Chap. 1-15: Character Overview

Hi everyone! For my blog book, I am reading Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen. Please bear with me as I take you through my journey and experiences with reading the novel!     

        I've always heard people talk about Pride and Prejudice, but I honestly had no idea what to expect when I started reading the novel. I was instantly blown away by Jane Austen's intricate style of writing, as well as the complex and interesting characters that she began to develop.

        While Pride and Prejudice introduces many characters early on in the novel, the main character, so far, is Elizabeth Bennet, a young woman living in early nineteenth-century England. Elizabeth has 1 older sister, Jane, and three younger sisters, Mary, Catherine ("Kitty"), and Lydia. Although her mother thinks that there is nothing special about her, it is revealed that her father favors her because she has "something more of a quickness than her sisters" (pg. 4). Elizabeth is not as pretty and polite as Jane, as musically-talented as Mary, or as "good-humoured" as Lydia and Catherine, but she certainly stands out due to her wit, sarcastic attitude, and rejection of many social norms. Elizabeth also tends to have very strong opinions about things, and is referred to by Caroline Bingley as having manners that are "a mixture of pride and impertinence" (pg. 26). Elizabeth especially demonstrates her "impertinence" and disregard for social norms when she walks several miles on muddy roads just to see Jane, who is in bed with a fever at the Bingley's residence. Although she is highly judged by everyone at the Bingley's, Elizabeth does not seem to care; she is only concerned with the well-being of her sister. This also shows that Elizabeth is a very caring person, and cares more about her sister than about how she is perceived by others. Because of this, I see Elizabeth as a very admirable character and I respect her dismissal of social norms and others' opinions of her. She is brave to be herself in the face of judgement from others, something that many people both in her time period and today (including me) often have a hard time doing. 

         Elizabeth's sister Jane seems to be known by everyone for her good looks and manners. Elizabeth and Jane seem to have a close relationship and trust each other, as Jane confides in Elizabeth about her feelings for Mr. Bingley, while Elizabeth walks several miles just to check on Jane when she becomes sick. On the other hand, Mary, who is regarded as "plain" in comparison to her sisters, seems to throw herself into learning how to sing and play the piano in order to receive some attention from others. Catherine and Lydia act much younger than their sisters, and are told by their father that they are "two of the silliest girls in the country" (pg. 22). They appear to spend most of their time chasing after young soldiers in the hopes of marrying one, and are not taken seriously by most of the characters in the novel.

        Mr. Bingley, a young man that moves into a large estate nearby the Bennet's, is also introduced early on in the novel. He is extremely wealthy, and although his sister Caroline can be quite rude, he is an even-tempered and polite man. He meets the Bennets at a ball and is captivated by Jane, the eldest Bennet sister. They begin a courtship soon afterwards, which is a large source of excitement for Mrs. Bennet and her daughters. As the complete opposite of his friend Mr. Darcy, Mr. Bingley could serve as a sort of character foil, helping to highlight how Mr. Darcy's manner stands out from the typical and ideal disposition of a wealthy man searching for a wife. 

        At the same ball that Jane meets Mr. Bingley, we are also introduced to Mr. Darcy, an equally wealthy yet very rude and proud young man. He is described as being "much handsomer than Mr. Bingley," but the women of the ball soon lose interest in him as they discover his disagreeable manner. Elizabeth takes a particular disliking to him, after she overhears him referring to her as "not handsome enough to tempt [him]" (pg. 9). After the ball, Mr. Darcy reveals to those at the Bingley residence that he feels a growing attraction towards her, but Elizabeth continues to show her dislike towards him when she comes to visit Jane. However, she can't help a smile or two as he sarcastically responds to some of her witty comments. Although Mr. Darcy appears stuck-up at this point in the novel, I get the feeling that there is more to him than meets the eye, as he comes off as mysterious at times. I am excited to see what happens between Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth and to follow their witty and sarcastic interactions as the novel continues (I love a good well-written romance!).

       I also can't help but comment on the fact that the characters are often referred to only by their last name, so that it is often hard to tell who is speaking or which character Jane Austen is referring to. For example, all of the Bennet sisters are often referred to as Miss Bennet, not by their first name. This is true about the Bennet parents as well, as their names have not been given to us- we just know them as Mr. and Mrs. Bennet. The difference between this and the way that people are referred to in modern times illustrates how people viewed their identity in nineteenth-century England: more as a part of a family than a distinct individual. Because we are not given her first name, Mrs. Bennet just seems like the wife of Mr. Bennet and the mother of the Bennet girls, not like an individual that had a life before marrying her husband. The way that names are portrayed in this novel provides us with a glimpse into how society in nineteenth-century England viewed and treated women- as just a part of their husbands, having no life before or without them. 

That's about all I have for today! I am really enjoying the book so far, and look forward to posting more updates!

Thanks for reading! :)

- Emma