Social Norms in Jane Austen´s Pride and Prejudice

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

Elizabeth’s view on Jane and Bingely’s relationship is more hopeful, while Charlotte possesses a more aggressive view. While observing Jane with Bingely, Charlotte states:

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).

Already, the reader can see Charlotte’s tactful ways, her use of the words “disposition” and “parties” almost makes marriage seem like a business transaction one of comfort not love. Also, Charlottes places the disposition as the subject of the sentence where the parties are not in direct conversation with one another. Specifically, the parties are ever mentioned as object of prepositions as seen in “of the parties” and “to each other” suggesting that they are not of true importance rather their marriage is. Charlotte speaks more to the general attitude of the period, the plain desire of being married. In the same conversati...

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...er. Even as wise and intelligent as Charlotte is, she still identifies with the ideas of her time about marriage. Charlotte, serving as a basis of time’s views allows the reader a glimpse into the institution of marriage in the Regency Era. Charlotte more than emphasizes just how radical Elizabeth was for her time, since she was willing to wait for the perfect man rather than settle. As a contrast, she helps Austen create a unique relationship in Darcy and Elizabeth. Austen disproves Charlotte’s and the general society’s pragmatic belief in a likely unhappy marriage. Through Charlotte’s marriage Austen gains a more cynical and realist voice she shows that the heart does not always have to be consulted with for a comfortable union. However, she also proves that a happy marriage is possible in spite of personal imperfections as is the case with Darcy and Elizabeth.