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Class division in persuasion by jane austen
Pride and Prejudice: An Analysis of Darcy's Characters
Jane Austen social class
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Jane Austen lived in the higher class society. It was the world she knew and as a very good observer, she was able to capture the reality of life on paper. The situations she is presenting in her books are very likely to happen in real life too. It is also the case of story of Lydia Bennet and her elopement with Mr Wickham. It was perceived as a disaster, but for the modern reader it can be rather incomprehensible. Why was Lydia’s elopement so scandalous?
Kristen Koster is explaining why it was more difficult for couples to get married then before: in 1753 The Marriage Act, or the Hardwicke Act, was published. It was preventing couples from hasty and secret marriages, because it required the reading of the Banns – Banns were read every Sunday for three subsequent weeks and they contained the order to notify all reasons why the couple should be prevented from marrying each other: “If any of you know cause or just impediment why these two persons should not be joined together in Holy matrimony, ye are to declare it ” (Koster). It enabled the couple’s families to learn about planned marriage and as the case may be to do everything to stop it. Another part of the Marriage Act of 1753 consisted of required parental consent for people under the age of 21 who wanted to marry. It was the case of Lydia, who would need her parents approval, she was only 16 years old. We can only speculate if she would get it. Her parents would be probably thinking of someone richer for their daughter than only a military man, but, especially Mrs Bennet, would be happy to marry her daughter off to the respectable gentleman, even if he was not so noble. Consequently, the parents would not be the risk. So why Wickham did not ask for Lydia’s hand directly?
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...to marry her – it would disgraced him too and he would lost his position in society. Only when she realized that, she discoverd that she loved Mr Darcy. It is hard to say if she would be so aware of her feeling even if the affair with Lydia did not happen.
Lydia’s so-called elopement was disasterous for the whole family. The views of that time society were very strict and living together without marriage was banned under the imminency of social exclusion of the whole family. Bennets were aware of the fact and that is the reason they were so frightened. Luckily, everything ended happily, when Mr Darcy saved the family. It was also one of the key moments of his relationship with Elizabeth – she truly realized her feelings towards him in the moment she revealed him Lydia’s fragility. And Mr Darcy showed his persisting feelings by bribing Mr Wickham with his own money.
Austen reinforces this point in Mrs. Bennet's subsequent dealings with daughters Elizabeth and Lydia. It would be preferable to sacrifice Elizabeth to the ridiculous Mr. Collins and Lydia to the ignoble Mr. Wickham rather than see them unmarried. She interferes out of pride. But she also does so out ...
Wickham. These two have a rather interesting relationship because each has their own view of it. In the case of Lydia in her innocence she has fallen for Mr. Wickham head over heals to the point of running away with him to elope. Yet through the eyes of Mr. Wickham the relationship is only there for him to gain what he needs. He has chosen to run with Lydia not out of love but in hope that he could receive money to pay off his debts. For Lydia 's luck and that of the family 's name Mr. Darcy chooses to help out the couple and pay off Wickhams debt under the condition he married
off, Mr. Darcy ends up paying so that Wickham will marry Lydia. Mrs. Bennet is really
and Mrs. Gardiner, she received two letters from her older sister Jane, regarding her youngest sister Lydia and a surprise. The first letter states: “Since writing the above, dearest Lizzy, something has occurred of a most unexpected and serious nature; but I am afraid of alarming you—be assured that we are well. What I have to say relates to poor Lydia. An express came at twelve last night, just as we were all gone to bed, from Colonel Foster, to inform us that she was gone off to Scotland with one of his officers; to own the truth, with Wickham” (Chapter 46, page 157)! This letter about Lydia’s elopement with Wickham shocked Elizabeth, and the whole family was thrown into turmoil. Jane wrote this letter in such a frantic way she stated at the end that she hardly knew what she had written. Her tone was commiserating, because she felt dreadful for bringing about this news while Elizabeth was out of town. This letter gives us an insight of Lydia’s frivolous character, as well as Jane’s compassionate personality. Through all the turmoil that Lydia put the family through, Jane still took the time to keep Elizabeth informed and included in the family business while she was away. Jane’s letter is very ironic considering how Mr. Wickham is viewed as a gold digger earlier in the novel, and then suddenly he is eloping with Lydia. It is known that the Bennet family has no money to offer, so Wickham’s intentions were questionable
