Pride and prejudice class structure (1 Viewer)

[Emly]

i cant remember or find out which social class the Bennets belong to, and which Darcy belongs to
i think Darcy is upper class and the bennets are lower upper class, but i cant remember

can anyone clarity it for me please?
please please please, i have an assessment for which i need it due soon

 

[orange_blob]

Darcy and that are definatly the upper classes.

I would say that the Bennants are middle class. They're not living in the gutter or anything, but they are struggling financialy in some aspects.

There might be a better way of describing that though.

 

[Emly]

thats what i thought, but i kept worrying that it was wrong..

thanks for the clarification though!

 

[*Fox*]

The Bennetts are at the lowish end of the gentry class, while Darcy is at the high end of the gentry class, he is not however a member of the aristocracy.

 

[Jamo-S]

The Bennet's are upper middle class. Class is not defined soley by wealth which is why they are still in that category. Although they are poor they still have that status. Keep in mind that the upper class was divided into two sections: Old Money and New Money. Bingley was new money. His money was derived from (most likely) the Industrial Revolution. Darcy was old money. He was considered to be part of the landed gentry. He is upper upper upper class if such a category existed.

 

[nicoled161]

Actually, our Extension 1 teacher told us it was very important that we understand that Elizabeth and Darcy are from the same class. They are both genteel; but Darcy is just richer and his mother was titled, whereas Elizabeth's mother is a nobody and her father is just a 'gentleman'.
Bingley's family are the new rich who have made their money from trade (however I don't think this is mentioned in the series!)

 

[candybink]

Our teacher explained it to us as this - Darcy is upper class, the Bennets are middle class. They are definately not from the same class because it ends up being such a slanderous tragedy when the youngest miss Bennet elopes, and the family struggles to hold onto their status. The only time lower class citizens are really shown is when the drunks outside the ball mock the higher classes by dancing (and subsequently falling in the water trough)

 

[gaoOO]

Our teacher explained it to us as this - Darcy is upper class, the Bennets are middle class.

No, what Nicole said is right. They are from the SAME class, but are distinguished by the fact that the Bennet estate is being entailed away, and Darcy is a whole lot richer. They are both of the gentry class. In fact, Lizzy explicitly states, when talking to Lady Catherine, that her father is a gentleman, and Darcy is a gentlemen- they are not in two different spheres of the world.

 

[ALEXKC]

Don't forget though that England is very particular about class and society, a lot more than Australia. Mr Darcy is in the upper class and that shows in his initial behaviour, but it is evident he is struggling for something more that is why he is attracted to Elizabeth, who is in middle class.

 

[steffiduck]

Darcy's and Bennet's are both part of the gentry/genteel class <whatever you'd like to call it>

BUT Darcy is at the upper end of his class (if that makes sense) because of his wealth/inheritance/land and connections with the aristocracy

the Bennets would have been considered to be beneath him, as the estate is entailed away, the girls have a pittance of an inheritance (1000 pounds upon the death of their mother) and their connections with the Gardiners (who was part of the rising middle class because of the Indutrial Revolution).

Because of the Bennet's precarious situation, their only way to recommend themselves were basically through looking pretty and accomplishments, and Lydia's disgrace would have lasting repercussions to their desirability as marriage partners if Darcy hadn't used his wealth and influence to hush up the Lydia/Wickham debacle.

i hope that helps