Pride and Prejudice
Social Pyramid
Darcy's Aunt
"Lady Catherine will not think the worse of you for being simply dressed. She likes to have the distinction of rank preserved (Austen 154)," said Lucas
Lady Catherine feels she should look her class. She wants to stand out among her guests as someone in the Upper Class.
The Bennet Sisters
Mrs. Bennet has a plan to have her daugthers married of to man of wealthy and a high social status.
Elizabeth Bennett
Mr. Darcy
marries Mr. Darcy
" A single man of large fortune; four or five thousand a year. What a fine thing for our girls (Austen 6)."
The Upper Class
The upper class is the wealthiest class. They are also educated. They only associate or talk to the people with in their class. They are born into this class. (English Social Strucure)
"It was a large, handsome, stone building, standing well on rising ground, and backed by a ridge of high woody hills; and in front, a stream of some natural importance was swelled into greater, but without any artificial appearance( Austen 229)."
Elizabeth describing Mr. Darcy's house.
"He spoke well, but there were feelings besides those of the heart to be detailed; and he was not more eloquent on the subject of tenderness than of pride. His sense of her inferiority, of its being a degradation, of the family obstacles which judgement had always opposed to inclination(Austen 179)."
Mr. Darcy's proposal to Elizabeth
This class was made of
- clerks
- lawyers
- merchants
- clergy
- military officers
Most of the middle class made their money by trade, but it could have also been inherited.
(English Social Strucure)
Mr. Collins
The Middle Class
He is in this class because he is the one who inherits the Bennet's land after Mr.Bennet goes.
"...But the fact is, that being, as I am, to inherit this estate after the death of your honoured father, I could not satisfy myself without resolving to choose a wife from among his daughters( Austen 102)..."
The Working Class
In the working class, people were a part of manufacturing furniture, clothing, ships, metal, and other useful materials. It was divided further into the working men, skilled artisians, and the educated working men. (English Social Strucure)
Labourers at London docks waiting for employment from The Graphic, 1886.
Non-Working Class