"Pride and Prejudice" Themes

In the below table explore the way the theme is presented within the novel. Look for examples and quotations that show how the theme is treated by the text and explain their relevance. 

Theme	Quotation – Example	Explanation - Relevance
Society’s  expectation on Class	It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife. Ch.1 p.1. “Do not make yourself uneasy, my dear cousin, about your apparel.  Lady Catherine is far from requiring that elegance of dress in us, which becomes herself and her daughter.  I could advise you merely to put on whatever of your clothes is superior to the rest--there is no occasion for anything more.  Lady Catherine will not think the worse of you for being simply dressed.  She likes to have the distinction of rank preserved” Ch.29 P.285. “Certainly, my dear, nobody said there were; but as to not meeting with many people in this neighbourhood, I believe there are few neighbourhoods larger. I know we dine with four and twenty families.” Ch.9 P.76 “He spoke well; but there were feelings besides those of the heart to be detailed; and he was not more eloquent on the subject of tenderness than of pride. His sense of her inferiority--of its being a degradation--of the family obstacles which had always opposed to inclination, were dwelt on with a warmth which seemed due to the consequence he was wounding, but was very unlikely to recommend his suit. “  Ch.34 Pg.336 "I feel myself called upon, by our relationship, and my situation in life, to condole with you on the grievous affliction you are now suffering under, of which we were yesterday informed by a letter from Hertfordshire.  Be assured, my dear sir, that Mrs. Collins and myself sincerely sympathise with you and all your respectable family, in your present distress, which must be of the bitterest kind, because proceeding from a cause which no time can remove. […] The death of your daughter would have been a blessing in comparison of this.  […] Howsoever that may be, you are grievously to be pitied; in which opinion I am not only joined by Mrs. Collins, but likewise by Lady Catherine and her daughter, to whom I have related the affair.  They agree with me in apprehending that this false step in one daughter will be injurious to the fortunes of all the others; for who, as Lady Catherine herself condescendingly says, will connect themselves with such a family?  And this consideration leads me moreover to reflect, with augmented satisfaction, on a certain event of last November; for had it been otherwise, I must have been involved in all your sorrow and disgrace.” Ch 48 Pg 520 "In marrying your nephew, I should not consider myself as quitting that sphere.  He is a gentleman; I am a gentleman's daughter; so far we are equal." Ch 56 Pg 629 “Not so hasty, if you please.  I have by no means done. To all the objections I have already urged, I have still another to add.  I am no stranger to the particulars of your youngest sister's infamous elopement.  I know it all; that the young man's marrying her was a patched-up business, at the expense of your father and uncles.  And is such a girl to be my nephew's sister?  Is her husband, is the son of his late father's steward, to be his brother?  Heaven and earth! – of what are you thinking?  Are the shades of Pemberley to be thus polluted?” Ch 56 Pg 631 "'After mentioning the likelihood of this marriage to her ladyship last night, she immediately, with her usual condescension, expressed what she felt on the occasion; when it became apparent, that on the score of some family objections on the part of my cousin, she would never give her consent to what she termed so disgraceful a match.  I thought it my duty to give the speediest intelligence of this to my cousin, that she and her noble admirer may be aware of what they are about, and not run hastily into a marriage which has not been properly sanctioned.'" Ch. 57 Pg 641 “It is from my cousin Mr Collins, who, when I am dead, may turn you all out of this house as soon as he pleases.”	The opening statement of the novel establishes the ideal that a man of wealth must do his duty to society to marry and marry well. Lady Catherine thinks herself social superior to her guests. She expects people to dress in their classes, therefore segregating the different social classes. She doesn’t like people dressing above their class, as to segregate them further. This is because almost no one changed classes back in the day. In Austen making Collins say this, she positions the audience to not like him. Modern audiences would find this segregation of classes appalling.  Society is expecting him to marry someone with money and of equal social class. When he falls for Elizabeth he recognises that she is of a lower social class and does not keep this to himself when proposing to Elizabeth.  Mr Collins is saying that he is glad that he didn’t marry into the Bennet family as they are now seen as being lower class, as in society through Lydia’s dubious elopement her whole family is tainted by the scandal and that all the Bennet girls will now all have a harder to trying to secure a good marriage let alone a marriage to a rich and desirable man such as Bingley or Darcy.  This again relates to the expectation that you will stay married to the same class. It also emphasises the idea that Lady Catherine thinks Lizzy isn’t good enough or high enough class to marry her nephew. Lady Catherine is saying that Elizabeth and the Bennett’s are a lower class because of Lydia’s elopement.
