Characters are persons and individuals having their own unique personalities and qualities in a literary piece. Writers and authors use these characters to pinpoint their weaknesses and recklessness, virtues and vices and other features to make the stories impactful. Price and Prejudice have famous characters that seem relatable even in the present times. Some of these most important characters have been discussed below.
Characters in Pride and Prejudice
Character #1
Elizabeth
The heroine and protagonist of Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth is the most loveable character among the five sisters. Lizzy or Eliza as she is lovingly called is considered the most loveable of Austen’s all female protagonists. She is the second daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet who owns the Longbourn Estate. Although she is to be married to Mr. William Collins, her quick thinking and acutely conscious mind warn her against it. Even she is not in favor of Mr. Darcy in the beginning as the story progresses, she chides herself for not recognizing his balanced personality. She sheds her prejudice against him and later becomes his beloved who also likes her playfulness and loving nature. At the end of the novel, she accepts Darcy’s proposal and marries him.
Character #2
Mr. Darcy
An aristocrat and seemingly very arrogant, Mr. Darcy is the second best character in Pride and Prejudice. He is not only class-conscious but also somewhat demanding and meticulous in his manners. He possesses a strong sense of respect and honor of his family lineage and holds high self-esteem. At first, he does not give any attention to Elizabeth, which she considers his arrogance. However, later when offers help to find Lydia, his displays a different side of his personality. Thus, wins Elizabeth’s heart. She then accepts his proposal when she understands his role in the affair of Lydia. It is Darcy who pursues Wickham and forces him to marry Lydia. This makes Elizabeth accept him as her soulmate.
Character #3
Jane Bennet
Jane Bennet is the eldest of the Bennet sisters. Later, she becomes Mrs. Bingley when she marries Charles Bingley. She is also a prominent character after Elizabeth. Although acknowledged as the most beautiful, she does not attract Mr. Darcy. Instead, she is pulled toward Mr. Bingley who falls in love with her too. She is quite close to Elizabeth and keeps her honor very dear to her. That is why she confides in her about Mr. Bingley and develops a traditional romance to marry him later. Although she has the upper hand over Elizabeth, her old-fashioned marrying does not impact readers as much as Elizabeth’s first rejection and then later attraction toward Mr. Darcy.
Character #4
Mr. Bingley
Mr. Charles Bingley is another important character in Pride and Prejudice whose role wins great admiration from the readers. He marries the most beautiful Bennet sisters, Jane Bennet. Brother of Louisa and Caroline, he is the most lovable male character after Darcy. While Darcy is from the elite class, while Mr. Bingley can mix up with any class. He occasionally visits the Bennets and found Jane very attractive and pliable. He is a modest person but not as clever and wise as Darcy, which makes him seem his second foil. Mr. Darcy has easily persuaded him at times. He is also not a strong-minded person and snob but a very likable and easy going. Hence, Jane was attracted to his down to earth personality. After marrying Jane, he purchases an estate near Pemberley to live closer to Darcy and Elizabeth.
Character #5
Mr. Wickham
A man of charming demeanor, George Wickham is a military officer. He lives in Pemberley. He receives good attention from Elizabeth in the beginning. However, they eventually fall out of love, as Mr. Darcy’s arrival saves Elizabeth from this mismatch. Darcy’s father has raised Wickham as his own and has left some inheritance for him. However, his gambling addiction has left him at the mercy of Darcy. True to this reputation, he tries his hands at Mr. Darcy’s sister. However, he meets failure and woos Lydia instead. Darcy intervenes and helps him get married to Lydia. Thus, saving Wickham’s relationship and life.
Character #6
Mrs. Bennet
A highly tiring character, Mrs. Bennet is the wife of Mr. Bennet and mother of five grown-up daughters. She sees her satisfaction in marrying off her daughters in good families. She is short of temper and has strange habits. She also has little information about the worldly wisdom and almost no understanding of human relations. Due to limited means of her husband, she has become sad and short tempered. By the end of the novel, she seems happy that all of her daughters have married and rest will marry at the right time.
Character #7
Mr. Bennet
Working as an attorney, Mr. Bennet is full of worldly wisdom. He is the father of five Bennet sisters and works tirelessly for their good upbringing. He is at good terms with Elizabeth who is also his favorite daughter. However, his relationship with is his wife, Mrs. Bennet is not very mutual. He is often found of making fun of Mrs. Bennet, and Elizabeth joins him too. He seems to be a good father but feels depressed and dishonored due to Lydia’s idiocy of eloping. By the end the story, he is thankful to Mr. Darcy for saving him and his family from disgrace.
Character #8
Lydia Bennet
A young girl with an immature mind, Lydia displays flamboyant nature like any other teenager. She is not only stupid but also very flirtatious. She is after her desires and gratifications and elopes with Mr. Wickham after developing a very short affair. She does not anticipate any consequences of her actions. It is very strange that Mrs. Bennet likes her very much, while Mr. Bennet is unhappy about her. In the end, Mr. Darcy gets Lydia married to Wickham to save the family’s honor.
Character #9
Catherine Bennet
Known as Kitty, Catherine is the fourth daughter in the family. She is older than Lydia. She is not influenced by any of her sisters. However, Catherine does look up to Jane and Elizabeth in many situations. She carries on visiting both her sisters even after their marriage to improve her own prospects.
Character #10
Mary Bennet
Marry Bennet is a highly obscure but very serious character in Pride and Prejudice. She hates being social with others and tries to spend most of her time reading books. However, despite her bookish nature, she is not a good observer of her surroundings and human relationships. She wins her mother’s attention after her sisters marry.