《傲慢与偏见》是一本意义重大的书,如果语气被理解的话。故事讲述了主角伊丽莎白·班纳特在英国摄政时期的地主社会中处理教养、财务问题、道德和婚姻问题。简·奥斯汀指出了这一时期人类社会的缺陷。在《傲慢与偏见》中,奥斯汀使用了讽刺的语气;这包括大量的讽刺、谴责和讽刺,她不仅在故事情节中使用了这些语气技巧,也在人物中使用了这些技巧。奥斯汀关注的最大主题是期望女人结婚的愚蠢。在这本书中,班纳特夫人的希望和梦想是她所有的五个女儿都结婚,如果可能的话,嫁给财富。在阅读《傲慢与偏见》时,奥斯汀通过小说的第一句话解释说,“一个拥有好运的单身男人一定需要一个妻子,这是一个举世公认的真理”(奥斯汀1)。女性的期望非常低,她们结婚只是为了确保她们的未来是出于经济原因。夏洛特·卢卡斯就是一个很好的例子,她解释说:“你知道,我不浪漫;我从来没有。我只要求一个舒适的家;考虑到柯林斯先生的性格、关系和生活状况,我相信我和他在一起的幸福机会和大多数人在进入婚姻状态时所夸耀的一样公平”(奥斯汀115)。正如讽刺在主题中表现出来一样,它也通过一些角色表现出来。柯林斯先生被认为是其中之一,他是一名牧师,从富有的凯瑟琳·德·包尔夫人那里获得经济支持。奥斯汀利用他作为讽刺人物,表明柯林斯只关心他如何融入社会并被社会所看待。伊丽莎白形容他是“一个自负、自负、心胸狭窄、愚蠢的人”(奥斯汀123)。柯林斯先生解释说,“当詹金森夫人整理德·包尔小姐的脚凳时,她说,‘柯林斯先生,你必须结婚。像你这样的牧师必须结婚’”(奥斯汀97)。他是在试图向伊丽莎白求婚时说的。在小说的这一部分,伊丽莎白拒绝了他,据了解,她想为了爱情而结婚,而不一定是为了经济利益。在某种程度上,这很讽刺,因为她没有这个时代大多数女性的心态。凯瑟琳·德·包尔夫人是另一个讽刺人物;奥斯汀展示了一个富有女人的举止是如何适应这个时代的现实的。在小说中,凯瑟琳夫人几乎被视为独裁者。她喜欢看不起任何她认为比她小或比她低的人。当伊丽莎白向凯瑟琳夫人解释她和她的姐妹们演奏或唱歌时,她回答说:“你们都应该学会。韦伯小姐都在玩,他们的父亲的收入不如你的好”(奥斯汀149)。通过这一评论,人们可以理解她是贬低身份的,她说的话非常直率。在小说中,她还试图通过告诉伊丽莎白来决定达西先生嫁给谁:“你应该知道,我是不可轻视的。但是无论你选择多么不真诚,你都不会发现我是这样的。我的性格因其真诚和坦率而受到赞誉,在这样的时刻,我当然不会偏离它。两天前,我收到了一份最令人震惊的报告。有人告诉我,不仅你姐姐即将结婚,而且你,伊丽莎白·班纳特小姐,很可能很快就会和我的侄子,我自己的侄子达西先生结婚”(奥斯汀319)。尽管这完全不合适,也很幽默,但讽刺的是,她是整部小说中唯一经济独立的女性。《傲慢与偏见》展示了这个时代的人文缺陷和现实,同时也很幽默。奥斯汀通过伊丽莎白向观众讲述,她解释说社会应该接受为爱而结婚,而不是通过社会阶层来定义婚姻。她还展示了女性和权力混合的刻板印象,这通过凯瑟琳·德·包尔夫人的角色来表现。简·奥斯汀展示了这部小说中许多问题的重要性。

Pride and Prejudice is a book that has great meaning, if the tone is understood. The story follows the main character, Elizabeth Bennet, as she deals with issues of upbringing, financial problems, morality, and marriage in the society of the landed gentry of the British Regency. Jane Austen points out the flaws in human society during this time period. In Pride and Prejudice, Austen uses the tone of satire; this includes oodles of sarcasm, denouncing, and irony, she uses these techniques of tone with not only the plot of the story but the characters as well.
The biggest theme Austen focused on was the silliness of women being expected to marry. In the book, Mrs. Bennet’s hopes and dreams are set on all five of her daughters marrying, and if possible marry into wealth. When reading Pride and Prejudice, Austen makes sure the theme is understood with the first sentence of the novel explains that,“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife”(Austen 1). Women expectations were very low, and they were only to marry to secure their future for economic reasons. Charlotte Lucas was a great example of this when she explains:
“I am not romantic, you know; I never was. I ask only a comfortable home; and considering Mr. Collins' character, connection, and situation in life, I am convinced that my chance of happiness with him is as fair as most people can boast on entering the marriage state"(Austen 115).
Just as satire is represented within the theme, it is also represented through some of the characters. Mr. Collins is considered one, he’s a clergyman who receives financial support from the wealthy Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Austen uses him as a satirical figure by showing that Collins only cares about how he fits into and is perceived by society. Elizabeth describes him as “a conceited, pompous, narrow-minded, silly man”(Austen 123). Mr. Collins explains
“while Mrs. Jenkinson was arranging Miss de Bourgh's foot-stool, that she said, ‘Mr. Collins, you must marry. A clergyman like you must marry’”(Austen 97). He says this while he is trying to propose to Elizabeth. In this part of the novel Elizabeth turns him down,and it is understood that she wants to marry for love and not necessarily for financial gain. This is ironic, in a way, because she doesn’t have the mindset of most women in this time period.
Lady Catherine De Bourgh is another satirical character; Austen shows how a wealthy woman's demeanor was for the reality of this era. In the novel, Lady Catherine is almost seen as a dictator. She is fond of looking down upon anyone she thinks is somewhat less than her or below her. When Elizabeth explains to Lady Catherine she nor her sisters play or sing she responds by saying, “You ought all to have learned. The Miss Webbs all play, and their father has not so good an income as your's”(Austen 149). By this comment, it is understood that she is demeaning and is very blunt by what she says. In the novel, she also tries to dictate who Mr. Darcy marries by telling Elizabeth:
“you ought to know, that I am not to be trifled with. But however insincere you may
choose to be, you shall not find me so. My character has ever been celebrated for its
sincerity and frankness, and in a cause of such moment as this, I shall certainly not depart
from it. A report of a most alarming nature reached me two days ago. I was told that not
only your sister was on the point of being most advantageously married, but that you, that
Miss Elizabeth Bennet, would, in all likelihood, be soon afterwards united to my nephew,
my own nephew, Mr. Darcy” (Austen 319).
Although, this was totally inappropriate and humorous, it is ironic she is the only financially independent women in the whole novel.
Pride and Prejudice shows the humanistic flaws and the reality of this era, and while doing so it is also humorous. Austen speaks to the audience through Elizabeth, as she explains society should accept marriage for love and not marriage being defined through social classes. She also shows the stereotype of women and power being mixed, which is represented through the character of Lady Catherine De Bourgh. Jane Austen shows the importance of many issues within this novel.