Essay on Love vs. Society in Pride and Prejudice

Elizabeth becomes acquainted with and attracted to a young officer named Wickham who tells her of how he and Darcy used to live under the same house because the late Darcy was his guardian. Wickham explains that Darcy cruelly cheated him out an inheritance. This information makes Elizabeth despise Darcy’s character even more than before. Meanwhile, Mrs. Bennet eagerly waits for Mr. Bingley to visit them like he said he would, however, Jane suddenly receives a letter in the mail from Miss Bingley informing her that the Bingleys and Darcy have returned to London for the winter. Jane is sad but does her best to hide it. Meanwhile another shock arrives for Elizabeth when Charlotte Lucas tells her that she is engaged to Mr. Collins. Charlotte explains that she is getting old and needs security and a comfortable home and that she is not looking for love in a marriage. Elizabeth does not believe that Charlotte will be happy but agrees to visit her and Mr. Collins after they are married. Jane travels to London with her aunt and uncle, the Gardiners, to get away from the family and the countryside and also in hopes that she will see Mr. Bingley. However, Miss Bingley visits her and behaves very rudely, reassuring Jane that Miss Bingley never intended to be her friend in the first place, and that her friendship with Mr. Bingley is beginning to look very unfortunate. Later in the spring, Elizabeth visits her best friend Charlotte Lucas, who is now known as Mrs.

Pride and Prejudice is Austen rebel voice as women to the norms of marriage in the high english society. It’s a story of a Man, Darcy, Who

11. During a conversation that Elizabeth has with Colonel Fitzwilliam, he mentions that Darcy claims to have recently saved a friend from an imprudent marriage. Elizabeth discovers that the friend he is speaking of is Mr. Bingley and his possible marriage to her sister Jane. Chapter 33 | When Elizabeth discovers this, she has all the more reason to dislike Mr. Darcy. She blames him for Jane's unhappiness, and believes that he purposely sabotaged their relationship. |

During the time period of the 1800s in England, not only was the economic situation different but the social norms were differently. Jane Austen depicts this greatly in her novel pride and prejudice, not only was the social classes a big deal, but the marriage between families was a bigger deal. Throughout the novel many of the characters encounter this problem of, love in marriage or money in marriage, and many of the families and females within this time period choice money in marriage. The author Jane Austen feels that the idea of marring for money rather than love is preposterous and expresses this through the character Elizabeth

Although Darcy's words revealed a large metamorphism in his disposition, his actions are more evident and show his true ability to change. At Mr. Darcy's introduction to the novel he is immediately described as "…haughty, reserved, and fastidious, and his manners, though well bred, were not inviting" (Austen 12). Austen introduces Darcy with all of his pretentious nature. Following the Meryton ball, Austen continues to display that unattractive nature of Darcy by comparing him to Bingley. "Darcy, on the contrary, had seen a collection of people in whom there was little beauty and no fashion, for none of whom he had felt the smallest interest, and from none received either attention or pleasure" (Austen 12). This statement reinforces the idea that Mr. Darcy is only concerned with talented women of great importance. It is Elizabeth, however, who wins his heart with her liveliness and witty remarks.

The Bennets attend a ball, where Charles attends with his friend even wealthier Mr. Darcy, who is seen as arrogant. Bingley is immediately taken with Jane, and they spend lots of time together over the next few weeks. Darcy begins to develop feelings for Elizabeth, but he is deterred from courting her due to her family’s lower social standing and embarrassing tendencies. Mr. Bennet’s pompous and foolish cousin, Mr. Collins, arrives and proposes to Elizabeth. Despite the financial convenience that would result from their union, Elizabeth refuses.

Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen, is a masterfully written novel that reveals timeless life lessons to the reader through its richly developed characters and storyline. Set in England during the early nineteenth century, the story revolves around the flaws of Miss Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy, and how their journey in overcoming these flaws eventually brings them together. Even though Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy are seen to possess obvious character flaws right away, the author expertly uses the marriages of others, such as that of Elizabeth’s parents, to demonstrate just how important virtue is. Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy work to overcome their flaws and as a result are seen to have a more happy and blessed marriage, whereas Elizabeth’s parents make no attempt to better themselves, resulting in a troubled and unhappy marriage. Jane Austen uses her characters Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, Elizabeth, and Mr. Darcy to show that virtue is essential in the happiness of a marriage, and that without it, a marriage will break down.

Bingley leaves and does not contact Jane, she is disappointed. Elizabeth meets Mr. Wickham and is drawn to him. They converse and begin to like each other. Mrs. Gardiner cautions Elizabeth. Elizabeth goes to Hunsford to visit her friend Charlotte.

