... a woman must retain to be awarded the title of an 'accomplished woman' at this time. Moreover, a woman must "possess a certain something in her air and manner of walking" (39). According to this list of requirements, Caroline and Emma Woodhouse of Emma are two of the ... husband.16 Elizabeth does not have the advantage of being extraordinarily beautiful like Jane, described by Darcy as "tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me" (13). Her wit, liveliness and natural intelligence, however, make up for plainness in appearance, and her eventual union to Darcy contests the ... re...

• Word Count: 5516
• Approx Pages: 22
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... Darcy in attendance. Early on in the first dance, Darcy affirms that aside from Jane, "there is not another woman in the room who it would not be a punishment for me to stand up with."" Darcy's comment begins to expose the haughty nature of the very wealthy, as it has already been established that his income is around ten thousand pounds ... a year. Darcy's proud, prejudiced nature becomes even more apparent when, after being offered Elizabeth's hand, he says to her face that she "is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me."" Darcy's callous arrogance in this one instance contrib...

• Word Count: 663
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... with her ability to read the manners of others. Throughout the novel, we are able to observe Catherine's failure to correctly judge people. She tends to determine people according to the claims they make for themselves, rather than trust in her actual observations of their behaviour. Jan Fergus ... ' (p201). Soon after Catherine exposes General Tilney, who has always undertaken a polite surface, as an impostor who has merely acted a role. She realises that the way in which the General dismisses her from Northanger Abbey is a complete breach of good manners. Instead of trying to defend h...

• Word Count: 1637
• Approx Pages: 7
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... other daughters, "they are all silly and ignorant like other girls; but Lizzy has something more of quickness than her sisters." (pg. 2) since she is capable of applying her knowledge to judge her integrity; this she exercises by rejecting Mr. Collin's marriage proposal. Following Elizabeth's engagement with Mr. Darcy, she questions him whether he admired her for her impertinence. And he replies, "For the ... Mr. Collins and Mr. Darcy, who are both confident they will be accepted in accordance with their rank, wealth and power. However, her disposition sees through their conservative appr...

• Word Count: 1088
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... the upper hand through witty and aggressive repartee. This strategy is evident as early as the novel's third chapter, when Elizabeth overhears Darcy's remark at a ball that "she is tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me." Her effort to turn the tables and triumph over Darcy when recalling this incident is characteristic: "Elizabeth remained with no very cordial feelings toward [Darcy ... ]. She told the story however with great spirit among her friends; for she had a lively, playful disposition, which delighted in anything ridiculous." Much later she recognizes the defensive and s...

• Word Count: 3336
• Approx Pages: 13
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... to abuse love as a means to social advancement). Of course we can also relate marriage to happiness, and happiness to one's freedom in society; something which is strongly challenged in both "Pride and Prejudice" and Orwell's "1984." Charlotte Lucas states a factor of her society at the ... her personal sense of self-satisfaction. Nina Auerbach comments on the society's expectations at the time reducing women to simply wait for men to do something. A perfect example Auerbach gives is the anticipation and waiting at the drawing-room, "before the gentlemen came." The door is described ... ...

• Word Count: 1738
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... must gradually develop between the two people as they get to know one another. Darcyimmediate opinion of Elizabeth is that she is tolerable but not handsome enough to tempt me. Mr Darcy was not remotely attracted to Elizabeth and yet when he learns of her true personality he admits that ... The worst of these marriages is between Wickham and Lydia, which was based on appearance and youthful ignorance. Lydia is naive and attractive, and she ignores Wickhams bad behaviour. The marriage between these two was on the grounds of superficial attraction and neither characters felt true love for...

• Word Count: 890
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... pressures from her mother and society. Hers is the pursuit of happiness, which contrasts heavily with Charlotte's pursuit of mere comfort. Charlotte Lucas is imperative to the novel as she contrasts so heavily from the protagonist, Elizabeth Bennet, by providing a viewpoint on the common social institutions of Austen's time. Throughout Pride and Prejudice, love is constantly being examined ... the "true love" Elizabeth embodies actually leads away from social acceptability and class formality. Charlotte is representative of Austen's own statement on the ethical discredit of her society, s...

• Word Count: 1309
• Approx Pages: 5
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... Elizabeth Bennet, who remains to be the central character in the story. Elizabeth is a spontaneous, high spirited, vivacious woman with a witty disposition. She is confident and is not intimidated by the upper class or overawed by the arrogant Mr. Darcy. This strikes the responder as surprising, considering the ... her individualism and strong convictions regardless of what people may think of her. This is evident when she proceeds to say to Jane " I am determined that nothing but the deepest love will induce me into marriage so I shall end an old maid and teach your ten children how to ...

