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• For Edexcel, Pride and Prejudice is assessed on Paper 2: the 19th-century Novel and poetry since 1789.

• You will be presented with one extract and a two-part question.

• Part (a) of the question will ask you to analyse the language in an extract. Part (b) will ask you to explore ideas from the rest of the novel.

• This is a closed book exam, which means you will not be allowed to have a copy of the novel with you.

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Remember

The more time you spend planning your answers and practising writing within the time limit as part of your revision, the more confident you will feel in the final exam.

It is a good idea to spend a few minutes planning your answer before you start writing.

You should identify the key words and plan out some of your main points.

For part (a), you should annotate the extract to help shape your argument.

You could plan using bullet points or a mind-map, or any other way that you find useful.

Example question

(a) Explore how Austen presents Elizabeth and Darcy’s relationship in this extract.

(b) In this extract, Darcy and Elizabeth are both stubborn and proud. Explain how pride is important elsewhere in the novel.

In this extract from Volume 2 Chapter 11, Darcy proposes marriage to Elizabeth for the first time.

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Exam top tip

For Part (a), you must focus on the extract you are given.

Your exam response will be marked using Assessment Objectives. The ones for this question are below.

In the exam, Part (a) is only assessed on AO2, and Part (b) is only assessed on AO1. Although there is some overlap, you will need to be clear what each AO is asking you to do.

At the start of your answers, it is helpful to have a short introduction.

An effective introduction should give a summary of the ideas you are about to present, and link to the question and the writer’s message.

After your introduction, each paragraph should include:

• A topic sentence, which uses some of the language of the question, to introduce your argument
• Evidence that supports your argument
• Analysis of the effects of language techniques
• A final sentence that acts as a mini-summary.

An awareness of the writer’s purpose is important.

In the Edexcel exam you will not be awarded marks for making points about context, so you should focus your answer on ideas and methods.

You could include a short conclusion that summarises the key ideas in your answer.

Read and compare these two sample answers to the question:

(a) Explore how Austen presents Elizabeth and Darcy’s relationship in this extract.

(b) In this extract, Darcy and Elizabeth are both stubborn and proud. Explain how pride is important elsewhere in the novel.

In this extract from Volume 2 Chapter 11, Darcy proposes marriage to Elizabeth for the first time.

Answers could include:

In the extract, Darcy is focused on himself and not Elizabeth. He starts off as very nervous. Austen uses the word ‘agitated’ to show that he is not behaving as he normally would. Trying to take control of the situation, he uses imperative language: “You must allow me to tell you”, as though he is interrupting Elizabeth, even though she is already listening. This command has the effect of placing the reader on ��������������ٳ�’s side because of Darcy’s rudeness.

As the extract goes on, ��������������ٳ�’s feelings towards Darcy are changing. Austen describes ��������������ٳ�’s shock using a list of three: ‘stared, coloured, doubted’. This shows that Elizabeth is having both a physical and emotional response to what Darcy is saying, but she stays silent. However, as Darcy goes on this turns to anger and ‘she lost all compassion’. The word ‘all’ shows how quickly her feelings have changed towards him in a very direct way.

At the end of the extract, it is obvious that Darcy and ��������������ٳ�’s relationship is in a challenging place. Elizabeth saying that she has “never desired” Darcy’s good opinion implies how strongly she dislikes him, with the adverb ‘never’ reminding the reader of how badly Darcy treated Elizabeth at the start of the novel. At the same time, Darcy is shocked at ��������������ٳ�’s response, which proves that he does not really know her. The description of the ‘disturbance of his mind’ shows how deeply and intensely surprised he is by how much he has misunderstood their relationship.

Answers could include:

At the start of the extract, it is clear that we are about to see a change in Darcy and ��������������ٳ�’s relationship. Darcy’s ‘agitated manner’ is a contrast to his previous calm behaviour, implying that he is both nervous and not at ease. Darcy attempts to control the conversation and his feelings using imperative language: “You must allow me to tell you”. Here, his language suggests that he is interrupting Elizabeth, even though this comes ‘after a silence of several minutes’. Austen’s use of humour and irony here has the effect of placing the reader on ��������������ٳ�’s side and of highlighting the changing power dynamics in the relationship.

Austen then focuses our attention on ��������������ٳ�’s response and how this is shaped by the complex history of her relationship with Darcy. Austen describes ��������������ٳ�’s confusion using a list of three: ‘stared, coloured, doubted’. ‘Stared’ implies genuine shock, ‘coloured’ indicates that she blushed with embarrassment, and 'doubted' suggests that the shock and embarrassment are suddenly forcing her to question what she thought she knew about Darcy. In addition, the language is passive: Elizabeth feels unable to interrupt Darcy. However, Darcy’s arrogant language, which includes a reference to ��������������ٳ�’s ‘inferiority’, means that these initial feelings are taken over by anger and resentment. Elizabeth says that she has “never desired” Darcy’s good opinion, with the adverb ‘never’ reminding the reader of how badly Darcy treated Elizabeth at the start of the novel.

