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
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