In the beginning of Pride and Prejudice, Mr。 Bennet says to his wife before Elizabeth appears, “They have none of them much to recommend them。 They are all silly and ignorant like other girls; but Lizzy has something more of quickness than her sisters”。 (1813: 2) Indeed, Austen spends much effort to describe Elizabeth in Pride and Prejudice。 She is intelligent, articulate, humorous, wise, self-esteem and independent girl。 Confronted with Miss Bingley’s ridicule, she recriminates wisely; with Lady Catherine’s rudeness, she dares to contradict boldly。 Elizabeth wins the love of Mr。 Darcy who shines with much attention, by virtue of her own wisdom and grace。 What is more remarkable is that Elizabeth gives a flat refusal to Mr。 Collins’ proposal, regardless of her mother’s opposition。 She will not sacrifice her love just out of material benefits, which reflects that Elizabeth’s negation of money-talk marriage view。 Instead, she longs for a marriage with true and pure affection。 But Austen does not shape her as a perfect figure, because perfection always makes implausible。 文献综述

When it comes to the sixteenth chapter, the author’s keynote of characterization of Elizabeth changes a lot, “a wise girl” changing into “a fool”。 It starts form her meeting with Mr。 Wickham。 “His appearance was greatly in his favor; he had all the best part of beauty— a fine countenance, a good figure, and very pleasing address”。 (2011:67)Elizabeth is so obsessive with his charming appearance that when Mr。 Wickham dusts her eyes with beautiful languages and slanders Mr。 Darcy, while even a wise girl like Elizabeth is snowed with his trap without any knowledge。 For instance, “’I cannot pretend to be sorry,’ said Wickham, after a short interruption, ‘that he or that any man should not be estimated beyond their deserts; but with him I believe it does not often happen。 This world is blinded because of his fortune and consequence and frightened by his high and imposing manners, and sees him as he chooses to be seen’”。 (2011:73)This is a good example to show Wickham’s hypocrisy and his defamation to Mr。 Darcy。 Elizabeth’s understanding of Mr。 Wickham is based on his good looks and excessive attention, so Austen chooses irony to describe her。 “Elizabeth honored him for such feelings, and thought him handsomer than ever as he expressed them”。 “’But what’, said she after a pause, ‘can have been his motive? —what can have induced him to behave so cruelly?’” “’I had not thought Mr。 Darcy as bad as this, though I have never liked him and I had not thought so ill of him — I had considered him to be despising his fellow-creatures in general, but did not think him of descending to such malicious revenge, such injustice, such inhumanity like this!’ ” During her conversation with Wickham, Elizabeth even exclaims”” To treat in such a manner, the godson, the friend, the favorite of his father! —She could have added, ‘A young man like you, whose very countenance may vouch for your being amiable’ —but then she contended herself with, ’And one, too, who had probably been his own companion from childhood, connected together, as I think you said, in the closest manner!’” (2011:75) Elizabeth’s heated words imply her sympathy on Mr。 Wickham and her contempt to Mr。 Darcy。 “Elizabeth went away with her head full of him。 She could think of nothing but of Mr。 Wickham, and of what he had told her, all the way home。” (2011:79)As the old saying goes, “One who is in the game is blind, while a bystander sees through everything”。 Elizabeth’s obsession with Mr。 Wickham is noticed by her friend Charlotte Lucas。 “When the dance recommenced, however, and Darcy went to claim her hand, Charlotte could not help whispering in her ear not to be a simpleton, and allow her affection for Wickham to make her behave unpleasantly in the eyes of a man of ten times his consequence”。 (2011:85)But Elizabeth has deep-rooted prejudice against Mr。 Darcy and refuses his affection。 The success of shaping such an absurd behavior gives the credit to Jane Austen’s ingenious use of irony。