Side characters

• Mr Wickam quote

  'Had the late Mr Darcy liked me less, his son might have liked me better'

  • Method - irony - as it is later revieled that wickam is the dishonest
  • the narrative from Mr Wickam underscores his deceptive and manipulative persona
• Mrs Bennet key quote

  'it had been a fortnight since Mrs Bennet had been downstairs, but on this happy day she again took her seat at the head of the table'

  • Methods - Irony and satirical tone used by narrator
  • Austen depicts Mrs B's happiness to be superficial and dependant upon the fortunes of her daughters, reflecting the importance of marriage in Regency britain
  • a 'fortnight' reflects her melodramatic attitudes and mocks her self indulgence and emotional nature
• Mr Bennet key quote

  'Mr Bennet was so odd a mixture of quick parts, sarcastic humour, reserve and caprice'

  • Methods - indirect characterisation and narrative description
• Lady Catherine key quote

  'she likes to have distinction of rank preserved'

  • Methods - indirect characterisation - Lady C's ideals of rigid social structure is presented through Collins' dialogue
  • Reflects her class pride
• Mr Bingley key quote

  'He was quite young, wonderfully handsome and extremely agreeable'

  • Methods - narrator speaks with a light hearted tone when describing Bingley, in order to align with his easy going personality, reinforcing his static nature
  • Austen uses the 'agreeable' character of Bingley as a foil to Mr Darcy, as she displays that wealth does not always lead to arrogance
• Lydia Bennet key quote

  'she was a stout well grown girl of 15, with a fine complexion and good humoured countenance... she had animal spirits'

  • Method - her physical attributes are mentioned, unlike her sisters - her likeable physicality foreshados her involvement with Mr Wickam and implies the dangers of sexuality and desire
  • Lydia dosen't conform to social norms - 'animal spirits'
• Mr Collins key quote

  'My situation in life, my connections with the family of De Bourgh, and my relationship to your own'

  • Methods - Austen starkly contrasts Lizzy's ideals of marriage with Collins as he treats it as a transaction
  • Austen uses the character of Collins to also mock extremist social class attitudes
• Charlotte Lucas key quote

  'I am not a romantic you know, I never was. i ask only of a comfortable home'

  • Methods - starkly contrasts to Lizzy's ideals of love and marriage
  • Austen shows the reality of marriage for woman in the 19th century and the traditions they had to conform to in order to secure a comfortable future
  • she is a woman with limited options
• Jane Bennet key quote

  'You never see a flaw in anybody. All the world are good and agreeable in your eyes'

  • Methods - Indirect characterisation from E's perspective as she reveals Jane's kindness and calm nature
  • Jane starkly contrasts with Lizzy's more skeptical and perceptive view of the world
  • Perhaps Austen uses Jane as a foil to Lizzy - Jane and Bingley's smooth relationship is what Lizzy and Darcy could have had if it wasn't for their pride and prejiduce
• quote describing mr wickham's appearence

  'his appearence was greatly in his favour'
• mrs bennet quote on her views of marriage

  'a single man of large fortune... what a fine thing for our girls'
• quote which shows Miss Bingley's dislike of the Bennet's

  "oh for heaven's sake, are we to receive every Bennet in the country?"

  • her DIALOUGE shows her dislike of the Bennet family due to their refusal to conform to social norms - juxtaposes miss bingly's traditionlalist views
• quote about miss bingley critiquing lizzy's appearence

  "i could never see any beauty in her, her face is too thin, her complexion has no brilliancy; and her features are not at all handsome."
• mrs hurst quote about lizzy's appearence

  'i shall never forget her appearance this morning. She looked almost wild'

  • Mrs Hurst judges Elizabeth for looking 'almost wild' as she dislikes how Lizzy comes across as unprofessional as she is from a lower class so she is not conforming to social norms
• quote on miss bingley's opinion of mr darcy and lizzy's marriage

  "Miss bingley was deeply mortified by Darcy's marriage"
• Why it's significant that Miss Bingley and Mrs Hurst judge Elizabeth on her appearance

  • Shows class prejudice – they look down on Elizabeth for not fitting upper-class standards.
  • Reflects society’s obsession with appearances, especially for women.
  • Contrasts with Elizabeth’s values – she cares about character, not image.
  • Reveals jealousy – Miss Bingley feels threatened by Darcy’s interest in Elizabeth.
  • Austen uses this to criticise superficial judgment and highlight true worth
• what does lydia think of her sisters

  'I am sure my sisters must all envy me. I only hope they may have half my good luck.'