pride and prejudice themes essay

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117 Pride and Prejudice Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

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Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is a classic novel that has captivated readers for centuries. The story follows the lives of the Bennet sisters as they navigate romance, social status, and family dynamics in Regency-era England. With its timeless themes of love, class, and societal expectations, Pride and Prejudice continues to be a popular choice for literary analysis and discussion.

If you're in need of inspiration for an essay on Pride and Prejudice, look no further. We've compiled a list of 117 essay topic ideas and examples to help you get started on your assignment. Whether you're focusing on character analysis, themes, or literary devices, there's something here for every type of essay.

Character Analysis:

• Analyze the character of Elizabeth Bennet and her development throughout the novel.
• Explore the role of Mr. Darcy as a romantic hero in Pride and Prejudice.
• Discuss the character of Mrs. Bennet and her obsession with marrying off her daughters.
• Examine the relationship between Jane Bennet and Mr. Bingley.
• Compare and contrast the personalities of Lydia Bennet and Mary Bennet.
• Analyze the role of Lady Catherine de Bourgh in the novel.
• Discuss the character of Mr. Collins and his social climbing tendencies.
• Explore the character of Mr. Wickham and his impact on the plot.
• Examine the relationship between Mr. and Mrs. Bennet and its effects on their daughters.
• Discuss the character of Charlotte Lucas and her decision to marry Mr. Collins.

Themes: 11. Explore the theme of social class in Pride and Prejudice. 12. Discuss the role of marriage and courtship in Regency-era England. 13. Analyze the theme of love and romance in the novel. 14. Examine the theme of reputation and its importance to the characters. 15. Discuss the theme of pride and prejudice and its impact on the plot. 16. Explore the theme of gender roles and expectations in the novel. 17. Analyze the theme of family dynamics and relationships. 18. Discuss the theme of self-awareness and personal growth. 19. Examine the theme of judgment and misunderstandings in the novel. 20. Explore the theme of wealth and its influence on the characters' decisions.

Literary Devices: 21. Analyze the use of irony in Pride and Prejudice. 22. Discuss the role of satire in the novel. 23. Examine the use of dialogue to reveal character traits. 24. Analyze the use of foreshadowing in the plot. 25. Discuss the use of symbolism in Pride and Prejudice. 26. Explore the theme of appearance vs. reality in the novel. 27. Analyze the use of humor in the narrative. 28. Discuss the role of setting in conveying themes and mood. 29. Examine the use of narrative voice in the novel. 30. Explore the role of letters and correspondence in the plot.

Essay Examples: 31. How does Elizabeth Bennet defy societal expectations of women in Pride and Prejudice? 32. Analyze the role of Mr. Darcy as a romantic hero in the novel. 33. Discuss the theme of social class and its impact on the characters' relationships. 34. Explore the character of Lady Catherine de Bourgh and her influence on the plot. 35. How does Jane Austen use irony to critique the societal norms of her time in Pride and Prejudice? 36. Analyze the relationship between Mr. and Mrs. Bennet and its effects on their daughters. 37. Discuss the theme of love and romance in the novel, focusing on the relationships between the characters. 38. How does the novel explore the theme of pride and prejudice through the characters' interactions? 39. Analyze the role of marriage and courtship in Regency-era England, using examples from the novel. 40. Discuss the theme of self-awareness and personal growth in Pride and Prejudice, focusing on Elizabeth Bennet's journey.

With these 117 essay topic ideas and examples, you'll be well-equipped to tackle any assignment on Pride and Prejudice. Whether you're analyzing character development, exploring themes, or examining literary devices, there's plenty to unpack in Jane Austen's beloved novel. Happy writing!

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Pride and Prejudice

By jane austen, pride and prejudice themes.