Wickham highlights Elizabeth’s regretful attitude in her misjudgments of character. Lydia’s disappearance with Mr. Wickham results in chaos in the Bennet family. In a letter to her aunt, Lydia explains her motives for leaving, revealing when she returns “[she will] sign [her] name Lydia Wickham. What a good joke it will be!”(530). The exclamatory syntax of “what a good joke it will be!” indicates Lydia’s apathetic views on her family’s reputation. Her joking manner emphasizes her immaturity which prevents her from facing the consequences of her elopement. By allowing her family to fret about her lost dignity, Lydia demonstrates her lack of responsibility as a daughter and her disregard for feelings other than her own. Compared to her adolescent sister, Elizabeth regrets her prejudices towards the formidable Mr. Darcy. Once Mr. Darcy confesses his misjudgements of Jane and the truth in firing Mr. Wickham, Elizabeth “[grows] absolutely ashamed of herselfㅡOf neither Darcy nor Wickham could she think, without feeling that she had been blind, partial, prejudiced, absurd” (382). Jane Austen stresses“ashamed” which reveals Elizabeth’s resentment in her judgemental actions. Unable to see through Mr. Darcy’s pride, Elizabeth becomes shielded by her assumptions from Mr. Darcy’s genuine personality; however, once Lizzy’s alters her perception, she discovers her romantic feelings towards him. Elizabeth comprehends her error in judgement and explains to Mr. Darcy “how gradually all her former prejudices had been removed” (670). By using the past tense, Jane Austen illustrates the transformation in her preconceptions of Mr. Darcy. The maturity Elizabeth exhibits manifests her ability to recognize her mistakes and fix the distress she causes. This maturation in Elizabeth’s response to Mr. Darcy intensifies Lydia’s
Darcy begins to reexamine his corrupt tone, motives, and the consequential end result of his proposal. In reviewing this, he has a change of heart and proceeds to assist in the reunion of Jane and Mr. Bingley and in the locating of Lydia from Wickham. Through these generous actions, Mr. Darcy proves he does care deeply about Elizabeth and his feelings for Elizabeth are true. Proposing a second time, Mr. Darcy completely changes his approach and therefore hopes for a different outcome. This second proposal catches Elizabeth off guard, yet she does have a more docile reaction than she did to the first proposal. Mr. Darcy’s true love for Elizabeth shines through in the sincere and loving tone of his proposal. Also, he apologizes to Elizabeth for his former arrogance, extreme pride, and rudeness in his prior proposal. Not only does his tone shift, he now has a new set of motives to support his proposal. Mr. Darcy explains to Elizabeth how fervently he loves her and how he does not care about money or social status as much as his love for her. Unlike the last proposal, he is not sure of what her answer will be, but this only causes the proposal to be more sincere. Mr. Darcy also does not want to pressure Elizabeth into marriage, so he tells her, “‘If your feelings are still what they were last April, tell me at once. My affections and wishes are unchanged, but one word from you will silence me on this subject forever.’” (314). She then informs
After everyone has left for Rosings, Elizabeth is still fuming from the news that Darcy was the cause of Jane and Bingley's break up. Elizabeth is then startled by the arrival of Darcy. After a few minutes of silence, Darcy shocks Elizabeth with a sudden declaration of love for her and a proposal of marriage. In the beginning Elizabeth is flattered in spite of her deeply rooted prejudice against Darcy. Elizabeth's feelings soon turn to rage as Darcy catalogs all the reasons why he did not pursue his feelings earlier. These reasons include her inferior social class and her family obstacles.
Lydia, Mr WIckham and Lady Catherine de Bourg have no self awareness and are unhappy in the novel. The marriage of Lydia and Mr Wickham is one of the unhappy marriages. Mr Wickham and Lydia are both very similar and are both unaware of their faults; they are both careless with money and see no problem with asking their relatives for money. Lydia as the youngest daughter is well accustomed to having other people look after her and she is dependent on other people. Lydia’s lack of self awareness doesn’t affect her greatly; she is happy and claims that she loves Wickham. She is very fond of him but he is not fond of her and quickly loses interest, “Wickham’s affection for Lydia, was just what Elizabeth had expected to find it; not equal to Lydia’s for him.” Lady Catherine de Bourg has no self knowledge. She is full of herself and sees herself very highly; it is obvious she is lacks self knowledge. She makes discourteous comments about other people without thought to their opinions and she also enunciates comments about how she views herself. Lady Catherine de Bourg is unhappy because she is disappointed ...
