Pride and Prejudice analysis
Jane Austen published and anonymously released her book, Pride and Prejudice in 1813, a period during which people were getting used to the idea that women would divert from the norm of being modest in their characters and dealings. A strict code of conduct guided women during this era. They were expected to be virtuous, obedient, humble, covering their intelligence and aptitudes and leaving matters of science, philosophy, politics, and business to brainy and better knowledgeable gentlemen. The law at that time did not allow divorce and saw women as their husbands’ property. In her writing, Jane Austen portrays a society where the woman defies the rule of the land and does what she wants. She tells her own life story through her heroines; the Bennet sisters. She publishes and sells books during a time when women were expected to live by the rule of the land, making them submissive and modest, value and treasure marriage rather than chase individual financial freedom (Austen, Pride and Prejudice 5).) The ideals and pitfalls of femininity, as portrayed by each one of the five Bennet sisters, form the basis of this paperwork.
Elizabeth Bennet
Elizabeth is the second daughter in the Bonnet family. She has “a lively, playful disposition and quick-witted (Austen, Pride and Prejudice 12). Lizzy is Mr. Bennet’s favorite child. Despite Elizabeth’s father remarking that all her daughters are trivial and oblivious, just like other girls out there, he finds Elizabeth to be quicker and more alert than her sisters (Austen, Pride and Prejudice 5) she has many admirable qualities. Again, Elizabeth defeats her sisters in conducts and understanding of life. She believes in marrying for love, contrary to what she is expected to do. The best thing for her to do is get a wealthy husband who can take care of her but Lizzy insists on marrying out of affection. She reflects her feminine individuality by refusing to marry her cousin because he is rich and thus would secure her future. Elizabeth insists on marrying for love, she is not scared by poverty or spinsterhood. Nevertheless, Elizabeth shapes her opinion openly and has a sharp tongue, and speaks her mind, something that dismays those who believe that ladies cannot be allowed such freedom (Austen, Pride and Prejudice 12). During her talk with Lady Catherine, a very influential woman, she proclaims her opinion on the societal standards:
But, Ma’am, I think it would be very hard upon younger sisters, that they
should not have their share of society and amusement because the elder may not
have the means or inclination to marry early. – The last-born has as good a right to
the pleasures of youth as the first. – And to be kept back on such a motive! – I think
it would not be very likely to promote sisterly affection or delicacy of mind.
(Austen, Pride and Prejudice 187).
Elizabeth meets Darcy, who she has a mistaken impression of and had in the first place led to her rejecting his marriage proposal. She has charms that keep him interested even after his rejection. He sticks around until Elizabeth finally gets a grasp of his noble character. She finally realizes the error of her prejudice against him (Austen, Pride, and Prejudice, 205). Elizabeth and Darcy finally get married. Elizabeth portrays both the ideals and pitfalls of femininity as she embraces her individuality rather than conforming to the societal stereotype. Elizabeth believes in marriage as a woman but does not think it should because society thinks a woman should get married to secure her future; rather, every woman should be married because of love. She decides to marry Darcy, not because he is wealthy but because his nobility moves her. Elizabeth is not driven by wealth, and she believes Lady Catherine should not be worshipped because of her immense wealth, she is not supposed to be obeyed because of her aristocracy. Elizabeth sails through all the threats and coaxes by Lady Catherine and marries the man he finally learned to believe in and love.
Jane Bennet
The eldest of the five Bennets sisters, she is regarded as the most beautiful among the five. She turns out to be her mother’s favorite. Jane is friendly, good-natured, and cheerful; she is always ready to think the best of anyone whenever her sister Elizabeth thinks ill of them. Jane does not think highly of herself as she does other people, and Elizabeth is the exact opposite:
Oh! You are a great deal too apt, you know, to like people in general. You never see a fault in anybody. All the world is pleasant and agreeable in your eyes. I never heard you speak ill of a human being in your life (Austen, Pride, and Prejudice 58).
