Pride and Prejudice Essay

In the novel Pride and Prejudice, Austen conveys her opinion about marriage. Through Lydia Bennet and George Wickham, Austen clearly shows how a relationship on the basis of infatuation contributes to an unsuccessful marriage. Lydia is an immature, foolish young woman who presents a relationship based on physical gratification. Wickham too, is similar - he is self-indulgent, manipulative and would never deny any pleasure. Just like Wickham, Lydia has an aspiration to “attach herself to anybody,” as she experiences a passion for men in uniform. As a result of Lydia 's immaturity, she demonstrates that her love towards Wickham is only for enjoyment and imprudent motives; he being part of the regiment is the only reason her affections fluctuate for him. Despite the absence of admiration in their marriage, Lydia and Wickham suffer the consequences of their marriage with indifference for one another. They live a short period of happiness as their marriage is based on convenience, attraction and passion rather than love and

As Jane Austen says, “a lady’s imagination is very rapid; it jumps from admiration to love, from love to matrimony in a moment. I knew you would be wishing me joy” (26). Today, for most people, love comes first in the process of matrimony— followed by the actual marriage. Women living in the 1800s have only wealth in mind when deciding who to marry; which is entirely different from individuals today, who consider various aspects of a person other than material objects. In Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, the archetypes of sisters, ritual and the woods/river, the character analysis of Mr. Darcy and the moral lesson that your initial judgments aren’t always right are some of the multifarious that reveal the underlined meaning of the

In Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen introduces the major thematic concept of marriage and financial wealth. Throughout the novel, Austen depicts various relationships that exhibit the two recurring themes. Set during the regency period, the perception of marriage revolves around a universal truth. Austen claims that a single man “must be in want of a wife.” Hence, the social stature and wealth of men were of principal importance for women. Austen, however, hints that the opposite may prove more exact: a single woman, under the social limitations, is in want of a husband. Through this speculation, Austen acknowledges that the economic pressure of social acceptance serves as a foundation for a proper marriage.

Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is well noted for its ability to question social norms. Most importantly, Austen explores the institution of marriage, as it was in her time, a time where many married for security rather than love. Her characters Elizabeth and Charlotte are renowned even more for their outspoken nature and different views on marriage. Though both Elizabeth and Charlotte yearn for a happy marriage, Charlotte has a more pragmatic and mundane approach while Elizabeth is more romantic and daring with her actions. Through the romantic involvements of both Elizabeth and Charlotte, Austen shows that happiness in marriage is not entirely a matter of chance, but is instead contingent on an accurate evaluation of self and others

In the beginning of the novel the reader meets Mr. and Mrs. Bennet. Mr. Bennet is a simple, nonchalant man but his wife, Mrs. Bennet is the complete opposite. Mrs. Bennet is known for her vulgarity, improperness, and undeniably dim-wittedness. Mr. Bennet often finds her dimwittedness to be amusing. Jane Austin writes, “her ignorance and folly had contributed to his amusement". Mrs. Bennet is also extremely determined to make sure that all five of her daughters marry affluent, and extremely rich gentlemen that are respectable in the eyes of society. If a man is missing any of these qualities she believes that he is not fit to marry any of her daughters. Her prejudice against men lacking these qualities eventually leads to her disdain for Mr. Darcy later in the novel. Mrs. Bennet does not care what she must do to make sure that her daughters are married. This becomes clear when Mrs. Bennet purposefully sends Jane out on a horse even though it was going to rain to the home of Mr. Bingly hoping that the storm would force Jane to stay there for some time. She hoped that this time at the Bingly residence would help Jane and Mr. Bingly grow closer. Sending Jane out in that kind of weather was a huge risk and caused Jane’s health to take a turn for the worst nearly leading to her death. This just proves how desperate she is. Mrs. Bennet is most likely this desperate because she knows that if her daughters do not marry well they will only end up suffering financially. Mr. Bennet has not made enough money to leave their daughters money that will allow them to live comfortably. Furthermore, none of the girls are poor enough to work so they cannot make money on their own thus you honestly cannot blame her.

Through strictly observing the final chapters of Pride and Prejudice, it may come across that Jane Austen’s intent was to glorify the marriages of the main characters, in what might seem like an unrealistic or unjustified way. This exaggerated scenario in which the main characters get married to the men they love, and enjoy the copious wealth of their husbands, makes it possible for a reader to jump to the conclusion that Austen wrote the novel to argue that wealth and love are tied together. Critic Mary Poovey interpreted the fairy tale ending as such, claiming that Austen’s goal was to “make propriety and romantic desire absolutely congruent.” However, taking into

England has always had a rich history of interesting cultural traditions but arguably none as prevalent as marriage. Marriage, the union of two people with emotional ideals and expectations, are brought on by many different factors that include: for love, for money, for climbing social status, escapism, survival, etc. In Jane Austen’s novels, she focuses on the importance of marriage in her world because she wanted to emphasize how marriage is the most important life event of a woman as this would determine her place in society. Persuasion shows readers good and bad examples of marriage: the amiable Crofts and other couples such as Sir Walter & Lady Elliot and the Smiths. Jane Austen uses the Crofts to support the importance of marriage

On the other hand Charlotte and Mr Collins’s marriage was established on financial and social security, illustrated through her pragmatic approach in “I ask only a comfortable home” and that “happiness…is entirely a matter of chance”. Her willingness to marry Mr Collins comes as a result from filial and social pressures to save herself from family disgrace and spinsterhood, particularly since Sir William Lucas held a prominent position of power within society. Austen criticises the superficial relationships. Her practical and logical step counter’s Elizabeth’s (and Austen’s) approach to marriage. In comparison Elizabeth and Darcy’s progressive marriage is reinforced to be ideal, based off Darcy’s confession in “how ardently I admire and love you” and disregard for the power gap between landed gentry and noblemen. Their compatible relationship is also emphasised through Mr Bennet, “but will he make you happy?” illustrating how happiness is the contributing factor rather than financial means. The pursuit in understanding relationships is emphasised by a comparison of these three marriages.

