Pride and Prejudice Character Analysis: Elizabeth Bennet - Essay Example

Historians find Jane Austen’s novels as rich, feminine records on pre-industrial revolutionary culture prevailed in Britain (Kirkham 105-107). In this book authoress has crafted even the subtle constituents of human characters with such a high degree of accuracy and adequacy, her books can be read and enjoyed by literature lovers to date (Ghent 299).

Pride and Prejudice is a truly romantic novel. All most all the novels written by Jane Austen are focused on romantic affections, sensibility, wealth and social decorum and eventually lead protagonists into matrimony. Some critiques indicate such romantic affections and sensibilities only occur in books (Whately 289). However, literature lovers worldwide find her stories “sensible” suggesting, such affections and sensibilities do exist in the real world people even though, they may not want to always act on them. For example, Jane Austen who portrayed romantic affections as such an important component in matrimony never married herself. She lived with a widowed sister who lost her husband only a short period after the engagement. In contrary to her personal decision to live single and her experiences relating to the loss of affections in life the characters portrayed by Jane Austen such as Miss Elizabeth Bennet find true love in a sensible manner (Leigh 330-350). It is undecided whether Jane Austen was too optimistic and unrealistic or too pessimistic and averted marriage. Or does this suggest she never found the romantic affection and sensibility which she describes in books so fondly in the real world?

Biographies indicate that Jane Austen turned down more than one seemingly agreeable marriage proposal in her lifetime (Leigh 200-220). Elizabeth Bennet who is remarkably self-restrained, keen and powerful in her own subtle way can be considered as one of the most discussed fictitious characters ever found in English literature (Oliphant 291). Recognition of the character of Elizabeth Bennet begins in the story as a portrayal of the second of five daughters in Mr. And Mrs. Bennet’s family. She was in favor of her father's affections and also is profound in independence and pragmatic thoughts (Austen 86-100). For example, Mr. Bennet said to her regarding Mr. Collins’ marriage proposal which she turned down, “An unhappy alternative is before you, Elizabeth. From this day you must be a stranger to one of your parents. Your mother will never see you again if you do not marry Mr. Collins, and I will never see you again if you do (78). The affection of Mr. Bennet towards his daughter Elizabeth despite her seemingly independent nature is evident in the above example.

Fitzwilliam Darcy who is the male protagonist of the novel is a twenty-eight-year-old and unmarried, wealthy owner of the famous family estate of Pemberley in Derbyshire (Austen n.p.). He is also a friend of Mr. Bingley who is attentive to Elizabeth’s sister Jane. However, Mr. Darcy snubs the group, particularly Elizabeth. Mr. Darcy is in turn judged critically by the community as well as Jane and Elizabeth and their judgments. The realization of romance between the couple denounced the “pride and prejudice” which held them apart in the beginning and the real genteel nature of Mr. Darcy is revealed in Elizabeth’s eye (Austen 270-278). The story ends indicating Miss Elizabeth Bennet becoming Mrs. Darcy however no description is available on their wedding. Whether Austen found weddings too boring to be included in “Pride and Prejudice” or whether she did not attempt to describe it as one cannot adequately describe something they never been through? We may never know.