"PRIDE AND PREJUDICE" VS "LITTLE WOMEN"-THE CLASH OF THE CLASSICS!!!
Jun 18 2008 | Views 1036 |
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"Pride and Prejudice" and "Little Women" are arguably the best classics ever written.Jo March and Lizzie Bennet are two of the most inspiring heroines of all time.I love both the tales and the heroines and I couldnt help but compare these two and draw parallels.
The Marchs and the Bennets are families belonging to the lower middle class of their times.Meg,Jo,Beth,Amy are the March sisters,while Jane,Lizzie,Mary,Kitty and Lydia are the Bennet sisters and interestingly Meg and Jane are both the pretty eldest sisters while Jo and Lizzie are the rebellious, knowledgeable and straight forward heroines.
There are some themes that are recurring ones.Not surprising, since they belong to almost the same time frame.
FAMILY:
The Bennet family
This is an absolutely important theme in both the books.In "Little Women" more so.The March girls help and work eagerly for the happiness of family, especially during times of peril.As for the Bennet girls, it is more about marrying to save the family than actually any love for the family..excluding of course, Lizzie's love towards Jane and her father.
SISTERS:
Jane and Lizzie Bennet
The March family sisters score very high in this .Meg,Jo,Beth and Amy are the most affectionate and wonderful sisters,though they have their share of quarrels...and their love and affection has always captivated me.Jane and Lizzie in "Pride and Prejudice" are very affectionate sisters,Kitty and Lydia were more of gossip girls.
Jo ,Amy and Beth March
MARRIAGE:
Mr.Collins in "Pride and Prejudice"
A central theme of both books is the inevitable "Marriage". Making good marriages to bring the family, name and fame was the order of the day.While Jane manages to marry the rich man she loves,Meg marries the poor man she loves, not caring for money but love,just love.Interestingly Jo and Lizzie both turn down proposals before their marriage.Jo, turns down handsome and rich Laurie as she considered him only as a 'friend'-an exceptional theme to bring about in that time by Alcott.Lizzie turns down Mr.Collins, the pompous but rich clergyman.Both these wonderful ladies wait for the man they love and are unmoved by the lure of fame, money and fortune.
Teddy Lawrence in "Little Women"
PARENTS:
This is the huge difference between the two classics."Little Women" had the most wonderful father and a loving, courageous and spirited mother-an inspiration to all her girls.Whereas in "Pride and Prejudice", the lesser said about the mother -the better.Mrs.Bennet had only a single goal in her life-to marry her girls well.Mr.Bennet is the reason however for the little sanity that prevails in the house.
FRIENDSHIP,ROMANCE AND LOVE:
"Little Women" explores the ever-controversial "Can men and women be just friends?' theme..poignantly.Jo and Laurie are inseperable friends, but when Laurie proposes, Jo turns him down, wishing to continue the friendship,but nothing more.That was one of the best things about Alcott's classic.There is Meg and John Brooke,Jo and Prof.Friedrich Bhaer and later of course Amy and Laurie to fill the romance quotient.
"Pride and Prejudice" talks more about romance than friendship, excluding of course the wonderful ties of friendship between Bingley and Darcy and Charlotte and Lizzie.Lizzie and Mr.Fitzwilliam Darcy are by all probability the most wonderful romantic couple in literary history.Lydia's frivoulous and coquettish ways leading to her marriage to Mr.Wickham are an entirely different aspect of romance- without much of love, that Austen writes brilliantly.
Interestingly...both Jo and Lizzie turned down men, who later went on to marry their closest and most loved person.In Lizzie's case, Mr.Collins marries Charlotte, her best friend, while in Jo's case, Laurie marries her wonderful sister Amy.
THESE CLASSICS IN CONTEMPORARY TIMES:
These books have been loved by milions and inspired many, generation after generation.
Christian Bale who played Teddy Lawrence
Both these classics have been made into serials and Movies."Little Women" has been made into many serials and also a movie starring Winona Ryder and Christian Bale.While "Pride and Prejudice" has been serialised by the BBC, with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle playing the lead roles.The recent film starring Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen is amazing too.
Matthew Macfadyen as Mr.Darcy
These books are wonderful and a must-read for all.
