Pride and Prejudice Theme of Society and Class

Pride and Prejudice upholds reasonably conservative views on class. Darcy's character arc is to become the ultimate gentleman – he starts out wealthy, aristocratic, and good-hearted, and learns to add good manners and sociability to the mix. Conversely, although Wickham seems to have the outer polish of an aristocrat, he is proven to be thoroughly ungentlemanly. (And believe it or not, that's one of the more serious insults characters lob at each other in the novel.)  It is the same with the female characters, whose behavior and decorum immediately marks them as either upper or lower class. Although both Jane and Elizabeth cross class lines to get married, the general idea is that they are almost aristocratic already.

1. Check out the scenes where Miss Bingley is gossiping about the Bennets. Compare the way she does this with the way Mrs. Bennet trash-talks whoever is in her way (Mr. Collins, Darcy, etc.). What is the same about their remarks? What is different? How can we tell one is from a higher and the other from a lower class?
2. Who in the novel is described as being a gentleman? What is meant by the person doing the describing in each case?
3. Which characters take great pride in their social standing? Which don't? Why or why not?

Although class may determine one's social situation in life, it ultimately does not determine the respectability of one's behavior.

The novel supports the idea of class as an arbitrary – and ultimately less meaningful – distinction between people.