Upper Class/ Wealthy	Letter from Lydia “It is a great comfort to have you so rich, and when you have nothing else to do, I hope you will think of us...I do not think we shall have quite money enough to live upon without some help.” “I had once some thoughts of fixing in town myself-for I am fond of superior society...” (p.26) Mr Darcy “She is tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me...” (p.13) “...of the situation of your mother’s family...so almost uniformly betrayed by herself, by your three younger sisters, and occasionally even by your father...” (p.193)  “If I can but see one of my daughters happily settled at Netherfield...and all others equally well married, I shall have nothing to wish for.” (p.11) “ I will never speak to you again...I have no pleasure in talking to undutiful children,” (p.111) “I am no stranger to the particulars of your youngest sister’s infamous elopement. ...and is such a girl to be my nephew’s sister? Heaven and Earth!- of what are you thinking? Are the shades of Pemberley to be thus polluted?” “In marrying your nephew, I should not consider myself as quitting that sphere. He is a gentleman; I am a gentleman’s daughter; so far we are equal.”	It has relevance because Lydia is relying on Lizzy to support her and Wickham. Positioning technique of characterization; as her character has always been selfish and silly, and this is typical Lydia. Also, Austen writes this in a letter, which suggests that she wants the reader to know this. Shows that he is wealthy, he is proud and is definitely a part of the upper class. He is wealthy enough to move wherever he wants. He believes that because he is wealthy, he needs an attractive woman to dance with/marry. Austen wants the audience to view this, because it shows Darcy’s pride and his arrogant side. The positioning technique is irony, because later he proposes to Elizabeth twice. Relevance is that the reason Mr Darcy took Mr Bingley away from Jane, was because the Bennet family was middle class and Mr Bingley was upper class, also Mrs Bennet was very embarrassing and the three younger sisters are silly. It is because of their class, that Mr Bingley could not marry Jane. The positioning technique is irony, as not only does Mr Bingley marry Jane, but so does Mr Darcy marry Elizabeth. Mrs Bennet is only concerned about her daughters getting married to wealthy families. That was the norm back in the day and was very valued to all families in all classes, the main concern however, was just marrying wealthy. Mrs Bennet doesn’t want to talk to Elizabeth ever again because she didn’t marry Mr Collins. Mrs Bennet was keen on getting Elizabeth to marry him because he was very wealthy and was related to them, meaning that Lizzy and Mr Collins would own their house when Mr Bennet passed away. Again, Mrs Bennet wants her daughters to marry well and wealthy, as she values this very much. Elizabeth doesn’t value wealth and therefore, didn’t marry Mr Collins. There is also the poisoning technique of characterization of the character of Mrs Bennet. Lady Catherine values upper class society and her wealth. This can be seen by the narration, which always describes her place as very wealthy and gold plated everything, and can also be seen by her character, by the way she talks and what she talks about. She is a very classy lady, and respects others of high society. Elizabeth values real love, which is in contrast to Lady Catherine’s character. Elizabeth, although a middle class lady, sees that her and Mr Darcy are on the same line= are equal, she doesn’t see the difference between the upper class and the middle class. Also, there is the irony again, as she would never want to marry Mr Darcy, but now she is very much keen and willing to be on the bad side of Lady Catherine and marry Darcy.
Working or Lower Class	"Do not make yourself uneasy, my dear cousin, about your apparel.  Lady Catherine is far from requiring that elegance of dress in us which becomes herself and her daughter.  I could advise you merely to put on whatever of your clothes is superior to the rest--there is no occasion for anything more.  Lady Catherine will not think the worse of you for being simply dressed.  She likes to have the distinction of rank preserved." (29.6) “The Netherfield women would have had difficulty believing that a man who lived by trade and within view of his own warehouses, could have been so well-bred and agreeable” (Ch. 25, pg. 141) “I am not romantic, you know; I never was. I ask only a comfortable home; and considering Mr Collins’s character, connections, and situation in life, I am convinced that my chance of happiness with his is as fair as most people can boast on entering the marriage state” (Ch. 22)	Members of the upper class tend to possess money owing to inheritance, rather than a career. It is surprising therefore, that a man of the working class, such as Mr Gardiner, could be comparable to members of the upper class in manner. Readers are positioned to view people of inherited wealth as superior to those characters, such as Gardiner and Wickham, who earn their money through work through emphasis on the grandeur of family’s such as the Bingley’s, Darcy’s and de Bourgh’s. This would have been a common attitude held by many within society at the point of the novel’s publishing and reflects the influence of social class, a pivotal theme within the novel This quote emphasises the desire of Miss Lucas to marry well in order to ensure financial security and a comfortable place within the social order. Being an older bride, she is well aware that such an opportunity to marry may not present itself again, and Mr Collins’s offers everything she could desire as far as society and finance is concerned. It also links with the common action of people of the lower class to marry people of a higher rank in order to improve social standing. Wickham is considered lower class because he has had to work to earn his money, rather than having inherited it. Eventually, Wickham and Elizabeth find themselves in conversation, and she hears his story: he had planned on entering the ministry, rather than the militia, but was unable to do so because he lacked money. Darcy’s father, Wickham says, had intended to provide for him, but Darcy used a loophole in the will to keep the money for himself. Wickham is the definition of the phrase; “You can’t judge a book by its cover.”   Wickham comes from a low-class family in which his father was a steward for the Darcy’s. Wickham himself has no income or fortune but he was educated as a gentleman.   Wickham spends most of his time trying to lay his hands on easy money, which has led him to a lot of gambling debt and loans.   He has gentleman like attributes, due to living with the Darcy’s throughout his life, but does not have the gentleman like wealth to match.
