Question

What role does sarcasm play in Pride and Prejudice? How does its role differ from that of irony? How do both sarcasm and irony affect your understanding of the story?

Answer 1

1- Before being able to answer these questions, you would have to understand the difference between sarcasm and verbal irony. 

Verbal irony happens when a character says something while meaning something different. An example of this would be a man standing in the scorching sun stating "At least the weather is nice today" as he sweats bullets. He doesn't think that the weather is actually nice. Instead, he is pointing out how unpleasant it is by stating what it's not.

On the other hand, sarcasm, while similar to verbal irony, is mostly used to mock and ridicule the recipient of the remark. Let's say that you were to approach this man standing in the sun, and you dared to ask him if he was hot. If he was of the sarcastic kind, he would answer something like "Of course not, Einstein! I'm sweating because I like feeling moist." In a similar remark, not only would he be pointing out the obvious by stating the opposite, he would also be insulting or making fun of you in the meantime.

Now, to your questions.

2- What role does sarcasm play in Pride and Prejudice?

In both, the book and the movie, it is clear that one of the main things that sets Elizabeth Bennet (protagonist) apart from the other girls is her wit. because of this, she is able to come back with the best comebacks of the Romanticism and Victorian era (Current period in which the book was written and the period that came after). Mr. Darcy (Elizabeth's love interest), who thinks he's all that, is not used to being put to the test but rather having all girls dying to be with him. When he tries to treat Elizabeth as inferior, she demonstrates with her sarcasm that while her socioeconomic status might be inferior, her mind is not. Precisely because of her witty comebacks, Mr. Darcy was able to tell her apart from everyone else and fall for her. Because of this, we can undoubtedly conclude that sarcasm is one of Elizabeth's best features at the center of the story's conflict.

3- How does its role differ from that of irony?
While irony is still used in the hands of the characters, this is more importantly used by the author to critique the society she was in. In the time that Jane Austen wrote Pride and Prejudice, going up the social ladder was everything that mattered, and she hated it. She wrote this novel and critiqued that aspect through it, and how women were thought of as useful in terms of marriage. She uses this to present the story's biggest irony, how the characters all preach this lifestyle while actually believing in a better reality. Mr. Darcy had everyone believe that he only cared about his role in society, while in reality being a deeply emotional man. Mr. Bennet, too, wanted his daughters to marry into wealth, but was hesitant to let Elizabeth marry Mr. Darcy for any reason other than love.

4- How do both sarcasm and irony affect your understanding of the story?

While this question is personal, it is easy to see how, without understanding irony and sarcasm, one could misinterpret the characters motivations and true emotions. 

Answer 2

Your answer should include some of the following points:

Irony is a statement in which someone says something while meaning or conveying the opposite. It is often used to create a humorous effect. Sarcasm is a caustic remark that is intended to ridicule a person or social system.

We see an example of irony in the opening lines of the novel:  

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.

This statement is ironic because in Jane Austen’s time, many single women were in need of a wealthy husband, not the other way around.

Sarcasm and irony help to reveal the true nature of the characters in Pride and Prejudice. Austen uses these devices to mock the social system prevalent at the time. Mr. Bennet is often sarcastic in his conversations; and his reactions to Mrs. Bennet often force her to reveal her assumptions:

"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."

This is for Plato/edmentum