Societal Expectations In Jane Austen's Pride And Prejudice

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Societal expectations In the Regency era, the society had high demands and expectations for the way people should act. Jane Austen viewed the expectations that were placed upon her as restricting, however one would not be able to break these restrictions without creating a disturbance. This is shown throughout Pride and Prejudice and the path that each individual character takes. Austen makes her opinion of the influence of the societal expectations clear through her characterization in Pride and Prejudice. Through each character Jane Austen is expressing herself by how the character acts. This is highlighted by how she expresses herself and her opinions through Elizabeth Bennet. Elizabeth is proposed to a total of three times throughout …show more content…

Jane Austen wrote about two main characters that broke societal roles that should have been upheld. She put her personal beliefs of how Darcy broke out of this expectation when meeting the Bennets. Darcy was originally characterized as too prideful, based on his approachable manner at the dance, therefore giving a negative first impression to the Bennet family. Nonetheless, Elizabeth eventually chooses to let herself form her own opinion of Darcy. She also let herself open up to the idea of having a new perspective of him. She learns to love and respect Darcy out of her own free will, despite what her family thinks. Elizabeth listens to others and learns who Darcy is despite society.When she learns that his housekeeper has “never known a cross word from him in [her] life, and [she has] known him ever since he was four years old” (pg 252) along with all of the other wonderful things she hears about him, her opinion of him begins to alter. Elizabeth wanted to marry someone that she loved. Darcy is looked down upon for admiring Elizabeth but is so strong in his opinion that he does not let others influence him. Here, Austen is pushing against the idea that the way people show are initially shown, isn 't necessarily who they are. Darcy, even though initially seen as insensibly prideful, is seen for his true self. Society makes him seem unapproachable and unworthy because of the first impression he gave off. Austen proves that it is important to get to know what people’s true intentions are. She does this by the evolution in the book of how people view

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