《傲慢與偏見》中主要人物分析

1、傲慢與偏見中主要人物分析Analysis of Key Characters inPride and PrejudiceContentsAbstract .1Key words .1I. Social Background .1II. Introduction to the Author .3III. General Introduction to the Novel .4IV. Analysis of the Main Characters .54.1 Elizabeth Bennet .54.2 Mr. Darcy 84.3 Jane Bennet and Charles Bingley

2、.94.4 Mrs. Bennet and Mr. Bennet 10V. Conclusion 11Reference 12摘要： 簡(jiǎn)奧斯丁的傲慢與偏見寫于1813年，一直以來(lái)很受歡迎，并被廣泛閱讀。這部作品談?wù)撋钤谟?guó)十八世紀(jì)的紳士和美麗的女士的愛情，婚姻和家庭生活。故 事情節(jié)簡(jiǎn)單。講述了年輕的女士如何去挑選丈夫。小說(shuō)的主人公，本奈特伊莉莎白 反對(duì)她父親的繼承人威廉科林斯的提議并拒絕富有的紳士菲茨威廉達(dá)西，這篇論文主要談的是傲慢與偏見中的女主人公一伊麗莎白班納特的性格刻畫。論文的 主要部分先是通過(guò)可展示女主人公性格特征的正反兩方面來(lái)體現(xiàn)的。緊接著通過(guò)兩個(gè) 視角一諷刺和婚姻觀使女主人公的性

3、格得到評(píng)析。關(guān)鍵詞：傲慢偏見人物性格奧斯丁 社會(huì)背景婚姻Abstract:Pride and prejudice is a very popular no vel writte n by Jane Auste n and it isread widely all over the world. It was written in 1813. It talks about trivial matters of love, marriage and family life between country squires and fair ladies in Britain in the 18th

4、century. The plot is very simple. That is how the young ladies choose their husba nds.Elizabeth Benn et, the protago nist of the no vel, flatly rejected William Colli ns proposal, which is the heir of her fatherproperty and manor, and refused the first proposal from the extremely wealthy nobleman Fi

5、tzwilliam Darcy. This thesis is mainly about the depiction of the character of the heroine Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice ” The main body of the thesis is prese nted firstly through the con trast aspects, which show the hero ines character. The n from two poi nts of view-ir ony and marriage

6、, the heroine character is analyzed and evaluated.Key words: Pride prejudice Austen Social background marriageI. Social backgroundThe story of Pride and prejudice took place in the time of the regency in Britain. At that time, Britain was at the period of transition from the earlier stage of Capital

7、ism-to-Capitalism Industrialization. In the countryside, the aristocratic family still held great power and right that country squires were likely to fawn upon them. However as the development of Capitalism and the expand of the rank of rich people, the distinction between social strata was becoming

8、 smaller and smaller, while money was gett ing more and more importa nt in people mi nd about social value. A western literature critic once said “ everDavid Ricardo (a British econo mist) had an un likely clearer understanding about the function of money in daily life as Jane Austen had. It is exac

9、tly because of the secure pledge in finance that the country squire society could exist stro ngly and solidly.The story depicts a society in the process of a dramatic social transition. The power, wealth and privilege of the old aristocracy is gradually giving way to the rising social status and pow

10、er of the bus in ess class. Un titled, un propertied aristocrats are going into bus in ess and bourgeois men of ambiti on such as Lucas are acquiri ng titles. The old aristocracy symbolized by Lady Catherine de Bourgh, which has been resting on its oars, lacks the fresh vitality and in itiative n ee

11、ded for social progress.The cen tral theme of the story reflects all the major attributes of evoluti onary social development described as they express through the institution of marriage. Marriage is an in strume nt for social evoluti on in this society because the society is still physical. It sti

12、ll defines privilege and power primarily based on land, birth, and blood relation. In the coming era, money becomes the dominant in strume nt in a society that is dyn amically vital. Today educati on and tech no logy eradicate social barriers and reward in dividual capacity in a society that is incr

13、easingly mental in character.Each of the four marriages that occur in the story invo Ives a social elevatio n that is characteristic of the evolutionary process. Elizabeth, the daughter of an aristocratic gentleman and middle class woman, rises by marriage into one of the wealthiest aristocratic fam

