Compare the relationships between Mr and Miss Bingley, Mr and Miss Darcy and any two of the Bennett sisters

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Compare the relationships between Mr and Miss Bingley, Mr and Miss Darcy and any two of the Bennett sisters, exploring the use Austen makes of sibling relationships in the novel. The core theme in Pride and Prejudice is the relationships between [MSOffice1] siblings. Austen had a large family and many siblings with whom she was close but with her sister Cassandra, was she especially so. These reflect the sibling relationships that, in my opinion, are central to the novel. Each character has more than one sibling relationship, whether related through blood, through growing up together or in the sense of a close friendship. For example, Darcy has more than one sibling relationship, as he is related to Georgiana, he grew up with Wickham and is extremely close to Bingley. All these relationships could be seen as being between siblings even though they are not all related through blood, as Wickham and Darcy have grown up as brothers due to their situation. With the development of character comes the development of each relationship. As the two eldest of the Bennet sisters, Lizzy and Jane are the closest of all the siblings. Although both different in character, they are superior figures in their family and regarded by their father as more level-headed than the other three girls. Being sisters and so close in age, means they share many things with each other, namely thoughts, emotions and feelings. For instance after their first meeting with the Netherfield party Jane speaks of her admiration for Bingley, “…sensible, good humoured, lively…” and Elizabeth bestows her good opinion of him, “He is also handsome…certainly is very agreeable…” I believe this is a direct representation of Austen’s close and loving ... ... middle of paper ... ...The three central relationships show the three main differences in character and nature of both the siblings and their relationships. They highlight also the connection between how each character acts towards others, for instance if Lizzy was not so close to Jane it is possible she would not be so protective and therefore dislike Miss Bingley and Mrs Hurst so readily[MSOffice3] . Austen's relationships with her own siblings I believe influenced certain aspects of her depiction of each sibling relationship. Her closeness to her own sister strongly affects the two Bennett sisters and her many older brothers whom she looked up to and respected, is shown within Darcy and Georgiana's relationship. The relationship between Bingley and Caroline shows a distinction between the sort of relationships that siblings have and to provide a different perspective on them.

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