Mr Darcy And Elizabeth Bennet example essay topic

Literary Analysis of Pride and Prejudice The novel Pride and Prejudice, is a romantic comedy, by Jane Austen. Pride and Prejudice is a story about an unlikely pair who go through many obstacles before finally coming together. Pride is the opinion of oneself and prejudice is how one person feels others perceive them. The novel, Pride and Prejudice, uses plot, the characters of Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy and Miss Elizabeth Bennet, and the status of women and social standing, to portray the theme of the novel - pride and prejudice. The plot of the novel follows traditional plot guidelines; although there are many small conflicts, there is one central conflict that sets the scene for the novel.

The novel is about an embarrassing; mismatched couple and their five daughters. The novel begins with Mrs. Bennet, telling her daughters of the importance of marrying well. During this time a wealthy man, Charles Bingley, moves close to Netherfield, where the Bennets' reside. The Bennet girls struggle to capture his attention, and Jane, who judges no one, is the daughter who manages to win his heart, until Mr. Bingley abruptly leaves town. Mr. Bingley is often accompanied by Fitzwilliam Darcy, who is a very proud man. Elizabeth Bennet, who is proud of herself, and Mr. Darcy are not fond of one another from the start, these two characters pose the central conflict in the novel.

As the novel progresses, Elizabeth receives a marriage proposal from her cousin, Mr. Collins, and turns him down. Mr. Collins then proposes to Charlotte Lucas, Elizabeth's best friend, who accepts. Elizabeth then leaves home to stay with, the Collins' who live near Lady Catherine de Bourgh, Mr. Darcy's aunt. While this is going on, Mr. Darcy realizes he has feelings for Elizabeth and proposes to her, this is the climax of the novel. She is astonished by his actions, and turns him flat down. She explains that she feels he is arrogant, and feels he stood in the way of Jane and Mr. Bingley marrying, and also feels he is a cruel man, especially in his treating of Mr. Wickham, she is expressing her prejudice towards him.

He leaves and they part very angry with each other. Mr. Darcy then writes Elizabeth a letter, explaining his feelings, defending his actions, and reveling the true nature of Mr. Wickham. During this time Elizabeth returns home still baffled about the letter Mr. Darcy wrote her. Shortly after her return, Lydia, the youngest Bennet, leaves for Brighton, where Mr. Wickham's regiment is located. The next letter the Bennet's receive, from their uncle, Mr. Gardiner, brings word of Lydia's marriage to Mr. Wickham. The Bennet's are disgusted that they eloped.

During the course of the remainder of the novel, Mr. Darcy, talks to Mr. Bingley and explains his negative feelings for Mr. Bingley's relationship with Jane, were incorrect, Jane did love. Mr. Bingley then proposes to Jane. Elizabeth realizes her true feelings for Mr. Darcy and accepts his proposal. The novel ends with all the conflicts resolved. The novel best illustrates examples of pride and prejudice through the main characters, Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy and Miss Elizabeth Bennet. Mr. Darcy, one of the main characters, is the perfect example of pride in the novel.

His pride is very obvious. It is in his nature, mannerisms, and in his speech. Darcy has such a high opinion of himself, he does not care that his actions, may result in others think less of him. He best illustrates this quality towards the beginning of the novel. '... and Turing round, he looked for a moment at Elizabeth, till catching her eye, he withdrew his own and coldly said, 'she is tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me; and I am in no humor at present to give consequence to young ladies slighted by other men... ' ' Darcy said this with every intention of Elizabeth overhearing; and this did not bother him, for he is using this as an advantage to bring himself above her; making him feel proud about himself.

He also refereed to the fact that she was not keeping the company of any other gentleman at the ball; meaning that if she was not good enough for them, she definitely was not good enough for him, he displayed pride in himself and prejudice towards her. Elizabeth Bennet, the other main character of the novel, is just as guilty of being proud, as any of the other characters in the novel. She prides herself on being unprejudiced and rational in the judgment of others. These false qualities are revealed when she is proved wrong in her judgment of not only Mr. Darcy, but of Mr. Wickham also. At the time of Mr. Darcy's proposal, she turned him down saying, 'Your character was unfolded in the recital which I received many months ago from Mr. Wickham.

