Narrative Perspective in Pride and Prejudice
Author(s): E. M. Halliday
Source: Nineteenth-Century Fiction, Vol. 15, No. 1 (Jun., 1960), pp. 65-71
Published by: University of California Press
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Notes and Reviews
NARRATIVE
PERSPECTIVE
IN Prideand Prejudice
CONSIDERTHE FAMOUS
opening
sentence
ofPrideandPrejudice:
"Itis
a truthuniversally
acknowledged,
thata singlemanin possession
ofa goodfortune
mustbe in wantof a wife."The narrator
seems
tobe standing
outsidethestory,
notyetobserving
thecharacters
but
gazingoffintothemiddledistance
forsomereflections
on lifein
general.Butthisimpression
doesnotlast.As Mr. Bennetand "his
lady"begintheirdialogue,it rapidlybecomesclearthatthestorytellerhadthembothin viewwhenthatopeninggeneralization
was
made.It is an opinion,
we find,thatMrs.Bennetwouldgreetwith
a clapping
ofhandsandlittlecriesofjoy-andoneMr.Bennet
would
sendflying
to theparadiseoffoolishideaswitha shaftofridicule.
The narrator
ostensibly
takestheresponsibility
fortheopinion;but
we see fromthebeginning
thatherobservations
are likelyto bear
an ironicrelation
totheviews,andpointsofview,ofhercharacters.
Thisis ourintroduction
tothequalityoftoughyetgentleironythat
will controleverypage of thenovel,makingus feela wonderful
balancebetween
senseandsensibility.
narrative
in theservice
ofover-all
This artfulcontrol
perspective
of
ofJaneAusten's
ironyis supported
bya mostsubtlemanipulation
Evena sleepyreader
pointofviewforthesakeofthenovel'sunity.
of thisbookmustbe wellaware,beforehe has readveryfar,that
Buthowdoeshe knowthis?The title
itis ElizabethBennet's
story.
The opening
is notthestoryteller.
givesnoclue,andElizabeth
pages
oftheBennetdaughters
makeitclearthatthematrimonial
prospects
will directtheaction-butthereare fivedaughters.
True,threeof
themlookfarfrompromising:
Maryis a pedantic
bore;Lydiais an
ButbothJaneand
empty-headed
flirt;Kittyis justempty-headed.
and accomplished,
and forseveralchapters
Elizabethare attractive
chances
withBingley
willbringthecentral
action
itlooksas ifJane's
role.How is it,
intofocus,withElizabethplayingsomesubsidiary
thenovel-sayby
then,thatbythetimewe arequarterway
through
thetimeMr.Collinsmakeshiscelebrated
proposalto Elizabeth-it
[65]
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66
Nineteenth-Century Fiction
has becomeperfectly
clearthatElizabethis theheroineofPrideand
Prejudice,and thatJaneis onlya secondarycharacter?
Partly,thisis revealedby thesheeramountof attention
thestorytellerpaysto Elizabeth,whichincreasesrapidlyas we movethrough
thefirsteighteenchapters.
This,ofcourse,is itselfa function
ofpoint
of view. The storyteller
choosesto gaze upon Elizabethmore and
moreoften,and forlongerand longerstretches
oftime.Buttheinterestingfactis thatthisdeliberaterestriction
of thenarrator's
privilege
ofgazinganywhere
and everywhere
is moststringently
appliedwhen
the mechanicsof the plot call, quite on the contrary,
forattention
to Jane.In chaptervii,Janegoesto visitCarolineBingleyat Netherfield.Mrs. Bennet'smost sanguinehopes are fulfilledwhen Jane
catchesa bad cold on the way, and therefore
has to spend several
dayswiththe Bingleys.But notethatthisis reportedby letter;for
when JaneleavesforNetherfield
we do not go withher.The narrativeperspectiveremainsfocusedon the Bennethousehold,and
particularly
on Elizabeth; and it is not until Elizabethdecidesto
put sisterhood
above gentility,
and walks threemilesacrossmuddy
fields,thatwe makeourfirstentryintotheBingleyhousehold.Moreover,we see nothingof JaneuntilElizabethgoes upstairsto nurse
her; and eventhenwe geta scantyglimpse,sinceJaneevidently
is
too sickto talk.By thistimeit beginsto be obviousthatthenarrator
is onlyslightly
moreinterested
in Janethanis thefelineMissBingley,
who toleratesher chieflyfor the sake of Bingley'sinterest.Jane's
relationto Bingleywill be important
in the plot,but muchless for
itselfthanas a necessary
deviceto helpbuildup Elizabeth'sprejudice
againstDarcy.
