Pride and Prejudice AP English Literature Study Guide

Vocabulary flashcards covering key characters, narrative techniques, settings, motifs, and AP exam concepts from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.

First Impressions

The original working title under which Jane Austen drafted Pride and Prejudice prior to its publication in 1813.

Free Indirect Discourse

A third-person narrative technique with an ironic narrator that closely tracks Elizabeth's thoughts, immersing readers in her judgments and errors.

Elizabeth Bennet

The witty second daughter who is proud of her discernment, though this strength ultimately transforms into her error (prejudice).

Fitzwilliam Darcy

The wealthy, reserved owner of Pemberley whose pride must be humbled and who reveals his true character through actions rather than appearances.

Jane Bennet

The eldest Bennet daughter who thinks well of everyone; serves as a foil to Elizabeth by contrasting excessive charity with excessive confidence.

Charles Bingley

Darcy's good-natured friend who possesses an easy temperament and is easily persuaded by others.

Mr. Bennet

The ironic, detached father whose wit provides humor, but whose failure to take active responsibility has serious consequences regarding Lydia.

Mrs. Bennet

The Bennet matriarch whose comic desperation to marry off her daughters reflects the genuine economic vulnerabilities faced by women.

Lydia Bennet

The reckless youngest sister whose elopement threatens to ruin the Bennet family and provides the catalyst that tests Darcy.

George Wickham

A charming militia officer who embodies the danger of trusting superficial appearances.

Mr. Collins

The pompous clergyman set to inherit Longbourn; serves as a satire of self-importance and repeatedly exposes his own absurdity through his speech and letters.

Charlotte Lucas

Elizabeth's practical friend who marries Mr. Collins, highlighting women's economic realities and challenging Elizabeth's rigid judgments.

Lady Catherine de Bourgh

Darcy's aristocratic aunt who embodies rank and entitlement, and whose authoritative interference ultimately backfires.

Darcy's Midpoint Letter

A structural turning point in Volume Two that reveals character in the writer's own words, corrects misunderstandings, and reorganizes Elizabeth's perspective.

The Entail

A legal inheritance restriction on Longbourn that diverts property to male heirs, symbolizing the severe economic constraints placed on women.

Pemberley

Darcy's estate, characterized by tasteful and natural grounds that mirror his true character and prompt Elizabeth to reconsider her opinion of him.

Elizabeth's Muddy Walk

A motif demonstrating Elizabeth's independence and sincere affection over rigid social propriety.

Balls and Dancing

A recurring social motif representing public performance, where social judgments are formed and courtship occurs openly.

Longbourn

The Bennet family residence, which is entailed away to Mr. Collins, rendering advantageous marriage an urgent economic necessity.

Hunsford and Rosings

The parish and grand estate belonging to Lady Catherine de Bourgh, serving as the setting for Darcy's first proposal to Elizabeth.

The AP 6-Point Rubric

The grading framework for literary analysis essays, divided into Thesis (1 point), Evidence and Commentary (up to 4 points), and Sophistication (1 point).