Elizabeth Paragraph

"Elizabeth Bennet is a character to whom today's young women can relate very easily because of her attitudes to love and marriage."

Do you agree?

Young women of present day relate easily with the character Elizabeth Bennet because of her attitudes to love and marriage. When declining Mr. Collins’ marriage proposal, Elizabeth says, “I do assure you that I am not one of those young ladies… who are so daring to risk their happiness on the chance of being asked a second time… You could not make me happy.” (p.105) Through the use of dialogue the reader is positioned to view Elizabeth’s favour towards marrying for love. Elizabeth is presented as a strong willed character, refusing to marry Mr Collins despite her family’s wish. “She is a very head strong, foolish girl.” (p.108) Mrs Bennet, along with most from the time, disapproved of Elizabeth’s choice, thinking she was foolish to decline a marriage proposal simply because it would not be based on love. Situational irony is present because Mrs Bennet herself didn’t marry for love and as a result has a husband, Mr Bennet, who doesn’t respect or love her and spends most of his time amusing himself by making fun of her. "Her ignorance and folly had contributed to his amusement.” The reader is henceforth inclined to support Elizabeth’s desire to marry for love, an attitude held by many women. Elizabeth Bennet from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is evidently a character many modern day young women can relate to.