Character Personality Types in Pride and Prejudice

1733 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Analysis of personality

“Pride and Prejudice” was written by Jane Austin and published in 1813. Since its publication, Pride and Prejudice has remained a hugely popular book with multiple film adaptations. The success of “Pride and Prejudice” can be attributed to many factors such as its idyllic setting, the strained romance between the two main characters and the witty dialog. However, the relatability of the characters and the abundance of personality types reflected in modern society have made Pride and Prejudice one of the most loved books of all time. We can use the Jung theory on personality types to classify each character. Jung states:

“ …my first concern must be with the two general types I have termed introverted and extraverted. But, in addition, I shall also try to give a certain characterization of those special types whose particularity is due to the fact that his most differentiated function plays the principal role in an individual's adaptation or orientation to life.” (Jung)

Just and introvert and extrovert are opposites of each other, the other types that make up a person personality are also opposite each other. This is best explained on the Meyer-Briggs Foundations website which describes four “dichotomies.” Introvert and extrovert are the first set of dichotomies, followed by sensing and intuition, thinking and feeling, and judging and perceiving. The combination of these characteristics make up one’s personality type. (Myers and Briggs Foundation) By using Jung’s theories we can analyze each character and identify what it is that makes the character relatable.

Elizabeth is strong willed and knows what she wants. “A stile-jumper by conviction as well as instinct, she not only flouts convention, she holds it up for deliberate mock...

... middle of paper ...

...xperienced an abundance of success and will continue to delight readers for years to come because of it relatable characters.

Works Cited

Austin, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. London: Egerton, 1813. Print.

Deresiewicz, William. "Community and Cognition in "Pride and Prejudice"." ELH (1997): 503-535. Web.

Ewin, R. E. "Pride, Prejudice and Shyness." Philosophy (1990): 137-154.

Jung, C. G. Psycological Types. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1976. Web. 11 December 2011. .

Morgan, Susan. "Intelligence in "Pride and Prejudice"." Modern Philology (1975): 54-68.

Myers and Briggs Foundation. MBTI Basics. 2003. Web. 11 December 2011. .

Sherry, James. "Pride and Prejudice: The Limits of Society." Studies in English Literature (1979): 609-622. Web.

Show More
Related

  • Minding Other People's Business in Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

    1890 Words  | 4 Pages

    Johnson, Claudia L. "Pride and Prejudice and the Pursuit of Happiness." Pride and Prejudice. By Jane Austen. Ed. Donald Gray. New York: Norton and Co., 1993. pp. 367-376.

    Read More

  • Jung Unconscious Mind Analysis

    644 Words  | 2 Pages

    Similar to Freud, Jung’s understanding on personality are arranged as three components: the ego, the personal conscious and the collective unconscious. The ego represents the mental processing, the personal conscious comprises of our memories, as well as the ones we subdue, while the collective unconscious encloses all of our understanding and incidents that we encounter. It looks as if they are in agreement of the unconscious so far, but then Jung developed his Arche...

    Read More

  • Essay on Elizabeth's Strength of Character in Pride and Prejudice

    1311 Words  | 3 Pages

    Moler, Kenneth. Pride and Prejudice: A Study in Artistic Economy. Boston, MA: Twayne Publishers, 1989.

    Read More

  • Jung Typology Test Essay

    1366 Words  | 3 Pages

    According to Carl Jung’s typology theory each individual develops personal preferences which become the foundation for how they face life’s challenges and interact with others. Based on this knowledge Isabel Briggs Myers developed the Myers-Briggs Type indicator (MBTI). This test helps individuals identify and study their individual preference and those of others. After taking the Jung Typology Test, which is based on the MBTI, it was confirmed that my four dominate personality preferences are Introversion, iNtuition, Thinking and Judging. Each personality preference is discussed in detail including strengths and weaknesses. The combination of the four make me a INTJ of the world. This is also discussed in detail including strengths, weaknesses,

    Read More

  • Reputation and Love in Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

    1583 Words  | 4 Pages

    A. Pride and Prejudice. New York: Tom Doherty Associates, 1994. Print. The. Bloom, Harold, ed., pp. 113-117.

    Read More

  • Pride and Prejudice Essay: The Character of Elizabeth

    1881 Words  | 4 Pages

    Wright, Andrew H. "Feeling and Complexity in Pride and Prejudice." Ed. Donald Gray. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1966. 410-420.

    Read More

  • Jung Jung Typology Test

    1855 Words  | 4 Pages

    The Jung Typology Test is designed to give the participant a 4-letter formula which describes strength preferences of one’s personality type. The formula is based on whether the participant favors Extraversion or Introversion, Sensing or iNtuition, Thinking or Feeling, and Judging or Perceiving when it comes to the participant’s general attitude. One will also receive a Temperament, which is based on one’s personality type formula, and can be used to make somewhat accurate predictions of the participants preferred behavior. In this essay I will discuss the results that I received after taking the test. Having a personality type that prefers extraversion, sensing, feeling, and judging comes with many strengths and weaknesses when working in

    Read More

  • Letters in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice

    2339 Words  | 5 Pages

    Wiesenfarth, Joseph. “The Case of Pride and Prejudice.” Studies in the Novel 16.3 (Fall 1984): 261–73. Literature Resource Center. Web. 02 May 2015.

