No doubt, the “Title of Pride and Prejudice” is quite justified as well as Significant by its nature. As we know the title is ‘Pride and Prejudice’ has a prominent theme in this novel in itself and by that theme ”Pride” and “Prejudice ” that we can reach the real message of the writer. In this article, we will discuss the Significance and Justify the Title of Pride and Prejudice. Eventually, it seems that pride signifies to Darcy and prejudice linked with Elizabeth but it is quite wrong, when we go through the whole novel then we find out that both the character is the embodiment of pride and prejudice. We should not forget it “Pride and Prejudice” elements are not present in major characters but also in minor characters. As Gilbert Ryle rightly says:-
“Every character of the novel exhibits too much or too little pride of a bad or silly sort or pride of a good sort, sham pride or genuine pride and so forth.”
Pride and prejudice are abstract nouns in the English dictionary that have been taken for the title of the novel “Pride and Prejudice” as we know that abstract nouns are not visible things or items which are hardly seen by any human eye but these two things or words can destroy the whole system of the world. Both the characters understand that thing when they feel that elements themselves in their lives. They purge themselves with the help of a realistic approach. Jane Austen invites us towards a scientific method, we should not assume good or bad at first sight.
Darcy’s pride starts at the ball party when he gives a remark in this manner:-
“tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt (him)”.
But Elizabeth also comes in prejudice by having heard these remarks, she falls in prejudice thinking, she considers that Darcy is the proudest man and looks down upon the poor. As we have mentioned above prejudice means, blinded inquiry of thought, making an outlook either good or bad and does not leave it at any cost. In a prejudiced manner, the real hero becomes zero in the eyes of the heroine of the novel, this would be done by pride and prejudice.
Elizabeth’s pride can be seen in this manner:-
“I could easily forgive his [Darcy’s] pride, if he had not mortified mine.”
Her prejudice catches up in her grip when, he meets Mr Wickham, who is actually a villain and she considers him a hero. In the fire of pride and prejudice she believes in his cock and bull story. She even though does not try to inquire whether it is true or not.
Elizabeth’s remarks on Lady Catherine about her marriage and her class status, in these lines we can understand her proudest attitude “He is a gentleman, and I am a gentleman’s daughter. So far we are equal.” It seems that she is overconfident, and this brings about her prejudice in this novel.
“The more I see the world, the more I am dissatisfied with it.” When we are spoken by her then we come to know that she is sinking in the river of pride and prejudice. She thinks herself superior to others, but in fact, she is not. She is fulfilling here with pride and prejudice, actually, she does not want to forgive him, she wants to take revenge because her ego has been broken by someone, and she is not ready for this, she thinks that she is a beautiful lady in this world, she considers herself well perceptive; she knows everything, she has very much experience about life, she can check as well as judge the character, she is intelligent, she is foresighted but all these claims go to in air when she does not understand the character of Wickham. She comes into fail progressive attitude. Her prejudice trap breaks when Darcy writes a letter and washes his crimes before her. Her proudest and prejudice can be seen in the manners that are below and she herself admits how is she inflicted with pride and prejudice:-
“How despicably I have acted!” she cried; “I, who have prided myself on my discernment! I, who have valued myself on my abilities! who have often disdained the generous candour of my sister, and gratified my vanity in useless or blameable mistrust! How humiliating is this discovery! Yet, how just a humiliation! Had I been in love, I could not have been more wretchedly blind. But vanity, not love, has been my folly. Pleased with the preference of one, and offended by the neglect of the other, on the very beginning of our aquaintance, I have courted prepossession and ignorance, and driven reason away, where either were concerned. Till this moment I never knew myself.”
She once again admits how is she inflicted with pride and prejudice.
“From the very beginning— from the first moment, I may almost say— of my acquaintance with you, your manners, impressing me with the fullest belief of your arrogance, your conceit, and your selfish disdain of the feelings of others, were such as to form the groundwork of disapprobation on which succeeding events have built so immovable a dislike; and I had not known you a month before I felt that you were the last man in the world whom I could ever be prevailed on to marry.”
Mr. Darcy has very much pride and a prejudiced element, like Elizabeth, he thinks he has very much perception about life, what is right and what is wrong. But these ideals are proven to be wrong when he advises his friend he must avoid Bennet’s family because this family is not suitable for him. This thing is clearly cut and proves that he has prejudice in himself, Darcy’s advice to Bingley no doubt, brings about a separation between Jane and Bingley.
