Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy in Jane Austens Pride and Prejudice

Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy in Jane Austens Pride and Prejudice In the fictional world of Jane Austen, the lives of the characters are based on societal values and mores that only exist in her novels. The characters and situations that she puts forth are not concerned with the outside world at all; they are a world in their own. Austen populated this unique world with morals and characters according to the way of life she knew herself. The title of the novel is itself a clue to Austen’s view of the life that surrounded her: the prejudice of one’s social class that determined your destiny in life and the pride of those people which it concerned. The two main characters of Pride and Prejudice are key examples of†¦show more content†¦Elizabeth overhears this exchange and immediately files Darcy away as not worth her time. This first encounter is what forms the basis for Elizabeth’s horrible opinion of Darcy. Because of this comment introduced so early on in the novel, Elizabeth is more likely to believe and think unfavorable thoughts about him. Not only has she formed an ill opinion of him at this point, but her pride is also wounded, something that will not be undone until the novel is almost through. However, Elizabeth misjudges Darcy. Because of his social standing, she assumes his airs are pompousness and arrogance, when they are in reality the result of shyness and a certain social ineptness. As a result she misinterprets his reactions from thereon. In reality, he is slowly falling for her, against his will. When Elizabeth’s sister, Jane, becomes ill and must stay at Netherfield with the Bingley party, Elizabeth comes to stay and take care of her, leading to more interactions with Darcy. One moment that is key to understanding their interactions takes place in the library at Netherfield. Elizabeth asks Darcy what his weakness is and he replies, â€Å"Yes, vanity is a weakness indeed. But pride-where there is a real superiority of mind-pride will always be under good regulation† (Austen 57). Although we do find out later thatShow MoreRelated Characterization of Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy in Jane Austens Pride and Prejudice 1148 Words   |  5 PagesCharacterization of Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy in Jane Austens Pride and Prejudice      Ã‚  Ã‚   Elizabeth Bennet, the heroine of Jane Austens Pride and Prejudice, is an authentic character, allowing readers to identify, sympathize, and grow with her. Unfortunately, Austen does not create a match for Elizabeth who is her equal in terms of characterization. Mr. Darcy, Elizabeths sometime adversary, beloved, and, finally, husband, is not so carefully crafted as she, for his character is somewhat undefinedRead More Class, Money, Pride and Happiness in Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen1721 Words   |  7 Pageson the wall† (VF 414). Marianne Dashwood of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility says that she â€Å"cannot be happy with a man whose taste did not in every point coincide with my own† (SS 15). Most importantly, Elizabeth Bennet of Austen’s Pride and Prejudice states that she would be happy with someone who â€Å"has no improper pride† and â€Å"is perfectly amiable† (PP 364). While all of these novels give a glimpse int o the opinions of happiness, Pride and Prejudice delves into the nuances of happiness, showingRead More An Analysis of Characters in Jane Austens Pride and Prejudice1662 Words   |  7 PagesAnalysis of Characters in Jane Austens Pride and Prejudice An author will often give his or her work a title that reflects the overall theme or meaning of the piece-this is certainly the case in Jane Austens novel Pride and Prejudice. A title may set the mood or describe a situation which otherwise might require several paragraphs to develop. Pride and Prejudice is a combination of humor, irony, and twists of events. Austen entitles her work Pride and Prejudice to emphasize subtly the factRead MorePride and Prejudice: Exploring the Chasm Between Love and Marriage in Georgian England1675 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"Pride and Prejudice†, is a novel which explores the huge chasm between love and marriage in Georgian England. Jane Austen’s presentation of passion and matrimony reiterates the fact that marriage is a â€Å"business arrangement†. Austen uses irony to make fun of polite society in this satire and Austen also emphasizes the point that social hierarchy dictates whom you can marry. The pressures of men and women in Georgian England are revealed through her exploration of the aristocracy’s prejudice againstRead MorePride Prejudice Literature Analysis1311 Words   |  6 Pagesare about to spend their time reading about. Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is an example of a novel with such a title that is very significant in the development of the story. As the reader proceeds through the book, the significance of the title becomes more obvious. Using only three words, Austen is able to tie together the main components of the novel, such as character descriptions and a basic plot summary. The title Pride and Prejudice is effective in narrowing down all words usedRead MoreThe Austen Marriage1601 Words   |  7 PagesThe females in Pride and Prejudice have their moral values reflected in their marriage. They each have a predetermined standard – whether it is love or monetary gain, or superficial or complex – of what constitutes a marital relationship. According to Zimmerman, â€Å"the character from whose point of view much of the action is seen is Elizabeth† (67). She is either the one being married or is the one giving opinion on another’s marriage. Jane Austen utilizes Elizabeth as the crux of the plot’s movementRead MoreThe Influence of Regency England in Pride and Prejudice1604 Words   |  7 Pageseven â€Å"the least familiarity [with those below in social rank was] a degradation† (137). One of Regency England’s most beloved writers, Jane Austen, continued the tradition of casting literature as a reflection of contemporary society’s biases. Her novels brim with indicators of Regency England’s preconceptions. The characters in Austen’s novel, Pride and Prejudice, seek economic security through marriage, and cast a critical eye on those who divert themselves with lesser, frivolous pursuits, resultingRead MorePride And Prejudice Analysis813 Words   |  4 PagesPride and Prejudice, published in 1813 by Jane Austen, narrates a love story about Elizabeth and Darcy using a third-person omniscient point of view through Elizabeth. On the other hand, An Assembly Such as This, written in 2003 by Pamela Aidan, narrates their actions focalizing through Darcy’s perspective. Many consider Pamela Aidan’s An Assembly Such as This to be a revision of Pride and Prejudice. A revision of a text can include new insight about something not present to the eye originally, improvementsRead MorePride And Prejudice: Love And Money In Holy Matrimony .1396 Words   |  6 PagesPri de and Prejudice: Love and Money in Holy Matrimony Imagine a present day society where young women were only encouraged to seek a husband for their financial purposes and to gain a reputable status in the social class system. Today, who can fathom a happy marriage between two individuals without love? Well, that’s exactly what was expected in the life of the middle class families during the early nineteenth century, like the Bennet’s daughters in Jane Austen’s novel Pride and Prejudice. The novelRead MoreJane Austen s Pride And Prejudice1697 Words   |  7 PagesElizabeth Bennett: Outspoken in an Oppressive Society Jane Austen once said, â€Å"it is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife† (Austen 1). In other words, women of the nineteenth century were deemed dependent on men. They were to join an advantageous marriage to remain respectable and achieve a higher social class. Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice concerns the social norms of the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries—a patriarchal