The document explores the concept of wit and its various forms, particularly in the context of Jane Austen's writing. It highlights Austen's use of humor and irony in her novel 'Pride and Prejudice,' showcasing how characters like Elizabeth, Darcy, and the Bennets employ wit to reveal societal follies. Additionally, the conclusion emphasizes the significance of Austen's ironic style in enhancing the novel's themes and engaging readers.

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CONTENT:
What is Wit ……………………………………………………………Pageno.1
Forms of Wit …………………………………………………………. Pageno.1
Jane Austen’s Wit ……………………………………………………..Pageno.2
Wit in characters of Pride and Prejudice
1. Darcy and Elizabeth …………………………………………… Pageno.3
2. Mr. Bennet and Mrs. Bennet …………………………………... Page no.4
3. Minor characters examples ……………………………………. Pageno.5
Conclusion ……………………………………………………………. Page no.6
Reference ………………………………………………………………Pageno.7

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What is Wit?
Wit is a bitingor insightful kindof humor. It includes sharpcomebacks, cleverbanter, and
dry, one-line jokes. It is often cynical or insulting, which is what provides it with its
characteristic sharpness.
A witty remark is one that goes over people’s heads at first, but that they then get (and laugh
at) after a few moments. A witty remarkis a kind of mental time-bombthat onlygoes off once
it’s been processed a bit.
Forms of Wit:
 Verbal Irony:
Verbal ironyoccurswhena speaker speaks somethingcontradictorytowhat he intends
to say. It is an intentional product of the speaker, and is contradictory to his/her
emotions and actions.
 DeadPan:
Dead Pan is a formof wit that delivers seriousinformationwherepeopleare expecting
a joke. This feels absurd and therefore can be funny despite its seriousness.
 Humor:
Wit allows an individual to use humor that is spontaneous, situational and unique.
Humor is consideredan invaluable tool of communicationand the ability to be funny
is a type of social status.
 Wisecrack:
Wisecrackis aclever or funny insult or criticism.
She is tolerable but not handsome enough to tempt me.
~Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice

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 Puns:
Puns are form of wit that play on the multiple meanings and interpretationof words.
Jane Austen’s Wit:
Jane Austen had a source of joy, the joy of her furtive laughter. There are some people who
cannot live inthis imperfectconventionalworldwithout thesolaceand supportof afewprivate
jests. It is a great stand by to feel amused, not lookit, Mr. bennet was one personof that type;
and we are fairly safe in saying that his creator was another. Her humor was implied rather
than articulated. Jane Austen’s humor, though equally sly, was not quite so ingratiating.
“Jane Austen’s attitude toward life as presented in her novels,” says a critic, “is of a
humorist.” Undoubtedlyshe is a comedian; from the beginning to the end of her creative life
she retains humor but towards the end of her life, humor becomes an integrated part of her
writing. Humor is inthe very toneofher language. The novel, PrideandPrejudice,iswritten
by Jane Austen, in a humoristic way. Plenty of comical text passages or situations can be
found in the novel. She uses humor to keep up the interest of the reader. It is oftenexpected
that the novel is simply a storyabout love and marriage, but it is not at all. Jane Austen uses
different ways to show humor and irony to the reader: She shows it by giving imagery,
character descriptions and of course by creating comical conversations. Persons she likes to
attack are oftenfoolish, arrogant or ignorant. Her intentionis not onlythe entertainment of the
reader. She also uses ironyand humor to show her personal opinions onsociety. Satire is used
by Jane Austen to show unintelligible behavior in morals or ethics and stupid social manners.
Some critics describe Jane Austen’s works as novels of social comedy. Her senses were very
sensitive in detecting foibles of human character (Waldron 2000).
Jane Austen'sgiftisforwittyirony.She has the abilityto drawnonher small piece of "ivory"
true to life characters, complete with all their flaws, who are beloved to Austen's readers
preciselybecause they are seen truly with their good and their bad with certain exceptions.
However, even the unlovable exceptions like Mr. Collins and Lady De Bourgh are revealed
under the light of irony with such a delicate hand that they aren't wholly despised.
Irony is the soul of Jane Austen’s Comedy.
The first sentence of the book runs; “It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man
in possessionof agoodfortune must be inwant of a wife.” Jane Austen never leaves the realm
ofcomedy.A.C. Bradleyhasrightlyremarked,“Thereare twogreatdistinctstrainsinJane
Austen. She is a moralist and a humorist.”

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It is not the characters alone but even the language of pride and prejudice is most adequate to
the author’s ironic involvement in the novel: it is ‘‘light, bright, and sparkling.’’ More than
that; there is ‘playfulness and epigrammatism’ in its language.
Wit in Characters of Pride and Prejudice;
1. Darcy and Elizabeth:
ElizabethBennet is intelligent andlively, and her 'quickness' of mind is made evident in her
taste for witty and teasingconversation, where she likes to adopt strikingand independent
views. Evidence for this is best found in her conversations with Bingley, his sisters and
Darcy when she is lookingafter Jane at Nether field.
She likes to laugh at people, including herself. We are toldafter Darcy refusedto dance with
her that:
She toldthe storywithgreat spirit amongst her friends; for she had a lively, playful
disposition, whichdelightedinanything ridiculous' .
It is this quality of humor that attracts Darcy. Her rival Miss Bingleycalls it
'that little something, bordering onconceit andimpertinence'
but Jane Austen has already told us that 'there was amixture ofsweetness andarchness
inher manner whichmade it difficult for her to affront anybody'
Darcy embodies the element of pride, which is clearly established in him from the very
beginning of the book. His arrogant ways make him unpopular and misunderstood, even
though he is envied for his good looks and wealth. Elizabeth visits Pemberley, she discovers a
different side of Darcy. She is impressed with the taste and refinement of his home. He is
obviously a cultured and intelligent man.
O be calledMr. Darcyandto stand onyour ownlooking snootyat aparty. It's like being
called Heathcliff and insisting on spending the entire evening in the garden, shouting
"Cathy" and banging your head against a tree.
He also said to Miss Bingley that
A lady’s imagination is very rapid; it jumps from admiration to love, from love to
matrimony in a moment.
These examples also show humorous nature of Darcy.

