Soldier In Pride And Prejudice

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Recommended: Social class in regency england

In the past English regency society, class, etiquette, and wealth proved to be important factors for being a successful person. Some received a great fortune while others could earn one of highest nobility by becoming a gentleman soldier. In Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, quite a few soldiers in the militias during the winter and summer were looked upon as suitable husbands for Mrs. Bennet’s daughters, but none were chosen because of their cavalier lifestyle. You would think that the militia would be a party of soldiers ready to repel an invasion or go to the front lines of a conflict or war if need be, but this was not the case. There were regular soldiers who would fight in the war and there were officers who paid to stay local and “train” in the militia …show more content…

Being soldiers stationed in their homeland, they had all of the things previously listed and the ability to mingle with the rest of English society (Breihan). Although there were the wealthy that paid for a military rank, gentlemen who volunteered could also rise in the ranks if they were literate and did their job well (Firestone). Soldiers could also become promoted when a higher ranking officer passes away or retires, or even for noble acts on the battlefield (Grace and Firestone). Though what we see in the novel of the militia don’t seem to be made up of men that earned their rank through saving lives or even Replacing an officer. Most of the soldiers in Pride and Prejudice are ones that have the money to shed for a position instead of having the risk of shedding theirs for king and country. The men in Meryton and Brighton (Denny, Chamberlayne, Pratt, and the newcomer Wickham, etc.) were young men who had a low but noble rank and most likely had no field experience (Breihan). The men of experience and higher importance who probably did earn their way to a great rank were not present at the camps mentioned in the book (Breihan). Not knowing this, Mrs. Bennet says, "If

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