Pride and Prejudice Context Jane Austen’s novel is set in the 1800s, in England. At this moment in time, society was very different than what it is now. Despite “Pride and Prejudice” being removed from the agitation of the period, by being set in the countryside, Austen indirectly references the concerns of the English population had with war when writing Wickham, a soldier who can be a symbol of a war the English had with France during that period. The concerns with money, property and status can also be seen as the highlight of the developing social image of the late 18th and 19th century England. Back then, people would inherit land and then try to enlarge it by giving to the male heir, instead of distributing it, such as Mr. Bennet, …show more content…
Darcy takes pride in his social rank and that makes him look down on people with lower class, “Initially prideful, Darcy doesn 't think these country people are good enough for him. Elizabeth has pride, too: though looks aren 't everything to her, Darcy 's insult still stings.” (Austen, 1813, Ch. 3). Prejudice is also a major theme in the novel, as the title implies that prejudice goes hand in hand with pride, guiding the protagonists into making wrong assumptions. Mr. Darcy’s prejudice against the lower class stops him from accepting and admitting his true feelings for Elizabeth, while Elizabeth owns prejudices against the upper class for their behaviour towards them, “His character was decided. He was the proudest, most disagreeable man in the world, and everybody hoped that he would never come there again” (Austen, 1813, Ch. 3).
Prejudice can also be seen in women’s inferiority to men. Women can’t inherit the property of a family, and if they are unmarried they have to depend on their relatives such as a father or a