Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice Characters and Social Expectations

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.

Pride and Prejudice tells a story of a young girl in the midst of a very materialistic society. Jane Austen uses the setting to dramatize the restraints women had to endure in society. As the novel develops, we see how women have to act in a way according to their gender, social class, and family lineage. Elizabeth Bennet’s sisters represent the proper societal lady while Lizzy is the rebel. Through her characters Austen shows how a women’s happiness came second to the comfort of wealth. As the plot develops, events are laid out to illustrate how true love is unattainable when women marry for intentions of wealth. Women have very specific and limited roles in a society where men are the superior. In Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice is Austen rebel voice as women to the norms of marriage in the high english society. It’s a story of a Man, Darcy, Who

Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice examines and critiques a society built upon gender roles. Austen does this by examining the obstacles women experienced in the Regency Period. Austen expresses how women were controlled, and objectified by men through their need to get married to a man. Additionally, the novel ridicules how women who could not afford to live without men were shadowed by their partner. This commentary is seen through the portrayal of the Bennet sisters. The females of the family are forced to marry because they do not inherit any wealth. The family is forced to comply with the same boundaries Austen was governed by. Therefore, Austen focuses on how the Bennet sisters overcome a society that suppresses them. This allows the reader to comprehend the strength, perseverance, determination, and assertiveness of the women in this time. Overall, Jane Austen addresses gender issues throughout the story. This is seen in the progressive image of Elizabeth, as she combats the inequality women experience. Although it was not common for women to criticize the patriarchy, the overall depiction of females is progressive. Elizabeth represents Austen’s feminist views, and the depiction of women in the novel is seen through her feminist image as she deals with Mr. Collins and Mr. Darcy.

“Lady Catherine will not think the worst of you for being simply dressed. She likes to have the distinction of rank preserved” (Austen 127). Distinction of social classes has been slowly fading away in today’s modern society, but contributed to create a society dominated by a ironclad hierarchy prior to the twentieth century. Jane Austen published Pride and Prejudice in 1813, which revolves around the love story between Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy. Both Elizabeth and Darcy have to overcome various issues of the Regency era, and learn to accept each other towards the end of novel. Jane Austen showcases the nineteenth century turmoil between the upper class and the working class through the strict social hierarchy and conflicts between the characters in Pride and Prejudice and ultimately proposes a solution towards the end of the novel.

Before his transformation, Darcy exhibits arrogance and pride. Darcy’s behavior at the Meryton ball, in particular, reflects his arrogance. Although many people at the ball initially esteemed Darcy for his wealth, “his manners gave a disgust which turned the tide of his popularity.” (14). More specifically, his manners contained characteristics that were “haughty…and fastidious” and “were not inviting.” (21). Because Darcy’s pride restricts him to dance a mere four times, he further insults the Meryton assembly by failing to interact socially (154). While at a ball at Bingley’s estate, Netherfield, Darcy reveals his arrogance through his rude behavior toward Mr. Collins, a cousin of the Bennets who has close ties to Darcy’s aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Although Collins speaks to Darcy without proper introduction, Darcy does not conceal his arrogance and shows irritation “at being so addressed.” (92) Entertaining Collins with only “distant civility,” Darcy’s rudeness increases as his patience with Collin’s speech diminishes, eventually leaving Collins with only a slight bow (92).

Introduced to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice as a tall, handsome, self-absorbed aristocrat, Darcy experiences a change in personality and character. In order to dispose of his existent views on money and marriage, Darcy needed to feel something, to fall in love. Although he was well mannered, he did not know how to treat women with respect, especially those of a lesser economic status. The love of Elizabeth Bennet, however, changed his behavior.

      Mr. Darcy, as one of the main characters, is for the better part of the novel a focus of the theme of pride. His pride is very obvious. It is a part of his nature and is seen in his mannerisms and in his speech. Darcy has such a high opinion of himself that he does not care what others think of him or his prideful actions. He believes that he is the best in every way possible and finds that his standing in society gives him the right to be critical of those not as perfect as he.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is set in the 18th century, when the future of society relied on social class. According to social class, the relationship between Mr.Darcy and Elizabeth should have been impossible, but they are able to break through these restrictions.The progression of Elizabeth and Darcy’s relationship through the obstacles of breaking through social class dominates the novel. Jane Austen illustrates the restrictions of the social construct of class based on wealth along with her own views on social class in the fiction novel, Pride and Prejudice, through the relationship of Elizabeth and Mr.Darcy.

Darcy’s pride and his sense of superiority are considered rude and ungentlemanly behavior, and no amount of money or fine looks can save him from falling into disgrace with the people of Hertfordshire. Later, when Darcy first proposes to Elizabeth, she shocks him when she angrily exclaims that “had [he] behaved in a more gentleman-like manner” (168), then she may have felt

Elizabeth’s relationship to Darcy also involved the pressure of living up to society’s expectations of social classes. Darcy is prideful of his wealth and wants to maintain his fame. His reputation is challenged when he meets Elizabeth.

Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen, is a remarkable story showing the complications between men and women before and during their time of falling in love. The plot is based on how the main characters, Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy, escape their pride, prejudice and vanity to find each other; however, both must recognize their faults and change them. Jane Austen follows the development of Elizabeth’s and Darcy’s relationship in how they both change in order to overcome their own vanities and be able to love each other.

Defined as the idle talk or rumor that typically refers to another’s personal or private affairs, gossip plays a major role in formulating our opinion of others. Appearing seemingly harmless, gossip is often seen as a double-edged sword. On the positive side of things, discussion of social norms and values can build trust, intimacy, and community among peers, especially through the use of constructive feedback. For those that do not want their private affairs made public, gossip can harm a person’s self-confidence, form tension among friend groups, and cause damage to one’s social reputation, regardless if the information provided is true or not.

In the beginning, Elizabeth thinks that Darcy is "the proudest, most disagreeable man in the world"(7).  Given that the point of view in this work is predominantly based upon Elizabeth's observations, the descriptions of Darcy can be rendered as Elizabeth's attitude toward him.  Another evidence supporting her dislike of Darcy is represented by following depiction: "He[Darcy] was at the same time haughty, reserved, and fastidious..."(11).  Thus, repulsed by Darcy's detached conceit and arrogance, Elizabeth rejects his offer to dance(38).  The negative impression toward Darcy is reinforced by Wickam's impartial statement about him: "for almost all his[Darcy's] actions may be traced to pride"(61).  Superficially Darcy is "condemned as the worst of men"(104).  The accumulated prejudices against Darcy unfailingly culminates in Elizabeth's blunt rejection to Darcy's proposal.  The reason for her refusal, she argues, is his arrogance, conceit and selfish disdain of the feelings of others(145).  Taken together, the overall situation strongly suggests that Elizabeth regards Darcy as "the last man in the world whom I[she] could ever be prevailed on to marry"(145).

Pride and Prejudice is one of the successful novels written by Jane Austen. She uses more exquisite irony through the characters to criticise the society and challenge the values of the Regency period. She presents the values of roles of women, marriage is a business arrangement that women often marry for money and class is the most important in all the social situations.