Elizabeth in Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Chantal Fauconier

Jane Austen, a writer in 19th Century England, wrote about what she

knew; namely the societal norms of her era and class. In a time where

men were given all the status and privileges, she wrote novels

predominantly about women, their position in society, and the roles

that they played. Since women were not entitled to property, they

would often grow up with the goal of finding a suitable husband

(Guidelines 1990:1). It is for this reason that people have criticised

Jane Austen’s writings - saying that she reinforced the norms of

patriarchy by reassuring the reader about the order and stability of

society. However her novels contain more than this in that her

characters often go against the conventional norms of society. This

essay will show how the character of Elizabeth in Pride and Prejudice

does not just accept everything in society. At various stages in the

novel, she moves through the tensions of protest and acceptance,

rebellion and conformity.

Elizabeth Bennett, the heroine of the novel, is the second daughter of

five. She is her father’s favourite because she is intelligent, witty,

clever, and honest. She is very individualistic and knows what she

wants. Austen uses her to show the “conflict between the way things

are done (status quo) and individualism” (Teachman 1997: xi). This can

be seen with Elizabeth’s reaction to Mr. Collins’ proposal. Mrs.

Bennet expects Elizabeth to marry Mr. Collins because this will ensure

the welfare and stability of the rest of the members of the family. In

the society at that time, it was important for women to marry well

(Teachman 1997: xiii). This is highlighted by the first sentence of

the novel: “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that ...

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