Pride and Prejudice- Character Analysis

1. Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy

1.1. the wealthy owner of the renowned family estate of Pemberley in Derbyshire,

1.2. Handsome and tall

1.3. Intelligent

1.4. lacks the social ease that comes so naturally to his friend Bingley.

1.5. Others frequently mistake his aloof decorum and rectitude as further proof of excessive pride

1.6. Darcy is greatly valued by those who know him well

2. Charles Bingley

2.1. wealthy young gentleman of 23, who rents Netherfield Park

2.2. good-natured

2.3. handsome

2.4. contrasted with his friend Mr Darcy as being more kind and more charming and having more generally pleasing manners, although not quite so clever

2.5. lacks resolve and is easily influenced by others

3. Caroline Bingley

3.1. the snobbish sister of Charles Bingley

3.2. Miss Bingley harbours romantic intentions for Mr Darcy, and she is jealous of his growing attachment to Elizabeth and is disdainful and rude to her

4. Lady Catherine de Bourgh

4.1. possesses wealth and social standing

4.2. haughty

4.3. pompous

4.4. domineering

4.5. possesses wealth and social standing

5. Georgiana Darcy

5.1. Mr Darcy's younger sister, aged 16

5.2. quiet

5.3. amiable

5.4. shy

5.5. extremely talented at the piano, singing, playing the harp, and drawing

6. William Collins

6.1. Mr Bennet's clergyman cousin and heir to his estate, aged 25

6.2. pompous

6.3. Lacking in common sense

6.4. servile

7. Charlotter Lucas

7.1. Elizabeth's friend who, at 27 years old, fears becoming a burden to her family and therefore agrees to marry Mr Collins

8. Discussion Topics

8.1. Discuss the importance of social class in the novel, especially as it impacts the relationship between Elizabeth and Darcy.

8.2. Pride and Prejudice is a novel about women who feel they have to marry to be happy. Taking Charlotte Lucas as an example, do you think the author is making a social criticism of her era’s view of marriage?

8.3. Giving special attention to Wickham, Charlotte Lucas, and Elizabeth, compare and contrast male and female attitudes toward marriage in the novel

8.4. Discuss the relationship between Mrs. Bennet and her children, especially Elizabeth and Lydia.

8.5. Compare and contrast the Bingley-Darcy relationship with the Jane-Elizabeth relationship.

9. Elizabeth Bennet

9.1. The second of the Bennet daughters, she is twenty years old

9.2. Intelligent

9.2.1. She likes reading a lot of books

9.3. lively

9.4. playful

9.5. attractive

9.6. witty

9.6.1. with a tendency to judge on first impression (the "prejudice" of the title) and perhaps to be a little selective of the evidence on which she bases her judgments.but with a tendency to judge on first impression (the "prejudice" of the title) and perhaps to be a little selective of the evidence on which she bases her judgments.

10. Jane Bennet

10.1. the eldest Bennet sister, twenty-two years old

10.2. considered the most beautiful young lady in the neighbourhood

10.3. sweet

10.4. shy

10.5. her most notable trait is a desire to see only the good in others

10.6. contrasted with Elizabeth as equally sensible but not as clever

11. Mr. Bennet

11.1. a gentleman of modest income with five unmarried daughters

11.2. has an ironic, cynical sense of humour that irritates his wife

11.3. Though he loves his daughters (Elizabeth in particular), he often fails as a parent, preferring to withdraw from the never-ending marriage concerns of the women around him rather than offer help

12. Mrs Bennet

12.1. frivolous

12.2. excitable

12.3. narrow-minded

12.4. she imagines herself susceptible to attacks of tremors and palpitations when she is displeased

12.5. Her main ambition in life is to marry her daughters to wealthy men.

13. Lydia Bennet

13.1. the youngest Bennet sister, aged 15

13.2. frivolous

13.3. headstrong

13.4. Her main activity in life is socializing, especially flirting with the officers of the militia.

13.5. Lydia shows no regard for the moral code of her society, and no remorse for the disgrace she causes her family.

14. George Wickam

14.1. the son of Mr Darcy's father's steward

14.2. officer in the militia

14.3. superficially charming and rapidly forms an attachment with Elizabeth Bennet.

15. Kitty Bennet

15.1. the fourth daughter at 17 years old

15.2. the shadow of Lydia and follows in her pursuits of the 'Officers' of the regiment

15.3. often portrayed as envious of Lydia and also a 'silly' young woman

16. Mary Bennet

16.1. the only plain (not pretty) Bennet sister

16.2. she mostly reads and plays music, although she is often impatient to display her accomplishments and is rather vain about them

16.3. Mary is not very intelligent but thinks of herself as being wise