia Bennet is strikingly similar to that of Mr. Bennets's. Consequently, with his knowledge regarding how Mrs. Bennet "s relationship turned out, the reader is drawn into the story wondering if Wickham will be succumbed by "foolish love", or if he will use his knowledge of the Bennet's relationship to back out of a potential unhappy marriage. Furthermore, Wickham's eloping with Georgian in the middle of the story and request for 10,000 dollars before agreeing to marry Lydia presents the reader with a situation that may reveal Wickham experiencing a change in heart. This, in turn, causes the reader to speculate whether or not Wickham will go through a mental change soon, preventing his marriage to Lydia, or experience a .
Chris Klein.
mental change after the marriage, like Mr. Bennet did, causing an unhappy marriage.