As Mary says in Chapter 5, "human nature is particularly prone to [pride]." Throughout Pride and Prejudice , pride prevents the characters from seeing the truth of a situation. Most notably, it is one of the two primary barriers in the way of a union between Elizabeth and Darcy. Darcy's pride in his social position leads him to scorn anyone outside of his own social circle. Meanwhile, Elizabeth's pride in her powers of discernment cloud her judgment. These two find happiness by helping each other overcome his/her pride. Outside of Elizabeth and Darcy, however, Austen seems pessimistic about the human ability to conquer this character flaw. A slew of secondary characters, like Mrs. Bennet , Lady Catherine , Mr. Collins , and Caroline Bingley , remain deluded by personal pride throughout the novel.

Critic A. Walton Litz comments, "in Pride and Prejudice one cannot equate Darcy with Pride, or Elizabeth with Prejudice; Darcy's pride of place is founded on social prejudice, while Elizabeth's initial prejudice against him is rooted in pride of her own quick perceptions." Ultimately, both characters' egos drive them towards personal prejudice. Darcy has been taught to scorn anyone outside his own social circle and must overcome his prejudice in order to endear himself to Elizabeth. Similarly, Elizabeth's excessive pride in her discernment leads her write Darcy off too quickly. Ultimately, they find happiness by recognizing the barriers that prejudice creates.

Austen portrays the family unit as primarily responsible for the intellectual and moral education of children. Throughout the novel, the younger characters either benefit from or suffer from their family values. Mr. and Mrs. Bennet's failure to provide their daughters with a proper education leads to Lydia 's utter foolishness and immorality. Elizabeth and Jane manage to develop virtue and discernment in spite of their parents' negligence, though it is notable that they have other role models (like the Gardiners). Darcy shares his father's aristocratic nature and tendency towards generosity, while Lady Catherine's formidable parenting style has rendered her daughter too frightened to speak.

Austen is certainly critical of the gender injustices present in 19th century English society, particularly as perpetrated by the institution of marriage. In Pride and Prejudice , many women (such as Charlotte ) must marry solely for the sake of financial security. However, in her portrayal of Elizabeth, Austen shows that women are just as intelligent and capable as their male counterparts. Jane Austen herself went against convention by remaining single and earning a living through her novels. In her personal letters, Austen advised friends only to marry for love. In the novel, Elizabeth's happy ending reveals Austen's beliefs that woman has the right to remain independent until she meets the right man (if she meets him).

On the other hand, most contemporary readers will find the Longbourn entailment to be unjust. And yet the heroines - Jane and Elizabeth - refrain from speaking out against it. Instead, the only two characters who openly criticize the entailment - Mrs. Bennet and Lady Catherine - are ridiculous caricatures. Furthermore, the fact that Elizabeth seems to share her father's distrust frivolous women suggests Austen's uneasy relationship with her own gender.

Class issues are everywhere in Pride and Prejudice . While the novel never posits an egalitarian ideology nor supports the leveling of all social classes, it does criticize an over-emphasis on class, especially in terms of judging a person's character. Ultimately, the novel accepts Elizabeth's view that the trappings of wealth are not a virtue in and of themselves. Darcy's initial pride is based on his extreme class-consciousness, but he eventually comes to accept Elizabeth's perspective, most notably evidenced through his admiration of the Gardiners. Likewise, he joins Elizabeth in rejecting the upper-class characters who are idle, mean-spirited, closed-minded, like Lady Catherine and Bingley's sisters.

Austen clearly finds rigid class boundaries to be occasionally absurd. Mr. Collins's comic formality and obsequious relationship with Lady Catherine form a satire of class consciousness and social formalities. In the end, the novel's verdict on class differences is moderate. Austen seems to accept the existence of class hierarchy, but she also criticizes the way it can poison society. Critic Samuel Kliger notes, "If the conclusion of the novel makes it clear that Elizabeth accepts class relationships as valid, it becomes equally clear that Darcy, through Elizabeth's genius for treating all people with respect for their natural dignity, is reminded that institutions are not an end in themselves but are intended to serve the end of human happiness."

Individual vs. Society

In Pride and Prejudice , Austen portrays a world in which society is actively involved in the private lives of individuals. Characters often face questions about their responsibility to the world around them. A prime example is Darcy's guilt for not having publicly shamed Wickham before he was able to elope with Lydia. After all, Lydia's sin threatens to besmirch not only her family, but the community at large. And yet Austen seems quite well aware of how easily public opinion can change, as evidenced by the town's easily shifting opinions on Wickham.

