Context
Context should inform, but never dominate, your reading of the text. Any comments on contextual factors must always be linked to the ideas in the novel. When exploring the context in which Pride and Prejudice was written, you should consider:
- the contexts in which the text is set
- the contexts in which the text is received
- its literary context (genre)
Exam Tip
Whenever you mention context, remember to always link it to the key words in the question and explain how it supports the point you are making. Do not fall into the trap of writing down historical or contextual information without making it relevant to the question’s focus — you are not writing a history essay!