Jane is so pleasant that soon they start exchanging visits with Bingley’s sisters, but Elizabeth thinks they are merely lovely towards Jane because of their brother. Elizabeth notes the increasing affection of her sister towards Bingley and admires her composure. She confides in Charlotte who warns that women who are afraid to show their affection risk losing their object of it
(Austen, Pride and Prejudice 69). Elizabeth finds this attitude from Charlotte so businesslike; she feels Jane can’t know her true feelings at this point because it is too early. Charlotte has a sentiment that happiness in marriage is only by chance. When Jane visits Caroline Bingley, Mrs. Bennet sends her on horseback even though the signs of rain are seen, for her to spend the night there. She later falls ill, and therefore Elizabeth walks the three-mile journey to take care of her sister. When the Bingleys, together with their friend Darcy leaves for London, Catherine writes Jane a letter implying that Bingley would not be around and that Catherine preferred Georgina, Darcy’s sister, for his brother. This letter breaks Jane’s heart, but she wears a brave face and still chooses to see the good in Catherine. Jane goes on a visit to London but is received coldly. Until now, Bingley has not written even a single letter to her. Elizabeth thinks low of Bingley as he’s allowed his sister and Darcy come between his feelings for Jane:
If his own vanity, however, did not mislead him, he was the cause, his pride and caprice were the cause, of all that Jane had suffered, and still continued to suffer. He had ruined for a while every hope of happiness for the most affectionate, generous heart in the world, and no one could say how lasting an evil he might have inflicted (Austen, Pride and Prejudice 195).
Jane is presented as the ideal-typical woman of the 18th century, the way she carries herself, too soft, not to offend the man. She plays by the societal rules, finds a wealthy man who she sweeps off his feet. Even when things seem to be falling apart, Jane still decides to believe in the good in everyone. She holds on until it’s bright again.
(Kitty)Catherine Bennet
Kitty is the second last born in the family. She lives in the shadow of her younger sister Lydia. More often, she is seen to be repeating or supporting Lydia’s opinions. She is fascinated by the military officers as much as Lydia is. Upon Lydia’s invitation to accompany Colonel Forster’s wife to Brighton, Catherine sulks and whines, she complains about Lydia being away for such a long time. Mr. Bennet finally learns of Lydia’s marriage to Wickham and gets furious, promising to be more careful with a kitty (Austen, Pride and Prejudice 277). Kitty, though still young, is depicted to live by the society’s ideals of getting a wealthy husband. Kitty lives in the shadow of her sister and makes decisions from her younger sister’s point of view.
Lydia Bennet
Lydia is the last born among the five sisters; she flees with a military officer by the name Wickham and gets married to him. In so doing, she secures a future for herself, just like society wishes. She disappoints the father, who promises to look after Kitty more because of her character. At some point, Elizabeth tells Mr. Bennet that it was his fault Lydia turned out to be disrespectful:
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. Excuse me—for I must speak plainly. If you, my dear father, will not take the trouble of checking her exuberant spirits, and of teaching her that her present pursuits are not to be the business of her life, she will soon be beyond the reach of the amendment (Austen, Pride and Prejudice 370).
Mary Bennet
Mary is the third born in the Bennet family; she is the most unattractive looking among the five. Even though she is more sensible than Kitty and Lydia, she is still considered as very silly by her father. Mary, as an individual, does not meet the expectations of a societal woman in the 18th century as Mary has nothing to offer other than quotes she gets from reading books. She does not look forward to marriage and is considered confused. Mary, in the long run, manages to attract the attention of one of her Uncle Phillips’s clerks.
In conclusion, all the Bennets sisters had a role to play in portraying femininity in the late 18th century. Their different characters and beliefs, as shown to us by Jane Austen, depict how a woman was expected to behave and live in the 18th century. Elizabeth deviates from the norm, giving us a reflection of the shift from marrying to secure a future to marrying for love. Her strong will and character drive her to achieve that which she believes in, thus upholding individuality. The fact that she finally gets married brings in individuality and femininity in a single person. She manages to be herself and secure herself a life partner too.