Theme	Quotation – Example	Explanation - Relevance
Society’s expectation  on Gender	“The loss of virtue in a female is irretrievable; that one false step involves her in endless ruin; that her reputation is no less brittle than it is beautiful; and that she cannot be too much guarded in her behaviour towards the undeserving of the other sex.” –Mary Bennet (Chapter 47 P.274-275) “A woman must have a thorough knowledge of music, singing, drawing, dancing, and the modern languages, to deserve the word; and besides all this, she must possess a certain something in her air and manner of walking, the tone of her voice, her address and expressions, or the word will be but half-deserved.”- Miss Bingley (Chapter 8 P.39) It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife. However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering the neighborhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families that he is considered as the rightful property of some one or other of their daughters (Chapter 1 P.1) "She is tolerable, I suppose, but not handsome enough to tempt me; I am in no humour at present to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men. You had better return to your partner and enjoy her smiles, for you are wasting your time with me." Mr. Darcy talks of Elizabeth to Mr. Bingley about his preference of a type of woman he is interested or not interested in.            – Mr. Darcy (Chapter 3 P.13) If a woman is partial to a man, and does not endeavour to conceal it, he must find it out. – Lizzie Bennet (Chapter 6 P.23)	Ladies and gentlemen were not allowed to mix company freely, and by running away with Wickham, Lydia was flouting all the rules. àBring disgrace on the family and bring disrepute on her parents. à Unsuccessful marriage of her sisters. These are the tactics a woman of Caroline's same social and economic upbringing would use to capture the attention of a wealthy man in her day. This implies that the man wants a wife and the woman is not in a place to turn him down. The man becomes her claim, and for him she fights with other women. It seems as if women are plentiful and men are rare. The man has freedom and the option to choose any girl that he wants, while the women are desperate and fight for whichever man they can get. Jane Austen points this out and shows how dependent the woman is on a man in her English society. These quotes reveal that women and men were fixed in their social class, fixed in their gender roles, and fixed in their familial relationship with the patriarch as head of household.
Male	It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife. Ch.1 p.1. (Jane Austen) She is tolerable, but not handsome enough for me – chapter 3 page13. (Darcy) A single man of large fortune four or five thousand a year what a fine thing for our girls – chapter 1. Page 6 (Mrs Bennett) He is just what a young man ought to be…sensible, good humoured, lively; and I never saw such happy manners! – So much ease, with such perfect good breeding! – Chapter 4. Page 16.  (Jane about Bingley) Having now a good house and very sufficient income, he intended to marry – chapter 15, page 69.   Mrs Bennet had been strongly inclined to ask them to stay and dine there…she did not think any thing less than two courses could be good enough for a man…who had ten thousand a year – chapter 53. Page 319 (Jane Austen about Mrs Bennet) Mr. Collins is a conceited, pompous, narrow-minded, silly man; you know he is, as well as I do; and you must feel, as well as I do, that the woman who married him cannot have a proper way of thinking. – Chapter 24 p. 133 (Lizzie to Jane)	That a man would not only want money but also a good wife. Expectations of a good wife are further explored throughout the novel that would have children, look after them and keep her husband in good health.  It is the male’s job to seek out his desired female (women have little say) and a mans expectation of a woman is for her to be desirable and good-looking, nothing less (embedded values, attitudes and ideas). Emphasises the fact the women are slighted by men Men are expected to be wealthy to provide for women Men should be agreeable Have good manners At first they have to obtain wealth and then be able to provide for a family. Quote about Mr Collins reflects how some male characters throughout the novel consider themselves higher than others in society due to their wealth and/or whom they know. This reinforces the attitude of being too proud of what you have.