At the end of the extract, Austen presents Darcy and ��������������ٳ�’s relationship as incredibly fragile. Darcy’s inability to anticipate ��������������ٳ�’s response proves that he does not really know her, despite proposing marriage. The description of the ‘disturbance of his mind’ showing in his face underlines how deeply and intensely surprised he is by how much he has misunderstood their relationship. In addition, Austen’s comment that there is ‘resentment’ as much as surprise is revealing, as this abstract noun has connotations of long-lasting dislike, blame and unease.

Answers could include:

The most important example of pride in the novel is how Darcy and Elizabeth treat each other. Other characters think Darcy has a poor attitude towards Elizabeth. When they first meet at a ball in Meryton, Darcy refuses to dance with Elizabeth. He rejects her because she is not pretty enough and other men are not dancing with her either. Mrs Bennet is sympathetic, telling Elizabeth: “I should not dance with him, if I were you”. Mrs Bennet has made her mind up about Darcy and is instructing Elizabeth to keep away from Darcy because of how impolite he has been, with all three characters showing their pride here.

Austen presents Elizabeth as proud in other ways too. For example, she thinks she is a good judge of character and takes a long time to admit that her first impressions of both Wickham and Darcy were wrong. Elizabeth trusted Wickham because he is ‘handsome’, which is very superficial. Later in the novel, ��������������ٳ�’s pride is presented in a different way when she refuses to give in to Lady Catherine’s demands. Elizabeth is ‘resolved’ to act in a way that ensures her own happiness, even under pressure from someone much wealthier and more powerful than she is. Both situations demonstrate how pride is linked to her strength of character.

By the end of the novel, the characters who have overcome their pride are rewarded with a happy ending. Elizabeth accepts Darcy’s second proposal because of his honesty and because they have both admitted and dealt with their prejudice. ��������������ٳ�’s statement that “it is settled between us already that we are to be the happiest couple in the world” shows how committed they are to each other and that their pride now takes a different form, as they are proud of their new relationship. Jane and Bingley are also happily married because they are open with each other and have resolved any misunderstandings. Austen therefore shows how pride can be a barrier to happiness.

Answers could include:

Austen presents pride as linked to stubbornness and prejudice, not just in the title of her novel but in the first meeting of her main characters. At the Meryton ball, where Darcy refuses to dance with Elizabeth, his reasons for rejecting her are petty, and he can only bring himself to describe her as ‘tolerable’. Darcy does not see Elizabeth as worthy of his time and attention. ��������������ٳ�’s response, which is to tell this story with ‘great spirit’ to her friends, is a significant contrast and shows their opposing but equally entrenched attitudes. This presentation of pride is important because it is central to the development of the plot and the romantic relationship between Elizabeth and Darcy.

Austen presents varied forms of pride in most of her characters. Mr Collins is boastful of his connections with wealthy and powerful people, such as Lady Catherine. Caroline Bingley’s pride initially makes her believe that Jane Bennet, who is slightly lower in class than she is, will not be a good match for her brother. Mrs Bennet makes it ‘the business of her life’ to ensure that her daughters marry into families of higher status. Lydia returns to Longbourn with her head held high after marrying Wickham, seemingly unaware of the scandal that she could have caused. All of these examples reflect Austen’s view that pride is a universal human trait, and its powerful links to identity.

Loss of pride is presented as an opportunity for characters to change and reflect. For example, Elizabeth thinks she is a good judge of character and takes a long time to admit that her first impressions of both Wickham and Darcy were wrong. Elizabeth trusted Wickham simply because he is ‘handsome’, but her realisation that she has misjudged them feels ‘acutely painful’. When Darcy’s first marriage proposal is rejected, his loss of pride prompts him to be humble and write a letter of explanation to Elizabeth, which is the start of a significant change in their relationship. By contrast, when Lady Catherine’s pride is threatened in her confrontation with Elizabeth, Lady Catherine refuses to reflect: she instead acts more rudely and childishly, and is one of the few characters without a happy ending in the novel.

At the end of the novel Austen’s message is clear: pride is a barrier to happiness. Once characters have overcome their pride, they can develop successful relationships. Jane and Bingley are happily married because they are open with each other and have resolved any misunderstandings. Elizabeth accepts Darcy’s second proposal because of his honesty and because they have both admitted and dealt with their prejudice. ��������������ٳ�’s statement that “it is settled between us already that we are to be the happiest couple in the world” shows how committed they are to each other and that their pride now takes a different form, as they are joyously proud of their new relationship.

You could use the following Part (b)-style questions to revise your knowledge of the novel and practise writing your ideas.