characters’ marriage motivation to find the marriage motivation in Pride and Prejudice. I looked closely at the characters’ marriage motivation, first, through Jane
Austen’s personal descriptions that describe her character in the novel. Second, through the conversations with others, because those can give the readers clues to a
character’s thought and others’ opinion about the character. Third is through the direct reaction of what a person is thinking about. Forth is through the author’s direct
comment on the characters. Fifth is through the thought, because what a character feels and thinks reflect on his or her characters. Sixth is through mannerisms that may
also tell us about the characters. And the last, I revealed Jane Austen’s view on marriage motivation in the early nineteenth century England through Elizabeth
Bennet in Pride and Prejudice.
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CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS
This part concerns the analysis which is divided into two parts of discussion. The first discussion is the analysis on the character of Elizabeth Bennet as the main
character of the novel through her actions, speech, the author’s comment, and from opinion of other character. The next discussion is the analysis of Jane Austen’s
criticism on marriage motivation in the early nineteenth century England through the main character, Elizabeth Bennet.
4.1. The Analysis of the Main Character, Elizabeth Bennet.
The character analysis of Elizabeth Bennet will be divided into three parts; they are social, physical and psychological character.
4.1.1. Social Character
Elizabeth Bennet is the second of the five daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet. She is an upper middle class girl. Elizabeth is the most logical and intelligent of the
five Bennet sisters, and that makes her become her father’s favorite and the lovely daughter of him. Her father has a positive value about her personality which he
considers different from her sisters’. He says that:“…they are all silly and ignorant like other girls; but Lizzy has something more of quickness that her sisters” 5.
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She has a great affection for her eldest sister, Jane, particularly related with her feeling toward Mr. Bingley. She also cares about her younger sister, Lydia, and
her close friend, Charlotte Lucas. Elizabeth must confront her society’s class- consciousness, especially with her family’s growing relationship with the wellborn
Bingleys and their friends, Mr. Darcy, and also Lady Catherine de Bourgh. One reason why Elizabeth proves to be a very interesting character is her
close friendship with her older sister, Jane. Due to their constant contact, they are able to tell each other’s moods with great ease, especially Elizabeth. When Jane
returns from seeing Bingley, Elizabeth instantly reads her feeling, so it means that they spend a lot of time in each other’s company.
Elizabeth obviously cares deeply about Jane, because when the later becomes ill while at Netherfield, Elizabeth takes it upon herself to walk three miles through the
mud to visit Jane: “I shall be very fit to see Jane – which is all I want.”
“Is this a hint to me Lizzy,” said her father, “to send for the horses?” “No, indeed. I do not wish to avoid the walk. The distance is nothing, when
one has a motive; only three miles. I shall be back by dinner” 31. She mostly stays by Jane’s bedside during the visit, preferring her company to
the superciliousness of Miss Bingley and Hurst. Jane becomes very fond of Mr. Bingley and she is quite upset when she hears of his departure. It is only Elizabeth
who she confides in, and tries to cheer her up.
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