Pride And Prejudice Essay

His sense of her inferiority–of its being a degradation of–the family obstacles which judgment had always opposed to inclinations were dwelt on...” (Austen 12). These words reflect Mr. Darcy’s excessive pride and heightened awareness of social status, while inducing him to recount all the ways in which he and Elizabeth are an illogical union, rather than relaying anything complimentary. In response to this insult-ridden proposal, Elizabeth proclaims that if he had acted in a more “gentlemanlike manner,” she would have been more inclined to express sympathy following her rejection of his advances. Despite Elizabeth’s clear message that she will not observe his insensitive words in submission, Mr. Darcy endures in the conviction that his prideful manners toward Elizabeth are well-justified and merely detail the truthful, adverse nature of her inferior social standing with the utmost sincerity.

Continuing her uncertainty of her sister’s judgement, Elizabeth concurs with Jane’s perception of Bingley while questioning “And so, you like this man’s sisters too, do you? Their manners are not equal to his” (11). Austen included this statement to show Elizabeth’s obsession with people’s manners and acknowledge society’s rules about manners, which Elizabeth has plentiful thoughts about. Simultaneously, Elizabeth ridicules the Bingley sisters’ manners and compliments Mr. Bingley’s. By asking if Jane likes the sisters, Elizabeth’s skeptical and scornful attitude towards people with poor manners is captured. Similarly, Austen demonstrates Elizabeth’s rejection of society’s idea about wealth and being a good person. While she acknowledges that this circumstance is true for Mr. Bingley, Elizabeth uses the Bingley sisters to prove this standard wrong. Without Elizabeth’s pessimism towards the Bingley sisters, the novel would lose

In Mr. Darcy’s first proposal, Elizabeth has been told by Mr. Darcy’s cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam that he has recently “saved a friend from the inconveniences of a most imprudent marriage,”(Austen 159) Elizabeth quickly makes the connection that it was the marriage of Jane and Mr. Bingley. As she returns to contemplate on this privately, she is disturbed by Mr. Darcy and she greets him coldly, and eventually refuses his advances. Comparatively, as they stroll together at Netherfield, Elizabeth gratefully thanks Mr. Darcy for his help in settling the precarious marriage matters between Lydia and Mr. Wickham. Her attitude towards him here is a positive one, and she is willing to open up, and also listen to Mr. Darcy explain

Through the writing, Austen makes each character unique and different. This technique is clearly shown in her novel, Pride and Prejudice. Therefore, Austen identifies the voices of characters, such as Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, through the dialogue. Both characters use a complex structure in dialogue. For Mr. Darcy, this shows his intelligence and high class. Whereas for Elizabeth, this shows her insecurity within her social class. Elizabeth competes with Mr. Darcy by using the same structure to showcase her intelligence and wit. Elizabeth’s rejection of Mr. Darcy’s first proposal demonstrates this concept. She says, “From the very beginning, from the first moment I may almost say, of my acquaintance with you, your manners impressing me with the fullest belief of your arrogance, your conceit, and your selfish disdain of the feelings of others, were such as to form that the groundwork of disapprobation, on which succeeding events have built so immovable a dislike” (Austen 131).

The reader is first acquainted with Mr. Darcy's arrogance at the Meryton Ball. Speaking of Elizabeth Bennet, he so snobbishly says that she was, "…tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me" (Austen 9). His feelings of superiority to the people of the town

Mr. Collins possesses a definite sense of vanity. He is in no way concerned about his own opinion of his character, for as we see his character leaves much to be desired. All he cares about is what others think of him. He always needs the approval of his present company. When he gives Elizabeth the grand tour of his nothing-spectacular home, he is looking for her approval of his position and possessions. It is not important to Mr. Collins for people to like him as a person, they just had better be impressed his status in life and his connections.

Collins throughout this novel was introduced to be a mocking reflection of the typical ideals of marriage in the 1800’s. His satirical presence had came from his upbringing and it shows through his actions. He is dull and unknowing due to the peculiar manner of his upbringing, and it is displayed through his awkward mannerisms throughout his entire presence in the novel. From his ostentatious speeches to his arrogant presumptions on women, he is a main source of humor for the story’s message on marriage and

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

Darcy, the antagonist-turned-protagonist in the novel. His pride blinds his judgment of people. Darcy judges people through their manners hence, because of his dislike in Elizabeth's family manners; he separated Charles and Jane away from each other, leaving Elizabeth's sister heartbroken. Austen's books are written with satirical humor best represented by Mr. Collins and Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Mr. Collins is a comical and pompous, snobbish clergyman living at Hunsford parsonage near Rosings, the home of Lady Catherine de Bourgh. According to the English law, since Mr. Bennet had no male children to inherit the state, Mr. Collins is the rightful heir of the estate since he is a distant relative of Mr. Bennet. Mr. Collins is a funny character in the novel due to his extremely long speeches and silly formalities of no clear meaning. He is very proud of Lady Catherine and her generosity in giving him the Hunsford parsonage.

You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you." (Austen 161) Elizabeth does not have the same feelings for him, and why should she he was very rude and arrogant towards her.

Instead, remaining with Austen definition of vanity, Elizabeth is not at the greatest point of

Here, the rigidity of classes is presented to the responder through Elizabeth’s advice to Mr Collins; “[that the] honour must belong to My Darcy, the superior in consequence, to begin the acquaintance”, as he attempts to introduce himself to Mr Darcy. However, Weldon prompts that whilst the characters of the novel conform to this intrinsic value for class centred society, Austen also hints at the disruption of class systems through Mr Darcy’s autonomy; “marrying where he loved and not where he ought”. Here, Weldon asserts that “Jane Austen likes to see the division between nobility and gentry broken down”, in which “Elizabeth Bennet brought neither land nor money to Mr Darcy- but intelligence, vigour and honesty”. Weldon advocates this kind of autonomy in which Elizabeth’s bildungsroman; “till this moment, I never knew myself” highlights her ability to self-reflect and grow. This is compared to the caricature of Mary, who constantly “copies out extracts” from the books she reads, yet ironically, at times “had not the words” to add to a discussion, where Weldon’s notion of “primitive creature” who “knows more and understands less” is highlighted.

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.

Elizabeth thinks of Darcy as being “the proudest, most disagreeable man in the world” (15). After Darcy discomfits Elizabeth, “She is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me” (13), she herself becomes prideful and prejudiced against him. Prejudice also is an issue for Darcy because he dislikes Elizabeth in the beginning for her low social status, for being impecunious and socially inept family: “Their struggle is as much as against each other as it is against the pressure of society or family. The novel presents a balance of power not only between two characters but between two conflicting modes of judgment” (Bloom 50), but Darcy is forced to deal with his pride and prejudice when he falls in love with Elizabeth. Elizabeth rejects Darcy’s first proposal based mostly on his pride and condescension.