In Pride and Prejudice Austen offers up commentary on a variety of themes — prejudice, family, marriage, class, and so on. Of all the themes, perhaps none is better developed than that of Pride. Pride and Prejudice is regarded as a brilliant piece of social commentary, offering a vivid peek into the British Regency life in 1813. The social milieu of Austen’s Regency England was particularly stratified, and class divisions were rooted in family connections and wealth. In her work, Austen is often critical of the assumptions, pride, and prejudices of upper-class England. Austen often satirizes England’s prideful individuals; the England she depicts is one in which social mobility is limited, and class-consciousness and

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is set in the 18th century, when the future of society relied on social class. According to social class, the relationship between Mr.Darcy and Elizabeth should have been impossible, but they are able to break through these restrictions.The progression of Elizabeth and Darcy’s relationship through the obstacles of breaking through social class dominates the novel. Jane Austen illustrates the restrictions of the social construct of class based on wealth along with her own views on social class in the fiction novel, Pride and Prejudice, through the relationship of Elizabeth and Mr.Darcy.

Pride and Prejudice, a novel written by Jane Austen during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century is often thought of as simply a love story and although on the surface this is true, it is in fact much more than that. Austen focuses greatly on the class system and lack of social mobility allowed in England during this period (the Napoleonic Wars, 1797-1815) and the pride and prejudice that these social divides reveal, as well as the personal pride and prejudice shown by individual characters and how these interlink. The novel is in many ways a comedy of manners (that is, a comedy that ridicules a particular social group because of their attitudes and behaviour, in this case the Upper class and to some extent the Middle class).

“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man is in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife,” (Austen 1). Mr. Bennet is growing old in age and none of his five daughters are wed, and cannot leave his estate to a woman. Mrs. Bennet has made it her goal to marry each of the daughters before Mr. Bennet passes. The news of a wealthy, young gentleman, Charles Bingley, rented a manor in the neighboring village of the Bennets’ with his sister and best friend, Mr. Darcy. Jane Austen explores the themes of pride and prejudice in the novel Pride and Prejudice, when the proud Mr. Darcy meets the prejudice Elizabeth Bennet. The dislike Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy have for each other is apparent in the beginning of the novel and seems to grow for Elizabeth as she sees the amount of pride Mr. Darcy has for himself. These two undergo many complications between themselves and with others around them as the novel progresses. When Mr. Darcy falls in love with Elizabeth, he strives to show his worthiness for her hand in marriage.

Through the use of literary devices, Pride and Prejudice reveals Jane Austen’s attitude towards the novel’s theme of true love through the actions of the suitors; the process of courtship in the 1800s articulates characterization, foreshadowing, and irony. The novel opens with the line, “it is a truth acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of wife,” (Austen 1) which foreshadows the conflict of finding a significant other . During the Victorian age, men and women courted others of the same education, wealth, and social status; it was considered uncommon for someone to marry beneath them or to marry for love. Jane Austen uses Elizabeth Bennett’s encounters with different characters of varying

Mr. Bennet denies but he secretly goes without telling anyone. The Bennetts are then invited to a ball at the Bingleys mansion. This being where the Bennett sisters and their primary love interests will first meet. At this ball though things don't go exactly as planned in regards to Elizabeth. Charles Bingley instructs Fitzwilliam Darcy to ask Elizabeth to dance. In response Fitzwilliam calls Elizabeth tolerable and says that Jane is the only beautiful girl at the ball. This is overheard by Elizabeth and sparks her first impression of Fitzwilliam. Which at this point she sees him as a rude, arrogant, and proud member of the Upper class who doesn't like to dance with females of a lower social status. Although initially Elizabeth does find Fitzwilliam to be tall and handsome. This leads Elizabeth to have a dislike of Fitzwilliam which then will make way for her current attitude towards him during this point in the novel. Throughout a series of events Darcy’s idea of Elizabeth changes into the polar opposite of his idea of her at the beginning of the novel. Elizabeth’s idea of Darcy changes much more slowly throughout the novel at one point turning down a proposal from Darcy toward the beginning of the second half

Jane Austen’s well-known novel, Pride and Prejudice, discussed multiple social themes in the 19th century. Austen mainly criticized marriage during her era, when she says that, “it is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife” (Austen 3). As she explains that it was valuable to women since it provided them with security and a social title. The author explored the diverse motives behind matrimony in her time period by using a humorous and romantic plot to discuss the social issues. For instance, Charlotte Lucas’s unreasonable marriage to Mr. Collins is a vital example of how women needed to secure a future and attain social status. To conclude, Lydia Bennet’s meaningless marriage to George Wickham shows that entering the marriage estate could have also been for mainly financial purposes. Contrastingly, Jane Bennet, the heroine’s older sister, marries Charles Bingley for love, security, and a social ranking. On the other hand, Elizabeth Bennet marries Fitzwilliam Darcy after months of misunderstandings and romantic drama for none other than true love. Thus, Austen uses her leading characters’ marriages in Pride and Prejudice to exhibit the various attitudes and reasons for marrying in the 19th century. (Lane 2015)