Jane Austen’s Use of Irony in “Pride and Prejudice.” 

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Comment on Jane Austen’s use of irony in “Pride and Prejudice.” [NU: 2016, 20]

Irony means saying one thing but meaning something else. Jane Austen (1775-1817) is the master of irony. In her iconic novel “Pride and Prejudice” (1813), she uses irony as a powerful literary tool to expose human faults and criticize social norms. Her irony is not just for humor. It is deep, meaningful, and filled with important lessons.

Ironic First Line: The very first line of the novel is one of the most famous examples of irony in English literature. Austen says,

“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.”

At first, this sentence sounds serious and wise. But Austen is actually mocking the idea that wealthy men are always looking for wives. In reality, poor families with unmarried daughters, such as the Bennets, are looking for a wealthy husband for their daughters. So Austen says about Mrs. Bennet that,

“The business of her life was to get her daughters married.”

This ironic tone sets the theme for the entire novel. This shows how society chases wealth. In Austen’s society, marrying a wealthy man was more important than love.

Verbal Irony- Mr. Bennet’s Speech: Mr. Bennet, Elizabeth’s father, is a very ironic character. He often says the opposite of what he means. Thus, he mocks his wife’s foolishness. He highlights the stupidity of others.  When Mrs. Bennet is excited about Mr. Bingley, Mr. Bennet says:

“You are as handsome as any of them, my dear, and Mr. Bingley might like you the best of the party.”

He does not really mean this. It is his way of teasing her foolish excitement. His dry, ironic comments bring humor. This also shows how he keeps a distance from family problems.

Dramatic Irony- Elizabeth’s Misjudgment: Dramatic irony occurs when the audience knows something the character does not. Elizabeth thinks