Two English literary works, one comedy and the other tragedy, by two different authors from separate centuries, both have their fair share of characters who illustrate the admirable and the non-nature so admirable. Jane Austen's socially satirical novel Pride and Prejudice from 1813 and William Shakespeare's poetic poem King Lear from 1606 match very closely in the context of how good character is revealed. In each piece, the authors present readers with a contrast between the wonderful and the terrible and act as puppeteers in the competition for the common object of desire; the "rewards" for Shakespeare's dramatic characters are power and wealth, and while Austen's characters also aspire to possess wealth, their primary concern is high regard from others. In terms of Pride and Prejudice, all of the unfavorable characters commit various crimes against lovability in their pursuit of a flattering reputation, but Austen manipulates their actions so that each of them comes off as an extrovert. Similar terms apply to King Lear in that Shakespeare's shameful characters act grandiosely and employ dishonesty in an attempt to achieve prosperity. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay As the villain in disguise from Pride and Prejudice, Mr. Wickham sets out to convince his new Hertfordshire acquaintances that he is the victim of a ruthless Mr. He begins an argument with Elizabeth about Darcy's mischievous nature and ventures so far as to state to her sympathetic ears: "I can never be in this Mr. Darcy's company without being pained to the soul by a thousand tender memories. His behavior he was scandalous with me" (59). Elizabeth later discovers that Wickham's accusations are false in a letter from Darcy who confides to her that Wickham "recommended himself to Georgiana [so] as to convince her to believe she was in love and to agree to elope; she was the only fifteen year old. [.. .] His main goal was undoubtedly [his] fortune." (155). Wickham's deception lies in the projection of a false self, which differs greatly from his real self. Some extroverts in the novel bring their ostentation to a higher level and make a spectacle of themselves, earning the label "crazy" in the minds of those they hope to impress. This is the case with Lydia, Mrs. Bennett, and Miss Bingley's youngest daughter and daredevil of the Bennetts, Lydia, runs off with the sleazy Wickham and thinks the misadventure is so funny that she writes to a friend "You need not send them a message at Longbourn of my going, for it will make the surprise all the greater when." I write to them and sign my name Lydia Wickham." (221). Lydia's reckless mentality is along the lines of that of her mother, Mrs. Bennett, who boasts that "Jane's marriage being so important must put them in the path of other rich men." (77). Miss Bingley is as superficial as the two Bennetts with her hopes of gaining the favor of the wealthy Darcy. She ridicules Elizabeth, but only irritates Darcy when her gratuitous walk around the room follows the man's interruption of reading (41-42). Wickham, Lydia, Mrs. Bennett, and Miss Bingley all desire the envy of others, but their selfish and outspoken tendencies result in their failure to achieve any kind of respectability. The members of King Lear's "bad squad" are comparable to Austen's extroverted characters in that they are ostentatious in their designs to achieve the objects of desire, which are wealth, land, and esteem. Regan and Goneril, the daughtersungrateful to Lear, each vie for control of Lear's kingdom. Regan overcomes her sister's exaggerated claim to devotion when she declares to her father "[Goneril] names my own deed; only she is too low for me to declare myself the enemy of all other joys and find that I alone am happy in the 'love of your dear Highness." Lear then entrusts his well-being to his daughters, but Goneril describes their father as a mad old man with the vulnerability of a child (I,iii,20). When a power struggle erupts between the sisters, the spiteful Goneril actually prefers the loss of the battle to Regan's victory in gaining the favor of the equally evil Edmund. (V,i,19).As the illegitimate son of the Earl of Gloucester, Edmund is second-rate as an heir, but does not deserve the readers' pity. In the first act, he cunningly brings to his father's attention a forged letter, in which he details plans to usurp the earl; the letter is signed in Edgar's name by the hand of the mischievous Edmund (I,ii,48-57). King Lear himself makes a ridiculous demand of his children when he orders each to profess the amount of love they have for him as if love were quantifiable. This turns into a competition of praise for the three daughters because to the daughter who claims the greatest devotion "the greatest generosity may extend where nature challenges with merit" (I,i,54-55). Goneril's opinion that Lear is a fool is an accurate judgment after she disowns Cordelia, her only sincere daughter. Lear, already in possession of wealth and a kingdom, is selfish and seeks adoration in his eldership while Edmund and the two false daughters have material greed. A common characteristic among King Lear's evildoers is that bad character is seen through a perversity and corruption. of self and parent-child relationships. Regan and Goneril's deceitful temperament proves self-destructive (their betrayal for power leads to their executions) as well as destructive towards their father. Family has such a great influence