By Hannah Lennon
If it’s a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife, then it is equally as noteworthy that each of the Bennet sisters in Jane Austen’s 1813 Pride and Prejudice has been loved, envied, and embodied by girls today. Of the Bennets, Elizabeth and Jane are the most recognizable with Lydia trailing closely behind. We see Kitty and Mary minimally, but their moments of whimsy and whingeing shine through to those searching for bits of ourselves in the literature we read. Thank you, Jane Austen, for creating characters that everyone relates to in one way or another.
When first looking into the bustling Bennet household, it’s hard to focus on anyone other than Elizabeth. Austen gives the spotlight to the bookish second-eldest daughter; the world may not revolve around her, but Pride and Prejudice’s plot certainly does. Everyone dreams of being the main character, and Elizabeth speaks to readers who can’t find themselves elsewhere. We champion Elizabeth because she’s imperfect. Yes, she’s beautiful, confident, and witty, but she makes mistakes and has regrets. Her pride bites her in the back– which isn’t to say that hubris ruins a character, but shows that humanity is one of the best things about her. Millions see themselves in Elizabeth because she’s the stubborn book nerd we hope to be.
Jane is often the opposite of Elizabeth but is her match in many ways. If you’ve ever been valued for your looks alone, Jane proves that beauty goes beyond the surface. Girls can find themselves in Jane because we daydream, care deeply for those we love, hide our feelings from the world, and hope. So what, if you’re sentimental? If you see Jane in yourself, that’s a high compliment.
I want to be friends with everyone identifying with Lydia; you’re badass and the life of every party. Many find her cheeky and reckless, forgetting to commend her free spirit. She’s a feminist material girl with the heart of everyone that ever walked by their middle school crush in the hallway. She’s never afraid to do what she wants, and I envy it. If you’ve ever been in love or tended to your inner child, chances are that you’ve felt close to Lydia at least once.
Mary and Kitty Bennet are harder to relate to. Kitty’s second to Lydia in everything but love, and Mary is chastised for her every effort, but the rest of their personalities remain mysteries to us. If you’ve ever been the second choice or felt like you were just shy of being good enough, you’d see their reflections in a mirror. Kitty is every girl who was chosen last for teams in gym class and everyone insecure in their self-worth. Mary is vanilla, but there shouldn’t be qualms about it; vanilla is classic, versatile, even divine, yet Mary functions as ordinary, something to compare the beauty, charm, and wit of her sisters to. She’s every girl with dreams that go unseen that’s made fun of for being basic. The middle Bennet sisters embody stereotypes of try-hard, pick-me attitudes, but they’re also caring and ambitious; they are every girl who’s ever felt ordinary.
Despite 200 years and fictitious love affairs, the Bennet sisters remain relatable as ever. Austen wrote what she knew of the world, including infinite quirks, quips, and qualms of women. Each of her characters is as alive as everyone reading Pride and Prejudice. Thank you, Jane Austen, for creating characters that speak to us in a world so far from the one you once knew.
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