Love and Marriage in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice

Love and Marriage in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice

Pride and Prejudice was published in 1813 during the Regency period.

From a woman’s point of view, marriage was seen as “the only

honourable provision for well-educated young women of small fortune”.

Marriage was seen as the only way of securing a home and a decent

living. If a woman wasn’t married she would have the life of a

spinster, and depend upon a family who may not always support her. The

only other choice was to become a governess, where once again a woman

would be dependent on a family. So, considering these options, most

young women were obliged to get married.

Most marriages were based on physical attraction, financial security

or love and affection; of all these, financial security was the main

reason for marriage. Women married for financial security because it

established a secure livelihood and a definite home. Another reason

for marrying a man in a higher social class was that, if the eldest

sister married well, the rest of the family would be of a higher

status than previously. To marry for love and affection was quite rare

at this period in time, as money played a big factor. For example, in

another Jane Austen novel – Persuasion – the heroine, Anne Elliot

falls in love with Captain Wentworth, but, as he is penniless, they

are forced apart.

From a man’s perspective the reasons for marriage were very similar. A

man married to bring status, wealth, estate and prestige. “It is a

truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a

good fortune, must be in want of a wife.” This quote confirms the

assumption (of the period) that any man with...

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...marriage. Compatibility and

strong, passionate love are seen to be the greatest reason for

marriage, this is also Austen’s view, as she rewards Elizabeth with

the most loving, devoted husband, who also has the greatest wealth.

For marriages, which she disapproves of, such as Charlotte and

Collins’ wedlock, she punishes by giving Charlotte a disagreeable and

irritating husband. However, Austen realises that Charlotte had almost

no choice, as of her situation. The couples that Austen entirely

disagrees with are those who married for lust and physical attraction.

She punishes these hasty marriages by declining them a happy married

life, financially or emotionally. By punishing these couples, she has

shown her view that if you marry for the right reasons, in her

opinion, love, then you’ll have the most prosperous marriage.