Austen Quote by Mary Lascelles
““As for Elizabeth Bennet, our chief reason for accepting her point of view as a reflection of her author's is the impression that she bears of sympathy between them--an impression of which almost every reader would be sensible, even if it had not the explicit confirmation of Jane Austen's letters. Yet, as she is presented to us in Pride and Prejudice, she is but a partial and sometimes perverse observer. ””
About This Quote
Source Book: Literary Criticism, "Austen and Her Critics", 1970
Elizabeth Bennet is seen as a sympathetic observer, yet her perspective is limited and sometimes biased.
In simple terms: Bennet's view is sympathetic but not fully objective.
Key Takeaway
Consider both empathy and bias in literary analysis.
Themes
literature
perspective
bias
sympathy
Mood
analytical
thoughtful
Type
critical
academic
When to use this quote
- classroom discussions
- essay writing
- book clubs
- critical reviews
Key Concepts
feminist theory
narrative reliability
Questions to Reflect On
- How does personal sympathy affect your interpretation?
- Can you separate character empathy from author intent?
A Different Perspective
Readers may over‑identify with characters, losing objectivity.
![“For [Jane Austen and the readers of Pride and Prejudice], as for Mr. Darcy, [Elizabeth Bennett's] solitary walks express the independence that literally takes the heroine out of the social sphere of the houses and their inhabitants, into a larger, lonelier world where she is free to think: walking…” quote by Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/654/rebecca-solnit-569_austen_for-jane-austen-and-the-readers-of-pride_2924842.jpg)
![“What are we watching?" [...] [...] He hugged her closer. "The sacrifices I make for you -just watch." She was intrigued enough to pay attention to the screen. " Pride and Prejudice ," she read out. "It's a book written by a human. Nineteenth century?" "Uh-huh." "The hero is... Mr. Darcy?" "Yes…” quote by Nalini Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/874/nalini-singh-293_funny_what-are-we-watching-he-hugged-her-close_3180199.jpg)
![“[Jane] Austen was not a novelist for nothing: she knew that our stories are what make us human, and that listening to someone else's stories -- entering into their feelings, validating their experiences -- is the highest way of acknowledging their humanity, the sweetest form of usefulness.” quote by William Deresiewicz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/2bb/william-deresiewicz-15471_austen_jane-austen-was-not-a-novelist-for-nothi_62623.jpg)
