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Literary Analysis of Pride and Prejudice
Pride and prejudice analysis character
Pride and prejudice character analysis essay
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"Virtue" is truly a complex word - an element of
the essence of man - that Jane Austen portrays in her novel “Pride and Prejudice”. Through a
profound scrutiny of the character of the protagonists, and through her interpretation of how
vanity, pride, and self - knowledge intervenes in the development of the virtue of the characters,
Austen intends to show how human happiness is found by living in accordance with human
dignity, which is a life in accordance with virtue.
Austen creates a scenario where she allows the reader to identify a variety of persons, each of
them with a certain and peculiar character. With this diversity, we are able to highlight in each
person of the novel, different traits that can lead us to talk about virtue, and one of them is
vanity. The definition of vanity suggests it is excessive belief in one ́s own abilities, in other
words, a superfluous amount of pride in ones achievements, abilities, and appearance. Sticking to
this definition, Miss Bingley fits perfectly to it. In most of the novel she ́s certainly got that
“excessive” belief in her own superiority to others and her own attractiveness, leading her to the
point of criticizing others, and this last thing sharpens when talking about Elizabeth Bennet,
which was a barrier in her plan of obtaining Mr. Darcy. This is observed in a fragment of a
conversation between Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst about Elizabeth Bennet:
When dinner was over, she returned directly to Jane, and Miss Bingley began abusing her
as soon as she was out of the room. Her manners were pronounced to be very bad indeed,
a mixture of pride and impertinence; she had no conversation, no style, no beauty
However, there is a really interesting thing with this. The au...
... middle of paper ...
...importance of virtue here is that, virtues are needed for living well; But in order to obtain
them, it is fundamental to search for them , because virtues are voluntary acquired, we are not
born with them. We have reasons to acquire them, since they are beneficial for us and for our
relationships with other. Like Confucius once said “virtue is not left to stand alone. He, who
practices it, will have neighbors”. So it was indispensable for the characters to find the highest
point of virtue, and as soon as they were capable of finding it, the happy ending of the novel
takes off. Jane Austen made a homerun with her novel. She was capable of showing how human
happiness is found by living in accordance with human dignity, which is a life in accordance
with virtue.
Works Cited
Dooly, D. J. Nineteenth-Century Fiction; University of California Press, 1965.
Virtue ethics is an approach that “deemphasizes rules, consequences and particular acts and places the focus on the kind of person who is acting” (Garrett, 2005). A person’s character is the totality of his character traits. Our character traits can be goo...
What is the effect of having too much pride? Can different forms of pride such as familial and social have different consequences? Pride is usually considered to be a positive aspect in one’s life, but too much of it can have adverse results. By observing today’s society, as well as Shakespearean society, it is clear that too much pride in any form can inhibit the ability to accept differences in people and oneself.
Johnson, Claudia L. "Pride and Prejudice and the Pursuit of Happiness." Pride and Prejudice. By Jane Austen. Ed. Donald Gray. New York: Norton and Co., 1993. pp. 367-376.
According to Aristotle, a virtue is a state that makes something good, and in order for something to be good, it must fulfill its function well. The proper function of a human soul is to reason well. Aristotle says that there are two parts of the soul that correspond to different types of virtues: the appetitive part of the soul involves character virtues, while the rational part involves intellectual virtues. The character virtues allow one to deliberate and find the “golden mean” in a specific situation, while the intellectual virtues allow one to contemplate and seek the truth. A virtuous person is someone who maintains an appropriate balance of these two parts of the soul, which allows them to reason well in different types of situations.
