“보편적인 진리”와 개인적 “감정”의 변증법적 합과 서술방법: 『 오만과 편견 』 연구

Abstract

Austen explores the dialectic synthesis between “universally acknowledged truth” and individual “feelings” with impartial sense of balance. Some critics regard Austen as a conservative who relies on the status quo. Other critics emphasize the individualism of Austen’s social critique. Both of them fail to do justice to Austen’s sense of balance and her complex attitude to established social structure. Austen cannot be easily regarded either as a conservative or as a radical individualist. Austen makes a cunning use of narrative methods appropriate to each stage under a well-planned scheme, showing the process of reaching the dialectical synthesis effectively. In the first stage(from volume 1, chapter 1 to volume 1, chapter 15), narrator implies the criticism on “universally acknowledged truth” through double narrative structure and ambivalent narrative stance. In the second stage(from volume 1, chapter 16 to volume 2, chapter 19), individual perception is shown to be influenced by self-interest and self-complacency. Elizabeth blinded by prejudice makes a wrong judgement. Narrator shows the inner thought or feeling of Elizabeth through free indirect discourse and highlights Elizabeth's authoritative attitude by taking a reserved attitude. In the third stage(from volume 3, chapter 4 to volume 3, chapter 12), narrator mocks the excessive sentimentality of Elizabeth. The dialectic synthesis is reached after going through the above stages. In that stage of synthesis, Elizabeth and Darcy respect each other’s views and feelings, have a mutual understanding, and enter into an egalitarian marital relationship. They are promised a life of ideal happiness based on their individual merits beyond social conventions. Austen reaches the utopian solution in her ending. The reader, however, is led to adopt an ambivalent attitude towards the ideal state. The plausibility of the “perfect felicity” promised is belied both by the ironic language of this ending and by the generally skeptical tone of the entire works. In Austen we find a deeply ingrained sense of the inescapability of social ties: individuals cannot differentiate themselves radically from their society.