Pride and Prejudice quotes

'she is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me'

Darcy's initial assessment of Lizzy, highlighting the superficial nature of societal views on marriage

'i could easily forgive his pride, if he had not mortified mine'

impact of pride on Lizzy and Darcy's relationship

‘my happiness, without reference to you’

 Lizzy’s independance, rejects social expectations

'I am the happiest creature in the world'

Lizzy about Jane's marriage - importance of family happiness

'i am no longer surprised at your knowing ONLY six accomplished women. I rather wonder now at your knowing ANY’

Lizzy confronts Darcy's condescending views on women's accomplishments

'vanity, not love, has been my folly'

Lizzy acknowledges her own mistakes

'i was in the middle before I knew that I had begun'

Lizzy talking about her growing affection for Darcy

'jumping over stiles and springing over puddles'

Lizzy rebels against the expectation of women to act ladylike and reserved, by acting wildly with Austen's use of animalistic language

'she attracted him more than he liked’

Darcy's growing interest in Lizzy despite her class

'my good opinion once lost is lost forever'

Darcy's self-awareness of pride, his reluctance to forgive shows prejudice

'you must comprehend a great deal in your idea of an accomplished woman'

shows class distinction and gender expectations, Darcy implies an accomplished woman is well-educated, refined, and gracious

‘with the Gardiners, they were always on the most intimate terms'

shows Jane's ability to appreciate kindness and keep strong connections even in hard times

'there is nothing so bad as parting with one's friends'

Jane's appreciation of relationships and her positive outlook on life

'she is too intelligent to be in the room with a person of Mr Darcy's character!'

Caroline Bingley - shows her disdain of Darcy + Lizzy's relationship - Lizzy's wit is dismissed by Caroline to make a dig at her and insults Darcy's Character

'my income was a very comfortable one [...] I can never bear to be present when people are talking of marriage settlements!'

Shows how Mr Bingley is less focused on the mercenary side of marriage, he is nonchalant about finance due to his wealth and status

'you may have more fine clothes and fine carriages than Jane'

Caroline suggests material wealth alone does not bring happiness

'conceited independence'

Caroline shows her jealousy for Lizzy by bringing her down

'a single man of a large fortune; four or five thousand a year. What a fine thing for our girls!'

Mrs Bennet's perspective, emphasising societal expectations in Marriage

'An unhappy alternative is before you, Elizabeth. From this day you must be a stranger to one of your parents'

Mr Bennet warns Elizabeth about the consequences of refusing Collins proposal

'very headstrong foolish girl'

Mrs Bennet is angry at Lizzy after she refuses Collins's proposal and thinks she has ruined her future by her emotional approach to marriage, rather than logical

'she is not half so handsome as Jane, nor half so good-humoured as Lydia'

Mrs Bennet's comparison of superficiality

'Mary wished to say something sensible, but knew not how'

Mary's struggle to conform to society's expectations

'[Brighton] is the place to get husbands'

Lydia's view on marriage being a social advancement, shows her immature character, shows how marriage is a primary goal for young women in society, Brighton is hedonistic

'Kitty [...] spent the chief of her time with her two older sisters'

Improvement from Lydia, they are more mature and refined. This means Kitty herself matures and shows how exposure to positive influences can contribute to personal development, even in the Bennet household microcosm

'marriage had always been her object'

Charlotte’s pragmatic choice for women with small fortunes, seeing marriage as a safeguard against financial difficulty

‘i ask only a comfortable home'

Charlotte’s low expectations, she does not value affection

'happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance'

Charlotte’s cynical view, her outlook on marriage is sadly realistic for a Regency Era woman

'my reasons for marrying are, first, that I think it a right thing for every clergyman [to marry]'

shows the societal pressure to marry and conform, Collins describes how his priority is to fulfil his job rather than affection being the number 1 reason for marriage

'olive branch'

biblical allusions, he thinks of himself as God-like - hubris

‘he must be an oddity [...] there is something very pompous in his style'

Lizzy discusses Collins's obsequiousness and lack of awareness. He uses grandiose, inflated language to make himself seem more intellectual, and Lizzy thinks this is insincere

‘he was the proudest, most disagreeable man in the world'

Lizzy's initial impression of Darcy and his displays of pride

'sees him only as he chooses to be seen'

Lizzy + Darcy discuss Wickham and talk about his manipulation of appearance in society

'she hardly has a good feature in her face'

shows the shallowness and superficiality of Wickham, how he only wants to marry for mercenary value

'uncommonly intelligent by the beautiful expression of her dark eyes'

shows the uncommon importance of character and intelligence in Lizzy

'your portion is unhappily so small that it will in all likelihood undo the effects of your loveliness'

Lady Catherine’s class-based critique of Lizzy

'are the shades of Pemberley to be thus polluted?'

Lady Catherine’s ostentatious disdain of Lizzy marrying Darcy - shows her obsession of maintaining the purity and status of the Darcy family.

'united to my nephew, my own nephew'

Lady Catherine’s arrogance and pride, she thinks her opinion holds great weight in the marriage

‘an angel’

Shows Jane’s all good personality, her benevolence

‘the only plain one in the family’

Mary’s undesirable qualities and how she is boring and works hard for nothing

‘eloquent in her praise’

Mr Collins’ obsession with Lady Catherine, and his status/snobbery by association.

‘one was white, the other red’

Wickham v Darcy

‘handsomer than ever’

Lizzy’s attraction to Wickham

‘soliciting’

transactional language to show Collins’ moves towards Lizzy

‘how ardently I admire and love you’

Mr Darcy’s first proposal, he doesn’t want his feelings to be repressed anymore, and is willing to put Lizzy’s class behind him

‘in vain I have struggled’

Darcy’s proposal, he is going against societal norms by liking her. his struggle is the opposing idea of love between classes

‘violence of my affections’

Collins’s strange aggression, his forced passion towards Lizzy