Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen) - Highlights

CHARACTERS

# Elizabeth Bennet

The second eldest of the Bennet daughters, she is twenty years old and intelligent, lively, playful, attractive, and witty – but with a tendency to form tenacious and prejudicial first impressions. As the story progresses, so does her relationship with Mr Darcy. The course of Elizabeth and Darcy's relationship is ultimately decided when Darcy overcomes his pride, and Elizabeth overcomes her prejudice, leading them both to surrender to their love for each other.

# Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy 

Mr Bingley's friend and the wealthy, twenty-eight-year-old owner of the family estate of Pemberley in Derbyshire, rumoured to be worth at least £10,000 a year (equivalent to £796,000 or $1,045,000 in 2018). While he is handsome, tall, and intelligent, Darcy lacks ease and social graces, and so others frequently mistake his initially haughty reserve and rectitude as proof of excessive pride (which, in part, it is). A new visitor to the village, he is ultimately Elizabeth Bennet's love interest.

# Mr Bennet 

A late-middle-aged landed gentleman of a modest income of £2000 per annum, and the dryly sarcastic patriarch of the now-dwindling Bennet family (a family of Hertfordshire landed gentry), with five unmarried daughters. His estate, Longbourn, is entailed to the male line.

# Mrs Bennet (née Gardiner) 

The middle-aged wife of her social superior, Mr Bennet, and the mother of their five daughters. Mrs Bennet is a hypochondriac who imagines herself susceptible to attacks of tremors and palpitations (her "poor nerves"), whenever things are not going her way. Her main ambition in life is to marry her daughters off to wealthy men. Whether or not any such matches will give her daughters happiness is of little concern to her.

# Jane Bennet 

The eldest Bennet sister. Twenty-two years old when the novel begins, she is considered the most beautiful young lady in the neighbourhood and is inclined to see only the good in others (but can be persuaded otherwise on sufficient evidence). She falls in love with Charles Bingley, a rich young gentleman recently moved to Hertfordshire and a close friend of Mr Darcy.

# Mary Bennet 

The middle Bennet sister, and the plainest of her siblings. Mary has a serious disposition and mostly reads and plays music, although she is often impatient to display her accomplishments and is rather vain about them. She frequently moralises to her family. According to James Edward Austen-Leigh's A Memoir of Jane Austen, Mary ended up marrying one of her Uncle Philips' law clerks and moving into Meryton with him.

# Catherine "Kitty" Bennet 

The fourth Bennet daughter at 17 years old. Though older than Lydia, she is her shadow and follows her in her pursuit of the officers of the militia. She is often portrayed as envious of Lydia and is described a "silly" young woman. However, it is said that she improved when removed from Lydia's influence. According to James Edward Austen-Leigh's A Memoir of Jane Austen, Kitty later married a clergyman who lived near Pemberley.

# Lydia Bennet 

The youngest Bennet sister, aged 15 when the novel begins. She is frivolous and headstrong. Her main activity in life is socializing, especially flirting with the officers of the militia. This leads to her running off with George Wickham, although he has no intention of marrying her. Lydia shows no regard for the moral code of her society; as Ashley Tauchert says, she "feels without reasoning."

# Charles Bingley 

A handsome, amiable, wealthy young gentleman from the north of England (possibly Yorkshire, as Scarborough is mentioned, and there is, in fact, a real-life town called Bingley in West Yorkshire), who leases Netherfield Park, an estate three miles from Longbourn, with the hopes of purchasing it. He is contrasted with Mr Darcy for having more generally pleasing manners, although he is reliant on his more experienced friend for advice. An example of this is the prevention of Bingley and Jane's romance because of Bingley's undeniable dependence on Darcy's opinion. He lacks resolve and is easily influenced by others; his two sisters, Miss Caroline Bingley and Mrs Louisa Hurst, both disapprove of Bingley's growing affection for Miss Jane Bennet.

