Pride And Prejudice Motif

Pride and Prejudice Motif Essay
In her novel Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen uses various characters in her novel to convey her message of the injustices and bias that were experienced during the early 19th century in society. Throughout the novel, Austen shows how destructive the mindset of a prejudiced person can truly be. Austen conveys her message through the novel's protagonists, Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy.
In the opening pages of the book, the residents of Longbourn are all attending a ball, most notably in attendence is the Bennet women and the Darcy family. While at the ball, the narrator describes the interactions between Darcy and the attendees. “Darcy, on the contrary, had seen a collection of people in whom there was little beauty
and no fashion, for none of whom he had felt the smallest interest and from none received either attention or pleasure” (Austen 13). This quote shows how Mr. Darcy is observing the people at the ball and deeming them inferior to him without ever talking to them. Darcy’s prejudiceness causes him to think so highly of himself, that anyone else he comes in contact with is automatically beneath him. Darcy is not the only character who acts on prejudgement, Elizabeth’s whole perception of Darcy is based on a biased opinion she has formed as well. Elizabeth’s jaded view of Darcy is shown when her response to his admiring her as, “She could only imagine that she drew his notice because there was something about her more wrong and reprehensible” and “The supposition did not pain her. She liked him too little to care for his approbation” (Austen 45). Elizabeth has already determined Darcy’s character as prideful and arrogant, so when she realizes he is looking at her, she believes his intentions are only to ridicule and condemn her physical appearance. Elizabeth’s lack of interest in Darcy because of his pride causes her to become apathetic towards Darcy, therefore making his view of her meaningless in her eyes. Both Darcy and Elizabeth’s false perception of the other leads to a series of events rooted in a misrepresentation of the other. Elizabeth’s enmity towards Darcy continues as the novel progresses.
When Darcy begins to realize his perception of Elizabeth was clouded, and he truly reflects on his view of her and the Bennet family, she is still hostile towards him. “The feelings which, you tell me, have long prevented the acknowledgment of your regard, can have little difficulty in overcoming it after this explanation” (Austen 172). Here, Elizabeth shows that her opinion of Darcy is unchangeable, and him admitting his true feelings about her, which reveal themselves as loving, cannot do anything to change how she feels about him. Elizabeth shows that her feelings will remain the same, and his words and actions do nothing to alter that. However, Austen’s use of the motif of prejudiceness becomes clear when Elizabeth comes to a crossroads with herself. Elizabeth begins to realize and acknowledge that her perception of Mr. Darcy is in fact jaded and limited. Austen shows this revelation and reevaluation of self when she says, “She grew absolutely ashamed of herself. -Of neither Darcy nor Wickham could she think, without feeling that she had been blind, partial, prejudiced, absurd” (Austen 188). Here, Austen begins to reveal the true meaning behind prejudice, and why it is such a dangerous attitude for one to have. Elizabeth’s examination of her actions and mindset cause her to realize she has become the person she strongly detested, and prided herself on not
being. Austen completes her interpretation of the motif in the novel’s ending chapters. After Darcy, and subsequently Elizabeth’s revelation of their “partial” outlook on people, they begin to accept each other for who they are. In the final pages, Darcy reveals to Elizabeth that he was bred into a prejudice mindset by his parents. “...almost taught me to be selfish and overbearing; to think meanly of all the rest of the world; to wish at least to think meanly of their sense and worth compared with my own” (Austen 334). Darcy honestly admits his view of others and society as a whole has been prideful and wrong his entire life. Darcy continues his revelation by telling Elizabeth, “you showed me how insufficient were all my pretensions to please a woman worthy of being pleased” (Austen 334). Darcy credits Elizabeth for helping him come to terms with himself and teaching him the value of being open minded with himself and others. In conclusion, Austen further brings light to the flawed nature of man and his mind towards the things around him in Pride and Prejudice. The inaccuracy that comes as a result of being prejudice is highlighted throughout the novel. Austen’s depiction of the characters in her novel show her stance on this prevalent issue in the nineteenth century, and she uses her novel to bring awareness to the fallacy that is prejudiced behavior.