Pride and Prejudice: Character and Contradiction

Jane Austen's House presents its 2023 Annual Lecture, filmed onsite in Chawton with acclaimed Austen scholar Professor John Mullan...
“I believe, ma’am, I may safely promise you never to dance with him.”
When Elizabeth Bennet says this to her mother about Mr Darcy, she believes that she is speaking the truth. She is destined, like most of Jane Austen's characters, to contradict her words by her actions. In her novels, Jane Austen is a connoisseur of comic self-contradiction. In this talk, we see how she brings characters alive through their inconsistencies in Pride and Prejudice, with some glances at her other novels.
This talk by acclaimed Austen scholar Professor John Mullan was delivered in the Drawing Room at Jane Austen’s House. Whilst a small group enjoyed it live, it was written and filmed for you, our online audience. So grab a cup of tea, sit back and enjoy, wherever you are in the world!

[@jamesonstalanthasyu]

Thank you, Lizzie and the rest of the Jane Austen House Museum, for putting this online for everyone! Much appreciated.

[@LizziebelleXOX]

Thank you so much for sharing this video with us all 🌠🙌🏻I’m a huge Jane Austen fan so this makes me so happy . I love John mullan too thank you Lizzie 🤎🍁🌠✨

[@Brianbrianbrian71]

What a pleasure to hear the thoughts of someone so learned and passionate. Thank you.

[@gracetaylor7351]

Thank you I am enjoying and love listening John Mullan talk about Jane Austen .❤

[@crimsonlightss]

Yes , me too , he is very passionate.

[@catherinelincoln9830]

Next treat from Professor Mullan is his address to the September 2023 Bath Festival on “Blushing in Jane Austen’s works”. 😃👍

[@--enyo--]

It was one of the chapters in ‘What Matters in Jane Austen?’, which was a great read.

[@beckihayes220]

Lovely man I saw him at the hey festival signing books when ' what matters in Jane Austen ' He was soo lovely chatting to everyone in such a animated way that I joined the queue so I could say hello to him Quite a few of his lectures are on KZbin and he's always a delight to watch

[@WitchRetired]

Thank you so much for letting us all hear his lecture! I could listen to John Mullan talk about Jane Austen for hours.

[@gwynwellliver4489]

Anyone who uses a Monty Python reference in a Jane Austen lecture is marvelous! ❤😂

[@EllenMariaM]

My favourite contradictions by Mrs. Bennet are when she contradicts what she's saying in the very moment by behaving in opposition to it. Such as when she promises to be true to her word to never speak to Elizabeth again (after her refusal of Mr. Collins), while continuing to talk to her many sentences after. Or when she says about some subject I forget, that she'll never talk to any soul about it, and then says that she said the exact same thing to Mrs. Phillips the other day (that she wouldn't mention the subject to anyone again), so this moment of the conversation we're reading, contradicting what she said to Mrs. Phillips, and what she is saying now, by bringing up the topic again.

[@maryhamric]

I LOVE John Mullan! Thank you for posting this!!! And YES Emma is my favorite too! It is my favorite novel. 💗

[@carlatate7678]

Emma is my favourite as well. ❤

[@marieh185]

Mrs Bennet is consistent in that she needs everything to work in her favor. As far as Mr Darcy goes, the original reason she didn't like him was that he snubbed her Lizzy. Elizabeth may not be her favorite but she will not tolerate a man, even an important rich man, looking down on her.

[@KPT437]

She reminds me of my grandmother and I absolutely love my grandmother. In effect I understand what Mrs Bennet rightly worries about even in her ridiculous way.

[@meganluck4352]

Jane was a great observer of human nature and human behavior. I have read P & P the best and have read it several times. My second favorite being Mansfield Park.

[@user-bn7bk5mw4s]

Yes and Fanny was right about Henry Crawford

[@zuzanka1981]

I'm looking forward to this lecture. Thank you for sharing it with other Jane Austen's fans.

[@--enyo--]

That ‘Jane Austen’s Monsters’ lecture sounds incredibly interesting. I’d love to see that turned into another book so we could all access/read it.

[@annsheil5717]

This is so fantastic, thank you so much

[@jannie690]

Thank you so much for sharing this.

