Analysis Of Pride And Prejudice By Jane Austen

Thesis: Throughout the text of Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen challenges gender and social norms in the Georgian Era through the development of Elizabeth Bennet as she interacts with characters in the novel.

Darcy as a proud, arrogant man based upon his actions at the assembly where she first sees him. Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy first meet at a ball where she instantly believes him to be a rude individual as she watches him only dance with women he knows and hears him call her tolerable. Elizabeth is offended by Mr. Darcy’s actions at the ball, and uses this knowledge to instantly form a negative opinion of his character. Mr. Darcy’s good nature and kind heart is therefore overlooked by Elizabeth as they continue to see each other, and she does not let go of her original prejudice of him until the end of the novel when she eventually realizes her love for him and marries him. Elizabeth’s poor and unchanging opinion of Darcy led to her initially saying no to Darcy’s first marriage proposal. Had Elizabeth not held a grudge on Mr. Darcy for his original actions at the ball, she could have realized her love for him sooner. Her mistrust of Darcy also led to repercussions that negatively affected her and her family’s lives. She would not have been deceived by Mr. Wickham and she would have saved her family from shame and embarrassment if she would have waited longer to form an opinion of Mr.

Elizabeth becomes acquainted with and attracted to a young officer named Wickham who tells her of how he and Darcy used to live under the same house because the late Darcy was his guardian. Wickham explains that Darcy cruelly cheated him out an inheritance. This information makes Elizabeth despise Darcy’s character even more than before. Meanwhile, Mrs. Bennet eagerly waits for Mr. Bingley to visit them like he said he would, however, Jane suddenly receives a letter in the mail from Miss Bingley informing her that the Bingleys and Darcy have returned to London for the winter. Jane is sad but does her best to hide it. Meanwhile another shock arrives for Elizabeth when Charlotte Lucas tells her that she is engaged to Mr. Collins. Charlotte explains that she is getting old and needs security and a comfortable home and that she is not looking for love in a marriage. Elizabeth does not believe that Charlotte will be happy but agrees to visit her and Mr. Collins after they are married. Jane travels to London with her aunt and uncle, the Gardiners, to get away from the family and the countryside and also in hopes that she will see Mr. Bingley. However, Miss Bingley visits her and behaves very rudely, reassuring Jane that Miss Bingley never intended to be her friend in the first place, and that her friendship with Mr. Bingley is beginning to look very unfortunate. Later in the spring, Elizabeth visits her best friend Charlotte Lucas, who is now known as Mrs.

Mr. Darcy seems very surprise, but he still talk to Elizabeth. Elizabeth asks many questions about Mr. Bingley, however, Mr. Darcy’s answer does not make Elizabeth very comfortable. Later on, Elizabeth’s friends come back and they think Mr. Darcy fall in love with Elizabeth and Elizabeth does not understand why Mr. Darcy visit alone. I think Mr. Darcy really likes Elizabeth because he shows the love way back before and now he could not hide this emotion anymore.

The progress between Elizabeth’s and Darcy’s relationship, in Jane Austen’s novel Pride and Prejudice (1813) illustrates and explores several the key themes in the novel. Their relationship highlights class expectations, pride and prejudice, and marriage, and how they play a major role in determining the course of their association. These are outlined through their first prejudiced dislike of each other when they first meet, the stronger feelings for Elizabeth that develop on Darcy’s side, her rejection in Darcy’s first proposal, then her change of opinion and lastly the mutual love they form for one another. Pride and Prejudice is set up as a satire, commenting on human idiocy, and Jane Austen

