Questions sur l'incipit d'Orgueil et Préjugés

Sujet du devoir

[Incipit]

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.
However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighbourhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families, that he is considered the rightful property of some one or other of their daughters.
‘My dear Mr. Bennet, ’ said his lady to him one day, ‘have you heard that Netherfield Park is let at last?’
Mr. Bennet replied that he had not.
‘But it is,’ returned she ; ‘for Mrs. Long has just been here, and she told me all about it.’
Mr. Bennet made no answer.
‘Do you not want to know who has taken it?’ cried his wife impatiently.
‘YOU want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it.’
This was invitation enough.
’Why, my dear, you must know, Mrs. Long says that Netherfield is taken by a young man of large fortune from the north of England ; that he came down on Monday in a chaise and four to see the place, and was so much delighted with it, that he agreed with Mr. Morris immediately ; that he is to take possession before Michaelmas, and some of his servants are to be in the house by the end of next week.’
‘What is his name?’
‘Bingley.’
‘Is he married or single?’
‘Oh ! Single, my dear, to be sure ! A single man of large fortune ; four or five thousand a year. What a fine thing for our girls !’
‘How so? How can it affect them?’
‘My dear Mr. Bennet,’ replied his wife, ‘how can you be so tiresome ! You must know that I am thinking of his marrying one of them.’
‘Is that his design in settling here?’
‘Design ! Nonsense, how can you talk so ! But it is very likely that he MAY fall in love with one of them, and therefore you must visit him as soon as he comes.’
‘I see no occasion for that. You and the girls may go, or you may send them by themselves, which perhaps will be still better, for as you are as handsome as any of them, Mr. Bingley may like you the best of the party.’
‘My dear, you flatter me. I certainly HAVE had my share of beauty, but I do not pretend to be anything extraordinary now. When a woman has five grown-up daughters, she ought to give over thinking of her own beauty.’

Où j'en suis dans mon devoir

Questions :
1) How good an incipit is this text ? What do we learn?
About the Bennet family : we learn that the family is composing of five girls who aren't yet married and it's not a rich family. The Bennet father does not occupy too much of the privacy of his children. He is not a hurry to groom these girls as are his wife/ unlike his wife
About Mr Bingley : He's a rich and single man. Mr Bingley , ' a single man of large fortune' has just moved
About the main subject of the novel :Directly we understand that the novel is about love and marriage
About the social background : Families are seeking of wealthy men in order that they ask her daughter in wedding

2) The very first sentence of the novel is very famous, largely because of its irony. Explain why it is ironic.
At first this sentence takes on an ironic meaning, because it is commonly understood that it is the woman or the woman's family who is in pursuit of a wealthy gentleman and not opposite. Besides' a single man in possission of a good fortune' does not need a wife nearly. So much as a woman is greatly in need of a wealthy husband in my view .

3) Characterization throut contrast : contrast the way Mr and Mrs Bennet speak. Whats does it reveal aout their characters?
Who talks more? Why? Mrs Bennet talks more because he's more exciting than his husband
Is direct speech used for both of them to report the dialogue ? yes but i don't know what to say

Give examples of irony. WHo uses it ? How is it received ?
Mr Bennet used irony ‘I see no occasion for that. You and the girls may go, or you may send them by themselves, which perhaps will be still better, for as you are as handsome as any of them, Mr. Bingley may like you the best of the party.’