DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

BS-ENGLISH LINGUISTICS AND LITERATURE

FICTION

Assignment # 01

“ Flat & round characters in Pride & Prejudice”

Submitted to: Ma’am Tehreem Wali

Submitted by: Gul-e-Ayesha & Laiba Tariq

Section: BS 4-B
SAP IDs: 19807 & 20465
 FLAT & ROUND CHARACTERS IN PRIDE & PREJUDICE
Jane Austen’s novels reveal her undisputed mastery of characterisation & the characters are depicted in many
different lights. The characters in the novel Pride & Prejudice come from various backgrounds & possess different
personalities. The characters in the novel are classified into flat & round. Most of the characters in the novel "Pride
and Prejudice" are flat characters to contrast and highlight the uniqueness of the two main characters,
Elizabeth and Darcy. The flat characters surrounding them are Mr & Mrs Bennet, Bennet sisters, Charlotte Lucas,
Mr Collins, Mr Wickham, Mr Bingley & Lady Catherine.

Elizabeth is the protagonist of the novel who belongs to a middle-class family. She perfectly fits the definition of
a round character that is complex with unique characteristics & also undergoes a transformation in the novel. She
is unique in the sense that she does not seem preoccupied with the social standards of her time like other
characters. She possesses clarity of vision & directness of purpose that raises her above other female characters.
Her first impression of Darcy is such that he is arrogant & pompous. She rejects his first proposal for the same
reason. But she changes her attitude towards him once she realizes her mistakes & knows his true character. "I
have courted prepossession and ignorance, and driven reason away, where either were concerned. Till this
moment, I never knew myself."

Darcy is the hero of the novel who owns the Pemberley estates & belongs to a wealthy family. At the beginning
of the novel, he is introduced as a cold & judgemental person when he makes a demeaning remark about Elizabeth:
“…merely tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me.” However, as the story unfolds, we discover that he
is not completely a disagreeable character, but someone who has been misunderstood. He gradually transforms
into an amiable personality and develops feelings of love for Elizabeth "... I have considered her as one of the
handsomest women of any acquaintance". He is the best example of a round character that is constantly
changing and surprising the audience with their change. He surprises us by proposing to her twice. This quote
shows the climax of Darcy’s self-discovery. "I have been a selfish being all my life, in practice, though not in
principle...I was given good principles but left to follow them in pride and conceit.”

Jane and Bingley are two flat characters who have been sketched in a way to stand in stark contrast to the
dynamic characters of Elizabeth and Darcy. Mr Bingley is Darcy’s close friend who is a friendly, amiable &
wealthy young man. Elizabeth’s sister, Jane, is a shy & selfless person who loves Mr Bingley, and she never sees
anything bad in people. They are both similar in their nature & behaviours as well. Their feelings do not change
even after their separation. Moreover, we consider them flat because their behaviour rarely confuses us.

Charlotte & Collins prove themselves as flat characters by remaining unchanged till the end of the story.
Charlotte is Lizzy’s intimate friend. Her views regarding marriage are quite different from Elizabeth. To her, home
& the security of a husband’s income are more important in marriage than love. Thus, she rushes into a hasty
marriage with Mr Collin. Mr Collins is presented as a comic flat character in the story who is constantly seen as
occupied with keeping a proper societal presence. He remains a snob till the end of the story. Other flat
characters include Mr & Mrs Bennet & Lizzy’s sisters: Kitty, Lydia & Mary. Mr Bennet is shown as an
irresponsible person who does not take any interest in the affairs of the family. Mrs Bennet on the other hand is all
time concerned about getting all her daughters married.
Mr Wickham is a handsome-looking wicked character who has directed all his energy towards two ends:
concealing his true self from people surrounding him, & winning a wife with money. He pretends to be
righteous while cheating everybody in plain sight with his lies. The flatness of his character is well depicted
during his visit to Longbourn (after getting married to Lydia), where he maintains his composure rather than
feeling ashamed for his wrongdoings. Lady Catherine is portrayed as an extremely flat character who only
focuses on protecting and promoting her social status and the good name of her family throughout the novel.

Jane Austen’s subtle art of characterization can be seen in the protagonists of the story primarily in the heroine.
She has pitted out numerous female flat characters in the plot to make Lizzy stand out as a smart &
multi-faceted character. Moreover, Austen created flat characters such as Jane & Bingley, Lady Catherine,
Collins & Charlotte to assist in the character development of dynamic characters such as Darcy & Lizzy. The
uniqueness in personalities of Lizzy & Darcy, and their path to self-discovery classify them as round
characters.
The End

References:
https://swizlit.wordpress.com/pride-and-prejudice/