Elizabeth is one of the most interesting characters in the novel. She's a complex woman who comes across as very human. She's spent her entire life acting out the parts that everyone expects her to play, to the point where she can't tell where the act ends and her true self begins. Not because she is selfless, but because being indispensable is the best way to protect herself, Elizabeth prioritizes the needs of those around her. She is very much trapped by the societal and gender roles of the time period. Despite her wits and ability to act quickly under pressure, she never questions the rules that bind her and instead works within them to accomplish her goals.