I agree that Elizabeth is a strong female character for the period, but whether Elizabeth is the 'most' clever and/or independent of the Austen heroines is a debatable point. Personally I'd say that Anne Elliot and Elinor Dashwood are both better educated and less prone to jumping to conclusions than Elizabeth, and Emma Woodhouse just as independent by nature (and just as clever) and given more leeway because of her role as mistress of Hartfield and her comfortable dowry.
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