Actually,the narrator's
audacityin slightingJaneis almostrude.
WhenpoorJaneemergesfromhersickroomafterseveraldays(chap.
xi), sheis nearlyignored.Everyonegreetsherpolitely,
ofcourse;but
althoughBingley"thensat down byher and talkedscarcelyto anyone else,"none of thistete-a-tete
betweenthe two nascentloversis
reported.On the otherhand, a word-for-word
renderingof a most
livelyconversation
includingElizabeth,Bingley,hissister,
and Darcy
takesup the restof the chapter;but forall she contributes
to the
scene,Janemightas well be stretched
out asleep on a sofalike the
languidMr. Hurst,who is also presentbutinaudible.
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Notesand Reviews
67
inAboutthistimewe also beginto be aware thatthe narrator's
creasingattentionto Elizabethand neglectof Janeis not simplya
matterofdirection
ofgaze. We areinducedto seemuchofElizabeth,
and notmuchof heroldersister;butwe also beginto see moreand
fromElizabeth's
more of the action,and of the othercharacters,
pointofview.In chapterx, forexample,justbeforetheone in which
inconspicuous,
we are quite specifically
Janebecomesso remarkably
encouragedto identify
ourselveswithElizabethat thebeginningof
the scene:
and was sufficiently
amusedin attending
Elizabethtookup someneedlework
The perpetual
commendato whatpassedbetweenDarcyand his companion.
tionsof theladyeitheron hishandwriting,
or on theevenness
of hislines,or
unconcern
withwhichherpraises
on thelengthof his letter,
withtheperfect
werereceived,
formeda curiousdialogue,and was exactlyin unisonwithher
opinionof each.
We are not told thatElizabethsmiles,or makesany otheroutward
to
has penetrated
sign of her amusement.The narrativeperspective
thepointofviewhas becomehersnotonly
Elizabeth'sconsciousness;
but psychically.
physically,
Jane Austen
By means of such skillfultechnicalmaneuvering,
graduallyforcestheactionofPrideand Prejudiceto coalescearound
Elizabeth,and we are preparedforan essentialpart of thataction
to takeplacein theintimateand subtlechambersofhermind.When
we reachthecrisisof thenovelwithDarcy'sfirstproposalto Elizabeth (chap. xxxiv)-which, as a matterof structural
nicety,comes
that
exactlyhalfwaythroughthe book-we know thateverything
her
on
of
his
true
character.The
followsmust depend
discovery
groundworkis laid veryshortly,in chapterxxxvi,which consists
entirelyof a searchinganalysisof Elizabeth'sinward reactionsto
Darcy's letterof explanation.And the fact that her discoveryis
a psychological
chiefly
process,not an outwardaction,is stressedby
"Had I beenin love,"she
herrealizationthatitinvolvesself-discovery.
cries(tantalizingthereaderwiththeconditional),"I couldnothave
been more wretchedlyblind.... I have courtedprepossession
and
ignoranceand drivenreasonawaywhereeitherwereconcerned.Till
thismomentI neverknewmyself."
playsan essential
Thus the managementof narrativeperspective
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68
Fiction
Nineteenth-Century
theunityoftheaction:it is Elizabeth'sstory,
partin establishing
and
ratherthan her outward
it is the storyof her senseand sensibility
behavior.But now an intriguing
questionoccurs.If Elizabethis to
be the centerof vision,whyis she treated,in the openingchapters,
merelyon an equal plane withthe otherprincipalcharacters?
Why
herpredominance?
thedelayin establishing
There appearto be someverygood reasonsforthis,havingto do
withtheuse ofpointofviewtohelpcreatesuspense.The mostviolent
outwardactionin Pride and Prejudice,perhaps,is Elizabeth'sleap
overa puddleon herwayto Netherfield.
Clearly,thesuspensein this
novel dependsnot on violentaction,or even the threatthereofdespiteMrs.Bennet'snervousfearsthatMr. Bennetwill fightWickham. It dependsmostlyon ourwaitingforElizabethto discovertwo
things:thatDarcy is in love withher; and thatshe is in love with
Darcy.The readermustbe led to suspectbothof thesethingsbefore
Elizabethdoes,or thesuspenseis lost.Butif thepointofviewofthe
narration
had beenElizabeth'sfromthestart,
thereadercouldhardly
be aware thatDarcy is fallingin love; forElizabeth,blindedby intenseprejudice,neverdreamsof his affection.
