The theme of Pride and Prejudice is marriage and love. This essay is based on the analysis of a minor character in this novel and extends the topic to the real life. The characters in this novel are completely mixed with reality, obeying the social rules; the plots of the story are depicted. This paper makes research on the representativeness of a minor character. Firstly, this paper probes into the minor character—Mrs. Bennet’s characters. Secondly, this paper analyzes which aspects the representativeness embodies. Lastly, it will reveal the reasons that the character takes shape. Although she is a minor character, it has realistic meaning. She is typical and represents a kind of people in real life. The living environment and social background of these people decide their destiny and their choice in life. Their life roles have been designed from the day when they were born. This paper examines Austen’s social background, and discovers the social environment. These have much effect on the forming of the characters in the novel. In that time, wealth is the decisive factor of marriage to the female. They understand the marriage as the chance of raising social status and ameliorating economy. The fortune and social status are the relative conditions that decide the person to marry. They try to save themselves in the way of marriage.
Abstract.................................................................... I
Key Words....................................................................I
摘要.........................................................................II
关键词.......................................................................II
Introduction…………………………………………………………………….……...1
I. The Character of Mrs. Bennet in the Novel………………………………………....3
A. Mean Understanding…………………………………………………………….4
B. Little Information………………………………………………………………..5
C. Uncertain Temper………………………………………………………………..6
Ⅱ.The Representativeness of Mrs. Bennet’s Images………………………………....8
A. The Image as a Woman………………………………………………….……....9
B. The Image as a Wife……………………………………………………….…...10
C. The Image as a Mother………………………………………………………...10
III. How Does the Character Take Shape? …………………………………………..12
A. Her Character Is Decided by Her Education…………………………………...13
B. Her Character Is Shaped by Her Living Environment………………………....14
C. Her Character Is Related to the Social Background…………………………....14
Conclusion……………………………………………………………….………..….16
Acknowledgements…………………………………………….………………….…17
Bibliography……………………………………………………………….…...…….18
