Marriage in Pride and Prejudice Defined by Gender, Social Class, and Family

Pride and Prejudice tells a story of a young girl in the midst of a very materialistic society. Jane Austen uses the setting to dramatize the restraints women had to endure in society. As the novel develops, we see how women have to act in a way according to their gender, social class, and family lineage. Elizabeth Bennet’s sisters represent the proper societal lady while Lizzy is the rebel. Through her characters Austen shows how a women’s happiness came second to the comfort of wealth. As the plot develops, events are laid out to illustrate how true love is unattainable when women marry for intentions of wealth. Women have very specific and limited roles in a society where men are the superior. In Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen

Bennet exclaims, “Oh! Single, my dear, to be sure! A single man of large fortune; four or five thousand a year. What a fine thing for our girls” (2). Considering Mrs. Bennet’s lines, the reader acknowledges Austen’s first claims on marriage. Mrs. Bennet not only exemplifies the opening statement of the novel, but also justifies the effect it has on mother figures. As Mrs. Bennet’s character develops, the reader recognizes her obsession with the marriage of her daughters. Mrs. Bennet understands the importance of marrying ‘well’ in order to maintain a high standing in the social realm. However, understanding the consequences directly affects Mrs. Bennet’s desperate behavior. This interpretation becomes an inevitable experience for each of Mrs. Bennet’s daughters.

“Pride and Prejudice”, a novel written by Jane Austen represents eighteenth century English women as illogical, domestic individuals who economically depend on male members in their household. Major decisions in their life are decided by their fathers and brothers. They perform subordinate roles, and are considered inferior to men. This novel reinforces the sexist stereotypes of women.The female characters in the novel possess these virtues in varying degrees depending on their role. Marriage is considered essential to secure a woman’s future ,they are expected to behave in a certain manner to earn the respect of the society, and are treated unfairly by the social and justice

Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice examines and critiques a society built upon gender roles. Austen does this by examining the obstacles women experienced in the Regency Period. Austen expresses how women were controlled, and objectified by men through their need to get married to a man. Additionally, the novel ridicules how women who could not afford to live without men were shadowed by their partner. This commentary is seen through the portrayal of the Bennet sisters. The females of the family are forced to marry because they do not inherit any wealth. The family is forced to comply with the same boundaries Austen was governed by. Therefore, Austen focuses on how the Bennet sisters overcome a society that suppresses them. This allows the reader to comprehend the strength, perseverance, determination, and assertiveness of the women in this time. Overall, Jane Austen addresses gender issues throughout the story. This is seen in the progressive image of Elizabeth, as she combats the inequality women experience. Although it was not common for women to criticize the patriarchy, the overall depiction of females is progressive. Elizabeth represents Austen’s feminist views, and the depiction of women in the novel is seen through her feminist image as she deals with Mr. Collins and Mr. Darcy.

The progress between Elizabeth’s and Darcy’s relationship, in Jane Austen’s novel Pride and Prejudice (1813) illustrates and explores several the key themes in the novel. Their relationship highlights class expectations, pride and prejudice, and marriage, and how they play a major role in determining the course of their association. These are outlined through their first prejudiced dislike of each other when they first meet, the stronger feelings for Elizabeth that develop on Darcy’s side, her rejection in Darcy’s first proposal, then her change of opinion and lastly the mutual love they form for one another. Pride and Prejudice is set up as a satire, commenting on human idiocy, and Jane Austen

‘Pride and Prejudice’ is a novel fixated on marriage: throughout, all the ‘action’ occurs within scenes devoted to either the talk of marriage or actual proposals. This cannot be expounded more than within the very first line: ‘It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife’. Here, at the beginning of the novel, a definite, though somewhat sarcastic, statement introduces the main theme of the novel – marriage- and, possibly more importantly, not love.

