Pride+and+Prejudice

· A wealthy young bachelor, Charles Bingley, moves into a house near the Bennet home with his friend, Mr. Darcy, and his 2 sisters · Mrs. Bennet wants one of her five daughters to marry Bingley, and Jane, the eldest and most beautiful, catches his eye at a local ball · Mr. Darcy, on the other hand, proves to be haughty and disdainful of the company, and insults Elizabeth Bennet, the main protagonist of the novel · As time progresses, it becomes increasingly evident that Jane and Bingley are falling in love, and Darcy finds himself becoming more attracted to Elizabeth · Jane rides to Bingley’s house in the rain and gets sick, and she has to stay a few days until she is well enough to go home, while Elizabeth cares for her · Mrs. Bennet comes to visit her sick daughter, and generally makes a fool of herself because of her impropriety · Bingley’s sister, Caroline, wants to marry Darcy, so she becomes increasingly upset with Darcy’s regard for Elizabeth · The Bennets’ cousin, Mr. Collins comes to visit, and he proposes to Elizabeth out of convenience instead of love · Elizabeth refuses him, and he instead proposes to their neighbor and friend, Charlotte Lucas · Wickham, a soldier for the regiment, comes to town, and Elizabeth grows attracted to him · Wickham tells a story of how he was cut off by Darcy and left penniless, even after Darcy promised to take care of him on his own father’s deathbed · Bingley leaves for the winter, and it is implied that he is not coming back, which breaks Jane’s heart · Wickham leaves and Jane visits her aunt in London. Elizabeth goes to visit Mr. Collins and Charlotte in their new home · Mr. Collins lives in the parish of Lady Catherine de Bourgh, the aunt of Mr. Darcy, who is visiting the home at the same time as Elizabeth · Darcy’s friend tells Elizabeth of Darcy’s plan to split Jane and Bingley up, which cements her hatred of Darcy · Darcy proposes to Elizabeth, who he still loves despite her lack of money or family, but Elizabeth refuses, citing his hand in Jane’s unhappiness and Wickham’s story as the reason · The next day he leaves, but writes her a letter explaining all of his actions · Wickham told lies to everyone, and Darcy believed Jane did not love Bingley. · Elizabeth accepts his excuses, and starts to have feelings for him · Elizabeth returns home but soon leaves with her aunt and uncle for a summer trip that takes them near Darcy’s home · They visit, thinking that Darcy will not be home, but he surprises them and is very cordial and engaging · Elizabeth receives news of her sister Lydia’s elopement with Wickham, and rushes home because it could ruin the family · Darcy finds Lydia and Wickham and pays them to get married, which only increases Elizabeth’s love for him · Bingley comes back from London and proposes to Jane · Darcy proposes once more to Elizabeth, but this time, she accepts
 * Plot **:

**Setting** : - around 1800 - Longbourn, a village in a rural part of England Symbols **: Images **: Themes **:
 * Characters **:
 * Elizabeth Bennet
 * protagonist
 * story told mostly from her viewpoint
 * traits
 * intelligent
 * lively
 * attractive
 * witty
 * Fitzwilliam Darcy
 * main male character
 * owns Pemberly estate in Derbyshire
 * aloof
 * intelligent
 * Jane Bennet
 * eldest unmarried daughter
 *  Considered the most beautiful
 *  sweet, shy, and reserved
 * Mrs. Bennet
 * Often frivolous in her attempts to build place in society
 * Subject to fits of tremors
 * Mr. Bennet
 * Lydia Bennet
 * Mary Bennet
 * Catherine Bennet
 * Charles Bingly
 * ignites plot with purchase of estate near the Bennets
 * nice, easygoing gentleman
 * social contrast of Darcy
 * George Wickham
 * Mr. Collins
 * Lady Catherine de Bourgh
 * Charlotte Lucas
 * Georgiana Darcy
 * Louisa Hurst
 * Caroline Bingly


 * Courtly love-** In order to have true love, Darcy and Elizabeth must overcome a multitude of road blocks including reputation, class structure and economic status. The two must also overcome input from friends and family alike. The two must transcend their economic and social class differences in order to fully love each other. Love is seen as a force which is separate from everything else in the world. Love is described as having the ability to transcend everything else in the entire world.

Structure **:
 * Duty versus desire** - As a young woman, Elizabeth is expected to accept the first respectable marriage and live as a housewife forever. She, however, desires love in her life and puts her family at risk for that desire. Also, it is in her nature to speak what she thinks, which causes her to mouth off.