# Caroline Bingley 

The vainglorious, snobbish sister of Charles Bingley, with a dowry of £20,000. Miss Bingley harbours designs upon Mr Darcy, and therefore is jealous of his growing attachment to Elizabeth. She attempts to dissuade Mr Darcy from liking Elizabeth by ridiculing the Bennet family and criticising Elizabeth's comportment. Miss Bingley also disapproves of her brother's esteem for Jane Bennet, and is disdainful of society in Meryton. Her wealth (her dowry gives her an income of £1,000 per annum, which she overspends) and her expensive education seem to be the two greatest sources of Miss Bingley's vanity and conceit; likewise, she is very insecure about the fact that her and her family's money all comes from trade, and is eager both for her brother to purchase an estate, ascending the Bingleys to the ranks of the Gentry, and for herself to marry a landed gentleman (i.e. Mr Darcy). The dynamic between Miss Bingley and her sister, Louisa Hurst, seems to echo that of Lydia and Kitty Bennet's; that one is no more than a follower of the other, with Caroline in the same position as Lydia, and Louisa in Kitty's (though, in Louisa's case, as she's already married, she's not under the same desperation as Caroline). Louisa is married to Mr Hurst, who has a house in Grosvenor Square, London.

# George Wickham 

Wickham has been acquainted with Mr Darcy since infancy, being the son of Mr Darcy's father's steward. An officer in the militia, he is superficially charming and rapidly forms an attachment with Elizabeth Bennet. He later runs off with Lydia with no intention of marriage, which would have resulted in her and her family's complete disgrace, but for Darcy's intervention to bribe Wickham to marry her by paying off his immediate debts.

# Mr William Collins 

Mr Collins, aged 25 years old as the novel begins, is Mr Bennet's distant second cousin, a clergyman, and the current heir presumptive to his estate of Longbourn House. He is an obsequious and pompous man who is excessively devoted to his patroness, Lady Catherine de Bourgh.

# Lady Catherine de Bourgh 

The overbearing aunt of Mr Darcy. Lady Catherine is the wealthy owner of Rosings Park, where she resides with her daughter Anne and is fawned upon by her rector, Mr Collins. She is haughty, pompous, domineering, and condescending, and has long planned to marry off her sickly daughter to Darcy, to 'unite their two great estates', claiming it to be the dearest wish of both her and her late sister, Lady Anne Darcy (née Fitzwilliam).

~ * ~

PLOT 

The novel is set in rural England in the early 19th century. Mrs Bennet attempts to persuade Mr Bennet to visit Mr Bingley, a rich bachelor recently arrived in the neighbourhood. After some verbal sparring with her husband, Mrs Bennet believes he will not call on Mr Bingley. Shortly after, he visits Netherfield, Mr Bingley's rented residence, much to Mrs Bennet's delight. The visit is followed by an invitation to a ball at the local assembly rooms that the entire neighbourhood will attend.

At the ball, Mr Bingley’s friendly and cheerful manner makes him popular with guests. He appears attracted to Jane Bennet (the Bennets' eldest daughter), with whom he dances twice. Bingley's friend, Mr Darcy, reputed to be twice as wealthy, is haughty and aloof, causing a decided dislike of him. He declines to dance with Elizabeth (the Bennets' second eldest daughter), stating she is not attractive enough to tempt him.[5] Elizabeth finds this amusing and jokes about it with her sisters.

Mr Bingley's sister, Caroline, later invites Jane to Netherfield for dinner. On her way there, Jane is caught in a rain shower and develops a bad cold, forcing her to stay at Netherfield to recuperate. When Elizabeth goes to see Jane, Mr Darcy finds himself becoming attracted to Elizabeth, while Miss Bingley grows jealous, as she herself has designs on Mr Darcy.

Mr Collins, Mr Bennet's cousin and heir to the Longbourn estate, visits the Bennet family. He is a pompous, obsequious clergyman who intends to marry one of the Bennet girls. After learning that Jane may soon be engaged, he quickly decides on Elizabeth, the next daughter in both age and beauty.

Elizabeth and her family meet the dashing and charming army officer, George Wickham, who singles out Elizabeth. He says he is connected to the Darcy family and claims Mr Darcy deprived him of an occupation (a permanent position as a clergyman in a prosperous parish with good revenue) promised to him by Mr Darcy's late father. Elizabeth's dislike of Mr Darcy is confirmed.

