Paper No:103 Literature of the Romantics

This blog is part of an assignment for Sem 1 Paper No.103 Literature of the Romantics  assigned by Dilip Barad sir, Department of English, MKBU.

Personal Information 

Name: Khushi Rajeshbhai Rathod

Batch:- M.A. (2023-2025)

Roll No: 18

Enrollment No: 5108230039

Semester: 1st 

E-mail: khushirathod1863@gmail.com

Assignment Details 

Paper No:103

Paper Code: 22394

Paper Name: Literature of the Romantics 

Topic: Exploring the Character of 'Pride and Prejudice'

Submitted to: Smt.S.B.Gardi, Department of English,MKBU

Que :- Exploring the Characters of 'Pride and Prejudice'.

Ans.

Table of Contents :-

- About the Jane Austen

- Brief information about the Novel

- Characters of Pride and Prejudice

- Reference

🌺 Jane Austen :-

Jane Austen (16 December 1775 – 18 July 1817) was an English novelist known primarily for her six novels, which implicitly interpret, critique, and comment upon the British landed gentry at the end of the 18th century. Austen's plots often explore the dependence of women on marriage for the pursuit of favorable social standing and economic security. Her works are an implicit critique of the novels of sensibility of the second half of the 18th century and are part of the transition to 19th-century literary realism. Her deft use of social commentary, realism and biting irony have earned her acclaim among critics and scholars.

Her Works :-

• Sense and Sensibility (1811)
• Pride and Prejudice (1813)
• Mansfield Park (1814)
• Emma (1816)
• Northanger Abbey (1818, posthumous)
• Persuasion (1818, posthumous)
• Lady Susan (1871, posthumous)

🌺 Pride and Prejudice :-

Pride and Prejudice is an 1813 novel of manners by English author Jane Austen. The novel follows the character development of Elizabeth Bennet, the protagonist of the book, who learns about the repercussions of hasty judgments and comes to appreciate the difference between superficial goodness and actual goodness.

🌺  Exploring the Characters of 'Pride and Prejudice'.

1) Elizabeth :-

The heroine and protagonist of Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth is the most loveable character among the five sisters. Lizzy or Eliza as she is lovingly called is considered the most loveable of Austen’s all female protagonists. She is the second daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet who owns the Long bourn Estate. Although she is to be married to Mr. William Collins, her quick thinking and acutely conscious mind warn her against it. Even though she is not in favor of Mr. Darcy in the beginning as the story progresses, she chides herself for not recognizing his balanced personality. She sheds her prejudice against him and later becomes his beloved who also likes her playfulness and loving nature. At the end of the novel, she accepts Darcy’s proposal and marries him.

2) Mr. Darcy :-

An aristocrat and seemingly very arrogant, Mr. Darcy is the second best character in Pride and Prejudice. He is not only class-conscious but also somewhat demanding and meticulous in his manners. He possesses a strong sense of respect and honor of his family lineage and holds high self-esteem. At first, he does not give any attention to Elizabeth, which she considers his arrogance. However, later when offers help to find Lydia, he displays a different side of his personality. Thus, wins Elizabeth’s heart. She then accepts his proposal when she understands his role in the affair of Lydia. It is Darcy who pursues Wickham and forces him to marry Lydia. This makes Elizabeth accept him as her soulmate.

3) Jane Bennet :-

Jane Bennet is the eldest of the Bennet sisters. Later, she becomes Mrs. Bingley when she marries Charles Bingley. She is also a prominent character after Elizabeth. Although acknowledged as the most beautiful, she does not attract Mr. Darcy. Instead, she is pulled toward Mr. Bingley who falls in love with her too. She is quite close to Elizabeth and keeps her honor very dear to her. That is why she confides in her about Mr. Bingley and develops a traditional romance to marry him later. Although she has the upper hand over Elizabeth, her old-fashioned marrying does not impact readers as much as Elizabeth’s first rejection and then later attraction toward Mr. Darcy.

4) Mr. Charles Bingley :-

Mr. Charles Bingley is another important character in Pride and Prejudice whose role wins great admiration from the readers. He marries the most beautiful Bennet sisters, Jane Bennet. Brother of Louisa and Caroline, he is the most lovable male character after Darcy. Darcy is from the elite class, while Mr. Bingley can mix up with any class. He occasionally visits the Bennets and finds Jane very attractive and pliable. He is a modest person but not as clever and wise as Darcy, which makes him seem his second foil. Mr. Darcy has easily persuaded him at times. He is also not a strong-minded person and snob but very likable and easy going. Hence, Jane was attracted to his down to earth personality. After marrying Jane, he purchases an estate near Pemberley to live closer to Darcy and Elizabeth.

5) George Wickham :-

A man of charming demeanor, George Wickham is a military officer. He lives in Pemberley. He receives good attention from Elizabeth in the beginning. However, they eventually fall out of love, as Mr. Darcy’s arrival saves Elizabeth from this mismatch. Darcy’s father has raised Wickham as his own and has left some inheritance for him. However, his gambling addiction has left him at the mercy of Darcy. True to this reputation, he tries his hands at Mr. Darcy’s sister. However, he meets failure and woos Lydia instead. Darcy intervenes and helps him get married to Lydia. Thus, saving Wickham’s relationship and life.

