Welcome to Literary Heritage: Pride and Prejudice

Hello future English Literature experts! We are diving into one of the most famous novels ever written: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.
Don't worry if classic literature seems intimidating! This novel is actually a witty, sharp, and very funny look at dating, family drama, and social pressure in the 19th century.

What you will learn: You will understand the crucial context of 1800s society, the main plot points, the complex characters (especially Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy), and the central themes that Austen explores.

Why it matters for your exam: Austen’s work is foundational to the Literary Heritage section. Understanding her critique of society through her characters is essential for achieving high marks.


Section 1: The Context – Life in 19th Century England

To truly understand Pride and Prejudice (P&P), you must understand the world Jane Austen was writing about. It was a world vastly different from ours, where status and wealth were everything.

Key Social Concepts for the Exam

1. Social Class and the Gentry

  • Austen’s focus is on the Gentry—the wealthy landowners who did not have to work for a living. They were below the nobility (Dukes, Kings) but above tradesmen and farmers.
  • The Bennet family is part of the Gentry, but their financial position is shaky.
  • Analogy: Think of society like an exclusive club. Your birth determines your membership level, and it’s very hard to upgrade your status, even if you are talented!

2. Marriage and Economics

For women in this period, marriage was usually an economic necessity, not just a romantic choice.

  • Women could not easily inherit money or own property independently.
  • The only way for a young woman to secure her future (and the future of her siblings) was to marry a wealthy man. This pressure explains Mrs. Bennet’s frantic behaviour.

3. The Problem of Entailment

This is a difficult concept, but crucial to the Bennet family’s drama:

Entailment means that property (like the Bennet family home, Longbourn) can only be inherited by a specific line of male relatives. The Bennet sisters cannot inherit the estate.

  • When Mr. Bennet dies, his estate will automatically go to the closest male relative, Mr. Collins.
  • This leaves Mrs. Bennet and her five daughters homeless and penniless unless the girls marry well!

Quick Review: The high stakes of the plot are all driven by the lack of financial independence for women and the legal rule of entailment.


Section 2: Plot Summary – The Journey of Two Couples

The novel follows the changing relationships between two key couples, focusing primarily on Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy.

Step-by-Step Plot Breakdown
  1. Initial Conflict: The wealthy bachelor, Mr. Bingley, arrives with his even wealthier, proud friend, Mr. Darcy. Bingley instantly falls for the sweet, beautiful Jane Bennet. Darcy insults Elizabeth Bennet (Lizzy) by refusing to dance with her, calling her "tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me."
  2. The Rise of Prejudice: Elizabeth develops a deep prejudice against Darcy, fueled by the charming soldier, Mr. Wickham, who tells her that Darcy cheated him out of an inheritance.
  3. The Shock Proposal: Despite his social reservations, Darcy is deeply attracted to Elizabeth's wit and eyes. He makes a sudden, arrogant proposal. Elizabeth furiously rejects him, accusing him of ruining Jane’s happiness (by splitting her from Bingley) and destroying Wickham's life.
  4. The Turning Point: Darcy gives Elizabeth a detailed letter explaining his actions. He reveals that Wickham is a liar and a gambler, and that he separated Jane and Bingley because he believed Jane did not truly love Bingley.
  5. The Change in Perspective: Elizabeth realizes she was prejudiced and blind. Later, she visits Darcy’s magnificent home, Pemberley, and sees a different side of him—kind and respected by his staff.
  6. Crisis and Resolution: Elizabeth’s silly younger sister, Lydia, elopes with Wickham, bringing shame upon the family. Darcy secretly tracks them down and pays off Wickham's debts, forcing him to marry Lydia, saving the Bennet family's reputation.
  7. The Final Proposal: Elizabeth and Darcy overcome their respective flaws (Pride and Prejudice) and agree to marry. Jane and Bingley also reunite.

Memory Aid: The plot is driven by the relationship between Pride (Darcy's initial flaw) and Prejudice (Elizabeth's initial flaw). They must shed these traits to find happiness.


Section 3: Essential Characters and Their Roles

Understanding the characters’ motivations is key to analysis. Focus on their flaws and how they change.

The Central Pair

1. Elizabeth Bennet (Lizzy)

  • Key Traits: Intelligent, witty, independent, and vivacious. She values genuine character over status.
  • Her Flaw: She prides herself on judging character quickly, but her hasty judgments lead to prejudice against Darcy and favor towards Wickham.
  • Her Journey: She learns humility when she realizes she was completely wrong about Darcy.

2. Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy

  • Key Traits: Immensely wealthy, principled, and loyal.
  • His Flaw: His overwhelming pride in his social standing makes him appear aloof, rude, and arrogant, particularly to those below his class.
  • His Journey: He learns to overcome his class snobbery and judge people based on merit, not just family connections.
Other Key Characters
  • Jane Bennet: The eldest and most beautiful sister. Kind and sweet, but too reserved; her inability to show emotion almost costs her Bingley.
  • Mr. Bingley: Darcy's best friend. Cheerful, easy-going, and lacks Darcy's social stiffness. He is often easily influenced by others (like Darcy).
  • Mr. Collins: The cousin who will inherit the estate. A symbol of absurdity and social climbing. He is a pompous, silly man who flatters his patroness, Lady Catherine de Bourgh.
  • Charlotte Lucas: Elizabeth's friend. She chooses security over love by marrying Mr. Collins. She represents the harsh reality for women who prioritize financial stability.

Did you know? Jane Austen originally titled the book First Impressions, which perfectly captures Elizabeth’s mistake in judging Darcy and Wickham!


Section 4: The Big Themes of Pride and Prejudice

These themes are the central arguments Austen is making about society. You must be able to discuss them in detail in your essays.

1. Pride and Prejudice (The Core Conflict)

The title is the central theme. The novel explores how these two traits blind people and prevent true understanding.

  • Pride: Darcy's pride stems from his high social position. It makes him look down on those with less wealth, initially causing him to behave rudely.
  • Prejudice: Elizabeth's prejudice stems from wounded pride (when Darcy insults her) and her willingness to trust surface appearances (Wickham).
  • The Resolution: Both characters must confront and conquer their defining flaw to earn happiness. Their journey is a moral lesson for the reader.
2. Social Class and Reputation

The novel constantly highlights the importance of social status and reputation, especially for women.

  • High Society vs. Lower Gentry: Lady Catherine de Bourgh and Darcy represent the highest level of society, attempting to police the behavior of the Bennets (the lower gentry).
  • The Importance of Reputation: Lydia’s elopement (running off without being married) nearly destroys the family’s reputation. If a woman’s reputation was ruined, she was socially finished, and her sisters’ marriage prospects would also be ruined. Darcy’s intervention saves them from social disaster.
3. Marriage (Love vs. Money)

Austen uses different couples to illustrate the various motivations for marriage:

  • Marriage for Security (Charlotte Lucas and Mr. Collins): Charlotte doesn't love Collins, but she accepts his proposal because she needs a home and financial stability. This is a tragic reflection of 19th-century reality.
  • Marriage for Lust/Folly (Lydia and Wickham): Based purely on superficial attraction and recklessness, leading to disaster until Darcy intervenes.
  • Marriage for True Love and Mutual Respect (Elizabeth and Darcy / Jane and Bingley): These marriages represent Austen’s ideal—based on compatibility, genuine affection, and intellectual respect, overcoming social obstacles.

Key Takeaway: Austen champions the idea that marriage should be based on affection, but she never forgets that economic security is vital.


Section 5: Jane Austen’s Literary Style

Austen uses specific techniques to make her critiques entertaining and powerful. When analyzing her writing, focus on these elements.

1. Irony and Satire
  • Satire: Austen uses gentle but cutting humour to mock the foolish behaviour and hypocritical values of her society. She satirizes Mrs. Bennet’s vulgarity, Mr. Collins’s pompous speeches, and the ridiculous snobbery of Lady Catherine.
  • Irony: This is when the outcome is contrary to what is expected, or when the audience knows more than the characters. The famous opening line is a perfect example of verbal irony:

    "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife."

    Austen is being ironic. It's not the man who is "in want of a wife"—it's the mothers and daughters who are desperately seeking a wealthy husband!

2. Free Indirect Discourse

Don't worry if this sounds complex! It simply means the narrator often switches from standard narration to expressing the thoughts and feelings of a character, without using phrases like "she thought" or "he felt."

Example: We often hear Elizabeth’s witty, critical voice infused into the narrative, allowing the reader to feel intimately connected to her perspective and her misjudgments.

3. Narrative Focus: Domestic Sphere

Austen focuses entirely on the daily lives, conversations, dances, and visits of her characters—the domestic sphere. She uses these small, everyday interactions to reveal huge truths about human nature and social structures.


Quick Review Checklist for P&P

If you can confidently answer these questions, you are ready for the exam:

  • What is entailment and why is it the main pressure point for the Bennet family?
  • What specific flaws do Elizabeth and Darcy overcome? (Prejudice and Pride)
  • How do the marriages of Charlotte/Collins and Elizabeth/Darcy contrast?
  • What is Austen mocking (satirizing) in society? (Snobbery, social climbing, and gender inequality).

Keep these notes handy! Focus on finding quotes that illustrate Darcy's pride and Elizabeth's prejudice, as these will be your strongest evidence in an essay.