Few books rarely mean something and impact our lives- and these two belong to that rare breed.Have fun reading!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
P.S:Many thanks to Edward and Michelle for the wonderful idea which prompted me to ponder and write this blog.Cheers!:)
The Marchs and the Bennets are families belonging to the lower middle class of their times.Meg,Jo,Beth,Amy are the March sisters,while Jane,Lizzie,Mary,Kitty and Lydia are the Bennet sisters and interestingly Meg and Jane are both the pretty eldest sisters while Jo and Lizzie are the rebellious, knowledgeable and straight forward heroines.
There are some themes that are recurring ones.Not surprising, since they belong to almost the same time frame.
FAMILY:
The Bennet family
This is an absolutely important theme in both the books.In "Little Women" more so.The March girls help and work eagerly for the happiness of family, especially during times of peril.As for the Bennet girls, it is more about marrying to save the family than actually any love for the family..excluding of course, Lizzie's love towards Jane and her father.
SISTERS:
Jane and Lizzie Bennet
The March family sisters score very high in this .Meg,Jo,Beth and Amy are the most affectionate and wonderful sisters,though they have their share of quarrels...and their love and affection has always captivated me.Jane and Lizzie in "Pride and Prejudice" are very affectionate sisters,Kitty and Lydia were more of gossip girls.
Jo ,Amy and Beth March
MARRIAGE:
Mr.Collins in "Pride and Prejudice"
A central theme of both books is the inevitable "Marriage". Making good marriages to bring the family, name and fame was the order of the day.While Jane manages to marry the rich man she loves,Meg marries the poor man she loves, not caring for money but love,just love.Interestingly Jo and Lizzie both turn down proposals before their marriage.Jo, turns down handsome and rich Laurie as she considered him only as a 'friend'-an exceptional theme to bring about in that time by Alcott.Lizzie turns down Mr.Collins, the pompous but rich clergyman.Both these wonderful ladies wait for the man they love and are unmoved by the lure of fame, money and fortune.
Teddy Lawrence in "Little Women"
PARENTS:
This is the huge difference between the two classics."Little Women" had the most wonderful father and a loving, courageous and spirited mother-an inspiration to all her girls.Whereas in "Pride and Prejudice", the lesser said about the mother -the better.Mrs.Bennet had only a single goal in her life-to marry her girls well.Mr.Bennet is the reason however for the little sanity that prevails in the house.
FRIENDSHIP,ROMANCE AND LOVE:
"Little Women" explores the ever-controversial "Can men and women be just friends?' theme..poignantly.Jo and Laurie are inseperable friends, but when Laurie proposes, Jo turns him down, wishing to continue the friendship,but nothing more.That was one of the best things about Alcott's classic.There is Meg and John Brooke,Jo and Prof.Friedrich Bhaer and later of course Amy and Laurie to fill the romance quotient.
"Pride and Prejudice" talks more about romance than friendship, excluding of course the wonderful ties of friendship between Bingley and Darcy and Charlotte and Lizzie.Lizzie and Mr.Fitzwilliam Darcy are by all probability the most wonderful romantic couple in literary history.Lydia's frivoulous and coquettish ways leading to her marriage to Mr.Wickham are an entirely different aspect of romance- without much of love, that Austen writes brilliantly.
Interestingly...both Jo and Lizzie turned down men, who later went on to marry their closest and most loved person.In Lizzie's case, Mr.Collins marries Charlotte, her best friend, while in Jo's case, Laurie marries her wonderful sister Amy.
THESE CLASSICS IN CONTEMPORARY TIMES:
These books have been loved by milions and inspired many, generation after generation.
Christian Bale who played Teddy Lawrence
Both these classics have been made into serials and Movies."Little Women" has been made into many serials and also a movie starring Winona Ryder and Christian Bale.While "Pride and Prejudice" has been serialised by the BBC, with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle playing the lead roles.The recent film starring Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen is amazing too.
Matthew Macfadyen as Mr.Darcy
These books are wonderful and a must-read for all.
Few books rarely mean something and impact our lives- and these two belong to that rare breed.Have fun reading!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
P.S:Many thanks to Edward and Michelle for the wonderful idea which prompted me to ponder and write this blog.Cheers!:)
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