    Read More

  • Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice Characters and Social Expectations

    1861 Words  | 4 Pages

    England, under James 1st rule was a vastly altered period compared to our now modern society. So many of the values held during this time, have now been discarded and forgotten. Jane Austen grew up in the Romantic period and experienced a world which was divided, whether through education, class, status, fashion, abilities, gender and etiquette. Her novel, Pride and Prejudice is counted as one of the great classics of English Literature. Austen engrosses readers to live in her world for a time and experience a society filled with matchmaking, romance, marriage and gossip. Every one of her characters is so distinctive and has a clearly outlined caricature. Each of their diverse values conveys a different thinking of the time. Pride and Prejudice is preoccupied with the gentry and most of the social aspects which consumed these people’s lives. There were so many expectations of how you would behave in public, but of course not all of these were upheld. Elizabeth Bennet, Mr Darcy, Mrs Bennet and Charlotte Lucas are four characters which keep such strong beliefs about the social norms. These characters are expressed so descriptively and through their personalities readers can learn just how the numerous social standards were received.

    Read More

  • Analytical Psychology: Carl Gustav Jung

    1404 Words  | 3 Pages

    Carl Gustav Jung, was born in Switzerland in 1875. Jung was descendant of Sigmund Freud’s “psychoanalysis” and worked closely with Freud for many years. Eventually their ideas differed and Jung and Freud parted ways. Jung developed analytical psychology. Analytical psychology is a variation of psychoanalysis, Jung focused less on sexuality (Storr, 1991). At an early age Jung was very observant of the adults who surrounded him. In particular, his parents. These views would later translate into his work. Jung’s major contributions include his theory of the psyche, specifically the collective unconscious and archetypes. Jung also identified the personality traits introversion and extraversion. Jung’s work contributed a great deal to psychology.

    Read More

  • Jane Austen's 'Pride and Prejudice': An Analysis

    1959 Words  | 4 Pages

    Pride and Prejudice is a very complex and detailed book that illustrates dramatic love stories that develop between three girls within the Bennet family. The author of Pride and Prejudice is Jane Austen. Jane was born and raised in Steventon, England from 1775 through 1817; she was the youngest of seven children (Wikipedia). She was very tall, slender, outgoing, and much admired. She was proposed to many times, but she refused all of her marriage offers. She spent her short life living with her family. Jane received a typical education, and she began to write at a very young age (Introduction ?). Jane mainly composed romantic fiction, and all her books included “intense realism and biting irony”. Pride and Prejudice is romantic fiction, and it was composed in 1813 within the Romantic Era (Wikipedia). The Romantic Era was mainly focused on the individual and their relationship with nature. Considering this, Pride and Prejudice did not really fit the time era considering the characters spent most of their time indoors and only developed relationships within each other. Jane composed Pride and Prejudice as a romantic fiction because when she wrote it she was just thirty eight. She had never been married but most likely loved love. She was also a very realistic and ironic writer, and with Pride and Prejudice being this genre she brought a lot of realism and irony considering the period it was written in. Pride and Prejudice is the second book publish by Jane Austen, but it is her most popular work for many, many different obvious reasons (Wikipedia).

    Read More

  • Introverts and Extroverts in Our Society

    889 Words  | 2 Pages

    In this society, both introverts and extroverts may feel different as that lack the valued characteristics of the other group. Introverts may be criticized for their lack of social participation as they tend to be over stimulated and overwhelmed when attempting to follow the pace of extroverted peers. Extroverts on the other hand would feel impatient and lonely when energizing situations are not available to them. In conclusion, being an introvert doesn’t make one more inferior than extroverts, both traits are needed in order for a well-balanced society. Regardless of what personality trait you may have, it is important to nurture your own type of personality and adjusting to life as one’s life path should be measured according to your own purpose and values, not external achievements.

    Read More

  • A Critical Review of Pride and Prejudice

    945 Words  | 2 Pages

    2 Feb. 2010. Moore, Catherine E. “Pride and Prejudice.” Master Revised Second Edition (1996): Literary Reference Center. EBSCO. Web. The Web.

    Read More

  • Women's Role in Pride and Prejudice

    2457 Words  | 5 Pages

    Sherry, James. "Pride and Prejudice: The Limits of Society." Literature Resource Center. Gale, 1979. Web. 22 Mar. 2011.

    Read More

  • Social Classes in Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

    1729 Words  | 4 Pages

    Mazzeno, Laurence W. "On Pride and Prejudice." EBSCOHOST. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2013. .

    Read More

More about Character Personality Types in Pride and Prejudice

Open Document