At the ball at Netherfield, Mr Darcy asks Elizabeth to dance, and, despite her vow never to dance with him, she accepts. Excluding Jane and Elizabeth, several Bennet family members display a distinct lack of decorum. Mrs Bennet hints loudly that she fully expects Jane and Bingley to become engaged, and the younger Bennet sisters expose the family to ridicule by their silliness.

Mr Collins proposes to Elizabeth. She rejects him, to her mother's fury and her father's relief. Shortly after, the Bingleys suddenly depart for London with no plans to return. After Elizabeth's rejection, Mr Collins proposes to Charlotte Lucas, a sensible young woman and Elizabeth's friend. Charlotte, older (27), is grateful for a proposal that guarantees her a comfortable home. Elizabeth is aghast at such pragmatism in matters of love. Meanwhile, a heartbroken Jane visits her Aunt and Uncle Gardiner in London. It soon is clear that Miss Bingley has no intention of resuming their acquaintance leaving Jane upset, though composed.

In the spring, Elizabeth visits Charlotte and Mr Collins in Kent. Elizabeth and her hosts are invited to Rosings Park, the imposing home of Lady Catherine de Bourgh, patroness of Mr Collins and Mr Darcy's wealthy aunt. Lady Catherine expects Mr Darcy to marry her daughter. Mr Darcy and his cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam, are also visiting at Rosings Park. Fitzwilliam tells Elizabeth how Mr Darcy recently saved a friend from an undesirable match. Elizabeth realises this was Jane and is horrified that Mr Darcy interfered. Later, Mr Darcy proposes to Elizabeth, declaring his love for her despite her inferior social rank. She rejects him angrily, stating she could never love a man who caused her sister such unhappiness and further accuses him of treating Wickham unjustly. The latter accusation angers Mr Darcy and he accuses her family of lacking propriety and suggests he has been kinder to Bingley than to himself.

Later, Mr Darcy gives Elizabeth a letter, explaining that Wickham, the son of his late father's steward, had refused the living his father arranged for him, and was instead given money for it. Wickham quickly squandered the money and when impoverished, asked for the living again. After being refused, he tried to elope with Darcy's 15-year-old sister, Georgiana, for her considerable dowry. Mr Darcy also writes that he believed Jane, due to her reserved behaviour, was indifferent to Bingley. Mr Darcy apologises for hurting Jane and Elizabeth.

Some months later, Elizabeth accompanies the Gardiners on a tour of Derbyshire. They visit Pemberley, the Darcy estate (after Elizabeth ascertains Mr Darcy's absence). The housekeeper there describes Mr Darcy as kind and generous. When Mr Darcy returns unexpectedly, he is exceedingly gracious and later invites Elizabeth and the Gardiners to meet his sister, and Mr Gardiner to go fishing. Elizabeth is surprised and delighted by their treatment. She then receives news that her sister Lydia has run off with Wickham. She tells Mr Darcy immediately, then departs in haste, believing she will never see him again as Lydia has ruined the family's good name.

After an agonising interim, Wickham has agreed to marry Lydia. With some veneer of decency restored, Lydia visits the family and tells Elizabeth that Mr Darcy was at her and Wickham's wedding. Though Mr Darcy had sworn everyone involved to secrecy, Mrs Gardiner now feels obliged to inform Elizabeth that he secured the match, at great expense and trouble to himself. She hints that he may have had "another motive" for having done so.

Mr Bingley and Mr Darcy return to Netherfield. Bingley proposes to Jane who accepts. Lady Catherine, having heard rumours that Elizabeth intends to marry Mr Darcy, visits Elizabeth and demands she promise never to accept Mr Darcy's proposal. Elizabeth refuses and the outraged Lady Catherine leaves. Darcy, heartened by Elizabeth's response, again proposes to her and is accepted. Elizabeth has difficulty in convincing her father that she is marrying for love, not position and wealth, but Mr Bennet is finally convinced.

LESSONS TO BE LEARNT FROM JANE AUSTEN'S "PRIDE AND PREJUDICE" 

#A 
First Impressions Don't Make The Man (or Woman)

One can never forget the first time Elizabeth and Darcy met while attending an assembly at Meryton. Elizabeth overhears Mr. Darcy referring to her as only "tolerable." I hated him, to say the least. How can a man be so absolutely consumed in his own pride? More importantly, how can he be so rude towards a woman so congenial as Elizabeth Bennet? It wasn't until later in the story where the woes of Mr. Darcy's past and the love he holds for his younger sister are revealed, that I started liking the man behind the mask. First impressions often leave us in want of something more--whether that impression is good or bad. The more I learned about Mr. Darcy's true character, the more I realized how quick we are to judge others on the first encounter.

