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PRIDE AND PREJUDICE

ANALYZATION EXAMPLE
BY EMILY MACKINNON

Pride and Prejudice is a romance novel set in the late 1800’s. It follows the relationship and
romance of Fitzwilliam Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet, who represent the pride and prejudice
from the title, respectively. From indifference on both sides, to unrequited love on one and
extreme contempt on the other, to a final mutual respect and even love for each other,
their relationship has a multitude of turning points throughout the book. The following 5
slides are some of the most important of those points.
“MR. DARCY WALKED OFF; AND ELIZABETH REMAINED WITH NO VERY CORDIAL FEELINGS TOWARDS HIM.”

UPON THEIR FIRST “MEETING,” MR. DARCY AND ELIZABETH BENNET ARE NEITHER VERY POLITE OR EVEN CORDIAL
TO ONE ANOTHER. DARCY’S FIRST WORDS TO ELIZABETH ARE INSULTING, AND WITHOUT EVER LEARNING HER
NAME. ELIZABETH, IN HER TURN, ALREADY HELD HIM IN LOW REGARD THANKS TO WHAT SHE HAD HEARD OF HIM.

PRIDE PREJUDICE
Darcy assumes that because Elizabeth is Elizabeth has seen Darcy’s actions at the
sitting, she has been slighted by the men at ball and has made up her mind against him;
the already small ball. He detests the she has also been partly swayed by the
women around him, thinking them lower opinion of others. This personal slight
than himself, and that idea is prominently against her, which Darcy appears to have
shown by his choosiness when it comes to purposely forced upon her attention, only
dancing partners. solidifies her dislike of him.
Darcy’s proposal
disgusts Elizabeth,
because of the
manner in which
he does it. His
“’YOU MUST ALLOW ME TO TELL pride and
YOU HOW ARDENTLY I ADMIRE
AND LOVE YOU.’” arrogance lead
-MR. DARCY him to believe
that she would
Darcy has slowly been falling in love be delighted to
with Elizabeth, while Elizabeth’s accept his offer…
opinion of Darcy has only become because in his
more negative thanks to her mind, who else
association with George Wickham. would offer
When Darcy proposes to her the themselves to
first time, she rejects his offer her in her
vehemently. position?
“’…PLEASED WITH THE PREFERENCE OF ONE, AND OFFENDED BY THE NEGLECT OF THE OTHER, ON
THE VERY BEGINNING OF OUR ACQUAINTANCE, I HAVE COURTED PREPOSSESSION AND IGNORANCE,
AND DRIVEN REASON AWAY, WHERE EITHER WERE CONCERNED. TILL THIS MOMENT, I NEVER KNEW
MYSELF.’” -ELIZABETH BENNET

The day after Elizabeth receives Darcy’s proposal and


tells him exactly what she thinks of him – right or
wrong – she gets a letter from the man himself. This is
an important point in the story, because it marks the
turning of both of their opinions: Darcy accepts
almost all of Elizabeth’s criticism as truth, while
defending himself on the only point that he can, and
she gains a new perspective of him, believing what he
says as true after much reflection, because he would
have no reason to lie to her…especially not with
details such as the ones he gave.
“‘I AM ONLY RESOLVED TO ACT IN THAT MANNER, WHICH WILL, IN MY OWN OPINION, CONSTITUTE
MY HAPPINESS, WITHOUT REFERENCE TO YOU, OR TO ANY PERSON SO WHOLLY UNCONNECTED
WITH ME.’”
-ELIZABETH BENNET

Preceding this conversation with Darcy’s aunt, Lady (Continued)


Catherine, Elizabeth had seen a new side of Darcy. His
scorn towards her family was erased when she visited his Quite the contrary, however, Darcy’s opinion of Elizabeth
home of Pemberley with her aunt and uncle. This directly had grown so high, that Lady Catherine found it
led to the discovery of Wickham and Lydia – the necessary to make a trip to visit Elizabeth. She wanted to
youngest Bennet daughter – running off together. Darcy be assured that Elizabeth would never marry her nephew,
was an integral part of tracking down the two of them and thus impugn his honor, but she received no such
and forcing Wickham to marry Lydia in order to protect assurance. Elizabeth acknowledged to herself that she was
her honor. Elizabeth learned of Darcy’s involvement in in love with Darcy, and though she had no hope of his
this, and was shocked. She had persuaded herself into repeating an offer of marriage, she wished it more than
believing that his discovery of the scandal within her anything. Her refusal angered Lady Catherine, who
family was enough to scare him off forever. believed she was only left with one choice…
“‘IT TAUGHT ME TO Though their
HOPE,’ SAID HE, ‘AS I engagement
surprised
HAD SCARCELY EVER
everyone who
ALLOWED MYSELF TO heard of it, the
HOPE BEFORE.’” book is really an
-MR. DARCY account of their
slow descent
Lady Catherine’s plan was to go to her into selfless love
nephew and gain his assurance. for each other –
However, his motives had all been out a complete 180
of an even deeper love for Elizabeth,
degree turn from
and his conversation with his aunt only
their feelings for
drove him to hope she felt the same for
each other at the
him. He proposed a second time. She
accepted. book’s beginning.

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