Langton's Pride + Prejudice (2 Viewers)

[s3duction_]

I'm looking for 20th Century ways of thinking being portrayed in Langton's Pride and Prejudice.

I've only identified that it's a different medium to Jane Austen's novel, the increased role of Mr Darcy in the Series and........that's it.

I'm also thinking of using Elizabeth's feminist nature but then, isn't she just being a Romantic when she says that she wants to marry for love?

Any other ideas of 20th century ideals in the series? I just need some help on this!

Thanks!

 

[bE_On_eDGe]

Here's a hint...

Take a further look at the indiviualistic overtones from Elizabeth and Darcy and compare it with 20th century thinking.

Elizabeth shows the initial introduction of feminism. In the 20th century their are alot more woman who evoke her personality. For example stepping out of the social norms, Elizabeth thinks for herself and fights for her ideals unlike other women in P&P. That is apparent in the 20th century. Eg Germaine Greer.

In the case of Darcy he is an Indivdual based on his character and his outlook to 19th century upper class England. Take a look at his personality and opinions and you will find that many people think like him in the 20th century eg. cycnism...

Hope that helps you.

 

[phizzy]

I love pride & prejudice, am a big fan of Lizzy's and in love with Darcy (Colin Firth *sigh*), but no one really realises that Lizzy isn't as much an individual in society as everyone makes her out to be. Granted she isn't as passive as the time would have liked, but if you remember when Jane asks her when she first realised she was in love with Darcy she said she dated it back to first seeing Pemberly. Now, i don't doubt that Austen had every intention to indicate they married for a strong love and both of them challenged the conventions of their time (Darcy marrying a woman with bad connections and embarrassing sister Lydia and Lizzy first turning down a man as rich as Darcy), Lizzy still pretty much conformed. I mean essentially she realised this man was attractive when she saw how rich he really was. *sigh* ah well, off to watch the mini-series again...for the 10th time....voluntarily...

 

[s3duction_]

Thank you very much to bE_On_eDGe and phizzy for your ideas. I really appreciate them! You two have reminded me of some things that I forget about the series.

Thanks again!

 

[Bobby George]

But you have to realise with AUsten- and indeed Langton, that its also the subtlety of each of the charcters that can be drawn out- the insistent scenes of lizzy running, skipping outside- as opposed to the demure jane, and the bingley sisters "lets take a turn about the room"
but remember to look at the minor characters too- mr collins especially- his obsession with wordly objects- as opposed to humility
also bare in mind that Austen was writing at the beginning of the century- so you cant expect the characters to be too outrageous- it was the beginning of the rise of the individual!

 

[Emly]

oops, just made a thread about this in anther sub forum..

go me. lol

yeah, we are doing this this year as well, and i need to start writing some notes on it.

Austen wasnt a 'feminist' becaue nearly all of her strong female characters conform to the society, but to say that Austen wasnt a feminist is to take her out of context. because there wasnt really anything like feminism back them, unless you count Wollstonecraft (but then was she a feminist or a radical?)

 

[snowblack]

oops, just made a thread about this in anther sub forum..

go me. lol

yeah, we are doing this this year as well, and i need to start writing some notes on it.

Austen wasnt a 'feminist' becaue nearly all of her strong female characters conform to the society, but to say that Austen wasnt a feminist is to take her out of context. because there wasnt really anything like feminism back them, unless you count Wollstonecraft (but then was she a feminist or a radical?)

Our teacher told us that she was a "pioneer" feminist because she was a radical and she was one of the first women to speak out ...

 

[Bobby George]

yeah i agree with Snow black, AUsten was a pioneer- thats why she isnt necessarily overt, as opposed to so say Ibsen, because he wrote later in the century- well he's actually humanist, but anyways
just be careful with labels, you dont wanna get the wrong marker and put them off

 

[Emly]

I'm looking for 20th Century ways of thinking being portrayed in Langton's Pride and Prejudice.

I've only identified that it's a different medium to Jane Austen's novel, the increased role of Mr Darcy in the Series and........that's it.

I'm also thinking of using Elizabeth's feminist nature but then, isn't she just being a Romantic when she says that she wants to marry for love?

Any other ideas of 20th century ideals in the series? I just need some help on this!

Thanks!

well.. jane and lizzie wear chains with crosses on them throughout the series... thats been brought in by langton

 

[coffeejunkee]

Because its a 20th century perspective on Regency England, there is a stonger focus on individualism

People tend to treat the film as a 19th century text because of the novel, rather than recognising the 20th century sense of individualism- according to my teacher this is important to point out in an essay...