Jane tells Elizabeth all of her feelings for Mr. Bingley. “’I was very much flattered by his asking me to dance a second time. I did not expect such a compliment’” (Austen 39). Elizabeth is the first that she tells when she falls sick and is the only one that Jane wishes to see. Elizabeth also tells Jane everything that she has heard about Mr. Wickham. They talk about what they should do and how they think the outcome will be. “Elizabeth related to Jane the next day what had passed between Mr. Wickham and herself. Jane listened with astonishment and concern; she knew not how to believe that Mr. Darcy could be so unworthy of Mr. Bingley’s regard; and yet, it was not in her nature to question the veracity of a young man of such amiable appearance as Wickham” (Austen 271). Later in the story, Lydia runs away with Mr. Wickham and Elizabeth and Jane share information already learned to discuss if they think Lydia will be ok. “’I must confess that he did not speak so well of Wickham as he formerly did. He believed him to be imprudent and extravagant. And since this sad affair has taken place, it is said that he left Meryton greatly in debt; but I hope this may be false.’ ‘Oh, Jane, had we been less secret, had we told what we knew of him, this could not have happened!’” (Austen 912). It is really interesting to see the girls advise each other because they always work so well together.

The families of Elizabeth and Charlotte play a very important part in their lives, and in the prospect of their future companions. Elizabeth’s family are more prone to exposing themselves and being ridiculous , and it is partly down to her family that Mr. Darcy is so adamant on Mr. Bingley not marrying her sister Jane. However, unlike her family, Elizabeth is socially graceful, sensitive and conscious of her appearance in the eyes of others. This leads to her acute awareness of the social failing of some members of her family, particularly her mother and youngest sister.

Darcy is attracted to Elizabeth and asks her to dance. She turns him down. Miss Bingley invites Jane to Netherfield. Jane becomes sick there and Elizabeth comes to take care of her. Elizabeth is forced to talk to Darcy and her bluntness charms him

Bennet calls Jane and Elizabeth excitedly and tells them about Darcy. To Mrs. Bennet’s comment on Darcy’s good looks, Elizabeth says Darcy wouldn’t be quite so handsome if he hadn’t been quite so rich. Sir Lucas brings Bingley to Mrs. Bennet, who introduces him to Jane and Elizabeth. Mrs. Bennet initiates a conversation with Darcy who walks away abruptly. She abuses him in his hearing. Carriage drivers are shown reveling outside the building. Mary comments on the dance to Elizabeth. Back home, Kitty and Lydia laugh at Mary for not dancing at all. The book does not mention any of this. This scene is to show Darcy’s displacement at the ball and to give more life to the

Her dislike of him grows as his liking of her increase until whilst she is visiting her recently married best friend Charlotte, and her husband, Elizabeth’s cousin Mr Collins, Mr Darcy proposes. Elizabeth refuses, however when she discovers she was mistaken in her view of him her feelings towards him warm, particularly after she finds out he saved her sister from disgrace by paying Mr Wickham (Darcy’s adversary and the man who had eloped with her sister) to marry Lydia. They finally put aside their differences and marry, to Darcy’s aunt Lady Catherine de Bourgh and Miss Bingley’s disgust.

Jane’s and Bingley’s relationship also depicts the idiom “the course of true love never did run smooth.” Jane Bennet and Charles Bingley meet and fall in love at a dance in Meryton. Their mutual attraction is evident to everyone, especially Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley’s sisters who disapprove of Jane’s social disadvantage. Jane and Mr. Bingley are considered the potential couple that will eventually marry. Elizabeth is happy and wants her sister to be happily married; therefore, she is happy at the thought of a marriage between Bingley and Jane. In the eyes of Elizabeth, this is would be the marriage of true affection. However, as the idiom indicates, one of the obstacles that makes the road to love for Jane and Bingley not smooth is the interference by his family. Bingley’s sisters try to convince Bingley not to marry Jane. If he is to marry, he should marry for money, connections, and pride (Schaefer 17). These are the same sentiments voiced by Darcy who is also concerned with social status. When Elizabeth joins Jane to keep her company at Netherfield, the Bingley sisters deride them for their country girls’ customs, lifestyle, and relations. Darcy optimistically indicates that these relations, “must very materially lessen their chance of marrying men of any consideration in the world” (Austen 37). The Bingley sisters try everything to prevent the relationship as they also interfere with the relationship

