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pride and prejudice character analysis
pride and prejudice character analysis
pride and prejudice character analysis
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During the Regency Era, marriage was held to a different standard that it is today. The majority of the time, women married for stability or monetary benefits, but it was a rare occasion for a women to marry for love. It was seem as not normal and made the couple stand out from the crowd. Most of the times, the couples that did marry for alternative reasons were not happy and usually one person in the marriage controlled the other in some way, shape, or form. In Pride and Prejudice, these types of relationships are displayed, but 2 of the Bennet sisters were fortunate enough to find someone that they truly loved and got married for the purpose that it should be. Mr. Bennet and Mrs. Bennet’s marriage is a little different from the rest of …show more content…
From there, he moved on to Charlotte Lucas. The two of them are another couple that have different views on marriage and have different characteristics as well. Charlotte is on the “older” side of the spectrum at the age of 27 and makes her seem less attractive to the men. She is a very sensible women on the other hand and also has different views on marriage and love that are different from the norm during the Regency Era. Charlotte believes that women should not marry for love, but instead marry for the well-being of themselves and also to achieve stability. The women should marry for stability and then fall in love with her husband later. Charlotte wanted to please her family as well as keep the good fortune coming. Mr. Collins on the other side is very different from Charlotte. He is very full of himself as well as somewhat awkward and comes across as annoying at some points. He has a different mood towards marriage and believes that it should somewhat be for love and also he believes that he should be married to someone who is good pair to himself. Unfortunately, the pair are not a good match. Mr. Collins believes that Charlotte married him for love and that they are in love, but in reality, she only married him for his wealth and the fact that she was somewhat desperate. Mr. Collins does state to Elizabeth that him and Charlotte get each other very well and that they are truly in love, but Elizabeth can see that that is not the
In Chapter 2, Charlotte thinks that happiness can happen only by chance since you do not have an opinion of who you are to be married to. Marriage in this society is a means of financial stability and that is more important than love or happiness. Elizabeth, however, believes that love is very important. In Chapter 22, Charlotte marries Mr. Collins because she believes this is her last chance to be married and have a home of her own. Under the difficult circumstances, she feels she has made a right choice because she is a burden to her family and marrying someone like Mr. Collins, who has money shows that she is most likely to move up in a social class. Charlotte, who is in her late twenties, points out that she is not as pretty as many of her friends; in addition, she has not received any other marriage offers. If she stays with her parents, she will be both an emotional burden and a financial strain. She recognizes Mr. Collins as a man who, who has a comical personality, will provide her with a safe home and security. Charlotte considers the proposal to be the best deal she can get and she knows that marriage is her only option to watch a hard
Society has engrained in Charlotte Lucas’ head that a woman who does not successfully marry will not successfully live. Thanks to society, Charlotte no longer values love, only marriage. “Without thinking highly either of men of matrimony,” marriage has always been Charlotte 's object” (Sleeping with Mr. Collins 120). Charlotte Lucas, unlike Elizabeth Bennet, was self-seeking and largely influenced by societal protocol that she became willing to sacrifice her own happiness. “She would have sacrificed every better feeling to worldly advantage” (Austen 85). She knows that if she does not accept the marriage offer from Mr. Collins, she may never receive another offer and therefore will be a failure in society. Charlotte saw this marriage as her only escape from exclusion from her community. “For Charlotte, this marriage represents an estimable improvement over lifelong spinsterhood” (The feminist critique and Five Styles of Women’s roles in Pride and Prejudice 42). In attempts to avoid the single lifestyle, Charlotte sacrifices a happy marriage and therefore a happy life. By creating the character of Charlotte Lucas, Austen is emphasizing the large burden marriage create for a women in the 1800s. Charlotte and Mr. Collins pitiful display of a loveless marriage display the
Marriage was very different in the 1400s than it is today. In the 21st century, it is hard to comprehend what kind of marriage traditions they had in the 15th century. While many people toady marry for love, in the Renaissance Era, marriages were primarily arranged by the families. In addition, when a couple did marry the ceremonies and customs were also very different.
The major movement regarding marriage in the eighteenth century was from church to state. Marital laws and customs, once administered and governed by the church, increasingly came to be controlled by legislators who passed many laws restricting the circumstances and legality of marriages. These restrictions tended to represent the interests of the wealthy and uphold patriarchal tradition. Backlash to these restrictions produced a number of undesirable practices, including promiscuity, wife-sale, and divorce.
