Pride and Prejudice depicts the unfairness of marriage that was often an unhappy one for women during the nineteenth century. Once a woman had successfully managed to secure a marriage that would guarantee financial security, there was no guarantee that they would have obtained happiness. For most men, exemplified by Mr. Collins, the happiness of their wives was of no consequence:
‘“Pardon me for interrupting you, madam," cried Mr. Collins; "but if she is really headstrong and foolish, I know not whether she would altogether be a very desirable wife to a man in my situation, who naturally looks for happiness in the marriage state. If therefore she actually persists in rejecting my suit, perhaps it were better not to force her into accepting me, because if liable to such defects of temper, she could not contribute much to my felicity.”’
It was more important for a man to be happy in his marriage than it was for a woman, but that was commonly accepted. Women did not actively seek happiness from a marriage, but this did not mean that they were not aware that you some marriages were happy marriages, as Charlotte Lucas was aware:
‘Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance […] it is better to know as little as possible about the defects of the person with whom you are to pass your life.’
Charlotte’s marriage was not a happy marriage, and was rather an arrangement of convenience. It is, however, one of the most accurate portrayals of what marriage was like for
Mr Collins wanted to marry one of the Bennet girls because they were his cousins and he was entailed to receive the property. He has no knowledge of himself and this is evident when his proposal of marriage to Elizabeth is refused. Mr Collins did not particularly care who his wife was, he just needed to marry because he is an Anglican parish-man and needs a wife for status. He is incapable of contemplating why Elizabeth would refuse his hand when there are so many economical and social benefits of being his wife, “He thought too well of himself to comprehend on what motive his cousin could refuse him”. He was so sure of himself before his rejection that he still cannot contemplate the concept still after Elizabeth has made her refusal quite clear, “…I know it to be the established custom of your sex to reject a man on first application, and perhaps you have even now said as much to encourage my suit”. He is happy and feels satisfied in his marriage to Charlotte. Charlotte just simply wants somebody who is able to look after her and provide her with financial stability. “I ask only for a comfortable home”, Charlotte states and we understand that she is happy within her marriage because she knows what she wants; she doesn’t want love as she is “not a romantic” and “Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance”. Mrs Bennet also has little if any self awareness and yet she finds happiness. Mrs Bennet is oblivious to her atrocious social behaviour in
A hastily drawn conclusion one might make about Pride and Prejudice is that it appears to reinforce the sexist stereotypes of women during the 18th century. The first sentence of the book reads “It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife” (Austen 1). Dorothy Van Ghent described this opening sentence as being “read as the opposite-a single woman must be in want of a man with a good fortune” (Van Ghent 301). This also introduces one of the central themes of the novel and that is Mrs. Bennet’s desire to see her daughters married “Her mind was less difficult to develop she was a woman of mean understanding little information and uncertain temper when she was discontented she fancied herself nervous the business of her life was to get her daughters married” (Austen 3). Marriage was crucial to ensure a woman’s
This stands in stark contrast to what Miss Elizabeth Bennett wants. Mrs Bennett wants her daughters to marry because it’s thea only way for them to solidfy that they will have food on their plates and a roof over their head. Mr. Collins is Mr. Bennetts brother and is set to inherit his estate when he dies. He comes to visit in the middle of the book and his main intentions are to ask on of the daughters to marry him and to observe what he will in time own. Mrs. Bennett says in response to all this “Oh! Single, my dear, to be sure! A single man of large fortune; four or five thousnd a year. What a fine thing for our girls!” (57, Austen) The single man she speaks of his Mr. Collins, the Bennett kids uncle. Austen describes Mr. Collins as a self retious kind of man who thinks he is above the Benntt’s just because he is set to inherrit their estate. This gives him a villeness quality. Austen is commenting on the blindness of Mrs. Bennett to the qualitys of Marraige. She only shes Mr. Collins as money but Elizabeth sees him as a bad person to spend the rest of her life with and theirfore turns down his marraige purposal. Which causes trouble between her and her mother. This is the best example of the contrast in what the two women see as the meaning of Marriage.
Harwood throws the readers the suggestions to acknowledge the most unlikeable elements of marriage and love. The truth that a woman’s self in Harwood’s time would be completely lost with her wedding vows. This becomes equally relevant to date because of questionable equality between the sexes. Harwood is therefore condoning the practices that endorse
The majority of people who join together with their significant other through the act of marriage hope and dream that marriage will surround them with infinite love and happiness; unfortunately that is not always the case. In fact, “according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2013 American Community Survey, 10 percent of Maine women and 11 percent of men in Maine are divorced.”1 Though 10 and 11 percent seem like fairly small percentages, 10 percent of Maine women is approximately 67,831 women, and 11 percent of Maine men is approximately 71,506 men, which truly are not small figures to take into consideration. Since marriages do not always have a happy ending
serve her best work ethic toward being the wife of Collins. Referring to her own statement, "Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance,”(Austen 30), she has chosen a life of misfortune. Unfortunately, Charlotte and Collins’ marriage was common in 1800s, and still is to our present days. We measure each other’s wealth, not love; we let future to depend on wealth, instead of creating our own pathway; we believe that wealth is the ultimate fame, not happiness. Pride is an empty pleasure that corrupts humans’ primary senses.
