How Effectively Does the Opening Chapter of Pride and Prejudice Introduce the Reader to the Central Characters and Concerns of the Novel?

The novel ‘Pride and Prejudice’ focuses mainly on the protagonists, Elizabeth and Jane. Most of the novel is centred around Elizabeth’s point of view. The arrival of Bingley in the neighbourhood is the starting point. In the opening chapter, the reader is introduced to Mr Bennet and Mrs Bennet. Through these characters, the reader learns about Mrs Bennet’s biggest concern; to marry off all her daughters. The themes of the novel are mostly related to the title, ‘Pride and Prejudice’, there is an element of personal pride amongst the characters and also prejudice, particularly with Darcy and Elizabeth. The first chapter brings in the reader into the world of social class importance, marriage and women’s role in the 19th century, which is satirized by Austen.

The Bennets have five unmarried daughters, and Mrs Bennet, is one who agrees with the opening sentence: ‘It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.’ The statement is one of great significance to the novel, because of its masterful irony, its humorous tone, and its foreshadowing of the entire novel. To Mrs Bennet, the arrival of Mr Bingley in the neighbourhood is seen as a great opportunity for one of her daughters to obtain a wealthy spouse. The first sentence is ironic because a man with a fortune does not necessarily need a wife, as much as a woman, who has no means of outside support in the 19th century, is greatly in need of a wealthy spouse. When the reader meets Mr Darcy, a wealthy and ‘fine, tall person’, with ‘handsome features’ the ‘ladies declared that he was much handsomer than Mr. Bingley’. The reason for this is because he has a bigger income than Bingley, and he is simply a great man due to his large fortune. Austen uses satire to ridicule the stereotype view. The ‘universal truth’ is nothing more than a social truth, which ironically is not a truth at all, but a parody of social facts. The first sentence introduces the marriage, and money concerns of the novel.

Only Mr Bennet and Mrs Bennet is attendant in the first chapter, at the same time, the reader also learns a lot about the other characters. The reader familiarizes with the five Bennet daughters through dialogue between Mr Bennet and Mrs Bennet. It is apparent from the beginning that Mr Bennet favours Elizabeth, because she is the most intelligent of the five sisters; ‘I must throw in a good word for my little Lizzy’. While Mrs Bennet disagrees, ‘Lizzy is not a bit better than the others’. Mrs Bennet does not want Mr Bennet to favour anyone, but this is very hypocritical, as it quickly becomes evident that Mrs Bennet favours Jane. ‘She is not half as handsome as Jane’, declares Mrs Bennet to Mr Bennet, although he does not change his mind about his other ‘silly and ignorant’ daughters. This is the first introduction to the daughters, even though they are not present in the opening chapter.

The impression given by Austen through dialogue in the first chapter of the protagonist, Elizabeth and her sisters; Jane, Mary, Catherine and Lydia, are quite accurate compared to when the reader truly meets them. Jane is the ‘most beautiful creature’ Bingley has ever beheld, while Elizabeth’s ‘quickness’ is exemplified through her witty and opinionated conversations. Elizabeth is not afraid to be different and independent; when she springs ‘over puddles’ with ‘dirty stockings’. Although this is not the typical behaviour of a woman in the 19th century, it worked to her advantage as Darcy found that it ‘brightened’ his ‘admiration’ of Elizabeth. On the other hand, Mary, Catherine and Lydia are very dissimilar to their sisters Jane and Elizabeth. Though Mr Bennet was correct to portray them as ‘silly and ignorant like other girls’.

The novel is written in third person with an omniscient narrator. Austen uses very little detailed physical descriptions; instead, the novel is laid out by the use of dialogue between characters. Each individual’s nature is revealed through clever dialogues and in the way the characters speak. ‘“Do not you want to know who has taken it?” cried his wife impatiently.’ Austen’s use of hyperbole and Mrs Bennet’s hysteria reflects her phenomenally exasperating character. Whilst on the other hand, ‘“You want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it.”’ Mr Bennet has an unflustered approach towards the concerns of his daughters being married. The use of great quantity of dialogue is very effective in the novel. Even though it lacks physical description, and lavish speeches are