The storyteller
thereforetreatsus to severaldirectinsightsintoDarcy'smindin theearly
stagesof the action: he beginsby findingher eyes entrancingin
chaptervi, and by chapterx is obligedto admitto himselfthathe
"had neverbeenso bewitchedbyanywomanas he was byher."Once
it is firmlyestablishedthatDarcy is slipping,howeverreluctantly,
thenarrator
can safelyprojectthepointof viewto thatof theprejudiced heroine;and fromthenon we rarelydesertElizabethas the
centerof vision.
As forElizabeth'sfallingin love withDarcy,it is somethingnot
accomplisheduntil near the end of the book; but we must feel,
surely,
thatit is something
begunmuchearlierthanElizabethherself
realizes.To effectthis,we mustbe able to see Darcy apart from
Elizabeth'sconsciousbias: we mustsee him,almostfromthe start,
as at leastpotentially
worthyofherlove.No doubtwe beginto take
thisviewofDarcyearly,despitehissnobbishbehavior,partlybecause
we know he is fallingin love withElizabeth.Since we have begun
thisstandsto his creditin the face
to like her verymuch ourselves,
of her prejudice;it showshis discrimination.
But,as we have seen,
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Notesand Reviews
69
our knowledgethatDarcyis fallingin lovewould havebeelnimpossibleifElizabethhad becomethecenterofvisiontoo soon.Thus our
respectforDarcy,whichwe mustfeelbeforebelievingthatso estimablea heroinecouldfallin lovewithhim,also dependson keeping
thepointofviewawayfromElizabethfora certainlengthoftime.
And what about Elizabeth'sspecificprejudicesagainstDarcy? If
thereis to be an interesting
degreeof suspense,we mustnot share
them wholeheartedly
with her: we must believe,long beforeshe
on whichtheyrestare doubtful,so that
does,thatthe foundations
we mayanticipateherchangeofheart.Thereare threethingsElizabethseriouslyholds againstDarcy: she thinkshe has spoiledJane's
chanceswithBingley;thathe has done thisbecausehe despisesthe
social positionof her family;and that he has ruinedWickham's
careerwithoutdue cause.Aftershehas accusedDarcyofthesefaults
and hurledhisproposalbackin hisface,he writesherthelong,painstakingletterin whichhe clearshimselfofthecharges.And it deserves
attention
thatmostofthegroundsuponwhichhe clearshimselfhave
been objectivelyestablished,
thatis,
earlyin the story-established,
in a way thatwould have been difficult
or impossiblein a narration
primarilyfromElizabeth'spointof view. We mustbe leftfreeto
observethesegroundsindependent
ofElizabeth,so thatthepossibility
of romancebetweenher and Darcy can beguileus long beforeit
consciouslydawns on her.
Darcy says,first,thatJaneneverdisplayedany love forBingley,
so to whiskhimawayto Londoncould notbe thoughtofas injuring
Jane'semotions-andif we look back,we findthatthenarratorhas
carefullyestablishedthisin the earlychapters.Janeis so excessively
demurethatevenwhenherheartis fluttering
withromanticpassion
her mannershowsonlygenteelpleasureand politeness.Even Elizabethadmitsthis,to CharlotteLucas, in chaptervi; but it does not
occurto her (as it mayto thereader)thatBingleywon'tsee through
Jane'sdecorousdisguise.
Darcy'sexplanationofwhyhe wantsto preventmarriagebetween
Bingleyand Janeis thathe couldnotbearto seehisfriendmarryinto
a familyincludingsuchuncommonly
ill-bredpersonsas Mrs.Bennet,
Lydia,Kitty,and Mary:and we, thereaders,have enjoyedgenerous
exhibitionsof theirbehavior,objectively
related,fromthe opening
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70
Fiction
Nineteenth-Century
pages of the novel. AlthoughDarcy's disapprovalon this scoreis
damagingto the idea of romancebetweenhim and Elizabeth,it is
not nearlyso much so as her falseconvictionthathe considersher
familysocialstationhopelesslybeneathhim.