[@theresasullivan3452]

Thank you!

[@mesamies123]

Brilliant! Thank you! 🙂

[@meganluck4352]

The novel Emma was the one that I struggled to get through while struggling to not throw the book at the wall. Emma's personality and character bothered me a lot. Poor Harriet, so innocent and easily pleased unfortunate to have become friends with such a twit.

[@beckihayes220]

Love to hear John Mullion talking on Jane Austen I too have heard him in person on online many times If he talks again Can you ask him to tell you what he knows about Janes Father ..... In my mind I now see someone like John himself Immensely proud of Jane

[@beckihayes220]

Mullon So sorry Pesky spell checker changed my message

[@dorothywillis1]

I am having difficulty imagining Elizabeth Bennet calling her mother "Mom."

[@Dcs.234]

😂

[@richardarcher3435]

I thought it was ma'am, like you would say to royalty.

[@dorothywillis1]

@@richardarcher3435 So did I. But Prof. Mullen makes it sound just like "Mom!"

[@dorothywillis1]

@@smgpoetryarts Yet in Chapter 5 we find, "“Are you quite sure, ma’am? Is not there a little mistake?” said Jane. “I certainly saw Mr. Darcy speaking to her.” and "“Another time, Lizzy,” said her mother, “I would not dance with him, if I were you.” “I believe, ma’am, I may safely promise you never to dance with him.” In Chapter 19 there is "“Dear ma’am, do not go. I beg you will not go. Mr. Collins must excuse me."

[@carlatate7678]

​@@dorothywillis1It is pronounced "ma'am like pom, not ma'am like ham".

[@yon8378]

You don't mention what I think is the most blatant contradiction in P&P: Darcy's saying that once his good opinion of someone is lost, it is lost forever!

[@benedictcowell6547]

My favourite adaptation, which yieIds the most definitive EIizabeth [EIizabeth Garvie] aIso yieIds the most probIematic Darcy [RintouI] makes EIizabeth's change her mind He does not smiIe enough and the portrait at PemberIey is misconceived]. The best Mr. Darcy is sadIy no Ionger extant. It was AIan BadeI who does smiIe and renders some of Darcy's mosr provocative remarks credibIe and eventuaIIy persuasive. I remember his smiIe and voice when he remarks that 'Dancing is aImost over-rated accompIishments , it is in vogue amongst Iess poIished societies Every Savage can dance.' We know he is speaking epigramaticaIIy .. If you want to get some idea of the of the dramatic tension between EIizabeth' and Darcy try to find AIan BadeI in a scene from a BBC production of the WinsIow Boy' pIaying opposite MicheIe Dotrice. The finaI scene reveaIs the attraction of WinsIow's daughter and Sir Robert [in truth Carson] and his trying to conceaI his vuInerabiIity. It is a moving scene but it dispIays some of the quaIities that BadeI brough to Darcy. and come to think of it MicheIe Dotrice wouId have been a very credibIe EIizabeth. Another reveIation of what EIizabeth true thinks of Mr Darcy comes in the scene that John MuIIen mentioned mentions at the piano at Rosings when she says to CoIoneI FitzwiIIiam' shaII we as your cousin how it is possibIe for a man of sense of education finds it difficuIt to recommend himseIf to strangers?'[this is for memory I do not think it is an exact quote but the gist'] If I have one criticism of the adaptation afore said it is when at the piano Darcy remarks about her expressing opinions that are not in fact her own she' Iaughs heartiIy' 'and it is reveaIing of the deeper, more private EIizabeth but in this adaptation she does not but the Iaugh shouId be hearty and it is interesting. Darcy has penetrated her secret and that is attractive to her. So few peopIe divined it

[@user-bn7bk5mw4s]

It's usually a toss up between Jane and the Brontes for me. When i want to cry and take kife seriously give me the Brontes. When I want to laugh give me Austen. But the older i get I see that Jane saw the tears also but like her "i dearly love a laugh" and after all that makes life easier to bear

[@user-bn7bk5mw4s]

I mean life. And Pride and prejudice is my favorite book

[@brreezy421]

Book rules

[@user-oy2tk6if4n]

Thank you!