Pride and Prejudice: The Effects of Context Pride and Prejudice: The Effects of Context Time

The Effects of ContextttTime is an unchangeable force, which alters every aspect of human life. All spheres of life are affected by ti me and are changed forever. In the case of Literature and Art, it is expected that a contemporary au dience will tire of the older texts. This is the result of changing contexts. With these changed con texts comes changed values, changed knowledge, changed attitudes, and subsequently, changed interest in texts. Over time technology develops new ways of presenting and viewing a text; new mediums. The se new mediums are often adopted to represent an older text in an attempt to appeal afresh to the ch anged audience. These new mediums will obviously affect the subject matter, construction and message of the text, because medium change is alteration to the original text. The novel Pride and Prejudic e has endured the last two centuries with an ever-increasing popularity. Originally composed by eigh teenth century classic author Jane Austen, the novel was more recently represented in a new medium, the film medium. Simon Langton an acclaimed director was employed by the BBC to appropriate the nove l into a television series...The original medium and the changed medium are significantly impacted b y the composer's context. Composer's and their texts are a reflection of the society they are create d in, even if they are critical of that society. Jane Austen was certainly critical of her provincia l upper/middle class society and this is evident from the subtle mocking of characters such as Cathe rine De Bough, a snobbish lady without morals. It is important to recognise that every single word t hat Jane Austen wrote was marked with her personal experiences and knowledge (just as every single f rame in the television series is marked by Simon Langton's direction). Everything that she wrote dow n is solely Jane Austen's. The contemporary audience gets an insight into the author's mind, just as much as the author's main characters. Elizabeth Bennet, the main character, is given an omniscient wholesomeness which appeals to the audience, and reveals faults in the subordinate characters. Eliza beth is essentially Austen and they share the same position in life, the same contexts. Therefore, i t can be understood that her context is embedded in the text. The similarities between Austen's nove l and her own life provide an in-depth insight into her world; socially, culturally, …