Elizabeth, meanwhile, is proudly independent and individualistic. She possesses the ability to transcend her limitations - the negligence of her parents, the frivolity of Meryton, the pragmatic nature of Charlotte - because she is confident enough to go after what she wants. However, her individualistic nature misleads her as she works through her feelings for Darcy - but thankfully, Mrs. Gardiner is there to guide her towards him. Ultimately, Austen is critical of the power public opinion has on individual action, but she also believes that society has a crucial role in promoting virtue and therefore, engendering individual happiness. According to critic Richard Simpson, Austen portrays a "thorough consciousness that man is a social being, and that apart from society there is not even the individual."

Austen's novels unite Aristotelian and Christian conceptions of virtue. She sees human life as purposeful and believes that human beings must guide their appetites and desires through their use of reason. For instance, Elizabeth almost loses her chance at happiness because her vanity overcomes her pragmatism. Lydia's lack of virtue is linked with her inability to control her passion and desire.

Most of these examples emphasize the importance of self-awareness. Without knowing oneself, it is difficult to develop virtue. Darcy and Elizabeth, two of the only characters who actually change in the novel, can only see past their pride and prejudice with each other's help. In the end, Austen links happiness to virtue and virtue to self-awareness.

Pride and Prejudice Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for Pride and Prejudice is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

1. What motivates Collins to seek a wife from among the Bennet girls?

7. How might Collins’ reasons for marriage be judged today? Why does he have trouble taking Elizabeth’s rejection seriously? What does he purport to offer her? Collins’ reasons for marriage, which are primarily utilitarian and focused on social...

In which ways is Elizabeth different from the rest of the Bennet family? What does the contrast reveal about her character?

Elizabeth is one of the only characters in Pride and Prejudice who changes significantly over the course of the story. Her distinctive quality is her extreme perceptiveness, which she uses to assess others at the beginning of the novel and...

What are reasons that Elizabeth thinks darcy may still be interested?

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Study Guide for Pride and Prejudice

Pride and Prejudice study guide contains a biography of Jane Austen, literature essays, a complete e-text, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About Pride and Prejudice
• Pride and Prejudice Summary
• Pride and Prejudice Video
• Character List

Essays for Pride and Prejudice

Pride and Prejudice essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

• Theme of Pride
• Epistolary Study of Austen
• Money as Social Currency in the Society Described in Pride and Prejudice
• Discretion and Design in Pride and Prejudice
• Eloquence: The Window To the Soul and the Number One Requirement for a Successful Courtship

Lesson Plan for Pride and Prejudice

• About the Author
• Study Objectives
• Common Core Standards
• Introduction to Pride and Prejudice
• Relationship to Other Books
• Bringing in Technology
• Notes to the Teacher
• Related Links
• Pride and Prejudice Bibliography

E-Text of Pride and Prejudice

Pride and Prejudice e-text contains the full text of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

• Chapters 1-6
• Chapters 7-14
• Chapters 15-23
• Chapters 24-33
• Chapters 34-42

Wikipedia Entries for Pride and Prejudice

• Introduction

Themes and Analysis

Pride and prejudice, by jane austen.

A literary work, such as 'Pride and Prejudice', can be interpreted in multiple ways depending on the mood, prior knowledge, level of understanding, and perspective of the reader.

Article written by Mizpah Albert

M.A. in English Literature and a Ph.D. in English Language Teaching.

The analysis here is an example, covering major elements of theme, setting, style, tone, and figurative language. 

Pride and Prejudice Themes

Themes are commonly the central ideas of any piece of literature. They are developed in various ways and characters. Written from the perspective of Elizabeth, the novel explores a number of themes , such as love, marriage, pride, prejudice, class, reputation, and many others .

As the title of the novel suggests, both pride and prejudice play a vital role in the novel. Pride is pronounced through the character of Darcy and prejudice is highlighted through Elizabeth. Darcy acts snobbishly during his first meeting with Elizabeth that eventually makes her hate him. His pride blinds him to the good qualities of Elizabeth, and her prejudice blinds her to see through his outward nature. It takes time for them to realize and evolve out of their pride and prejudice. Besides, Elizabeth, Darcy too out of his pride is exposed to prejudice over the people below his social class and economical status.

Other characters who exhibit pride in the novel are Catherine De Bough and Miss Catherine Bingley.

Love and Marriage

In Pride and Prejudice , Love and Marriage go hand in hand. Especially, it specifies the love and marriage between Darcy and Elizabeth , who strongly believes in marrying for love than anything. As the opening line of the novel suggests, It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife marriage was the major concern of Austen time. That is what would have inspired her to focus on love and marriage in Pride and Prejudice and in her other novels too.

True love, the leads to the happy union of the characters despite all adversity is portrayed through the couples, Darcy and Elizabeth, and Jane and Charles Bingley.  At the same time, the novel also exposes the marriages that happened solely for the purpose of independence, reputation, and financial security, as in the case of Charlotte Lucas and Lydia Bennet. 

Class plays unmistakably a significant role in the novel. The novel draws a clear line between the rich and poor. The theme is employed to foster Austen’s distaste over the society in general.

She makes it clear that people like Lady Catherine, due to their pride in social class act rudely, even in their regular conversation, and forever guilty of mistreating other people. The characters like Mr. Collins and Caroline are defined completely by the dictations of the class system. In contrast to them, Jane Austen produces more positive examples in Bingley and the Gardiners. Through Darcy’s character, she has enumerated class as a force that drives people to have virtue and decency, comparing the situation to the careless behavior of Mrs. Bennet and her daughters.

Darcy is presented as an epitome of an ideal high-class gentleman. Though, he seems to be arrogant and selfish in the beginning, over a period of time, his prejudiced opinion on the lower class changes, when he is exposed to the ideal qualities of Elizabeth. Austen strongly conveys her ideology that class does not determine one’s character, at the same time through love one can overcome all obstacles, including class.

Some of the other themes, one finds in Pride and Prejudice include integrity, family, reputation, etc.

Analysis of Key Moments in Pride and Prejudice

• Bingley arrives at Netherfield along with his sisters and Darcy.
• Darcy insults Elizabeth at the Meryton Ball while Bingley is attracted to Jane
• For the first time in the party arranged by Sir William Lucas, Darcy makes a positive observation on Elizabeth’s fine eyes, after Elizabeth turns down his request for a dance.
• When Jane is sick, Elizabeth arrives at Netherfield to take care of her sister. Positively, Darcy gets to see more of her, which he finds as a danger.
• Collins arrives at Longbourn to choose a wife for him amongst the Bennet sisters. But, he ends up marrying Charlotte Lucas.
• Meanwhile, Elizabeth gets acquainted with Wickham, who tells her the story of him being treated arrogantly.
• Bingley leaves Netherfield uninformed. Desolated Jane goes with the Gardiners to London with the hope of meeting Bingley only to be disappointed.  
• Elizabeth comes to know of Darcy’s involvement in the separation between Jane and Bingley. She vents out her anger and accuses him of spoiling the life of Wickham and her dear sister’s happiness.
• Despondent, Darcy explains the reasons for his actions in a letter to Elizabeth, which softens her feelings towards Darcy but he leaves Rosings to know her reversal of feelings.
• During her visit to the Gardiners, Elizabeth meets Darcy in his Pemberley estate, but her happiness short-lived when she receives a message about Lydia’s elopement with Wickham.
• Elizabeth comes to know of Darcy’s painstaking effort in saving Lydia’s reputation in marriage with Wickham.
• Soon, Bingley proposes to Jane and engaged.
• Infuriated by Elizabeth, Lady Catherine warns Darcy, who regaining hopes proposes to Elizabeth again, who accepts happily.

Style, Tone, and Figurative Language

Pride and Prejudice, on the whole, employed with irony and wit. Austen through the speeches of various characters employed irony that draws a clear line between what is being said and what the readers interpret about the reality of the situation. For example, when Mr. Collins confidently tells Elizabeth that “I am therefore by no means discouraged by what you have just said and shall hope to lead you to the altar ere long,” the reader knows about Elizabeth’s feelings that are direct opposite what he expects.

The tone of Pride and Prejudice , despite it being romance is ironic towards various characters and events in the novel. The ironical is employed to demonstrate the foolishness of characters, the attitude of pretensions social class, and the criticism on gender roles.

Austen exaggerated situations and phrases, also used comparisons to satirize some of the ridiculous courting rituals of her time. Jane Austen’s use of irony, which is common in her novel is highlighted in the novel. She has employed all forms of irony namely: verbal, thematic, situational, and dramatic.

Use of Symbols

One of the prominent symbols in Pride and Prejudice is dancing. An Austen detail on a couple’s compatibility through dancing that symbolizes the level of their relationship. When Elizabeth and Darcy dance together the first time, their steps are stilted and formal, similar to the indifference and formality they had in their relationship at that point. Likewise, when Elizabeth and  Mr. Collins danced, he missteps, grovels, and embarrasses in front of her friends and family, similar to the awkward situation of him proposing to be rejected by Elizabeth. At the same time, Jane and Bingley 4times on a single night, reveals how happy and comfortable they were together.

‘Outdoors’ in the novel has come to symbolize openness and understanding. Many knots in the story are loosened in the outdoor settings in the story. Darcy proposes both the times when they were in the outdoor settings. In contrast, Indoor meetings have often caused to multiply their misunderstanding. Evidently, they were forced into awkward situations during their meeting at Netherfield, in Kent, and at Pemberley.

‘Pemberley’ stands to symbolize the nature of Darcy in the novel. In the beginning, when Pemberley’s pride is mentioned we see Darcy as a man of arrogance and Pride. Later, when Elizabeth visits Pemberley, she sees that as neither “formal, nor falsely adorned” . Following that description, we see the improved Darcy, who is more sociable and friendly. The lack of pretension, refined taste, and gracious welcome, Elizabeth and the Gardiners experienced at Pemberley, is a symbol of refinement in the man. One could see the positive change comes over Elizabeth that makes her fall in love with Darcy as she sees his true character revealed through his home.

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About Mizpah Albert

Mizpah Albert is an experienced educator and literature analyst. Building on years of teaching experience in India, she has contributed to the literary world with published analysis articles and evocative poems.

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Pride and Prejudice

Jane austen.

Welcome to the LitCharts study guide on Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice . Created by the original team behind SparkNotes, LitCharts are the world's best literature guides.

Pride and Prejudice: Introduction

Pride and prejudice: plot summary, pride and prejudice: detailed summary & analysis, pride and prejudice: themes, pride and prejudice: quotes, pride and prejudice: characters, pride and prejudice: symbols, pride and prejudice: literary devices, pride and prejudice: quizzes, pride and prejudice: theme wheel, brief biography of jane austen.

Historical Context of Pride and Prejudice

Other books related to pride and prejudice.

• Full Title: Pride and Prejudice
• When Written: 1797-1812
• Where Written: Bath, Somerset, England
• When Published: 1813
• Literary Period: Classicism/Romanticism
• Genre: Novel of manners
• Setting: Hertfordshire, London, and Pemberley, all in England at some time during the Napoleonic Wars (1797–1815)
• Climax: The search for Lydia and Wickham
• Antagonist: There is no single antagonist. The sins of pride and prejudice function as the main antagonizing force
• Point of View: Third person omniscient

Extra Credit for Pride and Prejudice

Pride and Silver Screen? Pride and Prejudice was first adapted for movies in a 1940 production starring Greer Garson and Laurence Olivier. It was again filmed in 1995, as a mini-series for A&E Television, featuring Jennifer Ehle as Elizabeth Bennet and Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy. The most recent production stars Keira Knightley as Elizabeth and was filmed in 2005.

First Impressions: Austen's initial title for her manuscript was "First Impressions." Though the book was eventually published as Pride and Prejudice , the initial title hints at the story's concern for social appearances and the necessity of finding people's true qualities beneath the surface.

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