Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice has been cherished and revered by a consistently large audience for many decades. So how has a novel, published 205 years ago, continued to remain relatable and relevant in modern society? The universal themes of Pride and Prejudice on both the interpersonal and societal levels, such as love, marriage, and class, keep people constantly returning to the story, but in addition, it is Austen’s light, crisp, and direct telling of both characters and plot that yields a nuanced, literary, and intimate experience for the reader, while still being able to express a complex thought. In reading Lizzy’s description of her family, we see both her frustration and fear that their slightly flamboyant and boisterous exuberance
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Collins, of believing Lizzy, because of her social standing of having no dowry, to be desperate to make a good marriage; that is, a marriage based on the potential husband’s wealth. This is a contributing factor to her initial negative appraisal of Mr. Darcy. Meanwhile Darcy’s prejudice causes him to expect little of Miss Bennet’s depth of understanding, due to her low social estate and due to his pride in his social standing as a man of wealth, a pride that causes him to propose to her, initially, with condescension, and to which Lizzy’s rebubb evokes a seminal change in the man, as Darcy later …show more content…
While society considers her behavior to be 'unladylike,' Elizabeth's genuine concern for Jane, her sister, trumps social graces. Nonetheless, the Bingley sisters describe Elizabeth's behavior as "dirty" and "incredible" behind her back. However, they treat Elizabeth "politely," revealing the ingenuous two-faced attitude and dishonesty that is inevitable in adhering to social convention. Therefore, Austen’s characters, especially those in Pride and Prejudice break the mold, such as Elizabeth Bennet, who is not norming to the ideal image of a young lady looking to wed, rather she is bold, with a certain sense of direction, opinions, and undeniably, prejudice. “I could easily forgive his pride, if he had not mortified mine.” (Elizabeth, 5, Pg. 20) She does not approve of societal norms, yet, her prejudice of certain proposals shows her irony. “There are few people whom I really love, and still fewer of whom I think well. The more I see of the world, the more am I dissatisfied with it; and every day confirms my belief of the inconsistency of all human characters, and of the little dependence that can be placed on the appearance of merit or sense.” (Elizabeth, 24, Pg. 126) Protagonists in literature who break the mold or seem ahead of society are forever appealing to the audience. We like the sense of intrigue it brings, almost allowing us
Collins, of believing Lizzy, because of her social standing of having no dowry, to be desperate to make a good marriage; that is, a marriage based on the potential husband’s wealth. This is a contributing factor to her initial negative appraisal of Mr. Darcy. Meanwhile Darcy’s prejudice causes him to expect little of Miss Bennet’s depth of understanding, due to her low social estate and due to his pride in his social standing as a man of wealth, a pride that causes him to propose to her, initially, with condescension, and to which Lizzy’s rebubb evokes a seminal change in the man, as Darcy later …show more content…
While society considers her behavior to be 'unladylike,' Elizabeth's genuine concern for Jane, her sister, trumps social graces. Nonetheless, the Bingley sisters describe Elizabeth's behavior as "dirty" and "incredible" behind her back. However, they treat Elizabeth "politely," revealing the ingenuous two-faced attitude and dishonesty that is inevitable in adhering to social convention. Therefore, Austen’s characters, especially those in Pride and Prejudice break the mold, such as Elizabeth Bennet, who is not norming to the ideal image of a young lady looking to wed, rather she is bold, with a certain sense of direction, opinions, and undeniably, prejudice. “I could easily forgive his pride, if he had not mortified mine.” (Elizabeth, 5, Pg. 20) She does not approve of societal norms, yet, her prejudice of certain proposals shows her irony. “There are few people whom I really love, and still fewer of whom I think well. The more I see of the world, the more am I dissatisfied with it; and every day confirms my belief of the inconsistency of all human characters, and of the little dependence that can be placed on the appearance of merit or sense.” (Elizabeth, 24, Pg. 126) Protagonists in literature who break the mold or seem ahead of society are forever appealing to the audience. We like the sense of intrigue it brings, almost allowing us