14、ilies in England. Her sister Jane marries a man whose wealth is twen ty-times greater tha n her own. Eve n the sco un drel Wickham, the steward son, who would have been outcaste or murdered for his effrontery in a previous age, not only marries a gen tlema n daughter but also becomes brother-i n-law

15、 to his father former master. Moreover, by a stra nge course of eve nts, the servile Mr. Colli ns becomes related through marriage to his august patr on ess, Lady Catheri ne.These eve nts symbolize not just moveme nt betwee n the classes but a profo und shift in social values as well. The collective

16、 is beco ming in dividualized. Social con formity is giving way to formed individuality. Elizabeth rises in spite of her mother family backgro und because she is a developed in dividual pers on ality who values character more than wealth or status. It is this trait that surprises and attracts Darcy,

17、 and makes him fall in love with the light in her eyes. Society n urtures and applauds Eliza in dividual developme nt rather tha n frow ning on or preve nting it.Society is shown in the process of redistributing the fruits of social status by a new set of criteria to a wider class of its members. Mr

18、s. Bennet and her relations have already acquired aristocratic status through her marriage to Mr. Bennet and that status is about to rise eno rmously through the marriages of her two elder daughters. By Eliza marriage, the lower level of the aristocracy, which has strong links with the bus in ess co

19、m mun ity, un ites with the highest level of the aristocracy .In Fran ce, this in termixture of the classes did not happe n, so the only way the society could develop was to eradicate the aristocracy, cut off their heads, chase them out of the country, and distribute their land, money and titles to

20、the new class that rose to power. The French aristocracy was too rigid and orthodox; too unwilling to compromise and share its power, so it lost it.II. I ntroduction to the AuthorJane Auste n sPride and Prejudice had a long and varied life before it fin ally saw publicati on on January 28, 1813. Aus

21、te n bega n the book, orig in ally titled First Impressions in 1796. Her father submitted it to a London publisher the following year, but the manuscript was rejected. Austen continued to work on the book, and scholars report that the story remained a favorite with the close circle of friends, relat

22、ions, and acqua in tan cesshe took into her con fide nee. She probably con ti nued work ing on First Impressions after her family relocated to Bath in 1801 and did not stop revising and rewriting until after the deaths of both her father and a close friend in 1805. After this point Austen seems to h

23、ave given up writing for almost five years. She had resumed work on the book by 1811, scholars report, and the final product appeared anonym ously in London bookstalls early in 1813.The critical history of Pride and Prejudice was just as varied as the evolution of the novel itself. At the time the n

24、ovel was published in the early nineteenth century, most respected critical opinion was strongly biased against novels and novelists. Although on ly three con temporary reviews of Pride and Prejudice are known to exist, they are allremarkably complimentary. Anonymous articles in the British Critic a

25、nd the Critical Review praised the author characterization and her portrayal of domestic life. Additional early commentary exists in the diaries and letters of such prominent con temporary readers as Mary Russell Mitford and Henry Crabb Robinson, both of whom admired the work s characters, realism,

26、and freedom from the trappings of Gothic fiction. After this period, however, criticism of Pride and Prejudice, and of Austen s works as a whole, largely disappeared. With the exception of two posthumous appreciations of Austen s work as a whole by Sir Walter Scott and Archbishop RichardWhateley, ve

27、ry little Austen criticism appeared until 1870.In 1870, James Edward Austen-Leigh, son of Jane Austen brother James, published A Memoir of Jane Auste n, by Her Nephew This biography was the first major study of Austen as a person and as an artist, and it marked the beginning of a new era in Auste n

28、criticism. Although most critics no Ion ger accept its con clusi on that Auste n was an “ amateug enius whose works were largely uncon scious product ions of her fertile imagination, it nonethelessperformed a valuable service by bringing Austen and her works back into critical attention, Modem criti

29、cal opinion of Austen began with the publicati on in 1939 of Mary Lascelles Jane Auste n and Her Art, which escaped from the Victoria n portrait of Auste n put forth by Auste n-Leigh.III. General Introduction to the NovelThe story of the novel Pride and Prejudice is set in England where the worth of

