Pride and Prejudice Theme Reflection (Part 4, The End）

Once Lydia’s plotline is resolved with her respectable marriage, the focus shifts to a return to Jane’s storyline. Reunited with Bingley, she quickly becomes engaged, resolving the conflict that has been ongoing since the novel’s start. All that remains is a final conflict to be overcome in the form of Lady de Bourgh’s attempt to prevent Elizabeth from marrying Darcy. The earlier plot events where Elizabeth stood her ground have prepared her for this moment, and she refuses to back down. With the characters having finally overcome all the obstacles in their way, the novel’s climax takes place when Darcy proposes a second time and Elizabeth accepts him. The climax is followed by some fast-falling action, including the preparations for the marriage and the projected futures for all three couples.

Pride and Prejudice was influential in demonstrating that everyday events and domestic struggles presented realistically can be as interesting as more sensational stories. Readers experience the events of the plot in the same way the characters do, without any special narrative techniques. This choice of plot structure helps to make the events of the novel relatable. The novel closes with a classic comedic ending in which three of the Bennet sisters are married and the virtuous characters (Jane, Elizabeth, Bingley, and Darcy) are rewarded with prosperity and happiness, while the foolish or wicked characters (Lydia and Wickham) face a more turbulent existence.

(The End)