Literary Analysis Essay on Pride & Prejudice

Introduction

"It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife" (Austen). This particular phrase sets the tone in the 1813 romantic novel, Pride and Prejudice. The story is well-known for its humor and comedy in the manner in which it depicts social affairs from marriage, education, and matters finances (Austen). However, within the same novel is a story that brings out the theme of love and friendship. Friendship plays a very important role in the lives of the main characters which is a clear indication of the role it plays in our society and the manner in which people interact with each other.

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It is easy for one to be lost in the major topics such as marriage and money while forgetting quotes like, "Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance." Whether or not this is the truth, many people believe this to be debatable (Knuth). The author goes ahead to argue that happiness can be found in true friendship and in marriage using a different character. In some cases, happiness is considered to be a bonus and a sign of good fortune. This article aims at exploring more of what this friendship entails as well as discussing the manner in which it is utilized in this novel.

Pride and Prejudice is a novel that aims at educating people on the importance of marrying for more than just wealth and resources. It is no secret that Bennet's family was eager to secure a wealthy husband for its daughters a way of ensuring that they were supported when the father died. In such a scenario, the primary purpose of marriage is economic gain. Also, people like Charlotte Lucas believe in friendship in marriage is not a requirement in a relationship. She believes that one needs to marry a person they have a little or no esteem for because, at some point, there is a likelihood that each party will probably fall out of love and grow tired of each other. Quite contrary to what many people think about marriages and relationships.

It is evident from the novel that friendship is a vital component in the entire story. Therefore, throughout the novel, the author is keen on ensuring that the theme of both friendship and love is portrayed. One such character is Catherine Morland who understands the difference between true friendship. The events unfold as she learns to distinguish between false friends and true ones. In this case, the distinction is made between the disloyal nature of Isabella Thorpe and the consistent nature of her faithful friend, Elinor Tilney. A friendship that is based on furthering one's personal interests and agenda is definitely false friendship. This is the case for Isabella who is only friends with Catherine to further her prospects. Elinor, on the hand, is the complete opposite as she seeks to grow her relationship with Catherine by being there for her in the time of need. As the story continues, it is without doubt that Catherine is inclined to count on and trust Elinor, given the nature of their relationship (Sherrod). The main take from this section of the story is the importance of having real friends in one's inner circle.

Although the novel focuses on the spousal relationship as the primary type of relationship, the writer is keen on including other forms of human connections in the way of friendship. In the theme of friendship, the author is also interested in indicating to his audience the main fruits of good friendship as a necessary virtue in human interaction. Friendship in the novel is divided into three main types. These also happen to be the key takeaways in the novel under the friendship theme.

The first, there is a friendship that is dependent on utility. This kind of friendship is the kind where one party depends on another to drive their agenda. This, therefore, means that one needs to be considered useful for the other to become friends with them. It a relationship that is based on what one can get from the other. Another form of friendship is the one that is based on pleasure. This means that the friendship will last for as long as the enjoyment continues. Once there is no more pleasure, the involved parties break away. The final form of friendship is the pure form of friendship where people become friends for the sake of others. The regard friends as people they cherish and would do anything to ensure their happiness. In Pride and Prejudice this form of friendship proves to be the most resilient. The audience is able to see bonds grow tighter as a result of this form of friendship. The people who form such friendships are also of good character, and therefore, it is able to endure as a result of its quality. This particular characteristic is unique for the last form of friendship contrary to the first two that quickly pass away after utility and pleasure are no longer present.

The female friendship between Charlotte and Elizabeth is by far, one of the best examples of what true friendship involves. First, their friendship is founded on the fact that these two have a history together. They are indeed different from each other, but they happen to agree on very fundamental concepts about life. This means that they value each other and enjoy each other's company. Their differences complement their individual characters with Charlotte being both intelligent and straightforward, and Elizabeth being sparkly and more beautiful of the two. Elizabeth finds a confidant in Charlotte and in her absence we can see that she missed her friend. The author wishes to communicate the theme of friendship as one where the parties involved appear to be close and tight with each other.

However, while trying to show what friendship can endure, he includes the issue of marriage where he places a man between them and everything changes. Charlotte is very observant and makes an observation about how marriage works. She notices that men require encouragement and women need to show more of their feelings as a way of cementing their affections. This is why she indicates that marriage is all about chance. Elizabeth, however, disagrees with her because watched Bingley disappear from her life because she was sure that her sister was not interested in him.

The main idea in the novel is the need for virtuous friendship. It is important to note that true friendship does not exist in a neighborhood that has much inequality. There are also varying stages of virtue in real life. Friendship is also represented as abiding, deep, and fickle and as allowing for both respect and love. There is a need to ensure that one lives by their standards. Friendship examples include that of Lady Lucas and Mrs. Bennet. The two women were gossip friends, but nevertheless, they too were different. This because Mrs. Bonnet likes petty gossip. Although their friendship was petty and fickle, it was still constant. From the audiences' perspective, Mrs. Bonnet was the cause of most of negative aspects of the friendship.

Elizabeth and Charlotte are young key characters in the novel that are a representation of true friendship. Their bond is so strong that they are also confidants to each other. As expected, their differences were also the reason behind their different stands on love and marriage. In addition, their friendship is also based on love and respect. Nevertheless, their friendship is not without blemish as Elizabeth feels that their friendship will end when Charlotte gets married to a man she does not approve. These feelings are both selfish and shallow, but Elizabeth eventually overcomes it. It is evident that friendship in the Pride and Prejudice novel resembles that of real-life in so many ways. The friendship theme in the novel indicates both the positive and negative sides just like in real life.

Work Cited

Austen, Jane. "Pride and prejudice." Broadview Press, 2001.

Knuth, Debora J. "Sisterhood and Friendship in Pride and Prejudice: Need Happiness Be 'Entirely a Matter of Chance'?." Persuasions 11, 1989, pp. 99-109

Sherrod , Barbara. " Pride and Prejudice: a classic love story." Persuasions 11, 1989: pp. 66 -69