Sketch the Character of Elizabeth

Answer

Sketch the character of Elizabeth Bennet. [NU: 2017, 21]

Elizabeth Bennet is the heroine and protagonist of the novel “Pride and Prejudice” (1813) by Jane Austen (1775-1817). She is the second daughter of the Bennet family. She is just 20 but full of wisdom. Jane Austen presents her as a woman ahead of her time. She is full of wit, honesty, and self-respect. Her personal journey from prejudice to understanding makes her not just lovable, but deeply admirable.

Intelligent and Sharp-Witted/Clever and Witty: Elizabeth is famous for her quick wit and lively mind. She loves to read books. She likes to observe people. She speaks with humour. She often makes funny comments. She can match anyone in conversation, especially Mr. Darcy. Her cleverness shines when she teases Mr. Darcy at the ball:

“I could easily forgive his pride, if he had not mortified mine.”

She is not afraid to speak what is on her mind. Even, she is bold in front of the rich and powerful.

Independent and Brave: Elizabeth refuses to marry just for money. She rejects two marriage proposals. First from Mr. Collins and then from Mr. Darcy. To Mr. Collins, she says:

“You could not make me happy.”

She values love and respect more than wealth or social status. Later, she also rejects Mr. Darcy’s first proud proposal. This shows her independent spirit. She believes in marrying for love, not money.

Honest and Self-Aware: At first, Elizabeth misjudges Darcy and trusts Wickham’s lies. She believes Darcy is rude and unkind. Later, in the letter, Darcy explains the truth about Mr. Wickham and why he stopped Bingley from marrying Jane. Wickham had once received £3,000 from his (Darcy’s) father to study law, but Wickham wasted it on drinking. Again, Darcy thought Jane did not love Bingley because she was too quiet. So, he told Bingley to stay away from her. Elizabeth understands her mistake and says, 

“Till this moment I never knew myself.”