30、 a man is his wealth, and that of a woman her man. No wonder, marriage is the ultimate aspirati on for a girl and her family, especially in the middle class.This is the note on which the no vel ope ns, with the heroine s mother Mrs. Bennetpla nning to in troduce her five daughters to two n ewly arri

31、ved young, han dsome and rich (read most eligible) bachelors, Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bin gley.The bachelors in troducti on to the Benn ets and their five daughters Jane, Elizabeth, Mary Catheri ne (Kitty) and Lydia beg ins the subtle drama that forms the whole theme of the no vel. Mr. Bin gley, much more

32、 agreeable tha n his frie nd Mr. Darcy, takes a lik ing to the mildest and prettiest miss Bennet, Jane, and she reciprocates his feelings. However, Mr. Darcy, who is an arroga nt class-c on sciousge ntlema n, derides the match and thus gains the con tempt of Jane s outspoke n sister Elizabeth. Gradu

33、ally, therchketaftof the protag oni sts un folds in the story duri ng various in teract ions betwee n them in homely get-togethers.Since Elizabeth is a sharp and sen sible girl, who would rather speak out her mind than maintain a coy demeanor, she makes her dislike of Mr. Darcy quite clear to him at

34、 times, which quite unexpectedly, fascinates him and draws him more towards her, although he does not admit it. There is an element of liking for Mr. Darcy in Elizabeth too, even though she does not realize it till late. Apparently both are quite disagreeable to each other, but the un dercurre nt of

35、 sile nt attract ion that develops, fin ally triumphs over the misun dersta ndings and temporary separati ons that come their way due to various twists and turns of the plot brought about by the events occurring in the lives of their friends and family.The roma nee betwee n the sec ond importa nt pa

36、ir, Mr. Bi ngley and Jane runs parallel in the story, reach ing a crest and the n a trough, before gett ing resolved in the end. The eccentricities of characters like the superficial Mrs. Bennet and her frivolous daughter Lydia, apart from the many suitors who make an appearance in the five miss Ben

37、net lives, add charm to the story and propel it forward. So does the fact that Mr. Darcy s pride in his status checks his love for Elizabeth, while her prejudice against Mr. Darcy, formed mainly by a series of misun dersta ndin gs, stop her from reciprocati ng his love.While some aspects of the no v

38、el may seem outdated in moder n world, its mockery of class differences and celebration of brains over beauty, still holds relevance. Like the author Jane Auste n other famous work, Sen sea nd Sen sibility this no vel too gives more importance to the intellect of the heroine rather than her beauty,

39、and applauds her spunk to sn eer at people who have superiority over her in class, plus the tendency to display it.Pride and Prejudice is an interesting read, if not for its plot then for the terse and witty excha nge of dialogues betwee n its characters. Besides, the roma ntic n ature of the story

40、also holds an everlasting appeal, making it a classic read.IV. Analysis of the Main Characters4.1 Elizabeth BennetElizabeth Bennet is the second of the five daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet. Elizabeth is the most logical and level-headed of the Bennet daughters, and that makes her fathers favorite.

41、Although Elizabeth is thoughtful, intelligent, and practical, she comes to realize that she is just as capable of lett ing her own feeli ngs get in the way of her good sense as her feather-bra ined sisters. Elizabeth realizes her grave mistake whe n she un dersta nds that she has greatly misjudged b

42、oth Mr. Darcy and Mr. Wickham.The sec ond daughter in the Bennet family, and the most in tellige nt and quick-witted, Elizabeth is the protagonist of Pride and Prejudice and one of the most well-known female characters in English literature. Her admirable qualities are numerous she is lovely, clever

43、, and, in a novel defined by dialogue, she converses as brilliantly as anyone. Her honesty, virtue, and lively wit enable her to rise above the nonsense and bad behavior that pervade her class-bo und and ofte n spiteful society. Nevertheless, her sharp ton gue and tendency to make hasty judgme nts o

44、fte n lead her astraride and Prejudice is essentially the story of how she (and her true love, Darcy) overcome all obstacles in clud ing their own pers onal faili ngs to find roma ntic happ in ess. Elizabeth must not only cope with a hopeless mother, a distant father, two badly behaved younger sibli

