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Which Class Of English Society Is Portrayed In Jane Austen’S Pride And Prejudice?

Updated 30 September, 2024
Answer:
Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is set in regional England in the 19th century where the lines of class were strictly drawn between the upper and middle classes. In the novel the main characters are from different social classes: Mr. Darcy was kind of the upper class and Elizabeth was in the lower middle class.
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In “Pride and Prejudice” social class is classified as an obligation that sets a boundary between both high class and low class. Austen explained how the lower and average class can’t possibly get rich because the society made a whole barrier separating both the lower class and upper class.
In the novel, Mr. Bennet and Mrs. Bennet are in the middle class, they have five daughters and they are all unmarried, Mrs. Bennet fantasy is to get her daughters married as soon as she gets the chance to because as a female, you have absolutely no role in the society except if you are married or have a functioning male family. Both females, average class and lower class had difficulty making their decisions because their freedom is limited.
In Pride and Prejudice love isn’t viewed as a commitment before getting married. Marriage is seen as an obligation that needed to be carried out, such agreement benefits lower-class women such as Elizabeth and her sisters. They are three categories Austen described in the novel, the lower class, middle class and the upper class. The lower and middle class are seen as a disadvantage to society while the upper class is seen as the pillar, they have the ability to make their own decisions on whatsoever they want. In “Pride and Prejudice”, not only the lower class men are less privileged but also women that are from either lower class or middle class.
The society makes vanity out of the lower class by controlling every aspect of them, rich people have authority over the poor. Even though Jane and Elizabeth are aware of their social status they still stood by their words and made their decisions. Mr. Bingley decided to marry Jane instead of Darcy’s sister Georgianna. Both the society and Bingley’s family aren’t in support of Jane and Bingley’s relationship. Mr. Bingley’s sister Caroline thinks if Georgiana could marry his brother, both parties will benefit from each other because both individuals have a high position in society. Due to Jane’s status as a lower class, she was unable to marry the one her heart desires and her sister Elizabeth develope grudges against Darcy, which made her become prejudice. Elizabeth describes Mr. Darcy to be a prideful man without knowing the reasons behind is actions.
In the novel, Jane Austen explained how upper-class men are all classified as a “prideful” in the society, even though Elizabeth never spoke to Darcy, she has always had in mind that he was prideful because of his richness and the fact that he is also against Jane marriage with his best friend Darcy made Elizabeth dislike him more.

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