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The title in this novel describes the underlying theme to the book. Pride and Prejudice are both influences on the characters and their relationships. This narrative describes how the prejudices and the prideful first impressions of the main characters throughout the novel. Elizabeth and many of the other characters see Darcy as proud. "The gentlemen pronounced him to be a fine figure of a man, the ladies declared he was much handsomer than Mr. Bingley, and he was looked at with great admiration for about half the evening, till his manners gave a disgust which tuned the tide of his popularity; for he as discovered to be proud, to be above his company, and above being pleased; and not all his large estate in Derbyshire could then save him from having a most forbidding, disagreeable countenance, and being unworthy to be compared with his friend" (58).
Not only does Elizabeth see Darcy as prideful, but the other characters do as well. Darcy's pride results in his alienation from the others. She is tolerable, but not handsome enough to temp me. Darcy, acting on his own pride insults Elizabeth. Darcy has a high opinion of himself that he creates a prejudice reaction from Elizabeth. Darcy's extreme pride is emphasized by the surrounding characters with similar faults.
For Elizabeth, her prejudice against Darcy that came from his snobbery caused her to not see his feelings for her and to believe whatever Wickham said. Elizabeth's thinks of Darcy as being the proudest, most disagreeable man in the world. After being insulted by Darcy, she herself becomes prideful and prejudice against him. Ironically, this attitude changes as Elizabeth makes Darcy realize his faults and vice-versa. How despicably have I acted! ... I, who have prided myself on my discernment! - I, who have valued myself on my abilities! (236).
Elizabeth realizes after reading Darcy's letter that she had no reason to despise him as she had. This serves as a turn pointing as Elizabeth becomes aware of her pride and prejudice. Elizabeth realizes her fault in trusting her first impressions and prejudices about men (specially Darcy) and values herself on her abilities. Lady Catherine, in an effort to dissuade Elizabeth from marrying Darcy, is an act of extreme pride and prejudice because according to her standards Elizabeth is to low and unworthy to even correlate with Darcy. She argues, Are the shades of Pemberly to be thus polluted? Her arrogance and pride stem from her prejudice toward Elizabeth.
This obscene assumption on Lady Catherines behalf is as a result of her prejudice toward the Bennets because of their low income, and social status. If he had been wavering before, as to what he should do, which had often seemed likely, the advice and entreaty of so near a relation might settle every doubt, and determine him at once to be as happy, as dignity unblemished could make him (370). Here, Elizabeth worries that Darcy's aunt will again bring the inferiority of Elizabeth's family to Darcy's mind and will turn him away from her. It is important to note that Darcy's aunt serves as a source to prove that the love between Darcy and Elizabeth defeated Pride and Prejudice.
As the novel comes to the end the reader realizes how pride and prejudice can be extremely misleading as it was presented in Lady Catherine toward Elizabeth. Prejudice was an issue for Darcy in that he disliked Elizabeth in the beginning for her low social status, poverty and socially inept family but is forced to deal with his pride and prejudice when he fell in love with Elizabeth. Elizabeth had her own issues with prejudice with which to deal. Darcy's cold arrogance and snobbery prejudiced her from him and it took Elizabeth a lot longer time to overcome her prejudice than it did Darcy. As the reader comes to understand the significance of the book, we come to realize how it closely ties up with the title of the book. The pride that Darcy felt and his initial prejudice against all of the Bennet family was eventually overwhelmed by his love for Elizabeth.
Elizabeth needed to overcome her prejudice against Darcy and see through his snobbery. In the end, pride and prejudice are dealt as Darcy and Elizabeth fall in love.
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Research essay sample on Pride And Prejudice Darcy And Elizabeth