Jane Austen shows the readers within the first sentence what the plot and main theme of Pride and Prejudice is and what social ideas she plans on presenting through this novel. The first sentence of Pride and Prejudice stands as one of the most famous introductory lines in literature. It states, “it is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife” (Austen 5). This statement puts the novel in motion by showing that the novel will deal with the pursuit of single wealthy men by various female characters. By stating this, Austen reveals that the reverse is also true in the nineteenth century English society, which is that single women of

that she is humoured by the idea that every young an who has a large

In Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen there are several characters that at initial glance seem only to serve as a comparison point for Elizabeth Bennett’s shortcomings and successes. Mary Bennett, the middle Bennett sister, serves as a contrast to Elizabeth Bennett; the two sisters despite having many commonalities are handled quite differently in the text. Mary is used a reflection of what a woman who seeks a husband ought not to be. She has for too long studied the behavioral books for young ladies available at the time. Mary represents the ideology of a woman who has not only pride but also vanity. This character’s poor relations and lack of understanding reflects a societal appreciation for those who have balance between morals, compassion, and pride and disdain for the overly learned, those uninterested in marriage and the sense of vainglory. Austen gives credence to this analysis through the use of diction and character dynamics within the novel.

One of her most recognized works is the novel Pride and prejudice, which was very much valued during the Romantic Movement. Austen through her novel illustrates the importance of marriage, either with or without love. She is one of the most important novelists who through their novel is trying to demonstrate the historical preferences and a class separation. She shows the social proposal for that time by how people desired to marry into a higher class, and how the marriage should arise from love despite social standing. Austen through her novel is trying to bring awareness to inequalities between people of the same community. Some of these inequalities are the results of individual differences in ability and effort, but much of it also refers to the social differences regarding power, wealth, and prestige.

Jane Austin ensures that marriage remains a central component to the main plotline throughout the novel. Through the use of Elizabeth as a literary tool, Austen is able to use her in order to portray her own feelings on marriage. In the novel, the opinion that comes through is that she is of the opinion that marriage should only take place on the basis of love. This is evident through the failings of those who marry for something other than love, and Darcy and Elizabeth’s success. The central plot of the novel is revealed quite plainly in the opening sentence

Pride and Prejudice is a classic literary work made the fame out of writer Jane Austen. For the past two centuries since the first edition in 1813, this is always the bedside pillow of many generations of women. The name of the book in the charts of literary works of all time is still to be found. This novel of love and values unfolds in class-conscious England of the late 18th century. The famous first line of the novel : "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife" seems like a good kick-start to quickly outline the skeleton of the plot, and also introduce the author's irony, which is well structured throughout the entire novel (1). Pride and prejudice are pictured surrounding the story of how marriage was obviously more crucial for young women especially those are in the lower class. Despite the cruel prejudice, love finds ways to bridge the social gaps and wins over pride.

"It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife." The second half of this opening sentence of the novel reveals that the "universal truth" is nothing more than a social truth. When claiming that a single man "must be in want of a wife", Jane Austen reveals that the reverse in also true; a single woman is in, perhaps desperate, want of a husband.

Mrs. Bennet plays a significant role in the satirization of marriage in this novel. This is shown by her insistence on her five daughters marrying into prosperity, “She was of mean understanding, little information, and uncertain temper...the business of her life was to get her daughters married; its solace was visiting and news” (Austen, 7). Mrs. Bennet is like many mothers of the time period, in that her only concern is marrying her children off well. She feels that she will not have succeeded in life if her daughters are not married to affluent, respectable men. She spends much of her time pushing her daughters, especially her youngest, to attend balls and other social gatherings in hopes they will meet their future husbands. Lydia Bennet is a favorite of Mrs. Bennet because she aligns greatly with her values, “Lydia was a stout, well-grown girl of fifteen, with a fine complexion and good-humored countenance; a favorite with her mother whose affection had brought her into public at an early age” (Austen, 40). Lydia is pushed into the world quickly because, lik her mother, she hopes to marry a rich man. The two women give different perspectives on this message. Along with Mrs. Bennet, Jane Austen also uses the character Mr. Collins to enforce the burlesqued perspective of marriage in Pride and Prejudice.

However this is not the case as the girls all see Mr Collins as a