Ref: https://www.theodysseyonline.com/the-most-important-lessons-learned-from-pride-and-prejudice

#B
The importance of planning.

In this easily-readable novel, Ms. Austen underscores the importance of planning.  Pride and Prejudice as perfectly-structured a novel as ever was written: from the initial tension in Elizabeth and Darcy’s meeting to the disastrous anticlimax of the first proposal, the upward trajectory of Elizabeth’s feelings for the man she’d judged poorly, Darcy’s climactic saving of the Bennet family’s reputation, and his subsequent successful proposal of marriage to Elizabeth, the novel moves quickly and deliberately in precisely-plotted chapters.  Austen wastes no time with frivolous details: everything ties together; each scene has a purpose.

Take a page from Austen’s book as you plan your lessons.  Careful preparation can lead to centuries of success!

Ref: https://www.carneysandoe.com/blog-post/5-lessons-teachers-can-learn-pride-prejudice

#C 
A little humor goes a long way.

Despite the conviction of certain seventeen-year-old boys, Pride and Prejudice is not just Victorian chick lit.  It’s a romantic tale with a marriage plot, to be sure, but it’s also a comedy.  From the sycophantic Mr. Collins to the drily sarcastic Mr. Bennet, the novel is filled with jokes, little nods from Austen to the reader.  The book is really funny.

When faced with a potentially gloomy future, Mrs. Bennet breaks down.  Elizabeth, however, learns to laugh.  It is her humor, in large part, which melts the icy exterior of the shy Mr. Darcy and leads to their mutual happiness.  Keep her success in mind–and bring this sense of humor to the classroom.  When facing issues, take a minute to step back.  If you can learn to laugh at a problem, you might remedy it more effectively.

Ref: https://www.carneysandoe.com/blog-post/5-lessons-teachers-can-learn-pride-prejudice

#D 
If at first you don’t succeed…try again

There’s no shame in failure. Mr. Darcy failed miserably in his first attempt at proposing to the object of his affection, but he tried again.  And look at him now: a timeless hunky archetype with 200 years of admirers to his name.

Austen, too, met with failure. She first drafted the novel in 1796—seventeen years before it was finally published. Her refusal to be disheartened led to the publication of a novel that proved truly timeless.

You’ll have failures in the classroom, and so will your students. But don’t let these failures discourage you. Look to your Victorian counterparts—if at first you don’t succeed, try again.

Ref: https://www.carneysandoe.com/blog-post/5-lessons-teachers-can-learn-pride-prejudice

#E
It is good to honor thy parents

Familial relationships in the novel express the importance of honor and respect. Jane and Lizzie exemplify what it looks like to their parents this way. Barrs explains:

Despite the many flaws in their parents, particularly their mother, they are unfailingly polite and respectful in their presence and when speaking about them. They maintain this respect even when they finally feel the need to express problems, for example, when Elizabeth talks to her father about his failure to restrain Lydia.

Ref: https://www.crossway.org/articles/6-lessons-from-pride-and-prejudice/

#F 
You Can Judge a Man by the Size of His Library

In Austen’s world, size matters. The size of one’s book collection, that is.

While stuck at Netherfield because her sister has fallen ill there, the hospitable Mr. Bingley offers Elizabeth access to his books, to “all that his library afforded.” Elizabeth assures him she is content with what she has. He admits, “I wish my collection were larger for your benefit and my own credit; but I am an idle fellow, and though I have not many, I have more than I ever looked into."

Then coy Miss Bingley attempts to converse with Darcy while he is engaged in reading. “When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library," Miss Bingley proclaims. "I am astonished that my father should have left so small a collection of books. What a delightful library you have at Pemberley, Mr. Darcy!"

"It ought to be good," he replies. "It has been the work of many generations."

"And then you have added so much to it yourself, you are always buying books,” Miss Bingley says flirtatiously.

