Throughout the plot of Pride and Prejudice, the reader is focused on Elizabeth Bennett and her struggles to find a proper husband. Her sisters also struggle along the way, and readers can resonate with the similar scenarios that they have experienced in their own life. Much of the drama and situations that are described are often mirrored in our everyday college experiences and relationships. In the classic, different groups of antagonists act as barricades on Elizabeth's path to finding her match.
In the beginning, there are antagonists such as Mrs. Bennett and Mr. Collins that try to persuade her to marry the wrong man. Mrs. Bennett feels that when Elizabeth denies Mr. Collins, she is sacrificing her only opportunity to marry and gain wealth through a husband. On page 69 Mrs. Bennett says, "She is a very headstrong, foolish girl, and does not know her own interest but I will make her know it." This quote demonstrates how Mrs. Bennett constantly thinks that she knows best and that her daughters are always defying her. On the contrary, she is a very dramatic woman that gets extremely upset when she does not get her way. She should be happy that her daughter Elizabeth is following her heart and is big enough to deny a proposal from a wealthy man. Similarly, Mr. Collins thinks that he knows what's best for Elizabeth. After his proposal was shot down, he says, "...it is by no means certain that another offer of marriage may ever be made to you. Your portion is so unhappily small that it will in all likelihood undo the effects of your loveliness and amiable qualifications" (Austen, 68). Mr. Collins is threatening Elizabeth, trying to scare her into saying yes to his hand in marriage. Though this marriage would never satisfy Elizabeth, there were many influential people in her life trying to force her to accept. As a reader, it is satisfying to observe how she continues to stand her ground and follow her heart.
On the other hand, a separate group of antagonists that try to prevent Elizabeth from marrying Mr. Darcy. These people include Miss. Bingley and Lady Catherine de Bourgh. In chapter 10, Miss. Bingley tries to provoke Darcy and ruin his perception of Elizabeth by commenting on the provocative behavior of the Bennett sisters and the inferiority of Elizabeth's connections. She is constantly jealous of Elizabeth and her growing connection with Darcy, acting as one of the barriers in Elizabeth's path. Lady Catherine de Bourgh is no advocate for Elizabeth either. Throughout chapter 56, the two women are engaged in an argument surrounding the possible marriage of Elizabeth and Darcy. Lady Catherine de Bourgh insists that this would be a ridiculous marriage that Elizabeth does not deserve. Given her connections and position in life, Lady Catherine refuses to accept that the two should be wed. She is condescending and rude, as Elizabeth continues to stand up for herself. Eventually, on page 191 Lady Catherine says, "And you will promise me, never to enter into such an engagement?" Elizabeth refuses to make this promise, shocking and offending Lady Catherine.
Despite these various groups of antagonists and obstacles in her way, Elizabeth marries Darcy. Insults from Lady Catherine regarding her family's reputation, snarky comments from Miss. Bingley, doubts from her mother, and arrogance from Mr. Collins only helped her grow stronger as a person. She lands the rich and handsome Mr. Darcy, and the "Pride" and "Prejudice" live happily ever after.
I think you made some really great points about the role of antagonists in Pride and Prejudice. I loved the way you analyzed the various characters who tried to stand in Elizabeth's way on her journey to finding love. It's amazing how relevant the book still is today, especially considering how similar the scenarios in the story are to real-life experiences. I totally agree with your take on how the antagonists in the book helped shape Elizabeth's character and made her stronger. Mrs. Bennett, Mr. Collins, Lady Catherine, and Miss Bingley all challenged Elizabeth in different ways, but she never gave up and always stood up for herself. It's so inspiring to see how she never lost her voice, even when everyone around her was trying to make her change her mind.
ReplyDeleteThe antagonists of Pride and Prejudice are a vital aspect of the story and your analysis highlights just how instrumental they are to delivering the message of the novel. The antagonists work to establish and enforce the social expectations that drives the central conflict of the book. Without them, the empathetic characters would not have any status quo to rebel against. Your examples clearly display this idea, as each one showcases Elizabeth triumphing over an antagonist who is desperately trying to maintain the social norms of the time. By characterizing those who wish to adhere to social pressures as antagonists in direct confrontation with Elizabeth, Austen implies that the values they stand for should be criticized. Manifesting those disagreeable values in certain characters helps clarify the message of the novel while also highlighting their ubiquity and power. I thought your post was a great analysis of the manner in which the novel conveys its themes.
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