Parody on the is depicted when the story explores that Darcy’s love for Elizabeth curbs his arrogance and makes him a kinder and better man (Polhemus 29). On the other hand Colebrook says that while irony in the pride and prejudice and zombies consequently delimits human life by positing an elevated concept that is not realized, satire examines life and its inherent propensities (108).
It can be observed that in this tale Jane Austen (1775-1817) parody is depicted in the way several characters take their local sentiments for universal truths. Colebrook says that “the author displays the blindness of the characters who believe themselves to be in simple possession of either a moral law or a social code” (108). For example in Chapter 2 parody is evident when Austen says that “Mr. Bennet designed not to make any reply but unable to contain herself” (40).
Parody in this novel is portrayed by the vanities and tendencies of human nature and they also present characters that arrive at fulfillment only through knowing and reflecting upon social nature of man (Colebrook 108). Again parody can be shown by the way Mr. Bennet commends when her daughter Kitty coughs “Don’t keep coughing so Kitty, for heaven’s sake! Have a little compassion on my nerves. You tear them into pieces” (Austen 43).
In addition, Austen shows parody through the art of fiction and recognition through examining the follies of others with a full perception of our own weakness. In this story parody assumes the common ground of man and therefore works against the traditional aim of irony and elevated or urbane point of view above and beyond natural life (Colebrook 108).
The novel pride and prejudice and zombies it is a complete parody but then it comes out in a complicated form. Austen has mirrored the original work effectively enough so that the flow is fresh and funny. In addition Ross says that the novel explores the purpose of parody that ranges from a playful imitation to harsh satire (49). The author also portrays successful parodies in which the element of celebration is clearly shown. This can be depicted when Austen says “But if a woman is partial to a man and does not endeavor to conceal it he must find it out” (41). This implies that Elizabeth can perceive her regard for Charlotte but then she says that he must be a simpleton, indeed not to discover it too.
Also in the novel Pride and Prejudice and zombies parody is depicted when Darcy says “which do you mean? And turning round he looked for a moment at Elizabeth till catching her eye, he withdrew his own and coldly said “she is tolerable but not handsome enough to tempt me; I am in no humor at present to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men” (Austen 13). In this case the style in which parody is been shown is pretentious one because it is deflated by mockery hence its function is challenged so as to renovate and renew it (Ross 49).
The novels illustrates that satire is the lesson while parody is the game. Ross says that parody can never have the force of satire because it seeks to undermine established attitudes in the author’s work (Austen 49). Darcy for example shows the original form of parody of the existing social order but it can be seen as an authorized transgression of norms. Again Elizabeth in both novels is displayed as the anti-heroine of romance a parody that accounts for the tough personality of the conqueror and her challenging of modesty by conversation and action.
The personalities and incidents in the novel pride and prejudice are used to give the audience a taste and critical sense of parody because every incident unfolds in a manner in which it advances the progress of the story. This can be elaborated when “Darcy walked off, Elizabeth felt her blood turn cold because she had never in her life been so insulted hence the warrior code demanded she avenge her honor” (Austen 13).
The readers can notice that the Elizabeth-Darcy story is told with surface romanticism and it contains most of the verbal irony of the novel” (Bhattacharyya 89). On the other hand it is important to note that “the Wickham-Lydia and Charlotte-Collins episodes are treated romantically with a solid foundation in social realism and with rather sordid and happy implications which in them the functions of parody comes out clearly” (Bhattacharyya 89). Another example of parody is through Darcy’s realization of his mistake that gradually leads to reconciliation between Jane and Bingley. Besides this we notice that Lydia’s sudden elopement with Wickham leads to the marriage between Elizabeth and Darcy and also Charlotte’s sudden acceptance of Collins’s proposal leads to theirs (Bhattacharyya 89). Parody is demonstrated in the above series of events because one incident leads to the occurrence of another event (marriage) between the characters in the novels.
The flow of the stories becomes uncharacteristically clumsy as one reads through the two novels. This is because Darcy’s proposal is flat while Richardsonian letter is untypical of him and lacks credibility (Austen 89). Irony is also illustrated when the reader realizes that the proud man is writing meekly to the girl who has rejected him unconditionally. Bhattacharyya says that satire is demonstrated through the novelistic technique of seduction as a suitable climax which Austen shows a standard chase by an outraged father, a friendly uncle and a now impeccable hero who makes devoted efforts to wed the scheming profligate Wickham to the innocent victim Lydia (90).
Satire is demonstrated by Austen in pride and prejudice and zombie when Charlotte says “I wish Jane success with all my heart and if she were married to him tomorrow I should think she had as good chance of happiness as if she were to be studying his character for a twelve month. He further comes out clearly and says that happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance and it is better to know as little as possible of the defects of the person with whom you are to pass your life” (20). Satire in this passage is evident because it appears like he is offering a lesson to Jane of what to do and learn when she enters into marriage.
In pride and prejudice as well as pride and prejudice and zombies, Jane Austen has given a multitude of characters that bring out the picture of irony, satire, and parody. This is because according to Bhattacharyya the characters are perfectly discriminated from one another as if they are the most eccentric of human beings (94). There is also a sense of pervasive irony in the characters of Jane Austen’s novel. Bhattacharyya says that “the irony is betrayed in her portraiture of the characters of Elizabeth, Darcy, Collins, Wickham and others” (95). Irony is the soul of the author’s comic view of life because she recognizes the antithesis in human experience that is the contrast between reality and appearance (Bhattacharyya 95).
Satire is illustrated through Collins character who besides being a humorous character. Bhattacharyya says that had it not been for Collins, Elizabeth and Darcy could not have come together as they do in the end (97). This is because it was Collins who first gave the information of engagement of Darcy and Elizabeth. Parody on the other hand is demonstrated through Mrs. Bennet who is seen as a woman of mean understanding because though she has been married for twenty years she is shown as unable to judge her husband (Bhattacharyya 97). Her remarks adds parody to the novel and at the same time she does not see the stupidity of Collins but tries to force her daughter to marry him though without success.
In summary, the functions of satire, parody, and irony in the two novels are evident. These three aspects in the two novels help us to gain a good understanding of the characters. They bring humor to the novels thus the comic characters used by the author are significant in different angles of the novels. They act as a guide and to an extent they portrayed in such a manner as to make satire, parody, and irony in their portraiture not too blatant. Satire, parody, and irony do not just give the picture but lets the reader make his or her own judgment.