Characters
It is important that you understand the characters in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice as they may represent themes and ideas that were important at the time the novel was written. The story is narrated by a third-person omniscient narrator and this allows the reader to gain an insight into the thoughts and feelings of the characters. Each character contributes to the novel’s exploration of themes and they can also be symbolic, representing certain ideas or ideals, so you should consider:
- how characters are established
- how characters are presented via:
- actions and motives
- what they say and think
- how they interact with others
- what others say and think about them
- their physical appearance or description
- how far the characters conform to or subvert stereotypes
- the relationships between characters
- what they might represent or symbolise
Below you will find detailed character profiles for the major characters in Pride and Prejudice, along with a summary of the other significant characters.
Main characters
Other characters