PrideandPrejudiceJaneAusten苏州大学外国语学院英语一班姜曼曼MainCharactersPlotSummaryThemesEvaluations目录CONTENTSElizabeth(Lizzy)Bennetisthecoreofthefamily.ElizabethisthesecondofMr.andMrs.Bennet'sfivedaughters.Sheistwentyyearsoldandisintelligent,lively,attractive,andwitty—butwithatendencytojudgeonfirstimpression(theprejudiceofthetitle)andtobealittleselectiveoftheevidenceonwhichshebasesherjudgments.ElizabethBennetFitzwilliamDarcyisthemaleprotagonistofthenovel.HeisthewealthyowneroftherenownedfamilyestateofPemberleyinDerbyshire.Heisanintelligent,wealthy,extremelyhandsomeandreservedman,whooftenappearshaughtyorproudtostrangersbutpossessesanhonestandkindnatureunderneath.Mr.DarcyMr.BennetisthefatherofElizabethBennetandheadoftheBennetfamily.Mr.Bennetisshrewd,witty,learnedanddetached.Hehasabitinglysarcastichumourandcanonlyderiveamusementfromhisnervouswifeandthreesillydaughters--Mary,KittyandLydia.Heisclosesttohisdaughter,Elizabeth,andisalsoattachedtohiseldestdaughter,Jane.Mr.BennetMrs.Bennetisoverbearing,obnoxiousandnarrow-minded.HerpublicmannersandsocialclimbingareembarrassingtoJaneandElizabeth.Herfavouritedaughteristheyoungest,Lydiaandshevaluesthebeautyoftheeldest,Jane.Hermainambitioninlifeistomarryherdaughterstowealthymen;whetherornotanysuchmatcheswillgiveherdaughtershappinessisoflittleconcerntoher.Mrs.BennetJaneBennetistheeldestBennetsister.Sheisgenerallyconsideredtobethemostbeautifulofhersisters.HercharacteriscontrastedwithElizabeth'sassweeter,shyer,andequallysensible,butnotasclever;hermostnotabletraitisadesiretoseeonlythegoodinothers.JaneBennetCharlesBingleyisahandsome,good-natured,andwealthyyounggentleman,whorentsNetherfieldParknearLongbourn.HeiscontrastedwithhisfriendMrDarcyasbeingmorekindandmorecharmingandhavingmoregenerallypleasingmanners,althoughnotquitesoclever.Helacksresolveandiseasilyinfluencedbyothers.CharlesBingleyLydiaBennetistheyoungestoftheBennetsisters.Lydiaisextremelyflirtatious,naive,andreckless.Hermainactivityinlifeissocializing,especiallyflirtingwiththeofficersofthemilitia.ThisleadstoherelopementwithGeorgeWickhamwithoutmuchthoughtfortheconsequencestoherfamily.LydiaBennetGeorgeWickhamanofficerinthemilitia,issuperficiallycharmingandrapidlyformsanattachmentwithElizabethBennet.HespreadsrumorsaboutthewrongsMrDarcyhasdonehim,addingtothelocalsociety'sprejudice,buteventuallyheisfoundtohavebeenthewrongdoerhimself.GeorgeWickhamWilliamCollinsisMrBennet'sclergymancousinandheirtohisestate.Mr.Collinsisaconceited,narrow-mindedsycophant(马屁精)AdvisedbyLadyCatherine,hispatroness(女资助人),tofindawife,heinitiallytakesafancytoJane,andinstantlytransfershisaffectionstoElizabethuponlearningofJane'simpendingmatchwithMr.Bingley.Afterbeingrejectedbyhissecondchoice,heproposestoCharlotteLucas,whoacceptshim.WilliamCollinsanothertwodaughtersMrandMrsBennetlivewiththeirfivedaughtersatLongbournnearLondon.Becausetheyhavenoson,theirpropertywillhavetopass,accordingtothelawatthattime,toacousin,WilliamCollins.Hopingtosecuretheirdaughters’positioninsociety,theybothwanttomarrythemtosomewealthygentlemen.ItsohappensthatCharlesBingley,asinglemaninpossessionofagoodfortune,comestosettleintheneighborhoodwithhistwosistersandhisfriendFitzwilliamDarcy,whoisalsorichandunmarried.PlotSummaryBingleyandJanefallinlovewitheachotheralmostatfirstsight.AndDarcyisattractedtoJane’ssisterElizabeth,butheoffendsherbyhisinsolentbehaviorandruderemarksataball.Thedislikeandrepulsion(反感)isincreasedbytheprideoftheoneandtheprejudiceoftheother.However,Darcycontinuestobeattractedtoher,inspiteofhimself,tillheproposestoherbutisrejectedindignantly.Lateron,onatriptonorthofEnglandwithheruncleandaunt,ElizabethchancestomeetDarcy,whoreceivesthemverywarmlyandshowsgreatlyimprovedmanners.Thusprideandprejudiceisremoved.Justatthispoint,newsreachesElizabeththatheryoungestsisterLydiahaselopedwithWickham.ByDarcy’shelp,theirmarriageisfinallybroughtabout.Andthroughhisinfluence,theformertiebetweenBingleyandJaneisrenewed,whichleadstotheirengagement.DarcyandElizabethalsobecomeengageddespitetheinterventionofLadyCatherinedeBourgh.ThestorythenendshappilywiththemarriagesofJaneandElizabeth.ThemesOThemeofMarriageOCharlotteLucas,LydiaBennet,JaneBennetandElizabethBennetgetmarriedtomenwhoaresufficientlyappropriateforeachofthem.Marriagebecomesaneconomicratherthansocialactivity.InthecaseofCharlotte,theseemingsuccessofthemarriageliesinthecomfortableeconomyoftheirhousehold.TherelationshipofMrandMrsBennetservestoillustrateallthatamarriagerelationshipshouldnotbe.ElizabethandDarcymarryeachotheronequaltermsafterbreakingeachother's'pride'and'prejudice'andAustenclearlyleavesthereaderwiththeimpressionthatthetwowillbethehappiest.ThemesOThemeofWealthOMoneyplaysakeyroleinthemarriagemarket,notonlyfortheyoungladiesseekingawell-offhusband,butalsoformenwhowishtomarryawomanofmeans.Inheritancewasgovernedbylawsofentailment.Whentherewasnoheirtotheestate,thefamilyhadtoentailitsfortunetoadistantcousin.Inheritancelawsbenefitedmalesbecausemostwomendidnothaveindependentlegalrights.Asaconsequence,women'sfinancialsecurityatthetimethenovelissetd