Pride and prejudice in Jane Austen's novel

Pride and Prejudice

Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice" is set in rural England, in Longbourn, during the Napoleonic Wars, 1797-1815. The novel centers around the Bennet family, which includes five daughters of marrying age, Jane, the oldest, then Elizabeth, Mary, Kitty, and Lydia. It is a story of romance, manners and a comedy of misunderstandings, in 19th century England. The protagonist of the story is the second daughter, Elizabeth, regarded as the most intelligent and sensible of the Bennet girls. She is beautiful, honest, virtuous, clever, well read, and quick-witted. However, she has the tendency to jump to conclusions and pass hasty judgments upon those around her. Moreover, she often lets loose her sharp tongue without full understanding of the situation or circumstance. "Pride and Prejudice" is basically about how Elizabeth overcomes the obstacles in her life, such as a distant father, a mother obsessed with marrying off her daughters, ill-behaved sisters, as well as her own personal faults to find true love and romance.

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife" (Austen pp1). This is the first sentence of the book, and sets the tone for the entire novel. It also epitomizes the thinking of Mrs. Bennet, in particular. Elizabeth sees as her mother as a foolish middle-class woman, obsessed with marrying her daughters off to wealthy well-bred men. She is also aware that everyone else knows this fact and it puts her on the defensive against the snobbish females in the story.

Throughout the novel, Elizabeth misjudges people by first impressions. When she first meets Darcy, she is put off by his snobbish manner and arrogance, and he too considers her not pretty enough to take as a bride. Jane's dislike for him is so strong that when she hears rumors about him, she is quick to believe them and judge Darcy as a disreputable character. Wickham, one of the militia officers stationed in a nearby town, is taken with Elizabeth and tell her that Darcy cheated him from his inheritance. Believing this gives Elizabeth even more reason to despise Darcy. However, as time passes, Darcy begins to become attracted to Elizabeth. Her intelligence and witty charm begins to soften his edges. Elizabeth runs through a rainstorm to Mr. Bingley's mansion, Netherfield, to attend Jane, who had come to visit Mr. Bingley, but had taken ill. When Elizabeth arrives splattered with mud and drenched from head to toe, the other women, especially Mr. Bingley's sister, scoff at her. This only further endears Elizabeth to Darcy. However, Elizabeth has been so put off by her first encounter with him that she fails to see that he has had a change of heart and that she has truly won him over. She is merely irritated by his attention, and believes that when he follows her and eavesdrops on her conversation, it is merely to obtain information to further mock her. She remains aloof.

When Darcy proposes, Elizabeth turns him down flat, believing him to be a cad. She believes that he has interfered with the relationship between Jane and Mr. Bingley and that it is by his words and actions that Mr. Bingley leaves. Moreover, she believes that he cheated and mistreated Wickham. She holds only contempt for Darcy. And it is safe to say that he was not as romantic in his proposal as a young woman would have wished.

Yet, he remains interested and devoted even in the face of her rejection.

A young clergyman named Mr. Collins comes to visit the Bennet family and brags that he stands to inherit Mr. Bennet's property, as it can only be inherited by male heirs. He also brags that his patroness is Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Elizabeth views him as a pompous fool, even though he is quite taken with the Bennet girls and even proposes to Elizabeth. When she rejects his proposal his pride is obviously wounded. However, he moves on to propose to Elizabeth's best friend, Charlotte, who explains to Elizabeth that she is getting older and needs the financial security of the marriage. Elizabeth accepts this, although she still feels Mr. Collins is not deserving of her friend, and wishes them the best.

When Elizabeth visits Charlotte and Mr. Collins, who live near Lady Catherine, who also happens to be Darcy's aunt, Darcy happens to call and encounters Elizabeth. He subsequently makes numerous visits to the Collins' home, hoping to see more of Elizabeth. However, she still believes him to be arrogant and an unpleasant character. She confronts him about interfering with Mr. Bingley and Jane and also about disinheriting Wickham. Darcy then writes a letter to Elizabeth explaining that he did indeed urge Bingley to distance himself from the relationship with Jane, however, it was because he though Bingley was not truly serious about the affair and was merely playing with Jane's affections. He told Elizabeth that Wickham was not telling the truth of the matter, that he and Wickham had a disagreement concerning Wickham's attempt to elope with his sister, Georgiana. These confessions give Elizabeth cause to reconsider Darcy's character and to reevaluate her own feelings towards him.