Pride and Prejudice: Contrasting the Relationships of Elizabeth and Jane

Mr and Mrs Bennet's marriage is spoken about in the book from Mr Bennet?s point of view. The reader may wonder why if they do not love each other, then why did Mr Bennet marry Mrs Bennet? This is explained in the book where Jane Austen says ?Her father (Elizabeth?s), captivated by youth and beauty, and that appearance of good humour, which youth and beauty generally give, had married a woman whose weak understanding and illiberal mind had very early in their marriage put an end to all real affection for her.? This basically explains that Mr Bennet married her because she was young and beautiful, but then realised she wasn?t very intelligent and he didn?t end up loving her. This has affected their marriage, as there are a lot sniping comments and complaining throughout the book to each other and about each other.

Each couple display compatibility, understanding as well as similarity in their characters. Many characters at different points in the novel remark on Jane and Bingley, and how well suited they are. Elizabeth comments that Bingley is a, ‘sweet-tempered, amiable, charming man.’ She realises that Jane and Bingley are becoming infatuated with one another.

Of the five Bennet sisters, three of them get engaged/married throughout the book. Of those three, Jane and Lizzy have happy, loving marriages. The other marriage, Lydia’s marriage, was forced due to her scandalous relationship. Jane was ecstatic to be engaged and was truly in love with her fiancé: “Oh! Lizzy, why am I thus singled from my family, and blessed above them all! If I could but see you as happy! If there were but such another man for you”(Austen 300). Jane, and later on Lizzy, got engaged to a wealthy upper class man who she truly loved. Lydia’s relationship did not begin as joyfully as her sisters’. Lizzy demonstrated the issues of the marriage perfectly: “How Wickham and Lydia were to be supported in tolerable independence, she could not

Darcy realizes that his pride is keeping he and Elizabeth apart. Mr. Darcy earns Elizabeth’s love by fixing all the wrongs he has committed to her and her family. He brings Elizabeth’s sister and Mr. Bingley back together, saying, “ I told him, moreover, that I believed myself mistaken in supposing, as I had done, that your sister was indifferent to him; and as I could easily perceive that his attachment to her was unabated, I felt no doubt of their happiness together” (Chapter 58 ). Elizabeth is also grateful when Mr. Darcy persuades Wickham to marry Lydia as shown in this quote: “ The vague and unsettled suspicions which uncertainty had produced of what Mr. Darcy might have been doing to forward her sister’s match, which she had feared to encourage as an exertion of goodness too great to be probable, and at the same time dreaded to be just, from the pain of obligation, were proved beyond their greatest extent to be true!” Elizabeth sees that Mr. Darcy is good at heart (Chapter 52). With this new information, she accepts his second marriage

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

or other, and we can never expect her to do it with so little expense

highly in my favour … it is by no means certain that another offer of

Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen, is a masterfully written novel that reveals timeless life lessons to the reader through its richly developed characters and storyline. Set in England during the early nineteenth century, the story revolves around the flaws of Miss Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy, and how their journey in overcoming these flaws eventually brings them together. Even though Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy are seen to possess obvious character flaws right away, the author expertly uses the marriages of others, such as that of Elizabeth’s parents, to demonstrate just how important virtue is. Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy work to overcome their flaws and as a result are seen to have a more happy and blessed marriage, whereas Elizabeth’s parents make no attempt to better themselves, resulting in a troubled and unhappy marriage. Jane Austen uses her characters Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, Elizabeth, and Mr. Darcy to show that virtue is essential in the happiness of a marriage, and that without it, a marriage will break down.

Jane Austen's intelligence and sophisticated diction made her a revolutionary author, and her mastery surpasses most modern authors. By challenging conventional stereotypes in her novels, she gives the open-minded reader a new perspective through the message she conveys. Her first novel, Northanger Abbey, focuses on reading. However, she parallels typical novel reading with the reading of people. Catherine Morland's coming of age hinges on her ability to become a better reader of both novels and people.

Austen portrays a story that focuses on the Bennet family, particularly Elizabeth and her bright, bubbling romance with the wealthy, highly esteemed Fitzwilliam Darcy. It also entails the

Jane Austen shows the readers within the first sentence what the plot and main theme of Pride and Prejudice is and what social ideas she plans on presenting through this novel. The first sentence of Pride and Prejudice stands as one of the most famous introductory lines in literature. It states, “it is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife” (Austen 5). This statement puts the novel in motion by showing that the novel will deal with the pursuit of single wealthy men by various female characters. By stating this, Austen reveals that the reverse is also true in the nineteenth century English society, which is that single women of

  In her novel, Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen portrays Elizabeth Bennet as "strong and intelligent, yet bewitching in a completely feminine way". Elizabeth's possession of these attributes: strength of character and moral integrity, great intelligence, and an attractive personality, make her an admirable person. Yet Elizabeth has faults, which makes her more human. Austen's portrayal of Elizabeth is realistic and masterful, often juxtaposing her with characters lacking her attributes to heighten our appreciation of her.

Jane Austen impacted the world of literature in more ways than one. Museums located around the United Kingdom are dedicated to her works which many people still enjoy to this day. Audiences around the world continue to read the love stories she shared many years ago. She portrayed a sense of female strength and hefty feelings of true love in her writing. Austen’s wording and her particular writing style are recognizable among those who enjoy 18th century literature, her distinct approach to the realities of the time is one reason her fan base has grown over the years. Jane Austen pioneered romantic literature because she was among the first authors to write a happily ever after type story, and she used her work to portray this feeling

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.

In the 19th century, a controversy arose over what the true foundation and purpose for marriage should be. The basis of this conflict was whether one should let reason or emotion be the guide of their love life and if a balance between the two could be maintained. The relationship between Elizabeth and Darcy in Jane Austen's book Pride and Prejudice depicts such a balance, thus becoming the model for Austen's definition of a perfect couple and for true love. Their relationship is neither solely based on a quest for money on Elizabeth's part or emotions that blind the couple from all other important aspects of life. The significance of having this balance is portrayed