*Task A

Read chapter47, and answer the following questions:

1-What reasons might have encouraged Wickham to elope with Lydia?

Wickham is a reckless guy who didn’t mind eloping with a careless girl like Lydia who loved him
and consent to live with him even without marriage. For him, she has no brothers to step
forward, and a father with little attention to what is going on in his family.

2-Relate Elizabeth’s description of Lydia to a major theme in Pride and Prejudice?

Elizabeth described Lydia as a young girl who has never been taught to think on serious
subjects, and has never been given up to anything but amusement and vanity. Such description
leads us to an important theme about family that is primarily responsible for the intellectual and
moral education of children. Throughout the novel, the younger characters either benefit from
or suffer from their family values. Mr. and Mrs. Bennet's failure to provide their daughters with
a proper education leads to Lydia's utter foolishness and immorality. Lydia’s description leads
us to an important theme about virtue; Lydia's lack of virtue is linked with her inability to
control her passion and desire. Austen links happiness to virtue and virtue to self-awareness.

3-Do you think that Lydia’s upbringing is a proper way in which one might raise up his
daughter? Elaborate (answers vary)

*Task B

“Then, perceiving in Elizabeth no inclination of replying, she added, ‘Unhappy as the event
must be for Lydia, we may draw from it this useful lesson; that loss of virtue in a female is
irretrievable _ that one false step involves her in endless ruin _ that her reputation is no
less brittle than it is beautiful, _ and that she cannot be too much guarded in her behavior
…” (Mary Bennet)

1-Elucidate the quote above, and critique the social norm it highlights through a feminist lens.
Mary’s words in the quote above reflect the frailty of the woman’s reputation at the time of
Pride and Prejudice. The quote explains that once the virtue is lost, like what happened to Lydia,
it can’t be taken back, and will cause a constant ruin. From a feminist lens, virtue can be taken
back through self-awareness and maturity; it is not lost, leading to constant ruin. Reputation is
not seen as a real concern, as the individual’s awareness is the main concern.

2-Connect the quote above to a major theme in the novel.

It is connected to an important theme about virtue; Lydia's lack of virtue is linked with her
inability to control her passion and desire. Austen links happiness to virtue and virtue to self-
awareness.

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3-Elicit the devastating impact of Lydia’s folly on her, on her sisters and on her family.
At the time of Pride and Prejudice, reputation was a social standard that can be easily ruined by
a fool behavior like Lydia’s. It might deprive Lydia’s sisters from their marriage chances, and
causes shame for her parents that will affect their social life.
*Task C
*Read chapter 50, then answer the questions that follow.

1-Describe Elizabeth’s feelings, towards Darcy, in this chapter.

She feels sorry that she got Darcy involved in Lydia’s matter, as she thought that he wouldn’t
connect himself with her family after such a matter. She thinks that she could have been happy
with him when it was it no longer likely they should meet. She began to comprehend that he was
exactly the man who suits her. She remembers the proposal that she proudly spurned only four
months ago and would now have been gladly received.

2- As a novelist Austen shows mastery in presenting Elizabeth as a round character. Evaluate her
mastery in terms of the change in Elizabeth’s attitude toward Darcy.
Austen shows a great deal of mastery in presenting Elizabeth as a round/dynamic character; Elizabeth’s
mistake in misjudging Wickham and Darcy, and her more blamable fault of sticking stubbornly to that
judgment until forced to see her error. She proceeds from reasonable first impressions of Darcy and
Wickham to definite and wrong conclusions about their characters. Her confidence in her own
discernment — a combination of both pride and prejudice — is what leads her into her worst errors.
Identifying her wrong conclusions and the real characters of both Wickham and Darcy humbles and
grieves her, and entirely changes her feelings towards Darcy.

3-Do you think Darcy would be willing to marry Elizabeth after the elopement of her sister with
Wickham? Elaborate. (answers vary)

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