Vanity and Pride

In the first 30 pages of the novel by Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, the reader finds themselves transported to a very different era. These were the times when mothers married their daughters to men that earned above average in the high society. The story begins by introducing the Bennet household and the coming of Mr. Bingley to Netherfield, as being an important affair. Mrs. Bennet is determined to marrying one of her daughters to Mr. Bingley so that they will all benefit from the money and her daughter will be set for life. This is the catalyst to the beginning of the novel because while Jane gets Mr. Bingley´s favor, her sisters are also having their own hearts set on other men.

Elizabeth Bennet, stands out from the rest of her sisters. She holds different opinions about marriage and women being the way they are at these times. She is particularly disturbed by Mr. Darcy, Mr. Bingley´s unfriendly companion, who criticizes and holds himself above all others. Yet he is bewitched by Elizabeths way of being and in these first thirty pages, the reader can see he is somewhat interested in her views and curious about her. Mr. Darcy himself has certain opinions on the society he lives in. For example this quote from when he discusses Elizabeth with Miss Bingley, "That is exactly the question which I expected you to ask. A lady's imagination is very rapid; it jumps from admiration to love, from love to matrimony in a moment."(pg 19). This makes the reader infer that Mr. Darcy has specific views on women and what they think about. There is also another example in page 28 when accomplished women are being discussed and Darcy demeans the accomplishments being discussed common and replies he only knows about a dozen women who can truly be considered accomplished. From Mr. Darcy's closed of attitude and his views, it can be inferred that he is looking for a woman who stands out form the status quo, like Elizabeth Bennet.

Another aspect that stands out in these pages is the gossip. The ladies present themselves cordial to people's faces but as soon as they are with someone they trust, they share their real opinions on the people they were cordial to. An example of this is found in page 25 when the Bingleys are discussing Elizabeth right after she leaves the room. Mrs. Hurst and her daughters start trashing on Elizabeth and her manners as inappropriate as well as he appearance. From what is said the reader can infer that Mr. Bingley does not share the same views as the rest of his household when he praises Elizabeth's attention to her sister. It can also be inferred that the Bingley household feels superior to those that surround them because they are more city than country. They especially were shocked by the fact that Elizabeth walked which is something common to the inhabitants of the area but to them seemed to show lower class.

Close reading:

"Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used as synonymously. A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us." (pg 14)

From the quote above the reader can infer that vanity and pride are a very thin line in the times the novel is based in. While some people are thought of as proud others are thought of as vain. While a person can hold themselves in high esteem they do not care what others around them think. These are the Mr. Darcy's and Elizabeth's of society, who hold their views like flags not caring what others say. Then there are the vain people who would be the Mrs. Bennets and the Bingley women who rely too much on other people's opinions on them and their own opinions on other people. While a person could be both vain and proud it is those that are proud only that stand out from the rest.