Jane Austen says of Charlotte, Chapter 22, after she had accepted Mr. Collins proposal:
`Without thinking highly of either men or of matrimony, marriage had always been her object; it was the only honourable provision for well educated young women of small fortune and however uncertain of giving happiness, must be their pleasantest preservative from want.'
I think Jane Austen had mixed views on marriage. She never got married herself, as she only believed in marrying for love. She fell in love when she was young with an Irish Barrister, but they were unable to marry, as neither had any money. Jane received one more proposal, but declined it.
In `Pride and Prejudice' Jane Austen shows us a variety of different types of marriage, good and bad.
Mr. and Mrs. Bennet's marriage is one of the bad ones. With completely no respect for each other, Mr. Bennet takes pleasure in mocking Mrs. Bennet and enjoys very much annoying her. Mrs. Bennet is not very intelligent, and despite being about forty she acts just like Lydia and Kitty, silly and immature. Mrs. Bennet is a gossip that is far too haughty for her own good. Mr. Bennet is embarrassed to be with his wife. He is a quiet, reserved man who stays in his library to get away from his wife.
`He left the room and retired to the library, fatigued with the rapture of his wife.'
Mr. and Mrs. Bennet's marriage is a very unsuccessful one, as both characters repel each other. They married when they were young, when Mr. Bennet was fooled by her good looks.
`Her father captivated by youth and beauty...had married a woman whose weak understanding and illiberal mind, had very early in their marriage put and end to all real affection for her. Respect, esteem and confidence had vanished forever.'
The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner is a very well balanced marriage. They are both cheerful and happy characters that are very suited. They love each other and get along as friends just as well as lovers. Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner have the same opinions and mutual respect for each other.
`The Gardiner's...of suitability as companions...to bear inconveniencies-cheerful to enhance every pleasure-and affection and intelligence.'
On the other hand the Hursts do not even speak to each other.
Mr. and Mrs. Collins are only married for social status. Mr. Collins has lots of money and needed a wife who would respect him and Lady Catherine de Bough.
In the end, readers are unsure whether to laugh or cry at the union of Carol and Howard, two people most undoubtedly not in love. Detailed character developments of the confused young adults combined with the brisk, businesslike tone used to describe this disastrous marriage effectively highlight the gap between marrying for love and marrying for ?reason.? As a piece written in the 1950s, when women still belonged to their husbands? households and marriages remained arranged for class and money?s sake, Gallant?s short story excerpt successfully utilizes fictional characters to point out a bigger picture: no human being ought to repress his or her own desires for love in exchange for just an adequate home and a tolerable spouse. May everyone find their own wild passions instead of merely settling for the security and banality of that ?Other Paris.?
In Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility, the necessity of marrying well is one of the central themes. In Austen’s era a woman’s survival depended on her potential to acquire an affluent partner. This meant a choice of marrying for love and quite possibly starve, or marry a securing wealthy person, there was a risk of marrying someone who you might despise.
“A large income is the best recipe for happiness I ever heard of” (Austen). The bluntness of this quote fully encompasses the main theme of an advantageous marriage for the English novelist, Jane Austen. Her realism, biting irony and social commentary have gained her historical importance among scholars and critics (Southam). Austen’s major novels, including Pride and Prejudice, were composed between the years 1795-1815. During those twenty years England was at the height of its power facing many historical landmarks (Thomson). It is no coincidence that Jane Austen’s novel, Pride and Prejudice, coincides directly with the historical events of this time period.
nice a person as Bingley, but both are wealthy. Mr. Collins, the cousin and heir to the
Since the beginning of time, marriage exists as a large part of life. The values of marriage change on a year to year basis and as trends continue to change so will marriage. There have been numerous reasons for marriage throughout time such as arranged, wealth, love or many others. In the 18th century, many marriages were based on one’s class and wealth and not true love. Today, many marriages do not take wealth or class into account they focus on that person’s inner self and love. Marriage exists as an overlying theme throughout Pride and Prejudice and every marriage appears for a different reason.
The novel Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen gives us the reader a very good idea of how she views marriage, as well as society. The theme of marriage is set in the very opening sentence of Pride and Prejudice; "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) As Norman Sherry points out, this is Austen's way of implying that 'a single man in possession of a good fortune' is automatically destined to be the object of desire for all unmarried women. The statement opens the subject of the romantic novel; courtship and marriage. The sentence also introduces the issue of what the reasons for marrying are. She implies here that many young women marry for money. The question...
Mr. Bennet and Mrs. Bennet are two characters from Pride and Prejudice, which was written by Jane Austin. This story takes place at some point during the Napoleonic Wars. They are the parents of five girls, Elizabeth Bennet, Mary Bennet, Jane Bennet, Lydia Bennet, and Kitty Bennet. The relationship between the two is very poor. Mrs. Bennet is more outgoing than Mr. Bennet. She thinks Mr. Bennet is going to die soon and the only thing that occupies her thoughts is her daughters getting married. Mr. Bennet and Mrs. Bennet have opposite personalities, different relationships with their daughters, and different daughters they admire.
Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance. If the disposition of the parties are ever so well known to each, or ever so similar before hand it does not advance their felicity in the least (Austen 23).
Furthermore, Charlotte Lucas who has no fortune settles for marriage with Mr. Collins, the arrogant, self important, materialistic and boring man. She thinks that it is better to be married than not, even if she doesn’t like him and he is not likely to make her happy.
Jane Austen's novel Pride and Prejudice portrays varying attitudes to marriage. "The intricate social network that pervades the novel is one that revolves around the business of marriage". Through her female characters the reader sees the different attitudes to marriage and the reasons that these women have for marrying. These depend on their social status and their personal values. The reader is shown the most prevalent and common view of marriage held by society in Austen's time, and through the heroine, a differing opinion of marriage is explored. We are shown how marriage is viewed by the very wealthy and the values they emphasise in marriage. Through the characterisation of these women and use of irony, Austen has influenced the reader's opinions on the characters attitude about marriage and that of their contemporaries.
Marriage is a beautiful bond, where two people who love each other unconditionally, promise to love and take care of one another for the rest of their lives. Through the experiences of Lydia and Wickham, Charlotte and Collins, and Elizabeth and Darcy. Jane Austen criticizes marriages based on Infatuation, convience and money and emphasizes that marriages can only be successful if they are founded on mutal love.
In the novel, Pride and Prejudice, marriage was a great deal to women in that time period. For the Bennet’s, marriage is a big deal because Mr. and Mrs. Bennet have five daughters: Jane, Elizabeth, Mary, Kitty, and Lydia. The women, especially the eldest sisters, want to marry a man who is wealthy and good-mannered. Mrs. Bennet is eager to find her eldest two daughter’s husband, but many aspects go into finding him. Women had a reputation to uphold which is to behave in a certain way, and maintain a social class in which money determines. In the novel, Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen, marriage is an important factor for women to gain a prestigious reputation, gain a higher social rank through marriage, and gain money for a comfortable life.
married. However, “for pragmatic reasons, the author’s conclusions favor marriage as the ultimate solution, but her pairings predict happiness” (“Austen, Jane”). Als...
Lady Bracknell represents the typical aristocrat who focuses the idea of marriage on social and economic status. She believes that if the men trying to marry these girls are not of proper background, there is no engagement. Through this major exaggeration, Wilde satirically reveals the irrational and insignificant matters that the upper class society uses to view marriage.
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 through the inability of the other couples in the story to reach an equal amount of happiness as Elizabeth and Darcy because of their pursuit of either reason or passion.