Things to Consider:

• Entailments, Dowries, and the Marriage Market
• Wollstonecraft and Female Education
• Relationships between Middle Class and Gentry
• Propriety

• Explain the significance of this statement:  "Servants and laborers are nearly invisible and never complain" (xv).

• What percentage of England's population during Austen's time included the gentry?
• What is the significance of Austen's use of passive voice to describe the activity of servants and other workers?
• What is free indirect discourse?

• How, according to the editors, do Austen's heroines provide "a testing in the literary imagination of the arguments of Mary Wollstonecraft and other progressive thinkers" (xvi-xvii)?

• In the world of Austen's novels, what is an important distinction between moral and economic worth?

• What exactly is the "marriage market" (xix)?

• On what "Wollstonecraftian grounds" does Elizabeth refuse Darcy's first proposal?
• What is a chiaroscuro?

• Explain:  "The marriages of the Bennets, the Collinses, the Wickhams, the Hursts, as Austen knew, are more socially normative than the  wish-fulfilling fables at the center of Pride and Prejudice" (xxiv).

• How would Mary Wollstonecraft view Mrs. Bennet?  See, for example, 7-9.
• How would Mary Wollstonecraft view Mary Bennet?  See 16, 24, 28, 35, [192], etc.
• What is your initial response to Elizabeth Bennet? To Darcy?  Explain.

• Explain the first sentence.

• Why does Mrs. Bennet ask Mr. Bennet to go and visit Mr. Bingley?

• Why does Bingley see only Mr. Bennet on his return visit?

• Describe Mr. Darcy's behavior at the ball.

• What characteristics, according to Jane, should a young man possess?

• Why is it significant that, unlike Darcy's, Bingley's wealth is newly acquired?

• In what ways are Bingley and Jane Bennet similar?

• What, according to Mary Bennet, is the difference between pride and vanity?

• Why, according to Charlotte Lucas, is it dangerous for a woman to conceal her affection? [See also 171-72]

• Describe Charlotte Lucas's views on marriage. How does her being 27 years old influence her views?

• Why does Darcy not like to dance?

• What is an "entail"?
• Why is the arrival of a military regiment in Meryton significant?

• Is Elizabeth justified in walking to Netherfield? Explain. (See also 38)

• Explain:  "I cannot comprehend the neglect of a family library in such days as these" (40).

• How does Darcy define accomplishment?

• Is Miss Bingley's assessment of  Elizabeth fair/accurate? Explain.

• Explain Darcy's comments: "Nothing is more deceitful . . . than the appearance of humility" (49).

• Explain Elizabeth's comments about the "picturesque" (see also footnote 9 and, if really interested, 408-24).

• Explain Miss Bingley's comments about reading, especially as they relate to Darcy's on 41.

• Why does Miss Bingley ask Elizabeth to walk around the room with her?

• Explain Darcy's assertion:  "My good opinion once lost is lost forever" (57). Why does Elizabeth call this position a "failing"? Explain.

• Why is Mr. Bennet happy that Mr. Collins is "absurd"?

• What does Collins mean by "instruction" (67)?

• Describe the significance of Lydia's attitude to the game of lottery.

• What is the nature of the tension between Wickham and Darcy?

• Explain Jane's reaction to Elizabeth's reaction to Wickham's story.

• Explain Elizabeth's opening remark to Darcy during their dance.

• Why is Elizabeth still convinced of Wickham's sincerity even after the input from the Bingleys?

• Explain Elizabeth's thoughts about her family.

• Explain Collins's remarks:  "Your wit and vivacity I think must be acceptable to her, especially when  tempered with the silence and respect which her rank will inevitably excite" (99).
• Is Collins's proposal to Elizabeth a romantic one? Explain.

• What reasons does Elizabeth give for her refusal of Collins?

• Why doesn't Collins believe her (or does he)?

• Why has the Bingley party left Netherfield?

• Why does Charlotte want to marry Collins?

• What does "coming out" refer to?

• Why does Elizabeth disapprove of Charlotte's acceptance of Collins?

• What is your general response to Lady Catherine de Bourgh? Explain. (See 143-48)

• Explain Elizabeth's statement to Jane:  "There are few people whom I really love, and still fewer of whom I think well" (121).

• Explain the exchange between Elizabeth and Jane about "admiration."

• Explain Elizabeth's comment to Mrs. Gardiner:  "Is not general incivility the very essence of love?" (126).
• Why does Jane go to London with the Gardiners?

• Why does Elizabeth stop "seeing" Wickham?

• Explain Elizabeth's question:  "What is the difference, in matrimonial affairs, between the mercenary and the prudent motive" (135).

• Is Collins trying to make Elizabeth jealous?  Explain.
• Explain this description of Collins's conduct:  "Every view was pointed out with a minuteness which left beauty entirely behind" (138).

• Describe Elizabeth's interaction with Lady Catherine.

• To what does "ill-breeding" refer?  In this regard, how does Lady Catherine compare with Mrs. Bennet?

• Why has Darcy come calling?

• Why does Darcy congratulate himself for preventing a friend's "imprudent marriage"? Whose marriage is meant?

• How romantic is Darcy's proposal?  Explain.
• Why does Elizabeth reject him?

• How well does Darcy defend himself to Elizabeth?

• Why does Elizabeth not want to believe him?

• What changes her mind?

• Would Charlotte agree with Mr. Collins's assessment of their marriage?  Explain.

• Explain the significance of Mary's response to Lydia about their experiences that day.

• Why won't Elizabeth tell Jane the truth about Bingley's separation from her?

• Why doesn't Elizabeth want Lydia to go to Brighton?

• Is the Bennets's a happy marriage?  Explain.

• Why does Elizabeth agree to visit Pemberly?

• Why is Mrs. Reynolds's praise of Darcy so important to Elizabeth?

• Why is going to Pemberly "the most ill-judged thing in the world" (215)?

• Why does Elizabeth "triumph" when she introduces Darcy to her aunt and uncle?

• Why is she surprised that Darcy wants Elizabeth to meet his sister?

• Why does Elizabeth feel gratitude toward Darcy? [see also 369]

• Explain the significance of Miss Bingley's question about the militia's departure.

• Could Elizabeth really have prevented Lydia's elopement with Wickham?  Explain.

• What are Wickham's motives?

• Why does Mr. Collins write to Mr. Bennet?

• Why is Mr. Bennet ashamed of Wickham's asking so little as marriage settlement?

• Why is Mrs. Bennet so happy that Lydia will marry Wickham?

• Why does Elizabeth regret telling Darcy about Lydia?

• Do any of Lydia's sisters envy her? Explain.
• Does Lydia have any sense of what has occurred?

• Why has Darcy assisted so much with the wedding?

• Why does Mrs. Bennet hate the very sight of Darcy?

• What evidence is there that Lady Catherine's is not a social call?

• Describe Elizabeth's exchange with Lady Catherine.

• What is "Charlotte's situation"? Why isn't it discussed in greater detail?

• Explain: "Instead of his seeing too little, she might have fancied too much" (309).

• Explain Elizabeth's statement to Darcy:  "Think only of the past as its remembrance gives you pleasure" (312).  Is this a good philosophy?  Explain.

• How easily directed is Bingley? Why?  Explain.

• Why does Elizabeth know more than she feels that she is happy?

• When has Elizabeth started to love Darcy?

• What influence does Elizabeth have on Georgiana Darcy?