Characters (Pride and Prejudice)

This section discusses the main characters in the novel Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

Elizabeth Bennet – Elizabeth Bennet is the second eldest Bennet daughter and is 20 years old at the start of the novel. She is intelligent, attractive, lively and friendly. She has a tendency to form prejudicial first impressions of others. As the novel progresses so does her relationship with Mr Darcy. She falls in love with Darcy after overcoming her initial prejudices.

Fitzwilliam Darcy – Mr Darcy is the 28 year old rich landowner of Pemberley in Derbyshire. Although tall and handsome, he lacks charisma and comes across as haughty and aloof. After overcoming his initial pride at marrying someone beneath his class, he falls in love with Elizabeth Bennet.

Mr Bennet – Mr Bennet is the father of the five Bennet daughters. He is at times sarcastic and gets frustrated with his stupid wife. Mr Bennet is from a dwindling branch of the Hertfordshire gentry and as he has no sons, his estate Longbourne will be inherited by his cousin Mr Collins.

Mrs Bennet – Mrs Bennet is the wife of Mr Bennet and mother to five daughters. She is foolish and socially embarrasses her husband and eldest two daughters Jane and Elizabeth.  As they have no sons her husband’s estate will pass to her husband’s cousin, so she is obsessed with getting her daughters married to wealthy men. It is of little concern to her if her daughters are happy in those marriages.

Jane Bennet – Jane Bennet is the eldest of the Bennet daughters, she is 22 at the start of the novel. Jane is the confidant of Elizabeth and the two sisters are very close. Jane is said to be the most beautiful of the sisters and often sees the best in people. She falls in love with Mr Bingley, however she is cautious about revealing her feelings for him to start with.

Mary Bennet – Mary Bennet is the middle Bennet daughter. She is the plainest of the girls and prefers reading over socialising.

Catherine “Kitty” Bennet – Kitty Bennet is the fourth Bennet daughter, she is 17 at the start of he novel. Although she is older than Lydia she is heavily influenced by her younger sister. She enjoys pursuing the officers of the militia with Lydia. Kitty is said to improve her behaviour once she is removed from Lydia’s influence.

Lydia Bennet – Lydia is the youngest Bennet daughter. She is 15 at the start of the novel. She is immature, head strong and enjoys socialising, especially flirting with the militia. She runs off with Mr Wickham who has no intention of marrying her. She shows no sense responsibility and resists the moral code of society.

Charles Bingley – Mr Bingley is a handsome, amiable and wealthy young gentleman. At the start of the novel he has just started to rent (with a view to purchasing) Netherfield Park an estate three miles from the Bennet home. Bingley falls in love with Jane Bennet, although he is easily influenced by Mr Darcy and his sisters’ who disapprove of the relationship. He marries Jane at the end of the novel.

Caroline Bingley – Miss Bingley is Charles’ sister. She becomes Jane’s friend and later snubs her. She wants to marry Darcy and is jealous of Elizabeth Bennet.

Mr and Mrs Hurst – Mr and Mrs Hurst are Charles’ other sister and brother in law. Mrs Hurst spends all her time gossiping with her sister Caroline and Mr Hurst seems only to play cards and sleep.

George Wickham – Mr Wickham has been known Mr Darcy since infancy, being the son of Mr Darcy's father's steward. An officer in the militia, he is charming and rapidly forms an attachment with Elizabeth Bennet. He later runs off with Lydia with no intention of marriage, which would have resulted in her and her family's complete disgrace, but for Darcy's intervention to bribe Wickham to marry her by paying off his immediate debts.

Mr William Collins –Mr Collins is 25 at the start of the novel. He is the second cousin of Mr Bennet and thus the heir presumptive to the Bennet’s Longbourne house. He is a clergyman and a pompous man. He is desperate to get married, first proposing to Elizabeth then after she turns him down to Charlotte Lucas. He is devoted to his patroness Lady Catherine de Bourgh.

Lady Catherine de Bough – Catherine de Bough is the overbearing aunt of Mr Darcy. Lady Catherine is the wealthy owner of Rosings Park, where she resides with her daughter Anne and is fawned upon by her rector, Mr Collins. She is haughty, pompous, domineering, and condescending, and has long planned to marry off her sickly daughter to Darcy, to 'unite their two great estates', claiming it to be the dearest wish of both her and her late sister, Lady Anne Darcy.

Mr and Mrs Gardiner – Mr and Mrs Gardiner are the brother and sister in law of Mrs Bennet. The Gardiners are instrumental in bringing about the marriage between Darcy and Elizabeth.

Georgina Darcy – Miss Darcy is the 16 year old younger sister of Mr Darcy. She is described as shy but warm hearted.

Charlotte Lucas – Miss Lucas is Elizabeth’s older friend. She is sensible and intelligent and marries Mr Collins for money and security.