I'm asking an open question to anyone willing to answer: What do you see as Elizabeth Bennet's flaws?!
One issue is that a lot of what were considered Elizabeth's potential flaws in Austen's time---being a strong-willed, stubbornly independent thinker who questions and analyzes critically - are genuinely viewed as shining strengths in modern society. Another is that while we're told even by the title that being prideful and judgmental are Lizzie's (and Darcy's!) flaws, 1. One can hardly blame her for judging Darcy as a jerk when 97% of the time in her presence he was, in fact, a jerk (or just icily silent lol) and 2. Believing in herself and her own judgment and not being easily swayed are again quite understandably presented not as real flaws but as signs of strength, especially when viewed through a modern day lens.
Conversely, some of what made Jane Bennet a nearly perfect woman by Regency-era standards are viewed less favorably now---she can be perceived as meek, passive, too eager to be 'agreeable', not exactly a deep thinker, sometimes even dishonest with herself and others in her quest to be private and reserved.
So Elizabeth is pretty, brilliant, witty, charming, loving, brave, strong, independent, clever, confident, effervescent, loyal, courageous, generous and about a million other positive adjectives, while her flaws are...once misjudging a man who made it eminently easy for her to assume the worst and initially trusting her own judgment too much to be easily swayed and change her mind?!
To be clear, I'm very reluctant to put myself in the "Elizabeth Bennet is too much of a perfect Mary Sue" camp, so I'm appealing to you all for help....what are Elizabeth's salient, consistent flaws?!
@austennerdita2533 @bethanydelleman @missielynne
stormborns
dededos
izzy806
tangentwithtanner
snowghoul
