Pride and Prejudice: Not Just A Novel When you go beyond the surface of a word, you discover that they have more meaning than a mere definition. Two words that prove this to be true are pride and prejudice. After examining their occurrence in many British stories, it is evident that they share a deeper role than just the title of a novel. These words tie the past of Britain to other pieces of literature, both modern and old. They also show connections to the past of the country and how people lived in the 18th century. Along with the country’s history, it is also shown that they pave the way for themes that are obvious in modern British novels. Pride and Prejudice are two characteristics that are evident from the 18th century Britain, many
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In “Beowulf”, the hero was too arrogant to accept help from his men. Pride took over the elderly king when he went into the battle alone, and his conceit resulted in his death (“Beowulf” 56-61). Another instance is when Macbeth killed his king and best friend out of fear they would take his place. The hunger for power and dominance lead him to commit murder of his two closest companions. Macbeth’s pride was strongly displayed in his actions and his personality (Shakespeare 345-373). In Morte D'arthur, his vanity cost him his life even after he was warned in a dream. His side had received victory, but he still continued to fight for the sake of pride and didn’t give up until it killed him (Malory 185-195). Similarly, the wealthy Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice has romantic feelings for Elizabeth but is withholding them due to their different statuses. Due to his aristocracy, he cannot see himself engaging with an average female (Brooke 190-191). He proves this at the ball when he declares to Mr. Bingley that Elizabeth “is tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me.” His actions reveal him to be “the proudest, most disagreeable man in the world” (Austen 3). The concept of pride is repeted through many British pieces of literature and is proven to be a constant
In “Beowulf”, the hero was too arrogant to accept help from his men. Pride took over the elderly king when he went into the battle alone, and his conceit resulted in his death (“Beowulf” 56-61). Another instance is when Macbeth killed his king and best friend out of fear they would take his place. The hunger for power and dominance lead him to commit murder of his two closest companions. Macbeth’s pride was strongly displayed in his actions and his personality (Shakespeare 345-373). In Morte D'arthur, his vanity cost him his life even after he was warned in a dream. His side had received victory, but he still continued to fight for the sake of pride and didn’t give up until it killed him (Malory 185-195). Similarly, the wealthy Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice has romantic feelings for Elizabeth but is withholding them due to their different statuses. Due to his aristocracy, he cannot see himself engaging with an average female (Brooke 190-191). He proves this at the ball when he declares to Mr. Bingley that Elizabeth “is tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me.” His actions reveal him to be “the proudest, most disagreeable man in the world” (Austen 3). The concept of pride is repeted through many British pieces of literature and is proven to be a constant