Analysis of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen Essay -- Pride and Prej

Analysis of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen It centers on the elder sisters of the Bennet family, Jane and Elizabeth. Their personalities, misunderstandings and the roles of pride and prejudice play a large part in the development of their individual relationships. The spirited Elizabeth and softhearted Jane have to deal with not only their own feelings but also the status of their family, both of which affect the outcomes of their marriages. The struggle is very believable and realistic because the story takes place a long time ago. The way people interact with each other today is quite different than how they would interact with each other back then. Pride and Prejudice is an appropriate name for the book. These notions permeate the novel thoroughly, especially in the views of Elizabeth and Darcy. Jane's temperance does not allow for these qualities to exist in her personality. Mr. Darcy is characterized as a proud, haughty, arrogant man and ends up almost immediately alienating himself from the townspeople. This opinion arises after he refuses to dance with the young ladies who have attended the ball and his obvious reluctance to talk to anyone. His pride was said to come from his extreme wealth. Our first introduction to pride and prejudice is at a ball Mr. Bingley throws. His sisters and a dear friend of his, Mr. Darcy, accompany him. Eighteenth-century England was quite preoccupied with status, especially concerning wealth and reputation. Darcy's reluctance to speak with anyone stemmed from his lack of respect for anyone outside his close-knit circle. His good breeding was obvious only to those whom he knew well. Elizabeth is prejudiced against Darcy for entirely different reasons. She rec... ...l fortune of her own, as did Mr. Bennet. They did not love each other but stayed together, proving to an extent the family values of the time. Mrs. Collins married for the sake of getting married and settling down. Her desire to have a family of her own overrode the many failings of the man she married. Fortunately some marriages were based on love. Jane and Elizabeth found the perfect matches. Their beaus were good, principled, financially secure men. Austen presents the two major contrasting types of marriages. Both kinds reflect the mentality of that time period. I enjoyed this book immensely. Jane Austen's style of writing delights me. Her work may not be profound but it is insightful, and light-hearted. Her characters are distinct and universal. Elizabeth is one of my favorite literary characters. Her confidence, wit and spirit can only be enjoyed.