Introduction:
Elizabeth is the moving spirit of the novel and the centre of it just as Portia is the moving spirit of the Merchant of Venice and is its central character. She is the second daughter of Mr. Bennet. She is the heroine of the novel Pride and Prejudice. Jane Austen wrote about Elizabeth, “That I think her as delightful a creature as ever appeared in print, and how I shall be able to tolerate those who do not like her at least, I do not know.”
 |
| Novel Pride and Prejudice: Elizabeth Bennet, Heroine of Novel |
Mistress of Perfect Personality:
Hers might be said to be a full personality, in spite of one defect, namely prejudice. She has a soundly developed mind as well as heart. She is neither shrew because she is more intelligent than almost any other character in the novel, nor weakly sentimental, because she has a sensitive heart. There is the right balance between sense and sensibility in her. She has a mind that is alert and a heart that is responsive.
Her Independence of Spirit, Disposition and Capacity to Deal with Person:
She stands out from the rest of the girls of the village and her own sisters. She is not as beautiful as Jane and Darcy feels that the latter is the only beautiful girl in the assembly. In fact, he refuses to dance with Elizabeth when Bingley suggests it to him. She is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt him. These words contain delightful irony. For, the same man is prepared to take any trouble to gain the hand of one whom he has offended unwillingly. That is to come later and meanwhile, the lady shows a characteristic reaction to the remarks overheard by her and makes fun of the pride of the man. “For she had a lively, playful disposition which delighted in anything ridiculous.” Her later relationship with Darcy shows her independence of spirits and her capacity to deal with persons who think too high of themselves. She does not court Darcy as Miss Bingley does and shows that she does not stand in awe of him. She goes to the length of making fun of him.
A Complex Character:
Elizabeth's character has been called complex because she cannot be comprehended easily. This is the reason why Darcy who, on first seeing her, speaks of Elizabeth “She is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me.” He gradually falls an unwilling and unwitting prey to her charms. Darcy finds himself helplessly drawn towards her, despite his best efforts. So it may be said that her character can be comprehended only by those who are gifted with intelligence and come in her contact to know of her real beauty - the beauty of disposition, of mind and spirits, and not body alone.
Her Physical Outwards Appearance:
Mrs. Bennet, Elizabeth's mother, tells her husband, that “Lizzy is not a bit better than the others; and I am sure she is not half so handsome as Jane ..........”
Similarly Darcy observes about Elizabeth: “She is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me.”
Confident and Self - respecting:
Elizabeth is not vain. She is wise, witty and intelligent. The knowledge has given her a confidence. This virtue impresses Darcy. She is self - respecting. She does not easily forget when anybody tries to treat her lightly. When Darcy contemptuously turns down Bingley's suggestion of a dance with Elizabeth with an unbecoming remark out of pride and in Elizabeth's hearing she takes a mental note and does not feel easy unless she has turned down his offer of a dance with her.
Having the Power of Perceiving:
Elizabeth is a talented lady, she does not make mistake about Collins, about Charles Bingley, about Caroline Bingley, about Mrs. Hurst and about Lady Catherine. She has equally correctly perceived her parents and the malady that plagues their relationship and the consequences of such a relationship on the children. Her assessment of Jane and her three other sisters is also correct.
Her Wrong Judgment about some Personalities:
She considers Darcy bad but he turns to be the noblest of all persons. Similarly she fails in her assessment of Wickham - a person, who appears so charming, cultured and decent, but is, ultimately, found to be a true villain. Thus her reading of complex characters is faulty. So her insight into her man character is not profound.
Not Flying on Emotional or Romantic Plane:
Elizabeth is not emotional or romantic. When she is happy, she does not feel it but she knows it . Her love is on intellectual plane. She discusses analyses and realizes and not feels. Through reason and logic, through encounters and discussions, she draws closer to Darcy. Whenever they are alone, they do not talk of love. They try to know more and more about each other and this knowledge or discovery of self and each other brings them so close that they decide to accept each other.
Polite in Accepting her Folly:
She discovers her mistake after receiving Darcy's letter. She blames herself for having been blind to the merits of Darcy and the defects of Wickham. She realizes that she had been partial to Wickham and is sorry that she had been hasty in her judgment of the two men. She grows ashamed of herself and exclaims that she could not have been more wretchedly blind if she had been in love.
Elizabeth, A Class in Herself:
Elizabeth is different from her mother who is immature, tactless, vain and foolish. She is different from Jane who is so sweet, simple and trusting – ‘so angelic’. She is different from Mary who is silly and pedantic and also different from Kitty and Lydia, who are frivolous, flirtations and foolish.
