Discuss the use of literary technigues in Pride and Prejudice Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is a very accomplished book because of Austen's clever and successful use of literary techniques. Literary techniques refer to the deliberate construction of language to further the story whether that be to develop character, plot, suspense or to create an enjoyable humorous novel. Jane Austen applies many literary techniques such as point of view, dialogue, letters and irony to tell the story of Pride and Prejudice.

Pride and Prejudice is told in third person limited omnipresent point of view but mainly told through Elizabeth's consciousness. This point of view is a successful narrative technique because it gives an insight into the characters, mainly Elizabeth's thoughts, and also helps to create suspense. This technique also arouses the reader's sympathy for Elizabeth because we can see that she is being honest to herself, which is essential if we are to desire her reform. "The officers of the-shire were in general a very creditable, gentlemanlike set. And the best of them were of the present party; but Mr Wickham was as far beyond them all in prison, countenance, air, and walk." (pg65) This is Elizabeth's opinion of Mr Wickham that is later found out to be completely wrong but the reader can see her sincerity.

By using this technique Austen can also control how much the reader knows about event and emotions which helps to create suspense. In the first section of the novel Austen occasionally reports form Darcy's consciousness so that the reader is made aware of his growing feeling for Elizabeth and to highlight that Elizabeth was prejudice when she made a wrong judgment against Darcy. "Darcy had never been so bewitched by any woman as he was by her". In Pride and Prejudice she does not report from Darcy's point of view during the...