Austen's Classist Critique

The conversation between Lizzy and Lady Catherine is not only a demonstration of Lizzy’s courage and Lady Catherine’s arrogance, but a reprobation of the un-loving and un-feeling rigidity imposed by societal expectations.
Lizzy, being the protagonist, is obstinately standing in the way of Lady Catherine, who is the personification of this 18th century classist society. Lizzy utterly disregards the obeisance incumbent upon her, and stands up to the haughty Lady Catherine. Therefore, we can see this tete-a-tete as a way of Austen criticizing the establishment. Lizzy, by being bold enough to disregard the demanded deference she is purported to pay to Lady Catherine, is condemning the rigid structuring of society. This fortitude is demonstrated through Lizzy’s blatant disregard of Lady Catherine’s rhetorical line of questioning: “Are you lost to every feeling of propriety and delicacy? Have you not heard me say, that from his earliest hours he was destined for his cousin?” (344). Lizzy, and through propinquity, Austen, respond with a bold slap in lady Catherine’s pretentious face.
By disregarding the classist hierarchy that Lizzy is obliged to acquiesce to, Austen is claiming that love is more important than loyalty: “If Mr. Darcy is neither by honour nor inclination confined to his cousin, why is not he to make another choice? And if I am that choice, why may not I accept him?” (345). Lizzy’s rhetorical question is answered by Austen’s choice to portray Lady Catherine as an obnoxious snob; Lizzy’s question should never have been why can’t she, but why wouldn’t she? Austen’s answer: She can and she should!
Furthermore, Mr. Darcy, as the male protagonist of the novel, breaks the societal expectations that Lady Catherine so aptly describes: “Because honour, decorum, prudence, nay, interest, forbid it [the marriage]…for do not expect to be noticed by his family, or friends, if you willfully act against the inclinations of all” (344). By accepting these consequences in the name of love, Darcy is shirking the irksome responsibilities that this society has falsely constrained him with.
By Austen selecting a young woman of limited fortune, with an embarrassing family, and an equal want of connections, as the love interest of Darcy, she is choosing to not simply trifle with the societal mold, but to shatter it. As Lady Catherine so aptly tells us, we are rooting for “the upstart pretensions of a young woman without family, connections, or fortune! Is this to be endured?” (345). Yes! It is not only to be endured, but embraced, emulated, and idolized. Long live love.