The Ball as a Narrative Device in Pride and Prejudice AbstractIn Jane Austen’ s Pride and Prejudice, ballroom dancing scenes are not only seen as a social arena for different characters, but employed as a vital narrative device in the novel. This thesis aims to highlight the importance of the ball in the development of the plot through analyses of two major ball scenes which realistically reflect the social customs of Austen’s time.71053

Keywords: Jane Austen; ball; socialization; narrative; realism

摘  要在简·奥斯汀的作品傲慢与偏见中，舞会这一场景作为一大视角，不仅是不同人物角色的一个社交平台，也是小说中一个至关重要的叙事手段。 这篇论文主旨在于通过分析文中两场隆重华丽的舞会场景，强调舞会对小说情节发展起到的重要性，同时这两场舞会真实地反映了奥斯汀时期的社会风俗习惯。

毕业论文关键词：简·奥斯汀；舞会；社会化；叙事；现实zhuyi

Contents

1. Introduction 1

1.1 Jane Austen and Pride and Prejudice 1

1.2 Relevant research in China 1

1.3 Relevant research in the world 2

2. Socio-historical Background of the Ball 4

2.1 Development and characteristics of the ball in the 19th century 4

2.2 Social functions of the ballroom dance 5

3. Ballroom scenes in Pride and Prejudice 7

3.1 The ball in Meryton 7

3.2 The ball in Netherfield 8

4. Austen’s use of the ball as a narrative device 11

4.1 Effects of the ball in Austen’s narrative style 11

5. Conclusion 13

References 14

1. Introduction

1.1 Jane Austen and Pride and Prejudice

  Jane Austen was one of the great realistic novelists in English literature in the 19th century, known for her controversial and witty stories about love, society and the complications of both. She has influenced many generations of readers and has long inspired aplenty writers to follow in her footsteps and continue her legacy. She has also been a great influence on the development of feminism, seen in her atypical heroines. Most of Jane Austen’ s novels take place in the countryside with regular social engagements and balls to attend. First of all, I am intrigued by the reasoning, workings and consequences of these balls and their connections to the characters that Austen portrays. 

  Pride and Prejudice is considered Jane Austen’ s most famous and successful novel. And in many people’s opinion it is also one of the greatest fictions written in English. It contains all the elements necessary for great literature: an attractive plot, a terse style, appropriate setting, and fascinating characters. Many literature critics write essays to analyze this book. P&P vividly reflects the conservative British town life and the love among people in the late eighteenth Century to early nineteenth Century. It mainly talks about the love story between Darcy and Elizabeth. Their pride and prejudice made their love not so smooth. In this novel, Austen has written four marriages altogether, Elizabeth and Darcy, Jane and Bingley, Lydia and Wickham, Charlotte and Collins. She depicts the comfortable rural life and the love and marriage of the rich and leisure class with her delicate observation. And her superb artistic skills reflected the town scenes of everyday life of 19th century in England, which played a vital role in the history of English literature.