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Mrs. .Bennet and Mr. Bennet:
Mrs. Bennet is such a character. Her extremely unpleasant manner and reactions causes
readers to delight in the situations which Mrs. Bennet places herself into.
Mrs. Bennet’s harsh tongue and simple mind causes the reader to laugh, because it is so
exaggerated that the reader thinks that such a person cannot exist. Mrs. Bennet is placed
besides her husband to make her look all the more ridiculous and in the climax of the novel,
when the relationship is Mrs. Bennet andMr. Bennet discuss the new tenant of Nether field
Park )
Mrs. Bennet begins by giving one definition of ‘universally’, while Mr. Bennet
gives another.
“Is he married or single?” “Oh! single, my dear, to be sure! A single man of large
fortune of 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.
There are also some other amusing element in the character of Mrs. Bennet when
Mr. Bennet was talking to her husband about his indifference towards the interest
of the family kitty was coughing and she lost her temper with kitty
“Don’t keep coughing so, kitty for heaven sake .Have a little compassion on my
nerve. You tear them to pieces”
Mr. Bennet thereupon make a sarcastic remark
“Kitty has no discretion in her cough”
And kitty then says:
“I do not cough for my own amusement”
When Mrs. Bennet approaches her husband to persuade Elizabeth to marry Mr.
Collins Mr. Bennet replied
“I have not the pleasure of understanding you”

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Mr. Bennet sparking wit has been the source of amusement throughout the novel
Mrs. Bennet wants Elizabeth to accept the proposal of Mr. Collin failing which she
says:
“Yes I will never see her again”
to this warning Mr. Bennet replies in a sharp way:
“An unhappy alternative before you, Elizabeth from this day, you must be stranger
to one of your parents your mother will never see you again if you don’t marry
Mr. Collin, and I will never see you again if you do”
Wit in Minor characters ofPride and prejudice:
Examples are following:
Mr. Wickham
He shows himself an innocent person infront of Elizabeth but in reality he is a rascal or a
villain.
Lady Catherine de Bourgh
She views herself to be a graceful lady but is an equally self-conceitedand naughty woman.
Bingley's Sisters
These sisters hate bennet familyof their vulgarity but are themselves vulgar in their
behavior.
Mr. Collins
He is actually a stupid person.But accordingto him he is such a good personthat every girl
demands that kind of man in her life. This creates humor.
"You ought certainlyto forgive them as a Christian but never to admit them to your sight or
allow their name to be mentionedin your hearing".
Charlotte
"To be mistress of Pemberley night be something".

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These are dialogue of wit .
Conclusion:
There are different techniques and styles Jane Austen uses to give the novel the requiredwit.
It is perhaps the mixture of different types of humor that makes Jane Austen’s novel so
special.
Austen’s ironic style is important to the novel for two main reasons. First, the style adds
vibrancy and interest to relatively straightforward plot events. The witty and ironic way in
which Pride and Prejudice is writtenhas always been a major part of its appeal, and therefore
an appreciationofAusten’s styleis essentialtoanappreciationofthe novel. Second, theironic
style is linked to the themes of miscommunicationand misunderstanding. Characters in the
novel oftenmisinterpret events and behavior, and this confusiontends to exist because of the
frequent gaps between literal and actual meaning.
Wit in Pride and Prejudice provides intelligent glimpses into human nature and life choices
through original juxtaposition of ideas and astute observations. Irony in Pride and
Prejudice presents human truths and realities through situations, beliefs and narratorial
observationsthat shows an opposingrealityto what is expectedtomoreclearlyenlightenwhat
is actual.
The novel Pride and Prejudice is a vital recordof what its writer has thought and felt about
the society. Although limitedin range, it faithfullyholds up a mirror to the societyshe lived
in and it can be said without any hesitation that she has successfully reached her goal.
Andrew Wright says, “Irony in her hands is the instrument of moral vision.”
Father of Romantic poetry, William Wordsworth, remarks, “her novels are admirable copy
of life…”
"This world is a comedy to those who think, a tragedy to those who feel." Bronte
A.C. Bradley rightlypoints out inhis book, A Miscellany: “Jane Austen’s favorite attitude
we may even say her instinctive attitude is that of the humorist. The foibles, illusions,
self-contradictions, of human nature are a joy to her for their own sake”.

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References:
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen ‘New Kitab Mehal publisher’
https://simplicable.com/cite/wit
https://bohatala.com/jane-austens-instinctive-attitude-humorist/
https://www.grin.com/document/381250