Pride and Prejudice Point of View
The point of view of a novel usually decides which characters we sympathize with. In the novel Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, Elizabeth Bennett is the focal character, which causes the reader to feel closest to her. The reader can relate more easily to her feelings and actions, and given that all of Elizabeth's opinions on large issues are known and understood, the reader tends to side with her. By making the story from the point of view of Elizabeth, Austen is able to take advantage of the closeness between reader and character to make a political statement about the institution of marriage, and thus shows her own feeling that it is a mistake to marry for any other reason besides love. One way that she shows her feelings on matrimony is by using Elizabeth's voice as her own to approve of some characters decisions about marriage. Elizabeth's approval of certain characters shows Austen's approval, and in this case, Elizabeth approves of the marriage between Jane and Bingley. Jane and Bingley show throughout the novel their genuine affection for one another, and Elizabeth observes about Bingley's affection for Jane, "I never saw a more promising inclination. He was growing quite inattentive to other peo
Although Elizabeth disapproves of the marriage between Charlotte and Mr. Collins, an even more inferior marriage is that between Lydia and Wickham. Although they do end up marrying (which is better than what may have happened), their marriage is based not on love, but on lust and then necessity. Wickham has no intention of marrying Lydia until Darcy offers him a great deal of money. "...he [Darcy] was reduced to meet, frequently meet, reason with, persuade, and finally bribe, the man [Wickham] whom he always most wished to avoid" (241). To Elizabeth and Austen, this marriage is definitely worst of all of the poor marriages in the novel, which is shown by the fact that they are given the least happiness of all of the couples. Their affection for each other soon "sunk into indifference" (291), and despite the money that was given to Wickham by Darcy, they are the ones in the worst financial situation. "They were always moving from place to place in quest of a cheap situation, and always spending more than they ought" (290-291). By using Elizabeth as the character from whose point of view we see the other characters, we are shown by Austen how to feel about each specific situation. In the case of Lydia and Wickham, we are to agree with Elizabeth (and thus Austen) that they have gotten what they deserve for jumping into marriage for the wrong reasons. Therefore, Austen's voice comes through Elizabeth to make the statement that it is foolish to marry for any reason besides love. ple, and wholly engrossed by her... Is not general incivility the very essence of love?" (106). Mrs. Bennett approves of the match mostly on a monetary basis, and exclaims, "Why, he has four or five thousand a year, and very likely more. Oh my dear Jane, I am so happy!" (260). Elizabeth, however, looks down on her mother for this, and approves of the marriage because she can tell that the two are truly in love with one another. Austen also makes those in love the happiest of all the characters. Jane and Bingley are truly in love, consequently, they are two of the happiest characters i
Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1406
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)
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