On the subject, what can you have to say? In what imaginary act of friendship can you here defend yourself? Or under what misrepresentation can you here impose on others?' She is stating that she feels Mr. Darcy is cruel to Mr. Wickham, and this example she has is a perfect example of his cruel character. When she receives the letter from Mr. Darcy she realizes that the cruel one is in fact Mr. Wickham, who is now reveled to be a money hungry liar.

Also in this same scene it says, 'His sense of her inferiority - of its being a degradation - of the family obstacles which judgment had always opposed to inclination were dwelt on with a warmth which seemed due to the consequence he was wounding... ' In this portion of the scene, Mr. Darcy was cutting down the unsophistication of her family members, that although was true, Elizabeth was much to proud to listen to his accusations and accept the truth. Instead she becomes so angered with Mr. Darcy that is effects her entire relationship with him. After receiving Mr. Darcy's letter she reflects on her past run-ins with Mr. Darcy, 'She grew absolutely ashamed of herself. Of neither Darcy or Wickham could she think without feeling that she had been blind, partial, prejudiced... ' This was an important part because Elizabeth recognized her prejudice.

Both Darcy and Elizabeth come to realize their pride as a flaw in their characters. Darcy realizes that he must check his pride in order to be seen in a decent manner by others. Elizabeth is the reason he changed his ways. He told her in response to the letter he had written her, 'You taught me a lesson, hard at first, but most advantageous... ' He was referring to the negative feelings she expressed to him.

It made him realize that too much pride in oneself is not necessarily a good thing. Elizabeth points out to him a change in his character when she observed him at Pemberley. 'My object then,' replied Darcy, 'was to show you be every civility in my power that I was not so mean as to resent the past; and I hoped to obtain you forgiveness, to lessen your ill opinion... ' This is a living example of how Mr. Darcy changed for the best. There realizations of pride and prejudice allowed them to come together and be married - they realized that deep down they were a lot alike. Pride and prejudice, are also displayed through status of both women and social classes.

'It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a good wife. ' This is the first line in the book. It is evident from every point of the novel that all people care about is marrying into a higher social rank, both for status and wealth, they in fact take great pride in this. Women had few rights and advantages, if their fathers died, his inheritance would go to the next surviving male relative, this is an example of prejudice. The daughters had no chance of supporting themselves unless the married well and were dependents of their husbands.

Unmarried women would become governess' and live as dependents of their family, other relatives, or their employers. The governess position gave them little social status, which opened them up to much prejudice. The scene towards the beginning of the book when Mr. Darcy insults Elizabeth at the ball, is another example of pride and prejudice, in social classes. Mr. Darcy felt he was too high in status to dance with the likes of Elizabeth. The Bennet family is proof enough of prejudice in the social ladder.

The Bennet family, although wealthy, was looked down upon, is relation to their social status. They were seen as low on the social ladder, because they had 'new money. ' Lady Catherine, is another example of pride and prejudice displayed through social status, 'Now and then they were honoured with a call from her ladyship, and nothing escaped her observation... ' Lady Catherine noticed flaws in everyone and used her position and title of 'Lady' to rise above everyone and make herself seem superior to them. Her position gives her pride and she flaunts it in a negative way. There are many examples throughout the novel, to support the running theme, and title of the novel, Pride and Prejudice.

Pride in not always a good thing, it can lead to arrogance and contempt very quickly. Prejudice is not necessarily a bad thing either, and is never unavoidable, sometimes disliking a person and not being friends with them works out to an advantage. Jane Austen dramatized the theme of pride and prejudice, through plot, her main characters, Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet, and demonstrated how the status of women and social status can lead to pride and prejudice.