In Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth Bennet and her family live in a society where a young woman’s principal design in life is to find a suitable husband. Elizabeth distinguishes herself from other desirable young women by means of her unique relationships with characters such as the eligible Mr. Darcy and his formidable aunt, Lady Catherine. Despite Elizabeth Bennet’s eventual marriage to the very wealthy and arguably quite rude Mr. Darcy, she remains a nonconformist throughout the novel. This is because unlike the majority of women in her time period, Elizabeth prevails as a strong, empowered and opinionated character who marries for love instead of wealth.
Elizabeth’s non-conformist ways are evident when she remains headstrong, …show more content…
Darcy, not for his wealth and title, but out of her love for him. This might seem contradictory to the previous example of Elizabeth’s rebelliousness, but what makes Elizabeth a non-conformist is that she does not marry Mr. Darcy until she discovers a kinder, more genuine side of him. When Mr.Darcy first proposes, Elizabeth refuses him because she believes him to be an arrogant man who is the reason for her sister’s unhappiness. When Mr. Darcy expresses his love for her while at the same time deeply offending her whole family, Elizabeth retorts: “Why with so evident a design of offending and insulting me, you chose to tell me that you liked me against your will, against your reason, and even against your character?...Had not my own feelings decided against you, had they been indifferent, or had they even been favorable, do you think that any consideration would tempt me to accept the man, who has the means of ruining, perhaps forever, the happiness of a most beloved sister”(186). Even though Mr.Darcy would without a doubt be an advantageous match for Elizabeth, she affirms her non-conformist ways by refusing him because she does not yet love him. Later when Elizabeth realizes Darcy’s true character after he helps her family in a time of dire need, she says to him: ”I can no longer help thanking you for your unexampled kindness to my poor sister”(345). Although many say that Elizabeth’s acceptance of Mr.Darcy’s second proposal qualifies her a conformist, this is not true because Elizabeth makes it clear that she only accepts Darcy once she realizes that “her sentiments had undergone so material a change...as to make her receive with gratitude and pleasure, his present assurances”(346). This is proof that Elizabeth is a non-conformist because she loves and values Mr.Darcy not for his money but for his
Elizabeth’s non-conformist ways are evident when she remains headstrong, …show more content…
Darcy, not for his wealth and title, but out of her love for him. This might seem contradictory to the previous example of Elizabeth’s rebelliousness, but what makes Elizabeth a non-conformist is that she does not marry Mr. Darcy until she discovers a kinder, more genuine side of him. When Mr.Darcy first proposes, Elizabeth refuses him because she believes him to be an arrogant man who is the reason for her sister’s unhappiness. When Mr. Darcy expresses his love for her while at the same time deeply offending her whole family, Elizabeth retorts: “Why with so evident a design of offending and insulting me, you chose to tell me that you liked me against your will, against your reason, and even against your character?...Had not my own feelings decided against you, had they been indifferent, or had they even been favorable, do you think that any consideration would tempt me to accept the man, who has the means of ruining, perhaps forever, the happiness of a most beloved sister”(186). Even though Mr.Darcy would without a doubt be an advantageous match for Elizabeth, she affirms her non-conformist ways by refusing him because she does not yet love him. Later when Elizabeth realizes Darcy’s true character after he helps her family in a time of dire need, she says to him: ”I can no longer help thanking you for your unexampled kindness to my poor sister”(345). Although many say that Elizabeth’s acceptance of Mr.Darcy’s second proposal qualifies her a conformist, this is not true because Elizabeth makes it clear that she only accepts Darcy once she realizes that “her sentiments had undergone so material a change...as to make her receive with gratitude and pleasure, his present assurances”(346). This is proof that Elizabeth is a non-conformist because she loves and values Mr.Darcy not for his money but for his