Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

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Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen Pride and prejudice is a novel written by Jane Austen and is probably one of the most famous and best loved novels in the English language. In my essay I shall be comparing the proposals of Mr Collins and Mr Darcy to Elizabeth. A proposal is a declaration of love to one person involving powerful feelings where one cannot imagine going on in life without the other, it is also a great compliment. The central theme of the novel is marriage. As well as the marriage between Elizabeth and Mr Darcy; Austen uses many other marriages within the novel to show and assist the reader in assessing her recommended ingredients for a lasting and happy marriage. The marriage of Mr and Mrs Bennett is a marriage of disrespect and dislike. Mr and Mrs Bennett got married very young, Mr Bennett was; ‘captivated by youth and beauty, and that appearance of good humour, which youth and beauty usually give, had married a woman whose weak understanding and illiberal mind, had very early in their marriage put an end to all real affection for her. Respect, esteem, and confidence, had vanished for ever; and all his domestic views of domestic happiness were overthrown’ Mrs Bennett’s main interest and purpose in life has become to marry off her five daughters. Her obsession in marrying her daughters has resulted in all kinds of absurdities for example when Bingley comes to propose to Jane in order to leave them alone she winks at her daughters resulting in further embarrassment for herself and Jane as Kitty asks why her mother keeps winking at her ‘what do you keep winking at me for? What am I to do?’ she is hysterical and always imagining herself ill there are very often mentions of her ‘po... ... middle of paper ... ... Elizabeth telling her that she is ‘a young woman without family, connections, or fortune. Is this to be endured! But it must not, shall not be. If you were sensible of your own good, you would not wish to quit the sphere, in which you have been brought up’ Lady Catherine is insulting Elizabeth by telling her that she would not wish to quit the sphere in which she had been brought up she is being arrogant and obnoxious as far as Elizabeth is concerned they are in the same ‘sphere’ ‘He is a gentleman; I am a gentleman’s daughter; so far we are equal.’ Lady Catherine asks who are ‘your uncles and aunts? Do not imagine me ignorant of their condition’ this is an ironic statement as yes her uncle Gardiner is in trade but yet he has a certain intimacy and friendship with Mr Darcy who later ‘rejects’ his aunt proving that connections and wealth is irrelevant .

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