Jane Bennet

Also known as: Jane / Miss Bennet / her sister / the eldest Miss Bennet / your elder sister / your eldest sister / your sister · Family: Bennet · Role: daughter · First appears: Chapter 1

At the beginning, Jane is the eldest Bennet daughter, regarded by Mrs. Bennet as especially handsome and by Mr. Bennet within his description of the sisters. She helps Mrs. Bennet, Mary Bennet, Catherine Bennet, Elizabeth Bennet, and Lydia Bennet draw information from Mr. Bennet about Charles Bingley, who at the assembly dances with her twice and is impressed by her beauty. Jane begins to favor him, but after heavy rain keeps her at Netherfield, she falls ill; Mr. Jones prescribes bed rest and draughts, Elizabeth Bennet stays beside her, and Charles Bingley arranges that she receive every attention. “Elizabeth did not quit her room for a moment” Jane recovers gradually and returns home with Elizabeth Bennet.

Jane is also admired by a gentleman at Mr. Gardiner’s when she is fifteen, though he never proposes and only writes verses for her. Mr. Collins first considers her as an intended wife before turning to Elizabeth Bennet, while Jane maintains particular regard with Mrs. Gardiner and Mr. Gardiner and is later entrusted with the children, her cousins. After Charles Bingley leaves and their names cease to be spoken between Jane and Elizabeth Bennet, Jane travels to London with Mrs. Gardiner and gives up her acquaintance with Caroline Bingley. When Fitzwilliam Darcy’s interference in separating her from Charles Bingley is revealed, his explanation restores Bingley to Jane’s former good opinion; the discovery of George Wickham’s conduct, however, is also brought to her by Elizabeth Bennet.

Jane and Elizabeth Bennet urge Mr. Bennet to receive Lydia Bennet and George Wickham after their marriage. Later, Charles Bingley resumes his attention to Jane, sits beside her at dinner, and becomes a daily visitor at Longbourn. Jane accepts his proposal and tells Elizabeth Bennet that she is the happiest creature in the world; Mr. Bennet congratulates her and predicts that she will be happy. Jane marries Charles Bingley, while Elizabeth Bennet marries Fitzwilliam Darcy, and Charles Bingley buys an estate near Derbyshire, placing the two sisters within thirty miles of each other.