Passage Summary:
Jane Austen (1775-1817) was an English novelist who is famous for writing works of romantic fiction set among the British upper class. Pride and Prejudice, published in 1813, deals with the issues of class, marriage, manners, and morality. In this scene, the protagonist, Elizabeth Bennett, is visited by Lady Catherine de Bourgh, who is furious about a rumor she heard that could threaten her plans for her daughter.
When and How to Pair:
Introduce this text after students have read Chapter 19 in order to generate discussion around the subject of social class, as well encourage a comparative study of heroines in classic English literature. Pair “Excerpts from Pride and Prejudice” with Jane Eyre and ask students to discuss how class and wealth play intrinsic roles in both texts, especially when it comes to potentially thwarting the romance between the main couples within the novels. How do Jane and Elizabeth respond to these challenges, and what do their responses reveal about their characters?