A Young Girl's Pride

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What should be more important to a teenage girl: a safe and secure future provided by her family or an unpredictable life with an interesting older man? Has the answer changed since the early 19th century? In Jane Austen’s famous Pride and Prejudice, Lydia Bennet chooses to run away with the mysterious Wickham, but she had no idea what she was in for. Not only was she vulnerable enough to be swept away, but she was proud of this. Mrs. Bennet had shown much excitement toward her daughters getting married in the near future, and what better way for Lydia to please her mother than by being the first daughter to marry? Lydia ran away for all the wrong reasons; she did not consider her happiness or future. At such a young age, she didn’t know better than to let a spontaneous opportunity entice her; whether it was Lydia’s fault for letting Wickham intrigue her, or Mrs. Bennet’s fault for emphasizing the importance of marriage to the girls, Lydia decided to marry, not for love, but simply to be married. In Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen uses Lydia Bennet’s character to satirize how pride and immaturity can cause a lack of responsibility and consideration for what the future holds.
Lydia took pride in being the first sister to marry, but it was uncommon to be a married girl with single older sisters. Mrs. Bennet had expressed a profuse amount of delight regarding marriage--to her, it was the most important part of a girl’s life. She would do whatever it took to make sure all five of her daughters were paired with suitable husbands; however, this enthusiasm was not the case for most other families. Lady Catherine said, “‘Are any of your younger sisters out, Miss Bennet?’”, and when Elizabeth confirmed that indeed all of her ...

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...in the future. Lydia thought that all her dreams had come true when she was swept off her feet by an officer. Wickham was practically perfect--charming, handsome, and trustworthy. Tragically, Lydia was soon to find out that her dream man was a phony and he had barely any interest in being in a serious relationship; unless, of course, there might be money involved. Lydia’s family had to agree to give Wickham what he wanted in order to save Lydia’s reputation. If Lydia had consented her parents in the first place, maybe this unfamiliar man would never have gotten the chance to take advantage of her. All in all, Lydia ended up paying the price for her mistakes instead of hitting the jackpot with a great husband and future. It can be dangerous for someone to make decisions when influenced by emotions, like pride or excitement; the input of others should be valued.

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