Pride and Prejudice Study Questions

Chapters 1-11

  1. Analyze the opening statement. From whose viewpoint is it written?
  1. List the members of the Bennet household and give a brief description of each person.
  1. What can you tell of the Bennet’s marriage? Is it happy?

4.Describe Bingley’s two sisters. What is their attitude toward the local people?

  1. Describe the Lucas family.
  1. What are Charlotte’s views on marriage?
  1. Describe Mrs. Bennet’s maneuvering when Jane is invited to Netherfield.
  1. Describe the typical 18th century woman. What is she expected to know and excel at?

Chapters 12-20

  1. What is Darcy’s impression of Elizabeth after she comes to visit Jane? Has it changed from the beginning? Has her impression of him changed or has it been reinforced? How?
  1. Who is Mr. Collins? What is an entailment?
  1. What is Lady Catherine de Bourgh to Mr. Collins?
  1. What does Wickham tell Elizabeth about Darcy? What is Elizabeth’s reaction? What is Jane’s reaction? How is this typical of Jane?
  1. How does Mrs. Bennet embarrass Elizabeth at the Netherfield ball? How does Mary embarrass her?
  1. Describe Mr. Collins’s proposal to Elizabeth. What are her parents’ reactions when she refuses him? What is Mr. Collins’s reaction?

Pride and Prejudice Questions Chapters 21-30

  1. What is the main information contained in Caroline Bingley’s letter to Jane? What are Bingley’s sisters trying to do?
  2. How long does it take Mr. Collins to move on after Elizabeth turns him down? What does this say about him?
  1. Why does Charlotte accept?
  1. Who are the Gardiners?
  1. When Elizabeth visits Charlotte at the parsonage, how does Charlotte seem? Why does she encourage her husband’s interest in gardening?
  1. How does Lady Catherine treat the Collinses? What relation is she to Mr. Darcy?
  1. When Elizabeth meets Darcy again at Rosings, with whom does she find conversation easier, Darcy or Col. Fitzwilliam? Why?
  1. What have we learned about Wickham so far?

9. England was a very class-conscious society back in the 19th century. How is this apparent in the reading?

Pride and Prejudice Questions Chapters 31-40

  1. Compare Mrs. Bennet’s crude behavior with Lady Catherine’s. How do the two of them sort of even the playing field between Elizabeth and Darcy? Is bad behavior reserved only for those of lower social status?
  1. Elizabeth’s suspicions are confirmed when Col. Fitzwilliam tells her of the way Darcy has used his influence on Bingley regarding Jane. How does Elizabeth react to this information?
  1. Describe Darcy’s proposal to Elizabeth. What did you think of it? What did you think of her response?
  1. What is revealed in the letter Darcy gives Elizabeth? What is Elizabeth’s reaction to the information about Wickham? About Darcy’s criticism of her family? How does she analyze the defects of her family? Does she agree with him?

Chapters 41-47

  1. What is Mr. Bennet’s reaction when Elizabeth begs him not to let Lydia follow the regiment to Brighton?
  1. Describe the Bennet’s marriage.
  1. How does Elizabeth end up at Pemberly, Darcy’s house? Does she like it? What does she learn from the housekeeper there?
  1. How does Darcy treat Elizabeth’s aunt and uncle?
  1. Why is it so important to Darcy to introduce Elizabeth and his sister?
  1. How does Lydia bring disgrace upon her family?

7.How do the Bennet’s each react to Lydia’s scandal? Which one is the worse parent?

Pride and Prejudice Questions—Chapters 48-54

  1. In Meryton, where Wickham was once welcomed, what do people say now? Is this human nature? Explain.
  1. Describe Mr. Collins’ letter about Lydia to Mr. Bennet. Is this what you would expect? Why/why not? What is ironic about the letter, considering that it comes from a clergyman?
  1. Describe Mrs. Bennet’s reaction when Lydia is found and will be married. How does this contrast with the reactions of the rest of the family?
  1. What role did Darcy play in effecting the wedding and paying the gambling debts? From whom does Elizabeth learn the details? What does she think?
  2. Describe the way Lydia and Wickham act when they come to Longbourn after they are married. How does Wickham treat Elizabeth? How does she respond? Is this characteristic? What is the future of the Wickhams in terms of their living situation and emotional involvement with each other? How can you tell?

Note: Austen is winding up the plot. Notice that the plot is carried entirely by dialogue and, when it cannot be, it is advanced by letters.

For the last chapters, note the methods by which Elizabeth and Darcy and Jane and Bingley find their ways back to each other. Who is “responsible,” by accident, for getting Eliza and Darcy together? What do you think the outcome of these two unions will be?