P&P #1-7 Analysis

            The reoccurring theme of pride dominates Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice as materialistic and personal values of marriage regulate society. The novel begins with a direct statement regarding the societal requirements of marriage: “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife” (Austen 5). According to Mrs. Bennet, she makes the assertion that marriage and material worth coincide with each other. The more money individuals inherit, the better the chances are for these individuals to marry. The fact that she responds with “A single man of large fortune; four or five thousand a year. What a fine thing for our girls!” (Austen 6) accentuates how materialistic worth is the defining concept of marriage. Later in the novel, Elizabeth remarks that “I am convinced that one good sonnet will starve [love] entirely away” (Austen 45). Throughout the beginning of the novel, marriage has been solely defined by inheritance. The interest in materialistic worth exceeds the interest for sheer love, even though Charlotte explains that “there are a very few of us who have heart enough to be really in love without encouragement” (Austen 22-23). In a society that seeks out materialistic worth, men are only allowed to gain access to marriage if they posses high materialistic worth. Pride, a result from high social status, is the result of favorableness among individuals in society. The characters throughout then novel exhibit pride in the sense that the amount of pride an individual has defines what their social status is as seen in Elizabeth’s remark to Mr. Darcy, “I could easily forgive his pride, if he had not mortified mine” (Austen 21). Pride, social status, and materialistic wealth all come into play in terms of marriage. Though Elizabeth proclaims that her pride is crushed since she overheard Mr. Darcy saying that she does not please him, pride plays a crucial role in being accepted into society. As Mary states, “Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves; vanity to what we would have others to think of us” (Austen 21). Elizabeth’s pride is lost, and as a result, her social standing is crumbed based on her own opinion of herself. To others, she still remains a possibility for a suitable marriage. Marriage, as a whole, is dictated by internal assessments along with an individual’s materialistic wealth. 

1994 Essay Prompt

Prathit Kadam

Mr. George

AP English Composition and Literature

11 April 2013

1994 Essay Prompt

            The brief appearance of characters signifies an important presence in some works of literature. In relation to Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the Ghost is a textbook example of a character that barely appears in the text yet holds a firm, significant position. The Ghost’s short-lived appearance in Hamlet provides an external influence to Hamlet’s antic disposition throughout the text.

            The Ghost’s brief appearance within the text is deliberately placed in order to alleviate the theme of madness. At first, the Ghost notifies Hamlet about Claudius murdering Hamlet’s father for the throne of Denmark. By doing so, the Ghost influences Hamlet to conflict with his own thoughts. This cognitive dissonance that Hamlet experiences directly relates to the Ghost’s sudden appearance in the beginning of the text.  The disharmony between subjectivity and reality is one of the few influences the Ghost imposes on Hamlet’s interpretation of madness. Hamlet is unable to distinguish the Ghost’s presence as either real or subjective. By unable to distinguish the Ghost’s influence, Hamlet resorts to an antic disposition that convinces other characters, like Polonius and Claudius, that Hamlet’s madness is internally driven. However, Hamlet’s antic disposition creates a feigned madness; he convinces others that his madness is internally driven where in reality, it is actually externally motivated.

            The theme of madness is one of the few dominant themes within the text. The Ghost’s short-lived appearance in the beginning of the text provokes Hamlet to over-think the rationality of the Ghost’s deliverance. Prior to encountering the Ghost, Hamlet is retracted into a solemn state where he mourns about his father’s death. Once he realizes the legitimacy of the Ghost’s words, Hamlet is thrust into a position where he is unable to balance rationality versus irrationality and logic versus excessive emotion. Since one of the few predominant themes deals with madness, the appearance of the Ghost initiates this whole whirlpool of madness and confusion that floats in the text.  Although the Ghost does not appear as much as the other characters in Shakespeare’s Hamlet, his brief appearance yields significance. The Ghost’s appearance, in a way, jumpstarts the theme of madness by forcing Hamlet into an antic disposition where he convinces others that he is internally mad. By doing this, the Ghost is able to extenuate a great influence over Hamlet based on such a short-lived appearance.