Pride and Prejudice - Essay Example

Such is one major issue which Elizabeth “Lizzy” Bennet, the story’s main protagonist, has to deal with in the course of having resolution sought to her initial unfavorable impressions of the male counterpart Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy while portraying a significant role in the lives and matrimonial affairs of her sisters, especially Jane Bennet. The intricate narrative structure of “Pride and Prejudice” concerning general manners, education, moral standards, and breeding is set in the fictitious Netherfield Park where the Bennet family resides, particularly in Longbourn.

Netherfield is claimed in the novel to be part of Hertfordshire, a county close to London where the arrival of the Bingleys takes place. Austen must have chosen a setting at the countryside in which people of rustic livelihood may be reasonably expected to yearn for occasions of social gatherings like balls or parties which the ladies of the town are specifically delighted with. Under these circumstances would Lizzy Bennet and Mr. Darcy cross paths and begin finding a great deal of conflict as they misjudge each other based on attitudes which are apparently confined within their narrow prejudices.

This eventually creates the essence of the theme wherein the traits associated with the ‘pride’ and ‘prejudice’ both of Lizzy and Mr. Darcy are intended to figure a realistic rather than a romantic mode of settlement toward the end. “Pride and Prejudice” progresses in stages to illustrate the backgrounds and influences crucial to the well-being of the principal characters so that in the process, readers can manage to gain understanding of certain events that occur in a proper English society and how they are dealt with or responded to by people of class, normally by virtue of pride.

On one hand Lizzy, being on the extreme end of thought and contemplation of matters, is characterized to possess a modest yet stiff countenance that reflects her high intellectual capacity and seemingly logical suspicion of the hypocrisies and sarcasm in her environment as exemplified in the condescending acts of Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst. Mr. Darcy, on the contrary, is featured as a wealthy man utterly reserved and cautious as he maintains quality of stature and pride that he appears incapable of mingling with the ordinary people, inclusive of the Bennets, for which upon Lizzy’s prejudiced observation, he becomes coldly labelled as insensitive despite all achievements and unknown sentiments.

Evidently, how Lizzy’s nature functions in the story manifests Austen’s preference to be recognized according to the perspectives of the age of reason. Though she can be felt to acknowledge implicitly the beauty that emerges out of the sweet embellished form of romance between Jane and Mr. Bingley, for the type of novelist she is, Austen greatly considers philosophy in her work and this is naturally conveyed via the rational instead of emotional approach the moment Lizzy confronts Mr. Darcy and his gradual move of proposing and expressing affections for Elizabeth.

During a dramatic private conversation with Jane, Lizzy confesses: “Do not be afraid of my running into any excess, of my encroaching on your privilege of universal good will –