Critical Introduction

In both novels Pride and Prejudice and Great Expectations by Jane Austen and
Charles Dickens respectively, the theme of pride is emphasized repeatedly as it is
expressed through characters such as Mr. Darcy, Elizabeth Bennet, Pip, and Joe
Gargery. The significance of pride is immense for it shapes the personalities of each
character and influences their decisions throughout the plot of the story; in some
instances, it is a character’s pride that will determine his/her fate at the end of the
novel. Despite the strikingly different writing styles of Austen and Dickens, both
authors utilizes self-pride in order to develop the way each character thinks;
henceforth, making pride a major attribute to the development of the plot. This
signifies that both novels expands beyond capturing a mere moral, but emphasizes a
human attribute we all possess and express differently—pride. Pride is a
characteristic all can relate to; therefore, both novels affect the heart by capturing
how pride can work either for or against us. It is through the theme of pride that
Austen and Dickens portrays repentance and forgiveness with skill.

The theme of pride is prominent throughout both novels; however, in chapter six of
volume two in Pride and Prejudice, Austen demonstrates how excessive pride can
blind a person’s judgment and decisions, influencing his/her actions to such a drastic
measure as to changing the course of his/her fate. This chapter captures the marriage
proposal to Elizabeth Bennet by Mr. Darcy and illustrates how each character’s sense
of pride blinds them from their true feelings for each other. Mr. Darcy, in his
excessive pride, unknowingly insults Elizabeth and her family with his so-call
confessions of love. Elizabeth, obviously offended by Mr. Darcy’s insults towards
her family, reacts with anger and hatred because her own pride of her worth has been
affronted. It is because of both characters’ pride that their joyous reunion as a couple
was delayed, making both endure much more hardships and misunderstandings that
could have been avoided. Beyond this chapter, Mr. Darcy’s excessive pride
continues to haunt him and shape his character and fate. Upon first impression, it
was Mr. Darcy that “drew the attention of the room by his fine, tall person, handsome
features, noble mien” and “was looked [at] with great admiration for about half the
evening” (Austen 7-8). However, he was later “discovered to be proud” and “having
a most forbidding, disagreeable countenance” (7-8). From that moment on, Mr.
Darcy lost the respect of the people in town and had to earn their respect, including
Elizabeth’s. He spends the majority of the storyline proving to everyone their
impression of him was wrong. Even up to the end of the novel when he proposes to
Elizabeth again and asks Mr. Bennet’s permission for her hand, we are still aware of
how much people’s premonitions of him has not changed. “We all know him to be a
proud, unpleasant sort of man” (246). It is not until Elizabeth reveals how Darcy has
helped the Bennet’s from being disgraced does Mr. Bennet and the people in town
views changes their views of Darcy. Darcy is not the only character that exhibits a
sense of self-pride. Elizabeth Bennet is also prideful; although she secretly agrees
with the insulting comments regarding the dysfunctional aspect of her family, she is
too proud to admit it. It is her pride that shapes her prejudice against Darcy and all
the upper-class people she encounters in the novel.
Because pride is a universal characteristic, Dickens also introduces a few characters
in Great Expectations that personifies the possession of pride. Upon being taunted
and laughed at by Estella because of his “coarse hands” and “thick boots” (Dickens
55), Pip develops a sense of shame for his modest upbringing and commits to
educating himself in the hopes of one day becoming a gentleman. With the help of
Magwitch, Pip successfully becomes a gentleman; unfortunately along with his
education, Pip also gains a sense of pride in his wealthy status. In chapter twenty-
seven, Joe travels to London to personally deliver the message that Estella has
returned to Satis House and both Miss Havisham and her are awaiting Pip’s visit.
The pride in both Pip and Joe is clearly expressed within the pages of this chapter for
we see the awkwardness both characters display towards each other. Pip is
constantly trying to be patient of Joe’s unruly manners, especially his frequent
attempts to rescue his hat from falling to the floor. Feeling guilty that he did not treat
Joe better, Pip decides to run after Joe, but only does so after Joe has had ample time
to leave. Joe also demonstrates his pride by not accepting any help from Pip.
Throughout the novel, Pip’s pride cannot be missed. He is constantly ashamed of his
background and relations to Joe and Biddy. It is because of this pride that causes him
to lose everything in the end and contributes to his realization that even more
important than living the life of a gentleman is living the life of a good, honest man
—a man like Joe.

In the example of Mr. Darcy, Elizabeth, and Pip, each character’s sense of pride
affected them negatively. Although all three realizes how their pride had blinded
them in their decisions in life, their excessive pride resulted in aspects of their life
that could have easily been avoided. As an exception, Joe offers an example of pride
that led to a positive impact on his life. He is a good and honest man, proud of his
position in life and of his occupation. From the beginning of Pip’s “great
expectations”, Joe knew Pip would never be the same. He continues to love Pip and
cares for him even when he is sick and in debt, and is rewarded in the end with a
happy reunion to Biddy, a good honest woman.

Pride is essential to both Pride and Prejudice and Great Expectations. This theme
helps each author with their portrayal of repentance and forgiveness. In Pride and
Prejudice, the connection of pride in both Darcy and Elizabeth is later replaced with
Elizabeth’s forgiveness of Darcy’s prideful behavior upon learning his intentions of
helping her family; overwhelmed with a sense of repentance, Darcy turns his actions
around and starts to think of Elizabeth and how important her family is to her. He
repents by helping out their family and remaining anonymous in the ordeal.
Likewise, Great Expectations showcases repentance in both Magwitch and Pip and
forgiveness in Joe and Biddy. Magwitch changes his selfish ways and dedicates his
life to helping Pip become a gentleman. After hitting rock bottom, Pip repents his
prideful demeanor, recognizes his faults to Joe and Biddy, and makes an honest living
with Herbert. Joe and Biddy epitomizes the definition of forgiveness. They were
there for him from the beginning to end; like the father in the Bible who welcomes
his son home after the son had disgraced the family by running astray, Pip is
welcomed back because he has realized his wrongs and repented his mistakes.

The theme of pride is critical in the development of both Pride and Prejudice and
Great Expectations. Not only does it shape the characters and sets each one up for a
lesson, it adds to the development of other themes such as repentance and
forgiveness.
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