Pride and Prejudice: Theme Analysis
Theme Analysis
Pride and Prejudice was first titled First Impressions, and these titles embody the themes of the novel. The narrative describes how the prejudices and first impressions (especially those dealing with pride) of the main characters change throughout the novel, focusing on those of Elizabeth Bennet.
Elizabeth's judgments about other characters' dispositions are accurate about half of the time. While she is correct about Mr. Collins and how absurdly self-serving he is and about Lady Catherine de Bourgh and how proud and snobbish she is, her first impressions of Wickham and Darcy steer her incorrectly. Wickham is first thought to be a gentleman by all. His good looks and his easy manner fool almost everyone, and Elizabeth believes without question all that he tells her of Darcy. Elizabeth's first impressions of him are contradicted when she realizes that he has lied about Darcy.
Elizabeth and many of the other characters see Darcy as proud, and it can be seen from this quote just how quickly this judgment of him is formed.
"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).
It is not only what she believes to be pride in Darcy's character that makes her judge him harshly, but also her prejudice against him because of the lies Wickham has told her. Darcy sees this fault of prejudice in Elizabeth, stating that her defect is "willfully to misunderstand everybody." In the end Elizabeth realizes her folly in trusting her first impressions and prejudices about the men, and states, "how despicably have I acted. I, who have prided myself on my discernment! - I, who have valued myself on my abilities."
The above are only a few of the major examples of first impressions, prejudice and pride in the novel, as these themes show up throughout the story. Characters besides Darcy are also accused of having too much pride, such as Bingley's sisters, Miss Darcy, Lady Catherine and others. There are also discussions about pride between Elizabeth and Darcy, and Mary discusses pride vs. vanity. Characters are also described as being proud on certain occasions. For example, Mrs. Bennet is described as visiting her married daughters with pride, and Elizabeth is said to be proud of Darcy because of what he had done for Lydia. First impressions can be discussed of many of the other characters than those discussed here, and prejudice is illustrated not only in Elizabeth's behavior, but in Darcy's and Lady Catherine's reactions to the status of Elizabeth's family as well.
Pride and Prejudice Study Guide
Choose to Continue- Pride and Prejudice
- Novel Summary: Chapters 1-4
- Novel Summary: Chapters 5-8
- Novel Summary: Chapters 9-12
- Novel Summary: Chapters 13-16
- Novel Summary: Chapters 17-20
- Novel Summary: Chapters 21-24
- Novel Summary: Chapters 25-28
- Novel Summary: Chapters 29-32
- Novel Summary: Chapters 33-36
- Novel Summary: Chapters 45-48
- Novel Summary: Chapters 53-56
- Novel Summary: Chapters 49-52
- Novel Summary: Chapters 57-60
- Novel Summary: Chapter 61
- Character Profiles
- Metaphor Analysis
- Theme Analysis
- Top Ten Quotes
- Biography: Jane Austen

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