Distinction of Social Classes in Pride and Prejudice

In order to analyse this issue, we have to go back to the early 19^th century: political and social unrest, the Industrial Revolution, and a rising, but still segregated Victorian middle-class.

The society exposed in Austen’s novel bases its interaction on the distinction of social classes and the patterns of behaviour followed by everyone back in those times. In 2013, Chin-Yi describes this social world as “highly stratified and laden with class struggle and pretension”.

We read throughout the novel that this class distinction is something accepted by almost everyone, with not many people refusing to behave differently in front of someone who belongs to a superior social class. What is more, Austen creates characters like Mr. Collins who shows extreme devotion to his patron from a superior class. And at the same time, she, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, knows there are “inferior people” and makes it noticeable.

Most of the characters of “Pride and Prejudice” feel this distinction of class is the base for a well-organised society, and it is clear to us, the readers, that they feel that is how things work.

We can take as an example the early relationship between Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth: he, a wealthy upper-class gentleman, who looks down at everyone due to his superiority; she, the second of five daughters of a middle-class family. When they first met, Mr. Darcy felt she was not enough for him since she was not beautiful enough, smiled too much, and the most important point, she did not come from a rich or decent family.

This was definitely not taken as discrimination, but it was something common in those times, due to the fact that everything, especially relationships, was based on the distinction of social classes.

Nonetheless, this assumption of the British society distinction is broken by Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy: even though they come from different social classes, Elizabeth feels she is not less intelligent and worthy than he is just for the fact that she comes from an inferior social class. At the same time Mr. Darcy’s pride disappears, in a way breaking the rules and getting them together.

From my personal point of view, through Pride and prejudice Austen wanted to show this division of people according to their social class, among other factors. However, at the same time she shows how this common assumption of different classes is broken by this couple, and how in a way love breaks with these barriers.

References:

        -Lambert, T. (2012). A history of Britain in the 19^th century. Local History. Retrived from http://www.localhistories.org/19thcentengland.html

       -Loftus, D. (2011). The rise of the Victorian middle class. British history. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/victorians/middle_classes_01.shtml

       -19th Century England Social Hierarchy (2014). Retrieved from http://www.hierarchystructure.com/19th-century-england-social-hierarchy/

       -Chin-Yi, C. (2013). Gender and Class Oppression in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. The Indian review of World Literature in English, 9 (II)