 

[aylasaysitall]

hey,
im just checking to see if anyone knows where ic an find extra study notes on langton's pride and prejudice, i missed the film when we were veiwing it in class and now i need to learn as much as possible before next week

 

[daviet]

have you tried sparknotes? they have plenty of material up for grabs

 

[steffiduck]

yeah i agree with Snow black, AUsten was a pioneer-

I think i disagree with this, as Austen wasn't so much as a pioneer as a critic of her time. A pioneer would have been the likes of Mary Wollstencroft, who wrote "The Vindication of Women's Rights", which would have influenced Austen (as she was an educated young lady).

Austen merely critisises the social convention of marriage in her time, like those who marry for convienience (economic security) versus marriage for love.

 

[ccc123]

well.. jane and lizzie wear chains with crosses on them throughout the series... thats been brought in by langton

What does that have to do with 21st century paradigms? I would think that is more a symbol of a conservative 19th century society shaped by religious values.

 

[ccc123]

I think i disagree with this, as Austen wasn't so much as a pioneer as a critic of her time. A pioneer would have been the likes of Mary Wollstencroft, who wrote "The Vindication of Women's Rights", which would have influenced Austen (as she was an educated young lady).

Austen merely critisises the social convention of marriage in her time, like those who marry for convienience (economic security) versus marriage for love.

qft. Austen was ultimately conservative. If you look at p and p, the forces of social continuity prevail.

 

[Sventina]

I was under the impression that we were expected to entirely ignore anything to do with the 20th century. I've been told that you lose marks, or atleast don't gain any, for having any focus on 20th century values.

Basically, the prescribed texts we are using are terrible. Langton's Pride and Prejudice was made in the late 20th century, and therefore is potentially skewed by projected values. Browning's poems are basically all based on 15-17thC characters, so it is disputable as to what they are trying to reflect.

Basically, what I suggest doing is discounting the actual values of the time period in which the series was made. Acknowledge the use of 20th century medium, as there must be a focus on film techniques, but concentrate on how Langton has used the medium of film to emphasise Austen's values.

I think english is all about saying what you don't mean and making out like it is true. You just have to be careful not to ovethink it.

 

[Sventina]

I love pride & prejudice, am a big fan of Lizzy's and in love with Darcy (Colin Firth *sigh*), but no one really realises that Lizzy isn't as much an individual in society as everyone makes her out to be. Granted she isn't as passive as the time would have liked, but if you remember when Jane asks her when she first realised she was in love with Darcy she said she dated it back to first seeing Pemberly. Now, i don't doubt that Austen had every intention to indicate they married for a strong love and both of them challenged the conventions of their time (Darcy marrying a woman with bad connections and embarrassing sister Lydia and Lizzy first turning down a man as rich as Darcy), Lizzy still pretty much conformed. I mean essentially she realised this man was attractive when she saw how rich he really was. *sigh* ah well, off to watch the mini-series again...for the 10th time....voluntarily...

This is true. And very important. Especially when you compare it to other texts, like "A Doll's House".

 

[dingusmagee]

i need to refer to 2 scenes in P&P which feature 'the fracturing of a range of firmly established beliefs', but i cant do scenes which we did in class which were:

• Mr Collins proposal to Lizzy
• Mr Darcy's first proposal to Lizzy
• the confrontation between Lady K and Lizzy over Darcy

Does anyone else have any ideas on which scenes to do? Also what other beliefs are challenged other than marriage?

thanks

 

[ccc123]

What about when Lizzy goes to Netherfield and stands up for herself when caroline Bingley suggests "shes a great reader and takes no pleasure in anything else"?

 

[Muz4PM]

Anyone else notice that Elizabeth married for love, and ended up being rewarded with the huge sums of cash Darcy rakes in? Same as Jane with Bingly?

I am not sure if it has been covered here, but Austen seems to reward Elizabeth and Jane who marry for love with stable, rich husbands, and through that lives. This is opposed to Charlotte who marries for society's reasons, and is only going to inherrit what Collins will, which is the Bennet's small property. Lydia marries for lust, and she gets basically nothing with Wickham. So, Austen sees that the two girls who marry for the right reasons are ultimatly rewarded for it.

I am not sure if that is relevant or helpful, but it was just something I found.