45、 ngs, and several sno bbish, an tag onizing females, she must also overcome her own mistaken impressions of Darcy, which initially lead her to reject his proposals of marriage. Her charms are sufficient to keep him interested, fortunately, while she navigates familial and social turmoil. As she grad

46、ually comes to recognize the nobility of Darcy s character, she realizes the error of her initial prejudice against him.Since Elizabeth is a sharp and sen sible girl, who would rather speak out her mind than maintain a coy demeanor, she makes her dislike of Mr. Darcy quite clear to him at times, whi

47、ch quite unexpectedly, fascinates him and draws him more towards her, although he does not admit it. There is an element of liking for Mr. Darcy in Elizabeth too, even though she does not realize it till late. Apparently both are quite disagreeable to each other, but the un dercurre nt of sile nt at

48、tract ion that develops, fin ally triumphs over the misun dersta ndings and temporary separati ons that come their way due to various twists and turns of the plot brought about by the events occurring in the lives of their friends and family.Elizabethsand Darcysrelati on shipis filled with trials an

49、d tribulati ons,misjudgme nts and prejudice, eve ntually cul min at ing in a blissful union of two compleme ntary souls. Their relati on ship beg ins at an in auspicious starti ng point whe n they first meet at the meryton assembly, with both receiving unfavorable first impressions. Elizabeth thinks

50、 Darcy a proud, cold man as a result of his reserve and his slighting her. Her assessment of his character, given her limited exposure to him, in those unfortunate circumstances is most natural and understandable. Darcy, on the other hand, is to be blamed for his lack of prude nee and his pride, whi

51、ch leads him to criticize Elizabeth most un fairly in that first encoun ter. This in deed, jeopardizes his prospects of a lasti ng happ in ess with Elizabeth as he leaves an in delible first impressi on which colours Elizabeths later judgme nts of his character.However, as the no vel progresses, Dar

52、cy shows eno ugh flexibility and good sense to cha nge his opinion of Elizabeth. Thus, his first in cli nati on of scor ning her is erased as he becomes enamored of Elizabeth as a result of her witty intelligence and spirit, such that he began to find that her eyes were rendered uncommonly intellige

53、nce, Darc first impressi on of her is completely replaced by arde nt affect ion, as he sees her in a comrade spirit. It is his prude nt judgme nt and flexibility which temper his in cli natio n to corn and criticize, such that he is able to recognize in Elizabeth a worthy wife and companion, despite

54、 her social sta nding and Lydias elopeme nt. Therefore, we must credit his prude nt judgment for his remarkable change in opinion, which paves the way for his future happ in ess with Elizabeth.Un fortun ately, Elizabeth displays little of her prude nt judgme nt and astute Asses segme nt with regard

55、to Darcy. It is for this sin gular reas on that her relati on ship with Darcy is fraught with difficulty. After her first meeting with Darcy, Elizabeth determi nedly preserves her prejudice aga inst Darcy, eve n after repeated in cide nts, which attest to his credibility of character, displaying unc

56、haracteristic lack of intelligent and careful judgme nts.When Elizabeth meets Wickham, she is immediately won over by his appearance and suave charm, and is whole-heartedly inclined to believe his every word, simply because his amiable manners and looks. This rash inclination results in her being ev

57、en more convin ced of Darcy un worthi ness of character. I n spite of the fact that Wickham sullies Darcys family in front of a comparative stranger, after declaring himself determined to honour the late Mr.Darcys reputation, and that he purposely avoids Darcy at the Netherfield ball, after stating

58、staunchly that he is not afraid of meeting Darcy, and would fear no confron tati on with him. Elizabeth sees no reas on to doubt him. Her brash in cli nati ons to Wickham justify his merce nary pursuit of Mary Ki ng, eve n as she condemns Bingley for abandoning Jane for the socially advantageous Geo

59、rgina Darcy. She discredits Bin gleys opinion of Darcy and Miss Bin gley warning aga inst Wickham, and refuses to temper her first impressions with any objectivity, even after Jane, who sees only well in every one, has con fessed. Her lack of discer nment precipitates her harsh refusal of Darcys in itial proposal, jeopardiz ing un wisely her possible happ in ess w