Elizabeth Bennet
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| Full Name: | Elizabeth Bennet |
|---|---|
| Gender: | Female |
| Age: | 20 |
| Occupation: | Daughter of a gentleman; later Chatelaine of Pemberley |
| Primary Residence: | Longbourn in Hertfordshire, later Pemberley in Derbyshire
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| Family | |
| Romantic Interest(s): | Fitzwilliam Darcy; George Wickham; Colonel Fitzwilliam |
| Parents: | Mr Bennet and Mrs Bennet (formerly Miss Gardiner) |
| Sibling(s): | Jane Bennet (later Bingley) Mary Bennet Catherine (Kitty) Bennet Lydia Bennet (later Wickham) |
| Film Adaptations | |
Elizabeth Bennet (sometimes referred to as Eliza or Lizzy) is a fictional character and the protagonist of Jane Austen's novel Pride and Prejudice. The novel is centered on her attempts to find love and happiness within the society she lives in, particularly concerning her relationship with the seemingly proud and cold Mr. Darcy. She is generally considered one of Austen's most popular and endearing heroines, and one of the most popular female characters in British literature[attribution needed].
[edit] Character
As the second of the five daughters in the Bennet family, Elizabeth is depicted in the novel as being the more well-read and ready-witted of her siblings. While her elder sister Jane is considered to be the beautiful one, Elizabeth is frequently referred to as her father's favourite; however these two are the closest of the sisters (and the most mature). She frequently shares her father's sardonic amusement at both the antics of her mother and younger sisters: Mary (the quiet, unattractive one), Kitty, and Lydia (both obsessed with the militia alone and fitting in with the social absurdities of the time).
Elizabeth, described as being the child that her mother is "least fond" of, is considered quite pretty and charming, and much is made in the novel of her 'fine eyes'. She is also a loving and devoted friend, acting as counsellor and confidante to Jane, who despite being elder and considered the 'beautiful' one is shy and reserved. Elizabeth is also characterized as being more assertive and confident, and not easily cowed by those with higher social ranking than herself, such as Lady Catherine de Bourgh and Mr. Darcy – "My courage always rises at every attempt to intimidate me," she says. She can, however, be stubborn, proud, and judgemental.
The novel primarily focuses on Elizabeth's relationship with Mr. Darcy, a wealthy yet proud young man who snubs her at the formal dances, criticizing her appearance as being 'not handsome enough to tempt me'. This leads Elizabeth to taking a pronounced disliking of Darcy, and her disdain for him is also fueled by Darcy's presumptuous interference in the relationship between Jane and his friend Mr. Bingley, as well as the accounts of the charming and personable George Wickham, whom Elizabeth meets (and falls slightly in love with) soon after meeting Darcy. Wickham, who has apparently been denied his rightful inheritance by Darcy, causes Elizabeth to believe her dislike of Darcy is founded on good reason. As a result, when Darcy (who has amazingly fallen in love with her) proposes marriage to her, she angrily refuses him, only to receive a letter from him revealing the motives for his interference in Jane and Bingley's relationship. In addition to this, a full account of his dealings with Wickham is also found in the letter, which reveals the selfish and dishonourable character hiding beneath Wickham's outward pleasantness.
Over the course of the novel, Lizzy is forced to re-evaluate her opinions of Darcy, and when he saves her sister Lydia from disgrace (by the hands of Wickham, no less) she realizes that her feelings for him have come full circle, and she accepts his hand in marriage.
[edit] Portrayals
The enduring popularity of Pride and Prejudice has seen the novel frequently adapted for both television and the cinema. Among the actresses who have taken the role of Elizabeth Bennet are:
- Curigwen Lewis, in the first television adaptation of Pride and Prejudice in 1938.
- Greer Garson in a 1940 cinema adaptation, for which she was nominated for an Academy Award.
- Daphne Slater in a 1952 UK television adaptation.
- Jane Downs in a 1958 UK television version.
- Celia Bannerman in a 1967 film version produced to mark the 150th anniversary of the death of Jane Austen.
- Elizabeth Garvie in a 1980 BBC television adaptation.
- Jennifer Ehle in a 1995 BBC television adaptation, for which she received a BAFTA Award.
- Keira Knightley in a 2005 film adaptation, for which she was nominated for an Academy Award.
While not strict adaptations of the original text, other notable versions of Elizabeth Bennet (or characters directly based on her) in productions based on Austen's text include:
- Renée Zellweger portrayed Bridget Jones in the 2001 feature film Bridget Jones' Diary, and its sequel, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason. The original novel by Helen Fielding was loosely inspired by Pride and Prejudice and follows a similar narrative, and Bridget Jones occupies the same role in the story held by Elizabeth Bennet in the original.
- Kam Heskin in a 2003 cinema adaptation set in a contemporary Mormon university.
- Aishwarya Rai portrayed Lalita Bakshi (a character based upon Elizabeth) in the 2005 film Bride and Prejudice, a Bollywood adaptation of Pride and Prejudice.
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| General: | Image:CassandraAusten-JaneAustenBackView(1804).jpg | |
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it:Elizabeth Bennet zh:伊丽莎白·班内特
