Elizabeth Bennet
Elizabeth Bennet is the heroine of Pride and Prejudice — the quick-witted, independent second daughter of the Bennet family. Austen called her "as delightful a creature as ever appeared in print," and her journey from confident misjudgment to self-knowledge anchors the novel.
Austen wrote to her sister Cassandra that she considered Elizabeth “as delightful a creature as ever appeared in print.” Two centuries of readers have agreed.
Character arc
Elizabeth’s flaw mirrors Darcy’s: where he judges from pride, she judges from wounded vanity. Wickham flatters her; Darcy slights her at the assembly; and on those two data points she constructs an entire moral universe — which Darcy’s letter demolishes in the novel’s pivotal chapter. “Till this moment, I never knew myself” is the true turning point.
On Screen
| Actor | Adaptation |
|---|---|
| Keira Knightley | Pride & Prejudice (2005) |
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Elizabeth Bennet?
Elizabeth is 20 years old during the novel — she tells Lady Catherine she is "not one and twenty."
Who does Elizabeth Bennet marry?
Elizabeth marries Fitzwilliam Darcy after refusing both Mr. Collins and Darcy's own first proposal.