Social Status in Mrs. Dalloway and Pride and Prejudice

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Recommended: Class distinction in Pride and Prejudice

Social class is one of the main topics that are examined in both Pride and Prejudice and Mrs. Dalloway. Both Jane Austen and Virginia Woolf look at how it affects the characters and their views of each other.
In Pride and Prejudice, social class is very pronounced, throughout the entire book. Looking at the Bennet family. They are considered middle class, because of this they are still able to socialize with the upper-class Darcy’s and Bingley’s. They are, however, still lower in class than them and the upper class lets them know it and makes it very clear, that they are still beneath them. This can be seen when Mr. Collins tells Elizabeth that, “Do not make yourself uneasy, my dear cousin, about your apparel. Lady Catherine is far from requiring that elegance of dress in us which becomes herself and her daughter. I could advise you merely to put on whatever of your clothes is superior to the rest—there is no occasion for anything more. Lady Catherine will not think the worse of you for being simply dressed. She likes to have the distinction of rank preserved” (iBooks 145) Here Mr. Collins is telling Elizabeth that there is no reason for her to make herself look very refined and dignified, because Lady Catherine likes to look socially superior to her guests. With Lady Catherine, she likes to be able to superior to everyone, because with her high status she is able to control everyone around her. Similarly, with the marriage of Wickham to Lydia Bennet, it makes it clear how important social class really is. Wickham will do anything to gain a higher social standing, and the Bennet’s are doing everything in their power to protect their daughter’s social standing. When Lydia and Wickham run off together and decide to get married ...

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...either losing their place in the hierarchical society, in which both of these works are set in. Social status during this time is what makes and breaks your success and the way other people view you, as well as the way you view yourself. In Mrs. Dalloway, social status is really about whether you are able to get invited to the parties and afford the right things, and more related to wealth. While in Pride and Prejudice social status is all about marriage and status over love. In Mrs. Dalloway, Clarissa was in love with Richard Dalloway and still is. Mr. Dalloway is very much in love with Mrs. Dalloway, as well as Peter was once very in love with Clarissa and may even still be. Love does not control their lives, but their lives are not only controlled by status either, unlike in Pride and Prejudice, where status is all that matters in life, and the rest will follow.

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