From the moment Elizabeth and Darcy meet, Elizabeth is blinded by prejudice and Darcy by pride though they like each other. Only when they admit the wrong they have done, especially Elizabeth, they are to be married. She should accept the right of Darcy to have some sense of pride toward his class and she has to learn to comply to social rules .therefore, it is not about marriage as much it is about learning to comply to rules. Elizabeth and Darcy will meet on common grounds. It is about finding moderation between nature represented by Elizabeth and art represented by Darcy. Only then the marriage would be successful.
In the novel, Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen criticizes marriages based on infatuation. Lydia is immature and foolish enough to confuse lust for love. On the other hand, Wickham 's character is very manipulative and scheming. Wickham 's past proves that because he had planned to run away with Darcy 's sister
The reader is first acquainted with Mr. Darcy's arrogance at the Meryton Ball. Speaking of Elizabeth Bennet, he so snobbishly says that she was, " tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me" (Austen 9). His feelings of superiority to the people of the town lend Mr. Darcy to be judged as a man with a repulsive and cruel personality. The women, who had found him dashingly attractive at first glance, deemed him a man unworthy of marriage because he offered no positive qualities other than wealth. Not only did Darcy refuse to dance with Elizabeth, but he makes it clear that no woman in the room was worthy or met his standards of a suitable partner stating that, " there is not another woman in this room, whom it would not be a punishment to me to stand up with" (Austen 8). In the beginning of the novel, Mr. Darcy is only concerned with the wealth and social standing of the people in the town. Because of their lesser social rank, he feels they are un-deserving of his presence and refuses to communicate with them. As the novel progressed, however, Darcy became more and more accepting of the Bennet family. Growing most fond of Elizabeth Bennet, the straightforward, clever daughter, he finally breaks and confesses his true feelings of love for her. "In vain...
A major aspect of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is marriage, more particularly, the characters’ motives for marriage. The novel bases its story around it, and how some have different views of what marriage should be as opposed to others. Whether a couple gets married for money, physical attraction, or true love and affection for one another, all examples are carried out in this book. All of the marriages in this book including the marriage of Bennett 's, Charlotte and Mr. Collins, Lydia and Mr. Wickham, Jane and Mr. Bingley, and Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy have similar but also very different characteristics to their motives for marrying each other. This novel has a lot to say about normal views of marriage in society back in the Regency Era, as well as modern day society 's perception of marriage. Austen challenges the normal perspective many have when it comes to this topic, which is shown in each character’s decisions in this book.
Wickham makes it so he will only marry Lydia for money, as he had intended to do with any nuptial. In order to persuade Wickham to wed, Darcy pays Wickham’s debts “amounting…to considerably more than a thousand pounds, another thousand in addition” to settle with Lydia and Darcy also purchases Wickham’s commission (Austen 217). Darcy pays for Lydia and Wickham’s entire wedding, after paying Wickham’s debts and paying off Wickham to marry. Darcy’s character is enforced by the fact that he makes it so the two wed. He is involved with all of the finances and duties surrounding their wedding until they are officially wed; he goes as far as standing at their wedding, to ensure Wickham follows
In Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen portrays a world in which choices for individuals are very limited, based almost exclusively on family wealth, social rank, and connections. A woman in such a world had little choice for her future; marriage presented the only option for leaving her family, and her response to a marriage proposal provided her only input in the outcome of her life. Although members of the upper class, the Bennet sisters and Charlotte Lucas have no inheritance, making marriage their only option for attaining wealth and maintaining or increasing their social standing. While Charlotte chooses to marry for security, Lydia marries impulsively to pursue her simplistic notion of love and marriage. Elizabeth Bennet illustrates an ideal form of marriage, as she refuses to trade her independent spirit for financial comfort and will only consent to a marriage based on love.
Jane always felt that she was happy in the presence of Bingley. In contrast, Elizabeth " knew that she was happy." On Elizabeth's part, the relationship of hers would more likely be a happier one because her love is deepened by an intellectual awareness of her emotional state. She and Darcy both know exactly what they want from this marriage, otherwise they would never marry.