Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions based on the passage: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is a classic known for its humor and complex characters. The famous first sentence of the book, "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife," begins to set up all of the major themes of money, status, and marrying well that are prevalent in 19th century England. The Bennet family, particularly Elizabeth Bennet, a smart and strong willed heroine, is the subject of Austen's commentary on the societal imperative for women to marry well and thereby have a stable income. The title itself is quite meaningful, as it first indicates the character flaws that drive much of the conflict in this novel, namely Darcy's pride and Elizabeth's prejudice. In fact, Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, being a rich and high-ranking person, first of all shows a haughty character, thereby being very super by virtue of his class. Elizabeth, having been offended by his initial lack of warmth, as well as having been misled by the deceiving Mr. Wickham, very quickly showed prejudice against him. Traces the story of each as they navigate these weaknesses. Darcy needs to lower his pride to appreciate the value of Elizabeth's interior standing, though she must see the strength of his superior qualities. Austen employs irony and satire liberally to point out the absurdities of the class structure. Personages like the obsequious Mr. Collins and the imperious Lady Catherine de Bourgh symbolize the hard and silly aspects of class consciousness. The sojourn at Darcy's grand estate, Pemberley, is an important defining instance in which the splendor of the property and the favorable reports of his servants compel Elizabeth to revise her earlier opinion and realize the truth of Darcy's goodness. In the final analysis, the novel promotes love marriages, couples like Jane and Bingey, and Elizabeth and Darcy, who have successful marriages because of love, in contrast to couples who marry for convenience (Charlotte Collins and Mr. Collins) or those who are full of passion but irresponsible (Lydia and Wickham).
How is the character of Lady Catherine de Bourgh employed in the novel as a criticism of society?
She represents social tyranny and class prejudice.
The question asks how the character of Lady Catherine de Bourgh functions as Austen's social criticism in the novel.
The passage frames the book as a satire that exposes the rigid class structure of 19th-century England, where rank and 'status' dominate people's behaviour.
Within that satire, an imperious, domineering aristocrat like Lady Catherine embodies the harsh, snobbish side of that class consciousness.
'Social tyranny' captures her overbearing use of rank to control others, and 'class prejudice' captures her contempt for those she sees as socially beneath her.
She is plainly not a symbol of 'ideal maternal love', nor a champion of 'the working class', since she belongs to and defends the landed gentry.
Nor is she 'purely comic relief with no other significance'; her role carries Austen's pointed critique of class snobbery.
Hence she best represents social tyranny and class prejudice.
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Important Questions from Reading Comprehension
Why, according to the writer can't people be motivated to use a resource prudently?
1. They feel that others may overuse the resource
2. It is possible to substitute the resource
3. Abundance of the resource availability
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
When do people use resources exhaustively?
The self-interest of people affects the use of renewable resources
People rooted in a locality
Which among the following is closest in meaning with the word 'deplete'?