Hursthouse, R. (2003, July 18). Virtue Ethics. Stanford University. Retrieved March 6, 2014, from http://plato.stanford.edu/archives/fall2013/entries/ethics-virtue
England, under James 1st rule was a vastly altered period compared to our now modern society. So many of the values held during this time, have now been discarded and forgotten. Jane Austen grew up in the Romantic period and experienced a world which was divided, whether through education, class, status, fashion, abilities, gender and etiquette. Her novel, Pride and Prejudice is counted as one of the great classics of English Literature. Austen engrosses readers to live in her world for a time and experience a society filled with matchmaking, romance, marriage and gossip. Every one of her characters is so distinctive and has a clearly outlined caricature. Each of their diverse values conveys a different thinking of the time. Pride and Prejudice is preoccupied with the gentry and most of the social aspects which consumed these people’s lives. There were so many expectations of how you would behave in public, but of course not all of these were upheld. Elizabeth Bennet, Mr Darcy, Mrs Bennet and Charlotte Lucas are four characters which keep such strong beliefs about the social norms. These characters are expressed so descriptively and through their personalities readers can learn just how the numerous social standards were received.
quest to find if anyone knows what virtues are and who has the virtues. While
Virtue ethics is a theory about finding our highest good and doing so will develop a vigorous character within each person. Character is important because it shows that a person has certain beliefs and desires in doing the right thing and when the right thing is accomplished, happiness follows (Hartman, 2006). Virtue ethics derives from Aristotle and he concludes that by doing virtuous acts all through life happiness and respectable character will develop (Morrison & Furlong, 2013). Finding the highest good within oneself brings happiness and great character to that individual.
As I was growing up, I was constantly taught how I should treat others as well as how I should present myself. It was difficult for me to comprehend the importance of these concepts, but I always knew that obtaining these types of qualities was going to lead to pleasing my parents. It was later on in my life that I understood that these aspects were known as virtues. Virtues are valuable qualities of life to which everyone should aspire in order to live a more rewarding and joyful life. It is important to achieve as many virtues as possible while growing up, because having virtues is the core essence of peace and satisfaction. Throughout the process of maturing, every person must choose the virtues that he or she desires to represent his or her life.
Thus, when virtues involves in some personal pain, the idea of purpose or need become very important as it deeply depends on self-control. Self-control becomes extremely important when virtues entails stepping out from person’s comfort zone, here you can distinct a virtuous person from others. A virtuous person can control himself and abide to rules and morals whatsoever, while people with no self-control but claiming being virtuous might forget their morals and values in some situations. In conclusion, I argue that there is a connection between virtues and happiness, however I have showed some situations that virtues may lead to unhappiness or confusion.
the right way to go. Aristotle says that virtues are something that we
sister and Mr. Darcy, who dislike the behavior of her family and, being part of
Virtue is such an abstract concept that it is impossible for individuals or even societies as a whole to clearly and unequivocally define it, so there must be some form of a higher authority capable of defining human virtues tout court in order for such a thing to even exist. Because of the impact one's environment can have on his or her belief system there is a wide range of conflicting ideas regarding human virtue around the globe, which indicates that no intrinsic definition of human virtues exists for humans. Therefore, human beings alone are only able to speculate as to the nature of human virtue that cannot serve as concrete standards people must live up to as opinions generally do not have enough certainty to function as definitions. Thus, there must be a non-human higher power that outlines what is and is not thought to be excellent for all human beings, regardless of age, race, gender, or belief system.
Virtues of thought are about achieving wisdom, knowledge, and reasoning. He believed that virtues can be gained through practice. Our character traits are grown throughout your life and as you gain experience. It is possible to work on your skills as you work to achieve your full potential. At the same time, virtues of character also should be at a mean state— finding the right balance by not having too much or being too deficient in a certain trait. All virtues center around the four moral or cardinal virtues: prudence, temperance, courage, and justice. Prudence is the virtue of determining the right goal or end. Temperance is the virtue of self-control while courage is the ability to overcome fear. Justice is about fairness and making sure everyone is given what they are rightfully due.
2 Feb. 2010. Moore, Catherine E. “Pride and Prejudice.” Master Revised Second Edition (1996): Literary Reference Center. EBSCO. Web. The Web.