• Word Count: 2566
• Approx Pages: 10
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... fuck by contract" (Carter, Angela, "The Sadeian Woman", pg. 9, (1978) ). Unfortunately for Ms. Elizabeth Bennet, it cannot be denied that she is a "wife of necessity". Effectively disinherited through the fine print of their father's will, the Bennet girls and their neurotic mother are to become penniless ... laid out in Edmund Burke's "Reflections on the Revolution in France". As Elizabeth Bennet is Austen's heroine, and therefore a character of whom she writes very favourably, it could be supposed that Austen's attitude towards marriage, and the position of women in society, in writing ...

• Word Count: 1833
• Approx Pages: 7
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... most intelligent and witty in her company: "They have none of them much to recommend them," replied he; "they are all silly and ignorant like other girls; but Lizzy has something more of quickness than her sisters." Her character does improve significantly throughout the novel. To begin with, Elizabeth is both proud and prejudiced, but sheds these qualities as a result of ... keen observations of such human behaviour. A major literary device that Austen uses to enhance characterization in her novels, and particularly Pride and Prejudice, is dialogue. Through Austen's use of dialogue, sh...

• Word Count: 998
• Approx Pages: 4
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... "ladylike" fashion and taught music, drawing, needlework, and other skills along with being well-read. Jane, much like Elizabeth, was tall and graceful, with dark hair and beautiful hazel eyes, she enjoyed parties, liked to dance, and had numerous suitors. As it turned out, however, neither Jane nor her sister Cassandra ever married. After her father's passing, Jane's family was supported ... to become increasingly attached to one another. Darcy and Elizabeth meet but they immediately dislike one another. Narrative Hook-After subsequent meeting Darcy begins to be charmed by Elizabeth, al...

• Word Count: 1921
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... disinheriting Wickham and his role in disrupting the romance between Jane, Elizabeth's sister, and Bingley. These arguments rise to the point of her ultimate rejection where she tells him that there is no way that she would ever take his hand in marriage. He then solemnly and respectfully leaves the house, wishing her health and happiness. Darcy's air about him throughout the ... displays his attitudes. From the beginning of the chapter, Darcy's exhibits his arrogance. Darcy shows up at Elizabeth's house without giving notice and enters through the door as soon as she opens it, without ...

• Word Count: 622
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... society, trying to highlight its flaws and suggest a more meaningful way to live. To begin with Mrs Bennet is an example of caricature. She represents the ridiculous treatment of love and marriage in the Regency period. Her obsession with getting all of her five daughters married is illustrated in ... the quote, "The business of her life is to get her daughters married." She is a foolish and frivolous woman, with no concern for the moral or intellectual education of her daughters. Her sole aim is to see her ... daughters married and through her shallowness she is in unable to even perc...

• Word Count: 1208
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... her mother was, Lydia is also led by her youth, "high animal spirits," and "blind love" causing her to be "lost forever" if she doesn't marry Wickham. Consequentially, such drastic similarities of character and situation create a sense of suspense, causing the reader to ponder whether or not Lydia will ... Darcy is in fact "exactly the man, who, in disposition and Chris Klein talents, would most suit her," instead of being someone of who she has " every reason in the world to think ill of." Thus from Darcy's first proposal till the end of the novel, we see Elizabeth's ... emphasizes h...

• Word Count: 1153
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... diction is precise and clear making his narration effective. He "demands [Elizabeth's attention] of [her] justice" because he knows her well enough to know that she will react to such a demand as she considers herself a just person. In his love and the expression of it, Darcy is not self-centered and self-victimizing like Werther, which makes Elizabeth sympathize with ... him and approve of his argument, unlike Lotte that rebukes Werther for his expression. When Lotte says: "Be a man!" she asks Werther to control himself referring to the notion of manhood that is built on rationality, e...

• Word Count: 1476
• Approx Pages: 6
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... asked by Lady Catherine de Bourgh, "Do you play and sing, Miss Bennet?" She replies, "A little," even though she is very skilled" (Austen 2001: 109). On the other hand, Mary Bennet, even though she is more technically accomplished, is disparaged for her self-aggrandizing performances: "Mary had neither genius nor taste; and although vanity had given her application ... ...

• Word Count: 1319
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... status. Throughout the progression of the novel, Austen juxtaposes the conventional views on love and marriage of her era. Her employment of witty satire and elegant social comedies reveal what she believed to be the inadequacies of socially engineered marriage; rather, presenting the ideal that marriage should be based on the foundation of love, mutual understanding and acceptance. The notion of ... ...

• Word Count: 292
• Approx Pages: 1
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate