Themes in Pride and Prejudice

Themes in Pride and Prejudice

1. Pride

   • CH3: 'He was the proudest and most disagreeable man in the world.'
   • CH11: 'Where there is a real superiority of mind, pride will always be under regulation.'
   • CH15: 'Made him altogether a mixture of pride and obsequiousness, self-importance and humility.'
   • CH28: 'One of her lady's carriages, for she has several.'
   • CH34: 'In vain I have struggled
   • CH34: 'had not your pride been hurt by my honest confession.'

2. Marriage

   • CH1: 'It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of good fortune must be in want of a wife.'
   • CH6: 'A lady's admiration is very rapid; It jumps from admiration to love, from love to matrimony in a moment.'
   • CH19: 'It is the particular advice and recommendation of the very noble lady whom I have the honour of calling patroness.'
   • CH20: 'You must make Lizzy come and marry Mr Collins.'
   • CH22: 'I'm not a romantic you know. I never was. I ask only of a comfortable home.'
   • Without thinking highly either of men or matrimony, marriage had always been her object
   • CH47: 'Tell Lydia that she will have as much money as she chuses, after they are married.
   • CH58: 'Are you quite certain that you can be happy with him?'
   • CH59: 'You will have more fine carriages that Jane. But will they make you happy?'

3. Money

   • CH1: 'a single man of large fortune...what a fine thing for our girls.'
   • CH33: 'There are not to many in my rank of life who can afford to marry without some attention to money.'
   • Within five minutes after his entrance, of his having ten thousand a year.

4. Class

   • CH8: 'With such a mother and father, and such low connections.'
   • CH11: 'He began to feel the danger of paying Elizabeth too much attention.'
   • CH18: 'I consider the clerical office equal in point of dignity with the highest rank in the kingdom.'

5. Prejudice

   • CH3: 'His character was decided.'
   • CH4: 'Not too clever to be a valuable neighbour to Mrs Bennett.'
   • CH18: 'You hardly ever forgave that your resentment once created was unappeasable.'
   • CH34: 'In spite of her deeply rooted dislike.'
   • CH34: 'You choose to tell me that you liked me against your will.'
   • CH34: 'could you expect me to rejoice in the inferiority of your connections.'

6. Love

   • CH10: 'How frequently Mr Darcy's eyes were fixed on her.'
   • CH10: 'Darcy had never been so bewitched by anyone as he was by her.'
   • CH12: 'She attracted him more than he liked.'
   • CH18: 'For in Darcy's breast there was a tolerable, powerful feeling towards her.'
   • CH19: 'You (Mr Collins) could not make me happy.'
   • CH32: 'She blushed as she answered.'
   • CH32: 'My dear, Eliza, he must be in love with you.'
   • CH34: 'You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.'
   • CH40: 'She dared not relate the other half of his letter.'
   • CH43: 'Their eyes instantly met and the cheeks of each were overspread with the deepest blush.'
   • CH58: 'It taught me to hope as I had scarcely ever allowed myself to hope before.'
   • CH58: 'He expressed himself as sensibly and warmly as a man violently in love can be supposed to do.'
   • CH59: 'I love him. Indeed he has no improper pride. He is perfectly amiable.'

7. Good Breeding

   • CH8: 'so extremely accomplished for her age.'
   • CH29: 'No governess! How is that possible?'
   • You ought all to have learned (to play and sing)
   • CH29: 'You give your opinion very decidedly so for such a young person.'
   • CH31: ;Mr Darcy looked a little ashamed of his aunt's ill-breeding.'

8. Social Expectations

   • CH7: 'In all this dirt! You will not be fit to be seen.'
   • CH7: 'Her appearance created a great deal of surprise.'
   • CH8: 'She had no conversation , no stile, no taste, no beauty.'
   • Ch9: 'Lizzy! Remember where you are and do not run on in the wild manner that you are suffered to do at home.'
   • CH13: 'The hall, the dining room and all its furniture were examined and praised.'
   • CH18: 'Its your turn to say something now, Mr Darcy.'