Summaries and Analyses of Lit - Pride and Prejudice

Pride and Prejudice is arguably Jane Austen's most famous novel. The story, about five sisters, is set in England - at their home, Longbourn, in Meryton, in London, at Netherfield, and at Pemberly. The protagonist, Elizabeth, is a stubborn girl who insists that she will not marry except for love. Her older sister, Jane, is the most lovely sister and is sweet to the point to wanting to please and think well of everybody. Their three younger sisters, Mary, Kitty, and Lydia are insufferably silly, as their father points out. Mary is very intellectual, although not incredibly astute or intelligent. Lydia is the silliest of all, concerned only with soldiers and dancing, and Kitty, although the older of the two, seems to follow Lydia's lead. Their mother, Mrs. Bennett, is horribly obnoxious as she cares only that her daughters are well married. Her husband, Mr. Bennett, thinks himself very much above his wife and younger daughters, greatly favoring the older two, especially Lizzy. He is a kind father, however, and thinks very much ahead of his time as he accepts Lizzy's idea of marrying for love. Their world is thrown upside down when a Mr. Charles Bingley moves into a nearby estate, Netherfield. With him, he brings his two sisters, brother-in-law, and good friend, Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy. Bingley is a charming, sweet, obliging man who falls almost immediately in love with Jane. Darcy is taken for very proud early on and earns a nasty reputation among the Bennett's acquaintances. As Mrs. Bennett tries to get Jane settled with Bingley, she is also trying to get Lizzy engaged to Mr. Collins, a cousin who will inherit Mr. Bennett's estate after he dies. When Lizzy refuses, Mr. Collins, he proposes to Charlotte Lucas, Lizzy's close friend. She marries him, not for love, but only to be well settled, even though it is with such a ridiculous man as Mr. Collins. Throughout, Lizzy has been firmly prejudiced against Darcy and his seemingly proud, disgusting manners. He, however, is more and more intrigued by her. After a shocking marriage proposal, he writes Lizzy a letter explaining his past with Mr. Wickham and why he endeavored to break up Jane and Bingley. Lydia, meanwhile, has run off with Wickham, who was originally interested in Lizzy. After Lizzy learns the truth of Wickham's involvement with the Darcy family and Darcy has saved her youngest sister from near scandal, Lizzy realizes she has been quite in love with him for some time. In the end, Lizzy and Darcy are married, as are Jane and Bingley. Austen writes in the 3rd person in the voice of narrator who knows everything that is going on and definitely provides some opinion in certain places.
QUOTES:
"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife." This single quote, the first line of the novel, gets right down to the heart of the meaning and purpose of the story by touching on the two most important aspects: marriage and fortune. In those days, it was a woman's job to be married in order to not be a burden on her family. It follows, then, that a girl would want to be as well off as possible after marriage. This is all that Mrs. Bennett is trying to do for her girls, despite her rotten relationship with them. Lizzy, then, while being true to herself and wanting only to marry for love, a seemingly romantic and lovely idea, is, in fact, being somewhat selfish.
THEME: Elizabeth, like Darcy, has extreme pride and prejudice throughout the novel that keeps her from recognizing her love for Darcy for much of the novel. Much of this may be due to the society that she grew up in and her disgust with the norm of marriage without love. Through Elizabeth's faults and eventual realizations, Austen shows that, while remaining true to who you are, pride and prejudice will stand in the way of your happiness.
- Lizzy always herself --- ends up with best situation
- Pride in herself and prejudice against Darcy keeps her away from him
- Prejudice comes from society and class distinctions
- Will not marry without love --- burden to her family