Female	She was a woman of mean understanding, little information, and uncertain temper. When she was discontented she fancied herself nervous. The business of her life was to get her daughters married; Ch.1 p.7 "To be fond of dancing was a certain the step towards falling in love. " "If I can but see one of my daughters happily settled at Netherfield," said Mrs. Bennet to her husband, "and all the others equally well married, I shall have nothing to wish for." "She is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt  me ; I am in no humour at present to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men." "Oh! you are a great deal too apt, you know, to like people in general. You never see a fault in anybody. All the world are good and agreeable in your eyes. I never heard you speak ill of a human being in your life." "Lady Lucas was a very good kind of woman, not too clever to be a valuable neighbour to Mrs. Bennet. They had several children. The eldest of them, a sensible, intelligent young woman, about twenty-seven, was Elizabeth's intimate friend." "Oh! certainly," cried his faithful assistant, "no one can be really esteemed accomplished who does not greatly surpass what is usually met with. A woman must have a thorough knowledge of music, singing, drawing, dancing, and the modern languages, to deserve the word; and besides all this, she must possess a certain something in her air and manner of walking, the tone of her voice, her address and expressions, or the word will be but half-deserved." "All this she must possess," added Darcy, "and to all this she must yet add something more substantial, in the improvement of her mind by extensive reading." "I am no longer surprised at your knowing  only  six accomplished women. I rather wonder now at your knowing  any ."( Elizabeth Bennet) "You are very kind,sir, I am sure; and I wish with all my heart it may prove so, for else they will be destitute enough. Things are settled so oddly." "You allude perhaps to the entail of this estate." "Ah! sir, I do indeed. It is a grievous affair to my poor girls, you must confess. Not that I mean to find fault with  you , for such things I know are all chance in this world. There is no knowing how estates will go when once they come to be entailed." "Pardon me for interrupting you, madam," cried Mr. Collins; "but if she is really headstrong and foolish, I know not whether she would altogether be a very desirable wife to a man in my situation, who naturally looks for happiness in the marriage state. If therefore she actually persists in rejecting my suit, perhaps it were better not to force her into accepting me, because if liable to such defects of temper, she could not contribute much to my felicity." Our importance, our respectability in the world must be affected by the wild volatility, the assurance and disdain of all restraint which mark Lydia's character. Excuse me, for I must speak plainly. If you, my dear father, will not take the trouble of checking her exuberant spirits, and of teaching her that her present pursuits are not to be the business of her life, she will soon be beyond the reach of amendment. "Unhappy as the event must be for Lydia, we may draw from it this useful lesson: that loss of virtue in a female is irretrievable; that one false step involves her in endless ruin; that her reputation is no less brittle than it is beautiful; and that she cannot be too much guarded in her behaviour towards the undeserving of the other sex." " The death of your daughter would have been a blessing in comparison of this. And it is the more to be lamented, because there is reason to suppose as my dear Charlotte informs me, that this licentiousness of behaviour in your daughter has proceeded from a faulty degree of indulgence; though, at the same time, for the consolation of yourself and Mrs. Bennet, I am inclined to think that her own disposition must be naturally bad, or she could not be guilty of such an enormity, at so early an age. Howsoever that may be, you are grievously to be pitied; in which opinion I am not only joined by Mrs. Collins, but likewise by Lady Catherine and her daughter, to whom I have related the affair. They agree with me in apprehending that this false step in one daughter will be injurious to the fortunes of all the others; for who, as Lady Catherine herself condescendingly says, will connect themselves with such a family? " it is all very right; who should do it but her own uncle? If he had not had a family of his own, I and my children must have had all his money, you know; and it is the first time we have ever had anything from him, except a few presents. Well! I am so happy! In a short time I shall have a daughter married. Mrs. Wickham! How well it sounds! "I have said no such thing. 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." The fact is, that you were sick of civility, of deference, of officious attention. You were disgusted with the women who were always speaking, and looking, and thinking for  your  approbation alone. I roused, and interested you, because I was so unlike  them .	Mrs Bennet has no role in life except to marry her daughters. This is important to secure their future because they have no male heir to rely on they must marry. This is also evident in the novel when Charlottes brothers are relieved that she won’t end up an old maid.