6) Mrs. Bennet :-

A highly tiring character, Mrs. Bennet is the wife of Mr. Bennet and mother of five grown-up daughters. She sees her satisfaction in marrying off her daughters in good families. She is short of temper and has strange habits. She also has little information about worldly wisdom and almost no understanding of human relations. Due to the limited means of her husband, she has become sad and short tempered. By the end of the novel, she seems happy that all of her daughters have married and the rest will marry at the right time.

7) Mr. Bennet :-

Working as an attorney, Mr. Bennet is full of worldly wisdom. He is the father of five Bennet sisters and works tirelessly for their good upbringing. He is on good terms with Elizabeth who is also his favorite daughter. However, his relationship with his wife, Mrs. Bennet is not very mutual. He is often fond of making fun of Mrs. Bennet, and Elizabeth joins him too. He seems to be a good father but feels depressed and dishonored due to Lydia’s idiocy of eloping. By the end of the story, he is thankful to Mr. Darcy for saving him and his family from disgrace.

8) Lydia Bennet :-

A young girl with an immature mind, Lydia displays flamboyant nature like any other teenager. She is not only stupid but also very flirtatious. She is after her desires and gratifications and elopes with Mr. Wickham after developing a very short affair. She does not anticipate any consequences of her actions. It is very strange that Mrs. Bennet likes her very much, while Mr. Bennet is unhappy about her. In the end, Mr. Darcy gets Lydia married to Wickham to save the family’s honor.

9) Catherine Bennet :-

Known as Kitty, Catherine is the fourth daughter in the family. She is older than Lydia. She is not influenced by any of her sisters. However, Catherine does look up to Jane and Elizabeth in many situations. She carries on visiting both her sisters even after their marriage to improve her own prospects.

10) Mary Bennet :-

Marry Bennet is a highly obscure but very serious character in Pride and Prejudice. She hates being social with others and tries to spend most of her time reading books. However, despite her bookish nature, she is not a good observer of her surroundings and human relationships. She wins her mother’s attention after her sisters marry.

11) Mr. Collins :-

The Bennets’ estate is subject to an entail that means it will be inherited by the nearest male relative: their cousin, Mr. Collins. A self-important, deeply ridiculous person, Collins is an awkward and mildly irritating man who believes himself to be deeply charming and clever. He intends to make up for the inheritance situation by marrying the eldest Bennet daughter, but upon learning that Jane is likely to become engaged, he turns his attention instead to Elizabeth. It takes a remarkable amount of convincing to persuade him that she is uninterested in him, and he soon marries her friend Charlotte instead. Mr. Collins takes great pride in the patronage of Lady Catherine de Bourgh, and his sycophantic nature and pompous attention to rigid social constructs means he gets along with her quite well.

12) Charlotte Lucas :-

A close friend of Elizabeth Bennet, Charlotte Lucas serves as something of a foil to her. Early in the novel, Charlotte and Elizabeth compare notes about marriage. Charlotte believes that happiness in marriage is basically a matter of luck, whereas Elizabeth believes in marriage for love. Charlotte's attitude toward love becomes a reality when she marries the ridiculous Mr. Collins.

13) Lady Catherine de Bourgh :-

The imperious mistress of the Rosings estate, Lady Catherine is the only character in the novel who is aristocratic (as opposed to landed gentry). Demanding and arrogant, Lady Catherine expects to get her way at all times, which is why Elizabeth’s self-assured nature irritates her from their first meeting. Lady Catherine likes to brag about how she “would have been” accomplished, but she is not actually accomplished or talented. Her greatest scheme is to marry her sickly daughter Anne to her nephew Darcy, and when she hears a rumor that he is to marry Elizabeth instead, she rushes to find Elizabeth and demand that such a marriage never take place.

She is dismissed by Elizabeth and, instead of her visit severing any ties between the couple, it actually serves to confirm to both Elizabeth and Darcy that the other is still very much interested. 

14) Caroline Bingley :-

A vain social-climber, Caroline is well-off and ambitious to be even more so. She’s calculating and, though capable of being charming, very status-conscious and judgmental. Although she takes Jane under her wing at first, her tone quickly changes upon realizing her brother Charles is serious about Jane, and she manipulates her brother to believe Jane is disinterested. Caroline also views Elizabeth as a rival for Darcy and frequently attempts to one-up her, both to impress Darcy and to matchmake between her brother and Darcy’s sister Georgiana.In the end, she’s unsuccessful on all fronts.

Reference :-

Prahl, Amanda. “'Pride and Prejudice' Characters: Descriptions and Significance.” ThoughtCo, 11 December 2018, https://www.thoughtco.com/pride-and-prejudice-characters-4178369. Accessed 25 November 2023.

“Pride and Prejudice Characters with Analysis.” Literary Devices, https://literarydevices.net/pride-and-prejudice-characters/. Accessed 25 November 2023.

Southam, Brian C. “Jane Austen | Biography, Books, Movies, & Facts.” Britannica, 22 November 2023, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jane-Austen. Accessed 25 November 2023.

Words :- 1787

Images :- 16