Later, after Elizabeth has shed her initial false impressions about Darcy, she recollects the evolution of her feelings toward him. She explains that her love for Darcy “has been coming on so gradually, that I hardly know when it began. But I believe I must date it from my first seeing his beautiful grounds at Pemberley." Indeed.

Ref:  https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2013/11/i-learned-everything-i-needed-to-know-about-marriage-from-pride-and-prejudice/281110/

#G
28 LESSONS WE’VE LEARNED FROM PRIDE AND PREJUDICE

1. Beware of truths universally acknowledged.
2. Be persistent in the face of rejection.
3. There is great joy in a long walk.
4. Don’t set too much stock in first impressions.
5. There are worse things than being single…like being married to Mr. Collins.
6. A six-hour movie isn’t too long if it’s the right story.
7. You can learn a lot about a man by the way he treats his sister.
8. You can’t hide in the library forever.
9. Sharp wit and a pair of fine eyes are worth far more than an expensive dress.
10. The man of your dreams will love you even when you have a terrible cold.
11. When in doubt, say it in a letter.
12. Never play dumb to attract a man.
13. Don’t make important life choices just to soothe your mother’s nerves.
14. Men, always keep your home ready for unexpected guests. You never know when the love of your life will show up.
15. Bad boys are not worth it.
16. Gorge all you want at a banquet as long as you’re wearing an empire-waist dress.
17. It’s not the end of the world if your little sister gets married before you do.
18. A dashing uniform does not make the man.
19. “Obstinate, headstrong girl!” really is a compliment.
20. Don’t be stingy about giving others a second chance. You never know when your own happiness may depend on one.
21. When it comes to a man’s library, size matters.
22. An intelligent woman should never tolerate a disrespectful man…no matter how rich he is.
23. A great love story is always in style.
24. It really is a woman’s prerogative to change her mind.
25. Marrying your true love means marrying his or her entire family.
26. Men may leave you, but your sisters never will.
27. Happy relationships are based on more than romance.
28. Colin Firth then, Colin Firth now, Colin Firth forever.

Ref: https://blog.basbleu.com/2015/01/28/28-lessons-weve-learned-from-pride-and-prejudice/

#H
Five Life Lessons We Can Learn from Elizabeth Bennet

1. She Learns from Her Mistakes.
When Elizabeth reads Darcy’s letter and finds out that she has misjudged Wickham and Darcy’s characters, she says to herself, “How despicably have I acted! I, who have prided myself on my discernment! … I have courted prepossession and ignorance, and driven reason away, where either were concerned. Till this moment, I never knew myself!” Elizabeth could have justified her actions, but she recognizes that she was wrong. Even though – at the time – she hates Darcy, she acknowledges that he’s right in many respects; she acknowledges that she jumped to conclusions, and let prejudice cloud the truth. Elizabeth’s ability to recognize her faults and correct them requires a lot of humility and self-awareness we should all aspire to achieve.

2. She Does Not Settle.
Elizabeth turns down both Mr. Collins and Mr. Darcy’s proposals without hesitation. She is open and honest in her refusals, and she does not care that her mother and society essentially demand her to accept them. She knows what she wants, and she knows what she doesn’t want. Only when Darcy actually gains some manners does she finally accept him.

3. She Boldly Voices Her Opinions.
Elizabeth is not afraid to state her opinions or contradict someone - regardless of who they may be. When Lady Catherine De Bourgh insults herself and her family, Elizabeth rebukes her. When Lady Catherine asks Elizabeth to promise to never become engaged to Mr. Darcy, Elizabeth refuses. When a man of Mr. Darcy’s standing states his opinion of her low rank and then proposes to her, she reprimands him. One classic example:  ``You could not have made me the offer of your hand in any possible way that would have tempted me to accept it.'' Now if that’s not bold, I don’t know what is.

4. She Takes Care of Her Family.
Throughout the novel, Elizabeth repeatedly mentions her concern for her family’s welfare – especially Jane’s. Even though her mother has no filter, and her sister, Lydia, only lives and breathes to flirt with officers, Elizabeth still defends them to Mr. Darcy and Lady Catherine. And who can forget how she walks from Longbourn to Netherfield in the mud and dirt just to take care of Jane?