of Wickham,while
Finally,Darcy'sexplanationof his treatment
cerbringsto Elizabeth'sattention
it reliesmostlyon familyhistory,
in Wickham'sbehaviortowardher-improprieties
tainimproprieties
thatwerewide opento thereader'sviewin chapterxvi,eventhough
at thattimetheywere lost on Elizabeth.This chapter,in fact,is a
thepointofviewseems
perspective:
kindoftourde forceofnarrative
to be thatofElizabeth;yetin spiteof manyinsightsintohermental
reactionto Wickham,thereadercan maintaina certaindetachment
of judgmentbecausethe bulk of the chapteris fullyrecordedconhis impropriety.
versation-andwhat Wickhamsaysconstitutes
in establishperspective
Thus theeminentpartplayedbynarrative
by dint
only
is
achieved
Prejudice
and
ing theartisticunityofPride
forthesake of dramaticsuspense.
of someveryskillfulmodification
we are
Througha delicatebalancebetweenobjectiveand subjective,
thatDarcyand
withdeliciousanxiety,
givengoodreasontoanticipate,
Elizabethwill wind up in each other'sarms; yetElizabeth,from
whosepointof view the storyas a whole is focused,does not begin
to perceivethisdenouementuntilnearthe end.
Two otherpointsabout JaneAusten'smanagementof narrative
repaystudy.One has to do with what could be called
perspective
senseofmovement
impartedbytheauthorto
her"kinaesthetics"-the
the story,and the way in whichthissenseis controlled;the other,
closelyrelated,is her selectivity.
Much of Pride and Prejudicemovesat the pace of lifeitself:the
actionis renderedwith a degreeof detailand fullnessof dialogue
thatgivesa highlydevelopeddramaticillusion.Butnotehow fastthe
can shiftto drasticsynopsiswhen it seemsdesirableto
storyteller
the
actionand moveon to a sceneessentialto theplot.When
stepup
Elizabethis waitingat Longbournforthe Gardinersto come and
sheis disappointed
bya letter
takeheron a tourof theLake district,
sayingthattheycannotstartuntil two weeks laterthan planned,
cannotgo so faron theirtrip.Our shrewdnarrator,
and consequently
ofmakingus impatient
withouta purpose,
however,has no intention
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Notesand Reviews
71
and disposesof a wholemonthin two swiftsentences:"Four weeks
wereto pass away beforeher uncle and aunt'sarrival.But theydid
pass away,and Mr. and Mrs.Gardinerwiththeirfourchildrendid
at lengthappearat Longbourn."Geographicalsettingis dealtwith
justas jauntily:"It is nottheobjectof thiswork,"we are tolda few
linesfurther,
"to give a description
norof any of the
of Derbyshire,
remarkableplaces throughwhich theirroutethitherlay. Oxford,
Blenheim,Warwick,Kenilworth,Birmingham,
etc.,are sufficiently
known."And just two pages laterwe are treadingtheplushcarpets
at Pemberley,
readyforthe nextencounterbetweenElizabethand
Darcy.
When it comesto selectivity,
thefilters
throughwhichthenarrator
of Pride and Prejudicehabituallyviewsthe actionare much more
and theypositively
discriminating
than thoseof any photographer,
cutout muchthatis thestockin tradeof theaveragenovelist.What
ball?
coloris Elizabeth'shair?What did shewearat theNetherfield
What in the world do thesepeople eat at all the dinnersthatare
mentioned?Whatdo Mr.and Mrs.Bennetlooklike? Buttheanswers
to theseand a hundredsimilarquestionsit is thenarrator's
privilege
towithhold:we musttakewhathe (or she) choosesto giveus. What
JaneAustenchoosesto giveis pretty
well summedup in herobservationaboutDarcy and Elizabethat the happymomentwhen Elizabethfinally
acceptsDarcy'shand: "Theywalkedon,withoutknowing
in what direction.There was too much to be thoughtand feltand
said for attentionto any otherobjects."Thoughtand feeling,and
theirverbalexpression-thisis the worldof JaneAusten,so beautifullyilluminated
forus byherartistic
controlofnarrative
perspective.
E. M. HALLIDAY
NorthCarolinaStateCollege
GEORGE MOORE AND Fatherand
Son
withhim in his old age, George
Of themen of letterscontemporary
Moore admiredveryfew,and was friendlywith even fewer.The
"Hail and Farewell!"(I9II, I9I2,
threevolumesofhisautobiography
of a talentformalice whichwas as
I9I4) were the fineflowering
forhis salliesweremade withan
as it was formidable,
unanswerable
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