Insert Witty Title Here

Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice, on being an accomplished woman: "Oh! certainly," cried his faithful assistant, "no woman can be really esteemed accomplished who does not greatly surpass what is usually met with. A woman must have a thorough knowledge of music, singing, drawing, dancing, and the modern languages, to deserve the word; and besides all this, she must possess a certain something in her air and manner of walking, the tone of her voice, her address and expressions, or the word will be but half-deserved." (Caroline Bingley) [...] "I am no longer surprised at your knowing only six accomplished women. I rather wonder now at your knowing any." (Elizabeth Bennett) Maybe my thoughts were directed here during my reading of Pope's The Rape of the Lock due to the fact I am currently rereading Pride & Prejudice for the umpteenth time. Nevertheless, I see so much of Belinda in Caroline Bingley's vision of a woman it makes me giddy (nerdy banter; please forgive and bear with). When Elizabeth responds to Caroline and Mr. Darcy's expectations of an accomplished woman, Caroline is appalled in similar, though more realistic, fashion to Belinda's. When Caroline was insulted by Elizabeth's response, her honor was disparaged, but this is only because Caroline was brought up in a higher society that convinced her such honor was to be had. If you could look on the inside of Caroline Bingley, the measure of the woman is small and fully dependent on her abilities instead of her heart condition. And while Elizabeth is no saint, she at least recognizes what the true measure should be, and so, has a sense of self-evaulation that Rachel discusses in her blog. There must be more to you than what you can sell to people. "Nothing is more deceitful," said Darcy, "that the appearance of humility. It is often only carelessness of opinion, and sometimes an indirect boast." In the same way, when you take into account lines 15-18 of Canto II concerning the "graceful ease, and sweetness void of pride" of fair Belinda...Pope seems utterly and completely sarcastic. You can sense the pride, and almost Apollonian force of containment of Belinda's true self. It begs the question of if she really has an identity anymore underneath her facade of beauty and grace. By Contrast, Elizabeth Bennett has no trouble being who she is on the outside. Thus, in Caroline Bingley's eyes, Lizzy is savage and without form (Dionysian). So, which is correct? COMMENTED ON RACHEL'S