The best comparison might be of Jane and
Estelle. Jane is the heroine's sister in Pride and Prejudice
but has a significant subplot of her own, though for a large part she in an inactive actant in
the narrative. Estelle is the heroine in Great Expectations, though for the
largest part of the narrative, she is more like an anti-heroine until the results of her fall and
epiphany are discovered in the closing chapter.
"There was a long hard time when I kept far from me the
remembrance of what I had thrown away when I was quite ignorant of its worth. But since my duty
has not been incompatible with the admission of that remembrance, I have given it a place in my
heart," [said Estelle to Pip.]
These
two characters are a good comparison because of the contrasts. While Jane is a recognized beauty,
more beautiful than Elizabeth (despite poor casting in films), her dominant traits are her
goodness of heart, gentleness and willingness to think the best of acquaintances until forced to
acknowledge their failings. Estelle is also a beauty but her dominant traits are opposite of
Jane's, being hardness of heart, haughtiness, pride, and scorn of other people, especial boys and
men.
"To Jane
herself," [Elizabeth] exclaimed, "there could be no possibility of objection; all loveliness and
goodness as she is!--her understanding excellent, her mind improved, and her manners
captivating."
While Jane is willing
to forgive Bingley for leaving without declaring his love and to learn to turn her heart to
thoughts of other than him, Estelle rejoices in carrying animosity and harboring unfounded
grudges until they turn to hatred as her thoughts fester against the men she manipulates and
despises.
This comparison demonstrates that Jane and Estelle are
antithetical opposites of each other, characterizations that develop their
respective roles of heroine of a subplot and villainess who torments
the hero.
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