Unsatisfied with their partners results in divorce rates and infidelity. These have increased over the years, blemishing the institution of marriage. People may believe that compromises and self sacrifice in a marriage make it a failed institute but the same reasons make a marriage successful. A married man has a constant in his life- his partner. The security and companionship in the relationship helps him achieve happiness. The same sharing is now a pleasure, a way to prevent loneliness (Argyle; 1999). Marriage is known to cause greater satisfaction, greater self esteem and less distress. Evidence shows that married men and women are happier.
A young woman, Hannah, is soon to be married to William Drew of Isle of Wight County. Her family has been planning the wedding for years, and preparing her to be appreciated as a member of society and a successful housewife, being as Hannah has trained her whole life to be a wife and mother, and is less concerned about love in marriage than about how it will affect her socially. Hannah has courted William Drew as many other young women in the society of England around the 1800’s have also done in order to take their first step into adulthood; marriage (Elizabeth Maurer). Hannah is an example of a young girl who lived in England during the 1800’s and went through courtship and marriage. Courtship and marriage during the Victorian days compared to today’s relationships varies tremendously and can be encompassed into general information, courtship, the effect of social class, and divorces.
‘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.
Introduction marriage is my common theme Attention getter (Attention getter) Thesis (in my paper i will be talking to you about the roles that women had in marriages back in the 1800’s and Women's Social Classes based on marriage.) The role of women in Pride and prejudice is to be a homemaker.
Austen uses her to portray the type of marriages that have a very obedient wife that does not marry for love. She shows us this by making Charlotte marry Mr. Collins. Charlotte is a pessimistic woman who does not believe she will find another husband. She does not risk denying Collins proposal. In her perspective Collins is an acceptable spouse for her. "I see what you are feeling," replied Charlotte. "You must be surprised, very much surprised—so lately as Mr. Collins was wishing to marry you. But when you have had time to think it over, I hope you will be satisfied with what I have done. I am not romantic, you know; I never was. I ask only a comfortable home; and considering Mr. Collins's character, connection, and situation in life, I am convinced that my chance of happiness with him is as fair as most people can boast on entering the marriage state." (22.17) Charlotte sees Mr. Collins as a financial supporter and that he can provide her a house where she can stay secure in. Charlotte did really care about her marriage life, but because she is becoming old, her attractiveness to men towards her is decreasing and her patience in waiting for a man to show up collapsed. That’s why she decided to marry Collins, because she knew no one would ask her other than
The affluent Charlotte Lucas marries Mr. Collins not out of love nor infatuation, but in effort to continue her rich lifestyle. This was frequently seen in many of the relationships in the 19th century due to entailment which was common in most households. Once the father of the family passed away, the closest male relative would inherit the house and land. The daughters were then expected to find a well suited spouse who could provide an acceptable home and a piece of land for them. Mr. Collins is able to provide Charlotte with everything she needs besides true love. Since he is a soon to be wealthy man and can serve as a sufficient husband, Charlotte is able to look over his first proposal to Elizabeth and accept his request in marriage.
Set in Nineteenth-century England, Jane Austen 's Pride and Prejudice is a satirical novel focused on the ideals of social class and marriage. Austen plays on social behavior to show a society in which a woman 's character is of the ultimate importance. A lady is expected to behave in a specific way and breaking the set social norms can put her at risk of being ostracized. In the 1800 's there were very little financial options available to women, and marriage was a guaranteed way a woman could secure her monetary future. Unless a woman was born into money, they were certain to suffer from poverty. Through Jane Austen 's satire on the upper-class and marriage in Pride and Prejudice, Jane 's distinct view on nineteenth century England society is shown.
In the 1800s, marriage lacked the romantic connotation it carries so strongly today; most marriages were the result of prior planning or a rational consideration of the advantages of the bride’s dowry and the groom’s fortune. While marriage is a primary concern for young, single women in Pride and Prejudice, the society around them also has a keen interest in the marrying off of daughters to respectable men. Mrs. Bennet, Elizabeth’s mother, for example, spends the entirety of the novel either fretting about her daughters’s chances at marriage or smugly recounting their husbands and incomes to anyone she meets. Despite Mrs. Bennet’s often frantic
Elizabeth’s snobbish pride hinders her from understanding her friend Charlotte Lucas’s best interests in regard to her desire to marry Mr. Collins. Elizabeth “prides herself on being a perceptive “studier of character,” as Mr. Bingley calls her, but how well does she really know her very good friend Charlotte…” when she “responds with amazement and horror” upon hearing that Charlotte wants to marry a man who is “dull”, “pompous” and “physically unattractive”. Elizabeth’s excessive pride blinds her from recognizing that Charlotte is “not much interested in men and very much interested in marriage” (Moler, 26). Elizabeth could have ruined the prospects of Charlotte’s marriage because of her self-importance in the way she