Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice Essay

Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is a manifestation of creativity in its bravest and most daring form. Never has a woman dared to write about the female specie in the form that Austen did; bold yet graceful and assertive but polite. Pride and Prejudice proves to be one of the timeless pieces of Literature because of its interesting content that brings about new and substantial insight every time it is read. Perhaps one of Austen’s trademark in writing is the vividness of her description and the symbolism it has. In this paper, I would like to highlight how Austen carefully and vivaciously feast on the description of the home as a determining element to the establishment of her characters and how the plot would flow. It is interesting to note that she was very careful and detailed about her descriptions yet was able to leave rooms for curiosity and imagination. The house of the Bennets is more than just a structure but a fertile ground planted with many insightful details that will bring life and color to the characters thus heightening the relationships of people and events. In the house of the Bennets, only the father is male. The rest of the members were female. This alone was enough to spark intrigue and controversy in the novel. Jane Austen lived in a time where women are treated as second- class citizens. In the house, quantity-wise, the females are more dominant, yet the father holds the power not only within the halls of their house but in the decisions made by his wife and daughters. This tells us that in the house of Bennets, no matter how many female members there were, the male member will always have the supremacy. This is also true in the Regency Society as male dominance is seen and observed everywhere. â€Å"Compared with some families, I believe we were; but such of us as wished to learn, never wanted the means. We were always encouraged to read, and had all the masters that were necessary. Those who chose to be idle, certainly might. † Chapter 6, Volume 2. â€Å"In such cases, a woman has not often much beauty to think of. † Chapter 1, Volume 1 The four daughters were treated fairly and dearly. There were the gems of the house and the life of the family. In all fairness to Mr. And Mrs. Bennet, the daughters were raised well. They were given the best that their parents can give. It may not equal that of the society’s bourgeois, but it had to be given to Mr. And Mrs. Bennet that they tried, and that alone was enough. The ladies were beautiful, that’s undeniable. But among the four sisters, Elizabeth was the one outstanding everyone else in the book. Not only did she manage to make a mark in the novel, she is regarded as one of the most famous characters in English Literature. This was because Elizabeth showed remarkable attitude, her beauty rivals her personality. Not only did she possess the looks, she had the attitude that magnetizes people. But then, I perceive Mrs. Bennet as one of the most interesting characters in the novel as her desire to have her daughters marry rich men so to elevate their already degraded status in the society. Mrs. Bennet’s role in the novel can be interpreted as a wonderful mother wanting a bright future for her children but done in a negative way. This I would have to note that the daughters were perceived as objects that can be given away for material wealth. This is very rampant in many societies in the world, not only in the regency society. â€Å"Our habits of expence make us too dependant, and there are not many in my rank of life who can afford to marry without some attention to money† Chapter 10, Volume 2. Other issues explored was the idea that women are but appendages of men; that women were born to be accessories of the male specie as if there is supremacy in being the first one to be created. We have to admit that women who are physically attractive are most likely to become wives of rich and influential men because they see them as affirmation of their masculinity. This is a very abusive yet accepted fact in the society. Women become objects that can be bought at the right price and the saddest part is that some people actually accede to it wanting nothing to do about it. â€Å"Mr. Bennet, how can you abuse your own children in such way? Chapter 1, Volume 1. However, it is very positive to note that even at the darkness of such mad society, love finds its way. â€Å"I am excessively diverted. But it is so strange! † Chapter 15, Volume 3. I would have to say that Mr. Bennet and Elizabeth were the closest in the family and thus the most intelligent members of the household. This union of intellectual bond resulted to the education of Elizabeth’s character that she learned to gear away from how her mother wished her and her sisters to be. She was able to determine that there are more important things than money, that her love for Mr. Darcy should not be stained by the lust for money and power. Elizabeth was able to acquire the greatest kind of wealth possible for any woman that is having a man who would truly love her, embracing what she is and what she’s not. â€Å"I cannot believe it. Why should they try to influence him? They can only wish his happiness, and if he is attached to me, no other woman can secure it. † Chapter 1, Volume 2.