5. She is Not Afraid to Defy Society’s Expectations.
Elizabeth does not care how Miss Bingley or Mr. Darcy perceive her after she comes to Netherfield with her skirt “six inches deep in mud.” She does not care that a man who has 10,000 pounds a year asks her to marry him. She is very forward thinking, she reads, and she doesn’t care much for the typical accomplishments that women of her day were supposed to have. Instead of sewing pin cushions or painting tables, she cultivates her mind through reading and engaging with others.

Elizabeth Bennett is a strong, independent woman who never changes who she is. Even though she’s a 19th-century fictional character, her character is a wonderful example of what a strong female is.

Ref: https://www.hercampus.com/school/utah/five-life-lessons-we-can-learn-elizabeth-bennet

#I

Here are 4 Gentlemanly Lessons from Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice:

1. He is Self-Aware
This may seem like an odd quality to attribute to Mr. Darcy. In the novel, pride is his blind spot. When reading the book, or watching his brilliant portrayal by Colin Firth in the film Pride & Prejudice, you will find a moment when Mr. Darcy acknowledges his awareness of his pride.

Yes, vanity is a weakness indeed. But pride – where there is a real superiority of mind, pride will always be under good regulation.”

In the arrogance of the statement it is possible to miss the subtlety of the sentence. I have considered this quote frequently. When he refers to a superiority of mind, Mr. Darcy means an understanding of his place in the world. He is aware of himself, and who he is, as master of Pemberly, and 10,000 pounds per annum. This situation places him in a high station, with responsibilities and privileges greater than most men.

Self awareness does not entitle anyone to arrogance, but having a settled belief of who you are may at times rub others the wrong way. Confidence in your character, introversion, even quietness, can often mistake you as cold and uncaring by others. Learn to be aware not only of your qualities and faults, but also how they effect those around you.

2. He looks out for his friend
Elizabeth’s sister, Jane, and Mr. Darcy’s friend, Mr. Bingley, begin to fall in love through the first portion of Pride and Prejudice. Mr. Darcy, having the benefit of a detached view of the situation, sees the dangers to his friend in a alliance with a family as foolish and silly as the Bennet girls. He does his best to distance his friend from the Bennet family in London, and continues to prevent Mr. Bingley from accidentally meeting Jane when she visits the city.

When he proposes to Elizabeth, Mr. Darcy acknowledges his hypocrisy saying when she confronts him with his actions. “I have no wish of denying that I did every thing in my power to separate my friend from your sister, or that I rejoice in my success. Towards him I have been kinder than towards myself.”

While this does nothing to endear Elizabeth to accept the proposal, it does reveal the depth of Mr. Darcy’s care for his friend.

Good friends are hard to come by, whenever you find one he should be as a brother. While few of us would intentionally do wrong by a friend, how frequently do we put their interests before our own?

3. He learns from criticism
When his proposal to Elizabeth is rejected, and she criticizes his arrogance and faults, he doesn’t ignore them. Instead, he honestly examines his behavior to see the truth in her words. Most importantly, he acts upon the reflection rather than ignoring it.

My object then, was to show you, by every civility in my power, that I was not so mean as to resent the past; and I hoped to obtain your forgiveness, to lessen your ill opinion, by letting you see that your reproofs had been attended to.”

Frequently, as a young man it is possible to believe you’ve reached the heights and see your faults and virtues honestly, but that’s not always the case. Others, friends and enemies, will point out faults we might not have seen from time to time. It can be easy to ignore them, discrediting their words because of their own faults or abilities. But those criticisms can be invaluable measures of how you are perceived and judged by the world.

4. He doesn’t take credit
Even after saving Elizabeth’s sister from disgrace, paying Mr. Wickham off to marry Lydia, Darcy doesn’t say anything of his involvement. He actively tries to hide his role in the situation from Elizabeth and her family, considering it a matter of honor.

For a person of skill or talent, it can genuinely be difficult to not take credit for your actions. Credit is tempting, allowing you to shine in the light of a hero, even if temporarily. The problem is, that in doing so you reduce the value of your actions, allowing the motives of your deeds to become questionable. More than once I have wished that I had let my good deeds remain a secret.