In Jane Austen’s 1813 Pride and Prejudice displayed the 1800’s culture revolving around marriage, gentry, and the Rights of Women. The time era in Pride and prejudice, wealth influenced social interactions, and matrimonies. Pride and prejudice revolved around a conservative view of social life gradually branching throughout “wants and needs” into an ongoing profession of modern day marriages. Mainly focused on the Bennet family regarding marriage due to Mrs. Bennet advocates her five daughters to pursue connubial; largely directed on Jane, Elizabeth, and Lydia Bennet.

In the 19th century, a controversy arose over what the true foundation and purpose for marriage should be. The basis of this conflict was whether one should let reason or emotion be the guide of their love life and if a balance between the two could be maintained. The relationship between Elizabeth and Darcy in Jane Austen's book Pride and Prejudice depicts such a balance, thus becoming the model for Austen's definition of a perfect couple and for true love. Their relationship is neither solely based on a quest for money on Elizabeth's part or emotions that blind the couple from all other important aspects of life. The significance of having this balance is portrayed

Because of her understanding of who Darcy is, Elizabeth more than happily refuses Darcy proposal for marriage. She says to Darcy," Had not my own feelings decided against you, had they been indifferent, or had they even been favorable, do you think that my consideration would tempt me to accept the man, who has been the means of ruining, perhaps forever, the happiness of a most beloved sister"...I have every reason in the old to think ill of you? (173)" Elizabeth finds out Darcy was not the dreadful man Wickham made him out to be. In essence of her new understanding for Darcy, Elizabeth begins to ease up on Darcy by not being as harsh and cruel to him as she previously had been. She finds out from her aunt, Darcy was the man who spared her family shame, to their name by paying off Wickham to marry Lydia. For this Elizabeth is truly grateful and thanks Darcy for what good he has done for her family. Elizabeth says to Darcy,."..I can no longer help thanking you for your unexampled kindness to my poor sister. Ever since I have none it, I have been most anxious to acknowledge to you how grateful I feel it. Were it known the rest of my family, I should not have merely my gratitude to express. (330)" Elizabeth begins to love Darcy for what he really is.

Now, like I said before they have 5 daughters here let 's start with Jane the beauty of the family. Jane is the eldest of the Bennet daughters and has a close relationship to Elizabeth. Through their relationship we learn a lot about Jane’s character, who is sensible, calm and good. She always thinks the best of people and situations, sometimes much to her discredit like when she refused to believe that Wickham could be anything but good, an opinion which is severely disappointed through the course of the novel. However, her ability to not always believe what is said about people also shows a good sense of judgment when she has faith in Darcy’s character when under attack by Wickham’s accusations which he divulges to Elizabeth. Lizzy’s comment to Jane when talking to her about her first impressions of Mr Darcy describes Jane’s character accurately – “You never see fault in anybody. All the world are good and agreeable in your eyes. I never heard you speak ill of a human being in my life.” From early in the novel, Jane and Mr Bingley develop a romantic connection that takes the course of the entire novel to result in marriage. Although she is a likable character, through her reactions to their relationship makes the reader feel slightly distant towards her when we see how she is so unable to express anger and negativity as this makes her slightly unnatural and naive when she decides

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

In the 19th century, marriage was the primary interest for women because it was believed to be their sole means of happiness and comfort. For women, opportunities of living a life without a husband were scorned by all of society and nearly impossible; women had little choice but to search for their suitors. Women searched for wealthy life partners in belief that an estate and a lavish lifestyle could provide them with a lifetime’s worth of enjoyment. However, love was not an element of such an accord. Their search for a wealthy partner provided them with the security of money, land and comfort in life. Prosperity meant that the woman and her children would never have to face financial problems or hardships. This significant predicament of marriage for young women is ever present in the novel, Pride and Prejudice. The Bennet girls are at the ripe age for marriage and struggle to find affluent suitors. Throughout the novel, Jane Austen reveals that the only marriages that contain pure happiness are the ones that are built on true love, adoration and affection. The other marriages in the novel are considered unhappy and miserable because they are out of either convenience, materialism or physical attraction. Elizabeth and Darcy, along with Jane and Bingley, are the only couples who receive genuine happiness from their marriage. Their marriages are not out of trivial reasons like money or class but out of true admiration and affection for their partners. As a result, contrary

Jane Austen’s most notable novel, “Pride and Prejudice”, revolves around the theme of courtship and marriage among middle to upper class characters. Charlotte Lucas accepts Mr. Collins proposal, denying happiness for the sake of social security. Wickham is perceived as a dishonorable figure; who takes advantage of young Lydia to pay off his gambling debts. Elizabeth, unlike Charlotte believes in getting married only when she finds someone she truly loves; ignoring financial/social security for herself and her family. Austen’s novel portrays a variety of attitudes by both male and female character clearly demonstrating their views on marriage.