Description of Elizabeth Bennet

Elizabeth Bennet: 

Physical Appearance
Other than Elizabeth being described as the second prettiest Bennet daughter (next to Jane) there is not a great deal of description as to her physical person. She has fine, dark eyes, her figure lacks perfect symmetry but is still light and pleasing (according to Darcy), she is shorter than Kitty Bennet, tans in the sun, and is an avid walker. If we take into consideration the portrayal of her appearance according to Caroline Bingley, she would be quite plain looking indeed:

"Her face is too thin; her complexion has no brilliancy; and her features are not at all handsome. Her nose wants character; there is nothing marked in its lines. Her teeth are tolerable, but not out of the common way; and as for her eyes, which have sometimes been called so fine, I never could perceive any thing extraordinary in them. They have a sharp, shrewish look, which I do not like at all; and in her air altogether, there is a self-sufficiency without fashion which is intolerable."

Character Description and Analysis

Elizabeth Bennet, the protagonist of “Pride and Prejudice”, is a vibrant and complex character whose wit, intelligence, and vivacity make her one of Jane Austen’s most memorable heroines.

Elizabeth, or Lizzy as she is affectionately known, is the second eldest of the five Bennet sisters. She is distinguished by her quick wit, playful spirit, and moral integrity. Unlike her mother and younger sisters, who are primarily concerned with marriage and social status, Elizabeth values personal character and compatibility in relationships.

Elizabeth’s intelligence and keen observational skills allow her to see through the superficiality of her society. She is not afraid to challenge societal norms and expectations, which is evident in her rejection of Mr. Collins’s marriage proposal, despite the financial security it would provide.

Her prejudice against Mr. Darcy, formed after his initial slight and Mr. Wickham’s deceit, is a significant aspect of her character. It blinds her to Mr. Darcy’s true character and leads her to reject his first proposal. However, upon receiving his letter and discovering the truth about Wickham, Elizabeth is forced to confront her own prejudices and misjudgments.

This moment of self-realization is a turning point for Elizabeth. She acknowledges her errors in judgment and grows from the experience, demonstrating her capacity for introspection and personal growth. Her ability to change her opinions, admit her mistakes, and learn from them is a testament to her strength of character.

Elizabeth’s relationship with Mr. Darcy is central to the novel. Their love story, marked by misunderstanding, growth, and eventual mutual respect and admiration, challenges the class prejudices and social conventions of their time.

In conclusion, Elizabeth Bennet is a strong, intelligent, and independent woman who navigates the complexities of societal expectations, personal prejudices, and matters of the heart with grace and aplomb. Her character embodies the novel’s critique of 19th-century English society and its exploration of themes such as love, marriage, class, and personal growth. Her character development throughout the novel underscores the importance of self-awareness, humility, and personal transformation. Her story continues to resonate with readers, making her one of the most beloved characters in literature.

Character Mentions 600+


Quotations

Chapter 5

“If I may so express it, he has a right to be proud.”

“That is very true,” replied Elizabeth, “and I could easily forgive his pride, if he had not mortified mine.”

Chapter 16

“You mean to frighten me, Mr. Darcy, by coming in all this state to hear me. But I will not be alarmed, though your sister does play so well. There is a stubbornness about me that never can bear to be frightened at the will of others. My courage always rises with every attempt to intimidate me.”

Chapter 24

"There are few people whom I really love, and still fewer of whom I think well. The more I see of the world, the more am I dissatisfied with it, and every day confirms my belief of the inconsistency of all human characters, and of the little dependence that can be placed on the appearance of merit or sense."

Chapter 27

"What are men to rocks and mountains?"

Chapter 36

"I, who have prided myself on my discernment! I have courted prepossession and ignorance, and driven reason away where either were concerned. Till this moment, I never knew myself."

Chapter 34

"From the very beginning—from the first moment, I may almost say—of my acquaintance with you, your manners, impressing me with the fullest belief of your arrogance, your conceit, and your selfish distain of the feelings of others, were such as to form the groundwork of the disapprobation on which succeeding events have built so immovable a dislike; and I had not known you a month before I felt that you were the last man in the world on whom I could ever be prevailed on to marry"

Chapter 56

"You may ask questions which I shall not choose to answer."

Chapter 58

“When I wrote that letter,” replied Darcy, “I believed myself perfectly calm and cool; but I am since convinced that it was written in a dreadful bitterness of spirit.”
“The letter, perhaps, began in bitterness, but it did not end so. The adieu is charity itself. But think no more of the letter. The feelings of the person who wrote and the person who received it are now so widely different from what they were then, that every unpleasant circumstance attending it ought to be forgotten. You must learn some of my philosophy. Think only of the past as its remembrance gives you pleasure.”

Chapter 7

“Is this a hint to me, Lizzy,” said her father, “to send for the horses?”
“No, indeed. I do not wish to avoid the walk. The distance is nothing, when one has a motive; only three miles. I shall be back by dinner.”