How Does Jane Austen Present Social Expectations In Pride And Prejudice

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Initially, the majority of the characters in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice were fixated on the actions and lifestyle that were expected of each social class. With the instrument of free indirect discourse, she exhibits the gradual decline of social expectations brought on by the transition from the eighteenth to the nineteenth century. A number of events diversify the classes and contribute to the molding of characters’ judgment of one another, ultimately resulting in indifference to society’s standards. Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice exemplifies social expectations in the eighteenth century English caste system. With the approval of marriage between cousins, entailment and inheritance in the aristocracy was indoctrinated into the families.…show more content…
When Elizabeth learns Lady Catherine’s surprise arrival at Longbourn is for confirmation of Darcy’s proposal and refuses answer Lady Catherine’s questions, Lady Catherine states “You refuse to obey the claims of duty, honour, and gratitude. You are determined to ruin him in the opinion of all his friends, and make him the contempt of the world.” [Austen 241] Essentially, she resents the Bennets due to her new knowledge of Lydia’s elopement and their social status. Elizabeth devalues social expectations with unforeseen qualities of woman at the time, using innocent wit and sophisticated diction when she answers Lady Catherine’s questions. Against Lady Catherine’s wishes, Darcy and Elizabeth continued with their…show more content…
“His appearance was greatly in his favour; he had all the best part of beauty, a fine countenance, a good figure, and very pleasing address.” [Austen 49] It is not until Darcy refines his own character that he exposes the gambling, womanizer Wickham is. Wickham correlates with what society expects of a lower class citizen. Although Wickham is liberal and is not concerned with the relationship between behavior and social class, he attempts to obtain with wealth by vainly marrying Georgiana and Lydia; Darcy would have funded Wickham and Georgiana’s wedding, but reconsiders when he learns Wickham’s only in it for the money. As previously stated, Darcy, with refined morals, warns Elizabeth, Lydia’s sister, of Wickham’s true character because of the love he has for Elizabeth. The deceit of these actions reveals that social expectations are sometimes
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