'Pride and Prejudice' Essay - Most of the characters are shown to be lacking in commonsense, self-awareness and consideration for others

Essay by satin_sashesJunior High, 9th gradeA-, June 2006

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In Jane Austen's book 'Pride and Prejudice', most of the characters are shown to be lacking in commonsense, self-awareness and consideration for others. This is particularly evident in the characters Mrs Bennet, Lydia and Mr Collins. Their actions throughout the book illustrate them to be essences of stupidity, self-importance and inconsideration for others.

In the first chapter of the book, Jane Austen already establishes the lack of self-awareness of Mrs Bennet, when Mrs Bennet foolishly mistakes Mr Bennet's sarcasm on her beauty as a compliment. Her stupidity reaches the level that, after the elopement and learning what kind of a person Wickham really is, she is still delirious about Lydia's ridiculous marriage.

"I am so happy. In a short time, I shall have a daughter married. Mrs Wickham! How well it sounds." (Chap 49)

This quote also shows her obsession with marrying off her daughters. While engrossed with making matches between her daughters and the first available men in town, she does not consider the willingness of her daughters.

An example would be her attempt to force Elizabeth into marrying Mr Collins, who she starts to favour straightaway when she finds out that he is interested in her daughters:

"The man whom she could not bear to speak of the day before, was now high in her good graces." (Chap 15)

This shows that she is narrow-minded and lacking in proper judgment, favouring any man with a good fortune and in want of a wife. Even the pompous and idiotic Mr Collins.

Mr Collins' generally has little to be proud about; he receives his overconfidence from the fact that Lady Catherine de Bourgh serves as his patroness. He is constantly declaring his respect to her, added on top his endless exaggerated flatteries, Mr Collins becomes a most self-important and...