Marriage in Pride and Prejudice

Austen presents us with several different examples of marriage in

Pride and Prejudice.

‘Austen presents us with several different examples of marriage in

‘Pride and Prejudice.’ Focusing on at least three couples, explore

how each relationship is presented and what you think are Austen’s

intentions.

Throughout ‘Pride and Prejudice’, Austen often refers back to the era

in which it was written and the kind of culture and society that she

grew up in herself. It is also apparent that she sees the character

Elizabeth as an alter-ego for herself, as she is rebellious to the

things expected from her by her family and society in general - in

reality, it would be preposterous to turn down a marriage proposal!

It is evident that Austen did not like the general role that women

took on in the early nineteenth century, with no financial

independence and an expectation to serve the rest of their lives being

a good wife and mother with only the accomplishments such as music and

art, to excite them.

I have first decided to comment on the relationship between Mr and Mrs

Bennet. Mr Bennet clearly regrets his marriage to Mrs Bennet and

realises that he was really only attracted to her beauty and wealth,

rather than her personality. This runs parallel to the relationship

between Lydia and Mr Wickham. Wickham eloped with Lydia only for her

money because he was desperate to leave his debts behind and wanted a

companion to join him in his escape, which resulted in an unhappy

marriage, an arrangement made only to protect the family’s honour and

respect among other acquaintances who would very much have frowned

upon the elopement if it had not resulted in a marriage.

Marriages of that time were rarely for love; they were usually to

ensure financial security, to carry on the family name, connections

and a comfortable home. An example of this is the marriage between

Charlotte Lucas and Mr Collins. She tells Lizzie after her

engagement, “I am not romantic you know. I never was. I ask only a

comfortable home; and considering Mr Collins’s character, connections,

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.”

Mr and Mrs Bennet’s marriage is presented to us through satire and

condescendence. Mr Bennet, though unhappy with his marriage, has the

upper hand where he can mock his dizzy wife while Mrs Bennet sits

blissfully unaware. Mrs Bennet’s days are solely confined to ensuring

that her daughters are married off to wealthy young gentlemen with

good status and connections, to make sure that when her husband dies