Thus, Bingley’s separation from Jane already has been purged because they have a true love for each other and have no suspension or doubt. They are purged from pride and prejudice. Jane Bennet also claims that in this sense:-“Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously. A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us.” But the love of Jane and Bingley is a love of idealism. Their love is dependent on passion. It is not on a sand dune rather it is on “Emotion and Feelings”. Their love starts with love and ends with truth or can say marriage. And this is a sign of true love because where there is love there is no doubt, then, there is no doubt there is love that is why they did end this thing already. Elizabeth and Darcy’s love disturb to some extent by their pride and prejudiced behaviour as well as Wickham’s. In their love, even for a short time, there was a block in the shape of Wickham but this hurdle also proved to be a blessing for them. Without this, they could not prove their love true and their feelings are strong for each other. In our opinion, this is without the hindrance of Wickham their love cannot be completed in the novel ” Pride and Prejudice”.
Darcy’s main fault in this novel is his pride, which quite does justify the title of the novel “Pride and Prejudice”.and has significance. His pride justifies in this sense, in which environment he has brought up, that environment does not allow to mix up people very earlier. He had taught me that be reserved. That is why at the ball parties we see him the proud man.
“There is a stubbornness about me that never can bear to be frightened at the will of others. My courage always rises at every attempt to intimidate me.”
The significance of the title of pride and prejudice is very much clear “Pride and Prejudice” title can be justified when we deal with “Personality clashes”. “Personality clashes” is one of the best ways in this novel “Pride and Prejudice” in which the proudest and most prejudiced behaviour of the characters comes to the surface, it is only the clashes that help this novel to move forward. Without this, there is no question of moving this novel until the clashes can be removed. The novel starts with Elizabeth and Darcy’s conflict or maybe the personality clash starts with is due to Class distinction. This is the reason Darcy has grown up in an environment where they have to make fun of people, likewise, he makes fun of Elizabeth at the dance party and humiliates Elizabeth, and from here their personality clash starts that keep near the end of the novel.
Significance of the title of pride and prejudice can be seen then, the theme name is ” Parental responsibilities” is elaborated here and this theme helps out in understanding the attitude of the people who have pride and prejudice in their hearts as well as justify the title. This theme has been dealt with in the way of ironically because it is being seen that the parents take their responsibilities and the children who often come to see run away from their responsibilities but within this theme we will see that Parents absconding from their responsibilities. And these parents have made trouble for their children, they are not doing their marriages, they are not taking care of their children, they are not paying attention to their likes and dislikes, they are not taking care of them and they have left openly on their luck. Mr. and Mrs. Bennet’s pair goes to the top of this matter because their attention is only on the marriage of their children, so far as their prejudiced approach can be seen in this sense, younger daughter Lydia has had an affair with someone. But both of them are unaware of that matter. Later, we learn that the couple has eloped and got married. And the same thing brings about the infamy of the family. Mr. Bennet is the type of person who is not active but is passive only in his approach and has got married to a very wrong lady, instead of correcting this mistake, he goes away from his domestic affairs.
If we look at the other form of the picture, then Mrs. Bennet also does not prove to be such a good mother. She also wore clothes of pride and prejudice. She is an arrogant, proud, silly woman. she has very little experience of life and her approach towards life is very cynical. Her main aim in life is to get marriage, her daughters are now , only for financial security for her, now the daughters are got ready to deal with this matter, so that her property may be safe in order she tries to find a good husband for her girls because most of her thinking is on physical appearance or wealth rather than inside beauty, she is searching in and trying to find a husband for her daughters for financial supports, it seems that she is dealing or doing business. In other sense get rid of them(daughters)
“Parental Responsibilities theme or prejudiced conduct of the people in the” novel Pride and Prejudice” does not end here rather it is moving forward helps out to justify the title. As the novel moves forward we see irresponsible parents. There are no responsible parents in this novel. On the other side, we observe that parents’ carelessness can be shown when we meet Lady Catherine De Bourg, she is too irresponsible mother, in which environment she has brought up her daughter and her ethics and manners are quite different than a normal society. She considers herself superior to others.
At least but last, we can say that the name of the novel is quite significant for the title of Pride and Prejudice, and “Justify the Title of Pride and Prejudice’, eventually, it seems that pride signifies Darcy and prejudice is linked with Elizabeth but it is quite wrong when we go through the whole novel then we find out that both the character are the embodiment of pride and prejudice. We should not forget it “Pride and Prejudice” elements are not present in major characters but also in minor characters.