in Pride and Prejudice because it is a domestic novel that one expects to find a similar form of hostility in Austen's work. However, generally all characters, high and low, have a certain respect for their elders. Rather, the lack of good nature is only seen through a corruption of the individual's self, which is evident in how characters such as Lydia and Miss Bingley only succeed in damaging their own reputations in an attempt to gain admiration. The fault of Austen's low-value characters is not in the desire for a good reputation; Most Pride and Prejudice players seek admiration, some more than others. The distinction between a character like Wickham and higher-value characters like Jane, Darcy, and Elizabeth is that the latter group is much more subtle and modest in their actions and never makes a fool of themselves when they command attention. Jane, the Bennets' eldest sister, is almost saintly as Elizabeth describes her as the only person she knows "who is sincere and without ostentation" (10). The Gardiner family leaves their children in the care of Jane and not Mrs. Bennet for a week because it is the daughter who has "a firm sense and sweetness of temper exactly suited to look after them in every way---teaching them, playing with them." them and love them" (183). Mr. Darcy does not have Jane's caring nature, but there is a hidden side of compassion in him, despite Wickham's false accusations (59). Only reluctantly does he expose the true ugliness of Wickham's character in a confidential letter to Elizabeth (150-156). In the third volume of the novel, Darcy takes on the responsibility of paying the debts of his antagonist, Wickham, then marries Lydia, thus restoring the Bennet family's reputation. Thehis intentions are modest; he says to Elizabeth "That the desire to give you happiness I will not deny. But your family owes me nothing. [...] I only thought of you" (280). Elizabeth also wants to appear beautiful in the eyes of others, which is evident in the concerns she expresses to her father regarding Lydia's behavior: "Our importance, our respectability in the world, must be affected by wild volatility..." (176 ). However, she is a loyal sister who crosses the rough elements of wind and muddy fields to stand by the ailing Jane (23-24). Elizabeth is also modest in performing at the Netherfield Ball as she "has been heard with much more pleasure, though she doesn't sound half as good [as Mary]," proclaiming herself an entertainer while Elizabeth plays by request (17). Although Elizabeth and Darcy are not as affectionate as Jane, they are all good-natured due to the introversion of the good-natured ones in King Lear they maintain a sense of duty to their superior after the exile and, unlike their evil counterparts like Edmund and Goneril, have no ulterior motives in their generosity. Edgar lives off the land as a recluse in the guise of a "sad and moody beggar" Tom O'Bedlam (I,i,146-147) even goes so far as to feign madness, but later his father, Gloucester, loses his sight and it depends on Edgar. Still in Tom's guise, the kind son supports Gloucester with the thoughtful but misleading words "Give me your arm, poor Tom will guide you" (IV, i,80-81). his true identity, but it is the anonymity of his charity that reveals him to be a noble character. Lear's youngest and only honest daughter, Cordelia, faces repudiation from her father when she fails to follow her sisters' example of eloquent speeches of devotion (I, i,89-91). He chooses to honestly express to his father "You generated me, raised me, loved me. I return these duties to you as they deserve, I obey you, I love you and above all I honor you" (I,i,97-102). His oath is true when his weak father needs a caring soul; “Oh, look upon me, lord, and stretch out thy hand of blessing upon me,” she tells him during his descent into madness and disability. Lear also denounces his servant Kent for siding with Cordelia's plight. Kent's efforts to reason with the king by interacting with "Royal Lear, whom I have honored as my king, loved as my father, followed as a master" are futile (I,i,142-145). Not even Lears' cruelty can discourage the devotion of Kent who returns to Lear's side in disguise and proposes himself as the king's servant (I, iv, 1-44). Along with Edgar and Cordelia, Kent passes the ultimate test of loyalty by willingly coming to the aid of the hand that once rejected him. If Shakespeare's villains show disrespect for parents and elders, then Cordelia and Edgar demonstrate total loyalty to their respective parents, especially at times when the elder is most vulnerable2E However, Edgar and Kent do not act in complete honesty due of their false but harmless identities. Austen belittles Shakespeare in that high-value characters, such as Darcy and Elizabeth, show respect for their superiors but do not view them in a positive light. Darcy even apologizes to Elizabeth for the uncouth ways of his aunt Lady Catherine, who has a noble position. The good characters in Pride and Prejudice and Kent and Edgar in King Lear sometimes do not match their words to their actions, but they always do so with tasteful intent. Although King Lear and Pride and Prejudice are different genres, readers can match characters, good and evil, and draw parallels between their actions and contacts. Edmund and Wickham are extremely close in character, almost as if Austen had modeled her villain on one of Shakespeare's and placed him in the context of a satire., 1998.