Only Mr Bennet and Mrs Bennet is attendant in the first chapter, at the same time, the reader also learns a lot about the other characters. The reader familiarizes with the five Bennet daughters through dialogue between Mr Bennet and Mrs Bennet. It is apparent from the beginning that Mr Bennet favours Elizabeth, because she is the most intelligent of the five sisters; ‘I must throw in a good word for my little Lizzy’. While Mrs Bennet disagrees, ‘Lizzy is not a bit better than the others’. Mrs Bennet does not want Mr Bennet to favour anyone, but this is very hypocritical, as it quickly becomes evident that Mrs Bennet favours Jane. ‘She is not half as handsome as Jane’, declares Mrs Bennet to Mr Bennet, although he does not change his mind about his other ‘silly and ignorant’ daughters. This is the first introduction to the daughters, even though they are not present in the opening chapter.
The impression given by Austen through dialogue in the first chapter of the protagonist, Elizabeth and her sisters; Jane, Mary, Catherine and Lydia, are quite accurate compared to when the reader truly meets them. Jane is the ‘most beautiful creature’ Bingley has ever beheld, while Elizabeth’s ‘quickness’ is exemplified through her witty and opinionated conversations. Elizabeth is not afraid to be different and independent; when she springs ‘over puddles’ with ‘dirty stockings’. Although this is not the typical behaviour of a woman in the 19th century, it worked to her advantage as Darcy found that it ‘brightened’ his ‘admiration’ of Elizabeth. On the other hand, Mary, Catherine and Lydia are very dissimilar to their sisters Jane and Elizabeth. Though Mr Bennet was correct to portray them as ‘silly and ignorant like other girls’.
The novel is written in third person with an omniscient narrator. Austen uses very little detailed physical descriptions; instead, the novel is laid out by the use of dialogue between characters. Each individual’s nature is revealed through clever dialogues and in the way the characters speak. ‘“Do not you want to know who has taken it?” cried his wife impatiently.’ Austen’s use of hyperbole and Mrs Bennet’s hysteria reflects her phenomenally exasperating character. Whilst on the other hand, ‘“You want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it.”’ Mr Bennet has an unflustered approach towards the concerns of his daughters being married. The use of great quantity of dialogue is very effective in the novel. Even though it lacks physical description, and lavish speeches are rare, Austen is still able to engage the reader into the story.
The reader is able to gain knowledge about what society of the 19th century was like, through the novel. For example: the role of women, entailment and social class. The panic in which Mrs Bennet adopts, although it is exaggerated by her character, it is acceptable and understandable in her situation. This is because women do not inherit their father’s property, as an alternative, the property is passed down to the next male in the family. In this case, it is Mr Collins. Therefore, Mrs Bennet needs to make sure all her daughter are married to wealthy men so they have somewhere to live.
19th century, couples were very formal when they addressed one another. In the novel, the reader does not discover the Christian names of many characters, like Mr Bennet and Mrs Bennet. This illustrates the formality of Mr Bennet and Mrs Bennet’s relationship as they only address one another using their surname. Mr Bennet and Mrs Bennet’s matrimony was based on initial physical attraction and for a necessity. Although their ‘experience of three and twenty years’ had not been enough for Mrs Bennet to fully understand her husband due to her lack ‘understanding’ and ‘little information’. The two characters are contrasting, Mrs Bennet being embarrassingly foolish, and Mr Bennet sardonic, staying away from the family’s conflict and problems. The character of Mrs Bennet is depicted instantly at the beginning. Her temperament and vulgarity is shown through whilst Mr Bennet mercilessly mocks her ridiculousness about her ‘poor nerves’ with his ‘sarcastic humour’.
Austen personifies the ‘poor nerves’ of Mrs Bennet. This makes it slightly humorous, especially with Mr Bennet’s reply, ‘I have high respect for your nerves. They are my old friends’. Mr Bennet’s sarcastic humour is portrayed through this. While on the other hand, it makes the reader realise how irritating Mrs Bennet’s personality is. Austen frequently uses exclamation mark throughout the dialogues of Mrs Bennet. ‘“Design! Nonsense, how can you talk so!”’ Through the exclamation marks, the reader can comprehend that Mrs Bennet’s character is very loud and noisy. Not only does it emphasis Mrs Bennet’s point, but it also demonstrates her unladylike manners.
Mr Bennet and Mrs Bennet holds different values when it comes to whether Elizabeth should marry Mr Collins. Mrs Bennet is furious when she finds out that Mr Collins has been turned down, as she senses the opportunity, of Elizabeth being married, disappearing, she tries to persuade Mr Bennet to insist that Elizabeth amend her refusal. Fortunately, Mr Bennet tells Mrs Bennet that if Elizabeth does accept the proposal, he ‘will never see her again’. Elizabeth is Mr. Bennet's favourite daughter and he wants her to be happy. He knows that she has enough sense to choose a good husband without Mrs Bennet's interfering. He wants all of his daughters to marry for love rather than practicality, like Mrs Bennet’s ideals.
In contrast, on the subject of Mrs Bennet’s concerns, although Mr Bennet does not show interest, he does want his daughters to be married. ‘“How can you be so tiresome! You must know that I am thinking of his marrying one of them.”’ Even though Mr Bennet is much more laid-back and shows less concern about this issue, in his heart, he would want his daughters married. Unlike his wife, he knows that eventually, everything will work out for his daughters, and there is not really much need for panic.
The settings and plot throughout the whole novel is very realistic to its 19th century scheme. The town of Meryton is very similar to an ordinary society of which would appear in the 19th century. The gossiping of Mrs Bennet amongst her friends, ‘Mrs Long has just been there, and she told me all about it’, is common in their society of middle class. Through the gossiping in the first chapter, the reader is able to find out about the arrival of Bingley, which is the starting point of the plot. The novel is realistic and practical and not overly emotional even though it is about love and marriage.
‘Pride and Prejudice’ satirically depicts the universal ideals regarding social class and marriage. Austen shows this through the outspoken and opinionated, middle class woman, Elizabeth Bennet. She rebels against her society and the imposed life handed to her, when she receives the proposal from Mr Collins. She does not want to marry for a necessity like many of the 19th century; instead she rebels and waits to marry for love. Austen also satires the society of 19th century through Mrs Bennet, and those like her who are of ‘mean understanding’ and ‘little information’ about society. She embarrasses her family in front of the upper class society, who is depicted as arrogant and haughty, with the exceptions of Bingley and Miss Darcy. It is obvious, that Austen intended ‘Pride and Prejudice’ to be a parody of the English society’s prominence on the social class structure, which parallels the social class system of today.
In general, the first chapter is one of the most prominent chapters of the novel. The novel commences after the entrance of Bingley at Netherfield. It is very effective because it engages the audience straightaway, into the novel. Austen uses little concrete nouns, instead, she prefers to concentrate on abstract nouns, for example, ‘pride’ and ‘judgement’. This provides the reader a deeper insight into emotions and feelings, rather than physical description of characters and visualisation of the scenes. The opening chapter briefly introduces the Bennets and Mrs Bennet’s concern to make sure all her daughters are married. Although only Mr Bennet and Mrs Bennet is present, the reader also finds out about the sisters as well. From just this short chapter, immediately, the protagonists in ‘Pride and Prejudice’ are obviously, Elizabeth, Jane and Bingley. In conclusion, the first chapter is very important and definitely introduces the reader to the central characters and concerns of the novel.