To sum up: Mr. Darcy is most appealing on paper, or in a film. Fiction is more forgiving than reality. I’ve found that some of his lesser qualities are less charming to the opposite sex when demonstrated in real life. But the lessons above are real, in both fact and fiction. Becoming a better man isn’t easy, and it isn’t always romantic, but it is something to be proud of.

Ref: http://goodguyswag.com/pride-and-prejudice-gentlemanly-lessons/

#J

Themes of Pride & Prejudice
Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice is said to be a satirical and social critique on social status and the expectations of women during the eighteenth century. Throughout the book, the strong themes of prejudice, reputation, and class are explored as the romance between Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy develops. In this lesson, we will look at the themes to get a better understanding of Pride and Prejudice.

Prejudice
As the title suggests, prejudice is one of the main themes of the novel. Prejudice is one of many obstacles that gets in the way of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy from connecting quickly. For example, Mr. Darcy's prejudice toward Elizabeth is largely because of her social standing. He does not notice the strength of her character for a long time since he is above her in class. The narrator says, 'Darcy had at first scarcely allowed her to be pretty... and in spite of his asserting that her manners were not those of the fashionable world, he was caught by their easy playfulness.'

Here, the narrator demonstrates how Mr. Darcy's initial prejudice initially clouds his ability to see Elizabeth for the strong, intelligent woman that she is. Once he is able to disregard their social differences, he allows himself to fall in love with her. Austen's attention to Mr. Darcy's prejudice and subsequent transformation into a humbler perspective shows the issues that social prejudice can cause, and the good that can come from removing those prejudices from society.

Reputation
During eighteenth century England, a woman's reputation and femininity were considered incredibly important. Women were expected to adhere to certain rules and exhibit pristine behavior in the public sphere. Many of the Bennet sisters step out of these expectations in ways that potentially harm their reputations.

A good example of this is the story line of Elizabeth's sister, Lydia. Lydia makes an irrational decision by running away with Wickham and living with him out of wedlock. Her decision could result in irreparable damage to her entire family's reputation if Wickham refuses to marry her. In fact, Lydia's decision to forgo her own reputation threatens the rest of her sisters' reputations. Elizabeth speaks to her father about Lydia's behavior and its consequences by saying, 'Our importance, our respectability in the world must be affected by the wild volatility, the assurance and disdain of all restraint, which mark Lydia's character. . . she will soon be beyond the reach of amendment.'

Ref: https://study.com/academy/lesson/literary-themes-in-pride-and-prejudice.html

MAJOR THEMES: 
Marriage, Wealth, Class, Self-knowledge (Ref: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pride_and_Prejudice)

QUOTES:
#1
"A lady's imagination is very rapid; it jumps from admiration to love, from love to matrimony in a moment."
— Mr. Darcy, Pride and Prejudice

#2
"I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of any thing than of a book! — When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library."
— Caroline Bingley, Pride and Prejudice

#3
“My courage always rises with every attempt to intimidate me.”
— Elizabeth Bennet, Pride and Prejudice

#4
"Your defect is a propensity to hate everybody.""And yours," he replied with a smile, "is willfully to misunderstand them.”
— Mr. Darcy, Pride and Prejudice

#5
"Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously. A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us."
— Mary Bennet, Pride and Prejudice

#6
"One cannot be always laughing at a man without now and then stumbling on something witty."
— Elizabeth Bennet, Pride and Prejudice

#7
"A girl likes to be crossed a little in love now and then."
— Mr. Bennet, Pride and Prejudice

#8
"People themselves alter so much, that there is something new to be observed in them for ever."
— Mr. Bingley, Pride and Prejudice

#9
"For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbors, and laugh at them in our turn?"
— Mr. Bennet, Pride and Prejudice

#10
"I could easily forgive his pride, if he had not mortified mine."
— Elizabeth Bennet, Pride and Prejudice

Ref: https://www.bustle.com/articles/158113-16-pride-and-prejudice-quotes-that-will-make-you-understand-why-its-universally-adored

#11
He spoke of apprehension and anxiety, but his countenance expressed real security.

Ref: https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Pride_and_Prejudice

REFERENCES

Ref for characters, plot and 'major themes' section: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pride_and_Prejudice