Enneagram Personality Types for Jane Austen Characters

I recently found a new personality test (hurray!) called the Enneagram. After taking the test I was curious to find out which Enneagram Type the different Jane Austen Characters fit into. However I couldn’t find any blogs or websites with this information, so I decided to write my own! Let me know if you agree/disagree with any of the choices I made, I love a good discussion.

The Enneagram is similar to the Myers Briggs but with a slightly different focus on what fears and desires drive certain personalities. (Expert Enneagrammers out there, please comment with the more correct definition). All descriptions of the Enneagram Personality types are pulled here from Truity.com.

Number 1 – The Perfectionist

Mr. Darcy and Mary Bennet

Type 1 – The Perfectionist: “Ones place a lot of emphasis on following the rules and doing things correctly...Integrity is a key factor in their life choices and stands the test of time. Loyalty, justice and honesty are the core ingredients in shaping a Perfectionist’s down-to-earth character.” (Truity.com)

Mr. Darcy is very concerned with the proper way of doing things, so much so he brings up his concerns with Elizabeth’s “inferior connections” when he first proposes to her. He is also very loyal and practical, full of integrity. He may not always make the right choice, but when he makes a decision he sticks with it.

He is also very driven by knowledge, facts, data, and information versus feelings or sentiment which could put him as a Type 5 as well. That said does he fit better as a 1 or a 5? I’ll let you decide.

Mary is a more unhealthy 1, and is very conscientious about following the rules and doing things properly. She also fit well as a 5, so I’ll leave it up to you as to the final call on which is more appropriate.

Number 2 – The Helper

Fanny Price and Anne Elliot

Type 2 – The Helper: “Twos want to be liked and find ways that they can be helpful to others so that they can belong.“ (Truity.com)

For these two characters I feel they also would have fit under “Type 9 – the Peacemakers.” However for both of them, they tend to especially derive their purpose from their ability to help others, which slanted the scales in favor of a 2. They are not only kind and self-sacrificial, but they go above and beyond in that they’ve built their life around helping others in one way or another. In Fanny’s case she’s made her role as the family’s go-to, she’s the one Edmund turns to when he has a problem, she’s the one who always makes herself available to support the whims and wishes of her cousins.

Anne Elliott is a more healthy of a 2 in my opinion, while she sacrifices her own desires to help her relatives and support their needs, she nevertheless does a better job setting up boundaries. Anne also could have fit as a 6, I’m not sure, she was a little harder to pin down.

Number 3 – The Achiever

Emma Woodhouse

Type 3 – The Achiever: “Threes want to be successful and admired by other people, and are very conscious of their public image.“ (Truity.com)

This was probably the easiest one for me! Emma is nothing if not a 3! She is an achiever in every sense of the word and is driven by her need to be recognized and esteemed by others. Like a 3, she always keeps busy, is charismatic in her own way, has very refined tastes and a need to improve whatever she finds lacking.

Truity.com describes a 3 at an average level of healthiness as “busybodies, searching for new goals to accomplish and flashy ways to flaunt their expertise. They’re almost always on the go with new projects to finish and people to collaborate with. The looming fear of failure propels them to keep up their momentum and continue working hard.”

Sound familiar?

Number 4 – The Individualist

Marianne Dashwood!

Type 4 – The Individualist: “Fours want to be unique and to experience deep, authentic emotions.“ (Truity.com)

I chose this image because it’s so melodramatic, and I think perfectly capture the more romantic-side of the number 4 enneagram. Marianne is, if nothing else, a hardcore romantic in every sense of the word. She’s always running out into rainstorms or going on long solitary walks. When she’s let down she imagines no one else understands her pain.

All that said, I think that image speaks for itself so I won’t say anything more.

Number 5 – The Investigator

Type 5 – The Investigator “Fives seek understanding and knowledge, and are more comfortable with data than other people.“ (Truity.com)

While I can think of characters from other classics who fit into the personality type, I can’t think of anyone from any of Jane Austen’s novels who fits into this type. Perhaps Elizabeth Bennet or Jane Fairfax perhaps? I’m not sure, please let me know if you think of someone!

Number 6 – The Skeptic

Mr. Knightley and Elinor Dashwood

Type 6 – The Skeptic: “Sixes are preoccupied with security, seek safety, and like to be prepared for problems.“ (Truity.com)

Sixes are described as organized, well-liked, team players and good at managing finances. All of which I think describes Mr. Knightley well.

Elinor is very resilient, she not only has plenty of integrity, but also a good sense of humor. No matter what happens she tends to take lifes ups and downs with a grain of salt and view problems practically. When her family is kicked out of their estate, she is the one who takes charge and sets reasonable expectations as to what they can afford. Similarly, when her hopes are dashed (unintentional pun), she doesn’t fly off the handle like Marianne, rather she focuses on helping support her family. I struggled to figure out where to put Elinor Dashwood. Originally I was thinking she would be a 1, 2, or possibly a 9; however I think she fits best as a 6.

Number 7 – The Enthusiast

Elizabeth Bennet and Lydia Bennet

Type 7 – The Enthusiast: “Sevens want to have as much fun and adventure as possible and are easily bored.“ (Truity.com)

In my opinion, Elizabeth and Lydia are two sides of the same coin. They are both 7s in that they are very focused on adventure and novelty. However, whereas Elizabeth is a more balanced 7 that is grounded and knows how to persevere to a certain task, Lydia has let herself completely give into her every impulse and whim (granted she is very young).

Number 8 – The Challengers

Lady Catherine De Borough

Type 8 – The Challenger: “Eights see themselves as strong and powerful and seek to stand up for what they believe in.“ (Truity.com)

Lady Catherine De Borough is definitely a challenger in every sense of the word. Unfortunately she is a depiction of an unhealthy 8. I know several “healthy” 8s and they are the most friendly, encouraging individuals out there! Each personality type is a double edged sword with strengths and weaknesses.

Number 9 – The Peacemaker

Jane Bennet, Mr. Bingley, Edward Ferrars….(and the list goes on and on)

Type 9 – The Peacemaker: “Nines like to go with the flow and let the people around them set the agenda.“ (Truity.com)

There were so many nines to choose from! I think this is the most common personality type to appear in Jane Austen’s novels. You have Bingley and Jane who are so easy going they end up being separated because they trust their friends implicitly, you have Fanny who could probably also go in this category. Then there is Anne Elliot who turns down the love of her life in order not to make waves in her family circles. That said each of these characters are selfless, kind and put others interests before their own which is what makes them so endearing.

Want to find out which Enneagram number you are?

You can take the test for free here: https://www.truity.com/test/enneagram-personality-test