How does Austen develop her characterisation in the opening chapters of the novel?
It is a truth universally acknowledged that in the first few chapters of a book, the reader decides whether they like it or not. In order for the author to sell the story at the beginning, it is necessary for them to engulf the reader in the setting of the book and give them a good sense of the characters. This is something which Austen manages to achieve very smoothly using various methods and techniques. It is important to give the reader a sense of the characters at the beginning but to delay some sides to them, which allows the reader to discover more about them throughout the book making it a more interesting and unexpected.
The novel is based widely on the protagonists; Elizabeth and Jane, however we are first introduced to Mr and Mrs Bennet, a very oppositely natured couple. Austen tells us their main goals in life are to find each of their daughters a suitable husband, which sets the general basis for the plot.
In chapter one Mrs Bennet's character is portrayed using direct speech, ' "A single man of large fortune; four or five thousand a year. What a fine thing for our young girls!" '
Here Mrs Bennet is talking to her husband about the new gentleman buying the large estate near them- Mr Bingley. By using direct speech when portraying Mrs Bennet’s character we can infer that she is a lively excited character who likes to fuss and talk a lot. This is shown in the semi- colon where you can almost hear Mrs Bennet taking an fussed breath, preparing to continue and the excited exclamation mark at the end.
Oppositely, Mr Bennet's speech is narrated indirectly by Austen, 'Mr Bennet replied that he had not.'
Mr Bennet here is replying to his wife's not very subtle questions about Mr Bingley. Austen uses indirect speech for Mr Bennet because he is a placid, uninterested, detached character and this form of narration compliments his character suitably.
The introduction of these two characters contrasts beautifully and creates a satisfying balance with light humour and a clear introduction to the female protagonist's parents.
In the dialect in the first chapter between Mr and Mrs Bennet, we first hear of Elizabeth and Jane- their two eldest daughters.
' "I must throw in a good word for my little Lizzie"… "Lizzie is not a bit better than the others… not half so handsome as Jane, nor half as good humoured as Lydia"… "Lizzy has something more of quickness than her sisters"
Here we can gather that Jane is considered the prettiest, but Lizzie the most witty and intellectual, something her mother thinks men don't consider in looking for in a partner and so frowns upon, but which her father wishes men to see as a virtue in her and fully appreciate like he does. In this way we hear first about the two protagonists from the people who supposedly know them best, and give us the first angle of them.
We are then shown them from another angle; from the point of view of two of the male protagonists; Bingley and Darcey. This is again reported speech.
' "you are dancing with the only handsome girl in the room"… looking at the eldest miss Bennet… "one of her sisters… is very pretty, and i dare say, very agreeable." … "She is tolerable" '
During this painful dialogue it is clear that Elizabeth can hear every word being uttered. I find that it is in challenging situations as these that we truly find out what a character is like; in their reaction to the situation and how they deal with it. In Elizabeth's case she 'told the story however with great spirit among her friends'. One cannot help but admire her great courage and detachment of ego in how she stepped back from this otherwise embarrassing situation and saw the complete and utter ridiculousness in it and the humour. This gives the reader admiration and a liking towards Elizabeth and shows us she is a lively character who is playful and witty.
Jane however comes across more as a humble