To what extent does Elizabeth really challenge society’s expectations in Pride and Prejudice?
Elizabeth does not conform to society’s expectations of marrying a wealthy man; unlike her mother and sisters. She lives in a strict society which is full of ties and rules and unlike other female characters in the novel, she expresses a great strength in character. In a way, she is more of a feminist in the sense that she voices her opinion about marriage and is openly bothered by the idea of marrying Mr Collins simply because he is personally unsuitable. As readers, we are positioned to compare Elizabeth to characters such as Charlotte Lucas and Jane, who are more submissive to the ways of society. Jane is shy and sweet; a perfect example of a well-raised woman who does not question or challenge the norms of society. Elizabeth, on the other hand, possesses a degree of impertinence and challenged the conventions of society and does respond how her mother wishes her to. This is clearly shown when Mr Collins proposes to her and despite her mother’s harassment, Elizabeth refuses to accept his proposal, even though his wealth and social standing could be a huge help to her family’s financial situation. There are pressures on young women to obtain a wealthy husband but Elizabeth disregards these expectations and wishes to marry for love. Another example is when Mr Darcy reveals his love to her and then proposes to her. Although, he is both handsome and wealthy, Elizabeth refuses to marry him because of his attitude towards country people and his pride.

Elizabeth and society

Elizabeth, the main protagonist of the novel, goes against society’s expectations. She lives in a strict society which is full of ties and conventions, but she manages to fight against social norms by upholding her strong sense of pride and respect for herself. There are pressures on young women to find a wealthy husband, but Elizabeth disregards these expectations and wishes to marry for love instead of money. An example is when she refuses to accept Mr Collin’s hand in marriage, although, she is aware that marrying him could help solve her family’s financial problems. Instead of conforming to societies expectations of marrying a man of wealth, she decides to wait for the opportunity to marry for love. Even when she does come across a relatively handsome and wealthy man, she refuses to marry him simply because of his attitude. “From the first moment I met you, your arrogance and conceit, your selfish disdain for the feelings of others made me realize that you were the last man in the world I could ever be prevailed upon to marry.” Mr COllins and ELizabeth are both characters with different views and different ideas on how a woman should behave. Both characters are different in the way we are positioned to view them. But on the other hand, both charcaters are used by the text to help the reader to understand and disaprove of the class system. We are positioned to admire Elizabeth for her wit and intelligence whereas Mr Collins is seen as pompous and rude.

Mr Collins

Mr Collins is an important character in the novel. He is there so that Austen can firther explore the idea of marrying without love and the views society had during her time. He is also there for the slight humour in which he carries himself and to convey just how strong and independent Elizabeth is, in the fact that she wont marry him. Elizabeth declines his proposal and her refusal goes against all the conventions of that time. She declines because she thinks that Collins is foolish, and because she wishes to marry for love. Jane Austen uses Mr Collins as an example of a rich but idiotic character & Austen pokes fun at him and societies views. He is a very proud character- Mr. Collins frequently boasts of his connection to Lady Catherine, the only person he does not make himself superior to. He is mainly used to show the tradition of marrying for wealth and social status instead of love. Elizabth does not want this and disagrees with this tradition. The reader is positioned to dislike Mr Collins and see him as ridiculous and pompous and he comes across as quite superficial. One of the central themes in the novel is marriage. Mr Collins is there so that the reader can reflect upon this theme. He visits the Bennets with the sole purpose of proposing to one of the daughters.