Essay English (ENG201) Pride and Prejudice, ISBN: 9781452184579
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Course
English (ENG201)
Institution
University Of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN)
This essay explores Tony Tanner’s assessment that all people have biases towards other individuals, which consequently hinder them from realizing their genuine character within the context of Jane Austen's novel, 'Pride and Prejudice.' The process of developing preconceived notions, recognizing ...
, Tony Tanner’s assessment is accurate to a large extent. All people have biases towards other
individuals, which consequently hinder them from realising their genuine character. This essay
will examine the process of developing preconceived notions, recognising one’s error, and
consequently making reconsiderations and changes to rectify the situation caused by those
preconceived notions through central characters Elizabeth Bennet’s and Fitzwilliam Darcy’s
growth in consciousnesses in Pride and Prejudice.
Elizabeth Bennet’s growth in consciousness is gradual as she is persistent in her prejudice and
proudness. Despite her lower social rank, she does not appreciate being treated like an inferior.
Elizabeth Bennet’s initial opposition towards Mr. Darcy is not based on prejudice but on vanity
(Fox, 1962, p. 185). Her dislike of him stems from their first meeting at the Meryton ball, where
he passed snooty comments about her and her family and expressed that she was not beautiful
enough to attract him or dance with. Elizabeth’s dislike towards Mr Darcy is understandable,
but vanity provokes it, as she is concerned about how she and the Bennet family appear to him
(Fox, 1962, p. 187). Elizabeth’s prejudice arises when, against her better judgement, she allows
Mr Wickham’s tale of injustice by Mr Darcy to be a justification of her prejudice against him
(Fox, 1962, p. 187) . This prejudice intensifies by Chapter 33 when Mr Darcy’s cousin, Colonel
Fitzwilliam mentions to Elizabeth that Mr Darcy had recently dissuaded, “a friend from the
inconveniences of a most imprudent marriage” (Austen, p.232) and that he believes that friend
is Mr Bingley. Elizabeth further prejudices Mr. Darcy because she sees him as the reason
behind her sister Jane’s estrangement from Mr. Bingley. Even though Elizabeth gives into her
prejudice following Mr. Darcy’s proposal, the situation is a catalyst for her prejudices to
steadily disappear as she learns more about his character and grows to love him. When
Elizabeth received the letter in chapter 36 from Mr. Darcy in which he explains and defends
himself with regards to Mr. Bingley and Jane’s marriage and the issue with Mr. Wickham,
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