Similarly, Mary's awkward and reclusive actions promote her as an agreeable suitor; this makes her the only Bennett sister to not have the opportunity to be married. The two oldest sisters contain the most agreeable and independent personalities among the Bennett sisters, which foreshadows their successful relationships. Jane’s positive attitude causes Bingley to be attracted to her, but Darcy questions Bingley’s choice. By the end of the novel, Bingley realizes that he made a mistake to leave Jane. Jane’s marriage is the first marriage bring prestige to the Bennetts. As for Elizabeth, her personality first comes across unagreeable to suitors, but suitors realize that she is the next respectful Bennett sister besides Jane. Darcy's entitled personality clashes with Elizabeth's prideful attitude; eventually, Darcy discovers that Elizabeth's odd behaviors results from taking care of her family. He admires her commitment; like Elizabeth, Darcy values his sister more than anyone. Darcy and Elizabeth family values cause them to find common ground away from their previous views of each other. Austen wrote the Bennetts' family dynamics to foreshadow the success of the sisters’ future marriage; they also demonstrate the importance of family values in a relationship.

Mr. Bennet denies but he secretly goes without telling anyone. The Bennetts are then invited to a ball at the Bingleys mansion. This being where the Bennett sisters and their primary love interests will first meet. At this ball though things don't go exactly as planned in regards to Elizabeth. Charles Bingley instructs Fitzwilliam Darcy to ask Elizabeth to dance. In response Fitzwilliam calls Elizabeth tolerable and says that Jane is the only beautiful girl at the ball. This is overheard by Elizabeth and sparks her first impression of Fitzwilliam. Which at this point she sees him as a rude, arrogant, and proud member of the Upper class who doesn't like to dance with females of a lower social status. Although initially Elizabeth does find Fitzwilliam to be tall and handsome. This leads Elizabeth to have a dislike of Fitzwilliam which then will make way for her current attitude towards him during this point in the novel. Throughout a series of events Darcy’s idea of Elizabeth changes into the polar opposite of his idea of her at the beginning of the novel. Elizabeth’s idea of Darcy changes much more slowly throughout the novel at one point turning down a proposal from Darcy toward the beginning of the second half

Pride and Prejudice is one of the most popular novels written by Jane Austen. This romantic novel, the story of which revolves around relationships and the difficulties of being in love, was not much of a success in Austen's own time. However, it has grown in its importance to literary critics and readerships over the last hundred years. There are many facets to the story that make reading it not only amusing but also highly interesting. The reader can learn much about the upper-class society of this age, and also gets an insight to the author's opinion about this society. Austen presents the high-society of her time from an observational point of view, ironically describing human behavior. She describes what she sees and adds her own

Darcy’s conception of Elizabeth was established on the fact that her family is embarrassing and discourteous, making her promptly inferior to him. However, Elizabeth’s strong-willed and independent character attracted Darcy’s difficult attention, proving to him her true and unique reeling personality. Particular plot twists throughout the novel have occurred that helped Darcy and Elizabeth reveal their true identities. Darcy’s boastful attitude backfires when he first proposed to Elizabeth, who immediately refuses his offer due to his unintentional insults concerning her class and familial relations. However, Elizabeth’s reason for rejecting Darcy was not only for his abusive remarks, but also because of his interference with Jane’s happiness owing to the fact of his belief that her social class and emotional status were not good enough for his dear companion. After the incident, Darcy and Elizabeth did coincidentally meet when Elizabeth and the Gardiners were visiting Darcy’s estate thinking he would be out of town. Darcy got to see the other half of Elizabeth’s family, who were well mannered and delightful. While Darcy and Elizabeth explored other sides of each other, Wickham was taking advantage of Lydia’s ignorance and ran away with her. When Darcy receives the news about what Lydia and Wickham have done, instead of just mocking how reckless the Bennet’s are he decides to help them. Having a