From Pride to Prejudice
From Pride to PrejudiceFrom Pride to Prejudice
“Pride is defined as high or too high opinion of one’s own dignity, importance or worth; the condition or feeling of being proud; a noble sense of what is due to oneself or one’s position or character; self respect; self esteem.
The definition of prejudice is; an opinion, usually unfavorable, which is formed beforehand or without knowledge, thought, or reason; a disadvantage resulting from some judgment or action of another (Webster’s Dictionary).”
Pride and prejudice are two essential ideas in Jane Austen’s novel. In the novel Pride and Prejudice, pride comes in for Austen’s sharper criticism. She has chosen to personify this trait in several characters of the novel. Although, throughout the novel it is hard to find one character alone that portrays prejudice. When prejudice does occur in this novel, Jane Austen has shown it in the hands of a notoriously proud character. Because prejudice is not personified, or depicted as a major characteristic flaw, one would believe that it was not to be the object of Jane Austen’s focal point.
Jane Austen has depicted pride in her minor functional characters as a means of demonstrating its importance as a theme of this novel. Lady Catherine is one of the main offenders. Characters such as Mr. Collins fuel the Lady’s arrogance and pride, as he is put there to satire proud people and their followers. Another important character to note is Mr. Darcy. He is an extremely important character in this novel, a major character in fact. In the beginning of the novel, the reader, Elizabeth, and the community of the shire perceive Mr. Darcy to be excessively ‘proud.’ Given that our perception of his character, along with Elizabeth’s perception, has changed throughout the novel, points to Jane Austen’s criticism of pride and snobbery. This insinuates that once pride, and prejudice along with it, is done away with, a character becomes much more favorable. It is also noted that Lady Catherine does not sway from her proud arrogant position throughout the entirety of the novel. This is partly to provide a contrast between the supposed arrogance of Mr. Darcy at the beginning of the novel, and his change in behavior near the end of the novel.
Throughout this novel we are shown the arrogant and haughty dispositions of the upperclass of this society. We are also shown the exceptions to the stereotype, namely Mr. Bingley and Miss Darcy. These upperclass people are exceedingly proud of their great fortunes and estates. As a result of their emphasis on monetary issues, they are prejudiced against, and commit acts of prejudice towards their financial and social “inferiors”. An example of this is in the beginning of the novel, at the ball, when Mr. Darcy snubs Elizabeth Bennet in an act of prejudice. He refuses to dance with her on account of her being “not handsome enough to tempt (him) (pg. 9)”. After being described throughout the chapter...
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