The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet shows how the lack of love in a marriage can have negative consequences. Their marriage was strictly based on wealth, looks and poor judgements, instead of the more important key components. It lacks the devotion of affection and lust, which results in Mr. and Mrs. Bennet not even being able to communicate with each other regularly. Neither of them found the same attraction for one another. Mrs. Bennet wanted her husband because she could be financially supported for the rest of her life time. Mr. Bennet wanted to marry his wife because of her beauty. This was even shown by the following passage from the book, "Her father, captivated by youth and beauty, and that appearance of good humour which youth and beauty generally give, had married a woman whose weak understanding and illiberal mind had every early in their marriage put an end to all real affection to her"
Collins is interested in Elizabeth as well, and wants to marry her for several reasons which he deems proper and just. Mr. Collins is certain that he is worthy of Elizabeth’s acceptance because of his connection to the family of Lady Catherine de Bourgh, and his position as a clergyman, but also because he will inherit her family’s estate when her father dies. He has no notion of love or lifelong happiness, which Elizabeth finds ideal in a marriage. He tries to understand her refusal, crediting it to her “wish of increasing [his] love by suspense, according to the usual practice of elegant females.” Elizabeth, for the sake of his understanding fully, says, “Do not consider me now as an elegant female intending to plague you, but as a rational creature speaking the truth from her heart” (108). Austen demonstrates how Mr. Collins considers marriage to him a perfect solution to the problem of the entailed estate, while Elizabeth knows marriage to him would make her miserable. He later finds an acceptable match with the practical Charlotte
Concepts of femininity in eighteenth-century England guided many young women, forging their paths for a supposed happy future. However, these set concepts and resulting ideas of happiness were not universal and did not pertain to every English woman, as seen in Jane Austen’s novel, Pride and Prejudice. The novel follows the Bennet sisters on their quest for marriage, with much of it focusing on the two oldest sisters, Jane and Elizabeth. By the end, three women – Jane, Elizabeth, and Elizabeth’s friend, Charlotte Lucas – are married. However, these three women differ greatly in their following of feminine concepts, as well as their attitude towards marriage. Austen foils Jane, Charlotte, and Elizabeth’s personas and their pursuits of love, demonstrating that both submission and deviance from the rigid eighteenth-century concepts of femininity can lead to their own individualized happiness.
She does not need even a pleasing manner from her husband, as is evident from her choice in Mr. Collins. She does not believe that love is necessary for marriage and thinks that a woman should take the first opportunity offered to her in marriage, and, possibly it could lead to love. This is evident from her comments to Lizzie in reference to Jane and Mr. Bingley.
Jane Austen, also criticizes marriage based on convenience and money. She criticizes through the experiences of Charlotte and Collins. The characters Charlotte and Collins are “perfect” for each other, they are both fake, selfish and scheming. In the nineteenth century, “most” not all women had this mindset where they wanted to marry successful and rich men to secure their futures. Love meant nothing to these types of women. Materialistic things meant everything. Charlotte Lucas is a character that only got married to secure her future. “Miss Lucas perceived him from an upper window...and instantly set out to meet him accidentally in the lane” After Charlotte finds out collins had been
Collins is the next one developed in Pride and Prejudice. The reasons for this ‘courtship’ are staged and written in an almost comical nature which emphasizes just how absurd Austen feels about an alliance of this sort. In this couple Austen offers up Mr. Collins as an example that men also feel great pressure to marry. In fact, Mr. Collins felt the pressure so strongly that he proposed to two women in the span of three days. His proposal to Elizabeth in chapter 19 is a hilarious speech that states laughable reasons for marriage, ``My reasons for marrying are, first, that I think it a right thing for every clergyman in easy circumstances to set the example of matrimony in his parish. Secondly, that I am convinced it will add very greatly to my happiness; and thirdly -- which perhaps I ought to have mentioned earlier, that it is the particular advice and recommendation of the very noble lady whom I have the honour of calling patroness”. Charlotte’s reasoning for the alliance was similarly bland. In chapter 22 she states, “Mr. Collins to be sure was neither sensible nor agreeable; his society was irksome, and his attachment to her must be imaginary. But still he would be her husband. Without thinking highly either of men or of matrimony, marriage had always been her object; it was the only honourable provision for well-educated young women of small
...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.
The character of Lady Catherine de Bourgh is an integral element of the plot, contributing to, as well as influencing, the final outcome of Darcy's marriage and the various factors associated with it. Lady Catherine, a prominent and influential noblewomen in the English aristocracy, thrusts her domineering predilections onto her family, friends, and acquaintances, starting with the pompous clergyman she patronizes, Mr. Collins. Lady Catherine exerts her influence upon Mr. Collins by frankly telling him that he "must marry ...a gentle woman for [her] sake" (92). This effectively causes Collins to peruse Elizabeth, the daughter of the man whose estate he will inherit. After being rejected by Elizabeth, Collins marries Elizabeth's childhood friend Charlotte. On a trip to visit the newly married couple, Elizabeth finds herself and Lady Catherine's nephew, Fitzwilliam Darcy, at a dinner party hosted by Lady Catherine herself. At the dinner party, Lad...
... they were able to marry off three out of their five daughters. However, only two of these marriages were based on love and adoration. Jane and Elizabeth both found men that treasured and respected them. They lived comfortable lives financially and were very happy with their lives. Lydia’s marriage with Wickham was not as strong as that of Jane and Elizabeth. They lived uncomfortably because they were not able to support their extravagant spending habits. Eventually their love died for each other. “His affection for her soon sunk into indifference; her’s lasted a little longer” (366). Mr. Wickham started to resent Lydia and ultimately she began to feel the same towards him. Mr. and Mrs. Bennet were able to raise two daughters who were sensible and well respected in social atmospheres. Mr. and Mrs. Bennet only wanted what was best for their daughters.
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.
...: Charlotte Lucas. It is most obvious that this marriage is not based on love, as it could be argued that Mr Collins may have had loving feelings for Elizabeth only days before; therefore making it highly improbable that both he and Charlotte could have developed feelings of love for one another in such a short space of time. Charlotte’s swift acceptance of Mr Collins’ offer shows that she is anxious to get married to gain both social and financial security. From this point on, Austen ensures that the reader is made aware of the very likely possibility that Charlotte may never have loving feelings towards Mr Collins, and vice-versa. However this should not prove to be a problem for Mr Collins, as he only desires a wife so to conform to the status quo.