The Evolution of Change in Pride and Prejudice

1004 Words3 Pages

Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen, is a remarkable story showing the complications between men and women before and during their time of falling in love. The plot is based on how the main characters, Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy, escape their pride, prejudice and vanity to find each other; however, both must recognize their faults and change them. Jane Austen follows the development of Elizabeth’s and Darcy’s relationship in how they both change in order to overcome their own vanities and be able to love each other. Mr. Darcy is very proud and vain man. Darcy’s pride occurs because his family allows him to follow his principles “in pride and conceit” (Austen 310). Elizabeth decides soon after meeting him that he is a despicable man, much too abrupt and overweening, and obsequious to be liked by anyone, and lacking even the most basic social skills of the time he is very laconic with everyone The gentlemen pronounced him to be a fine figure of a man, the ladies declared he was much handsomer than Mr. Bingley, and he was looked at with great admiration for about half the evening, till his manners gave a disgust which turned the tide of his popularity; for he was discovered to be proud, to be above his company, and above being pleased; and not all his large estate in Derbyshire could then save him from having a most forbidding, disagreeable countenance, and being unworthy to be compared with his friend. (58) Not only does Elizabeth see Darcy as prideful, but the other characters do as well. Darcy’s pride results in his alienation from the others. Darcy has such a high opinion of himself that he creates a pariah reaction from Elizabeth. Elizabeth has her issues with her prejudice against Mr. Darcy and hi... ... middle of paper ... ...After the proposal they talk about their past relationship by having a very benign conversation, and many misunderstandings are cleared “In vain I have struggled. It will not do. My feelings for you will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you” (Austen 179).Their marriage is presented in a positive light because they have had to work hard to achieve it. Pride and Prejudice is an apt name for the book, since these notions permeate the novel thoroughly, especially in the views of Elizabeth and Darcy. Eventually when Elizabeth accepts Darcy’s final proposal we. Even after they both confess their love for each other; they pose and answer questions for each other. This shows that from the beginning to end, Darcy and Elizabeth have gone through major changes by putting aside their pride of themselves and prejudices for others.

Open Document