Pride and Prejudice
Pride and Prejudice depicts a society in which a womans reputation is of the utmost importance. A woman is expected to behave in certain ways. Stepping outside the social norms makes her vulnerable to ostracism. This theme appears in the novel, when Elizabeth walks to Netherfield and arrives with muddy skirts, to the shock of the reputation-conscious Miss Bingley and her friends. At other points, the ill-mannered, ridiculous behavior of Mrs. Bennet gives her a bad reputation with the more refined Darcys and Bingleys. Austen pokes gentle fun at the snobs in these examples, but later in the novel, when Lydia elopes with Wickham and lives with him out of wedlock, the author treats reputation as a very serious matter.
The theme of class is related to reputation, in that both reflect the strictly regimented nature of life for the middle and upper classes in Regency England. The opening sentence of Pride and Prejudice, It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife (Austen 1), establishes the centrality of advantageous marriage, a fundamental social value of Regency England. This idea represents a Marxist criticism that displays differences among classes. The lines of class are strictly drawn. Another factor which social class controls is marriage. Social status played an important part in the kind of husband that a woman could get because it determined the social circles that a person moved in. Because the Bennet girls do not have any relatives who are extremely rich or important, they will not be able to meet very wealthy men. Therefore, they will be forced to marry men of their own upper-middle class standing. While the Bennets, who are middle class, may socialize with the upper class Bingleys and Darcys, they are clearly their social inferiors and are treated as such. Austen satirizes this kind of class-consciousness, particularly in the character of Mr. Collins, who spends most of his time toadying to his upper-class patron, Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Though Mr. Collins offers an extreme example, he is not the only one to hold such views. His conception of the importance of class is shared, among others, by Mr. Darcy, who believes in the dignity of his lineage; Miss Bingley, who dislikes anyone not as socially accepted as she is; and Wickham, who will do anything he can to get enough money to raise himself into a higher station. Mr. Collinss views are merely the most extreme and obvious. The satire directed at Mr. Collins is therefore also more subtly directed at the entire social hierarchy and the conception of all those within it at its correctness, in complete disregard of other, more worthy virtues. Through the Darcy-Elizabeth and Bingley-Jane marriages, Austen shows the power of love and happiness to overcome class boundaries and prejudices, thereby implying that such prejudices are hollow, unfeeling, and unproductive.
"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" (Austen 370).
In the above quote Elizabeth worries that Darcy's aunt will again bring the inferiority of Elizabeth's family to Darcy's mind and will turn him against her for sure. While in fact, Lady Catherine's attempts to draw Darcy and Elizabeth apart instead serves to bring them together at last.
Of course, this whole discussion of class must be made with the understanding that Austen herself is often criticized as being a classist: she doesnt really represent anyone from the lower classes; those servants she does portray are generally happy with their lot. Austen does criticize class structure but only a limited slice of that structure.
As we take a closer look at Mr. Darcy, it is evident that his standings as an upper class man he gives off a distinctive portrayal to the people he encounters. Mr. Darcy's wealth and handsomeness make him a likely target for all single women, except that he is snobby and unapproachable. A marriage to him would greatly improve the social status of any family in the Bennet's neighborhood, but because Darcy is so rude, no one even considers the idea of pairing their daughter with him. His social status makes him seem out of reach.
"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 was 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" (Austen 58).
This quotation provides further insight on how the lower classes displayed admiration to those higher-class persons in the society. But as soon as Mr. Darcy stopped portraying the ideal upper class citizen he was looked upon with shame. The people who observed Mr. Darcy felt that he could not be equally compared to Mr. Bingley that night due to his poor manners. On the other hand, as we look at Mr. Bingleys love interest we see that he is not stuck up or rude to Jane or her family because they are not as wealthy as he is. Just as Jane does not like Bingley for his social status, he does not dislike her because of her lack of social standing. This just further asserts the fact that those in the higher classes must uphold certain standards, and to act in a way that compromises the standards is to be ashamed of.
The overall themes of reputation and class work hand in hand in this novel. The importance of social class and reputability define who people are and how their lives will shape due to these factors.
Works Cited
Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. United Kingdom: Wordsworth Editions Ltd,1997.
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