Lady Catherine
Many battled for social supremacy during the time period of Pride and Prejudice. The high class of society were revered and known to be the poised and the privileged. Jane Austen uses Lady Catherine as a representation of a member from the elite class gone wrong.
Mr. Darcy and Lady Catherine were from the same social status, but were polar opposites. Lady Catherine showed her arrogance by boasting the good she had done to Elizabeth and her other guests: “It is wonderful how many families I have been the means of supplying [...] I am always glad to get a young person well placed out” (Austen 127). On the other hand, Elizabeth heard of the virtuous deeds Mr. Darcy did from his own servant: “He was always the sweetest-tempered, most generous-hearted, boy in the world” (188). Not once did Mr. Darcy boast about how charitable he was and what he had done to help society. He was humble, unlike his pompous aunt. A genuine upperclassman like Mr. Darcy did not need to flaunt his goodness; however, Lady Catherine found a need to express how generous she was when many were already aware of her wealth.
Mr. Darcy treated people below him with the same respect he treated upperclassmen, whereas Lady Catherine excessively averred the distinction in status between herself and those of lower classes. She spoke to Elizabeth in an impertinent manner, belittling the parenting skills of her mother: “I suppose you had no opportunity. Your mother should have taken you to town every spring for the benefit of masters” (127). Lady Catherine had no right to involve herself in the Bennet family’s private affairs. In contrast, when Mr. Darcy met the Gardiners at Pemberley, he conversed with them amiably: “I was never more surprised than by his behavior to us. It was more than civil; it was really attentive; and there was no necessity for such attention” (195). When Mr. Darcy and Lady Catherine interacted with members of the lower class, Mr. Darcy impressed the Gardiners who expected him to act arrogantly, unlike Lady Catherine, who insulted Elizabeth, giving her a terrible first impression. Mr. Darcy was courteous to his guests. He did not need to present his high status by acting superior to them; however, Lady Catherine not only showed her supremacy, but also her discourtesy of lower classes.
With regards to acts of civility, Lady Catherine did not know how to show class. Although Mr. Darcy made a mistake in breaking up Bingley and Jane, he had good intentions in mind. He convinced Bingley out of marrying Jane because he thought she did not care for Bingley. Lady Catherine wanted to break up Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth’s potential relationship to save Mr. Darcy from the dishonor of marrying a lowerclassman. Instead of talking Mr. Darcy out of it, Lady Catherine stormed into the Bennet household and rudely attempted to convince Elizabeth not to marry Mr. Darcy: “When the wishes of both sisters would be accomplished, in their marriage, to be prevented by a young woman of inferior birth, of no importance in the world, and wholly unallied to the family!” (271). Lady Catherine had the audacity to go to the Bennet household and affront Elizabeth in her own home. One would not expect a woman of such elite status to degrade a young woman of a lower class in such a manner.
Jane Austen creates the allusion that an elitist is expected to be generous, honorable, and virtuous. Mr. Darcy fits this description of the ideal elitist, whereas Lady Catherine puts the class to shame. Austen is telling her audience that title and money should not dictate class structure; however, in reality, a person’s status and wealth will always separate one person from another. Lady Catherine only achieved a high social status because she married into a wealthy family, which gave her a sense of authority over the lower classes. The means of working hard to achieve an honorable position was the least of concerns.
Bibliography:
Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. New York: Oxford University Press Inc., 1970.
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