Summaries and Analyses of Literature - Pride and Prejudice

In Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen portrays a classic Elizabethan society that rests on certain ideals that all members of society have to abide by, certain niceties and etiquettes. The central family in the town of Netherfield is the Bennet family with their five daughters on the brink of marriage. The course of the whole story progresses on various attempts by these spinsters to find eligible husbands who have a high enough social standing in society and who will elevate the status of these females. Elizabeth, Jane, and Lydia are the three daughters who feature the most prominently in the play along with Darcy, Bingley, and Wickham, respectively. The whole course of the novel is marked by various social interactions and exchanges that illuminate the characteristics and views of the characters, indirectly showing how society functions and what society values in its members. The setting of the play varies, centering mainly around social gatherings where individuals interact and share the “gossip”, so to speak, of society.

Theme: In Pride and Prejudice, the interactions between the characters serve to represent an attempt essential on each human being’s part to forge connections through marriage and secure a position in the societal hierarchy, illuminating the necessity of maintaining good social standing.

Throughout the majority of the play, the tone of Austen remains to be subtly different for each character yet almost pervasively supercilious and cloying, making it a force of habit to talk eloquently and establishing an agreeable self-image. The imagery remains consistent with the tone of the passage, conveying a very serene and overall harmonious picture, whether it be in relation to nature or among the society’s members. The focus of the text remains to be the people while the background set-up sheds light on a simple yet elegant world. In terms of symbolism, one of the first prominently featuring symbols is the pre-eminence of a ball and its importance in society, representative of an opportunity to interact with other members of society and take the opportunity to elevate one’s social standing. The houses and their varying conditions are yet another symbolism for distinguishing one’s tastes, inclinations, and social status in society, shedding light on one’s prevalence in society as important members. Lastly, the title itself sheds light on the theme. According to my interpretation of the novel, while pride is present in each and every member of society, whether it be is a form of social standing due to financial capability or whether in terms of one’s views as presented by Elizabeth, the establishment of a social hierarchy inevitably gives rise to a prejudice and pre-conceived notions about an individual that are fed by the desire to set oneself apart in society.

A statement by Elizabeth saying, “Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves; vanity to what we would have others think of us.”, shows how Elizabeth recognizes the distinction between self-acknowledgement and seeking recognition from society (21). While all of society’s members seek identification and importance by society’s standards, she realizes the essentiality of considering our opinion and standing by it, which is contradictory to society’s general view. Another quote by Elizabeth where she states that “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.” shows how society’s general perception and view of the necessity of marriage in order to secure happiness urges individuals to follow on the path to raising a family and passing on the same ideals to them. Elizabeth understands these factors and realizes their importance for society and members, thereby setting herself apart by deciding to marry Darcy based on love rather than social standing.