A Truth Universally Acknowledged
Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice (1813). Public domain.
Source: Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice (1813)
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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.
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Questions
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Question 1 of 5
The famous opening sentence is best understood as:
The answer is B: Gentle irony about how families view wealthy bachelors
Austen's tone is ironic: the "truth" reflects the matchmaking assumptions of "surrounding families," not an actual law of nature.
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Question 2 of 5
What does the exchange reveal about Mr. Bennet?
The answer is B: He is dryly amused and teases his wife.
His reply, "You want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it," shows a dry, teasing wit.
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Question 3 of 5
What news is Mrs. Bennet eager to share?
The answer is B: That Netherfield Park has been rented
She asks whether he has heard "that Netherfield Park is let at last."
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Question 4 of 5
The passage as a whole is best described as:
The answer is B: An ironic portrait of neighbors treating a rich newcomer as a possible husband
The mock-solemn "truth universally acknowledged" sets up the joke, and Mrs. Bennet's rush to report the new tenant at Netherfield acts it out: the whole passage shows a matchmaking world, told with a straight face.
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Question 5 of 5
What does 'want' mean in this passage?
The answer is B: in need of
In this older usage, "want" means to lack or need. The sentence claims that a wealthy single man must be lacking, and therefore seeking, a wife.
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