Pride And Prejudice Marriage Analysis

932 Words4 Pages
Marriage in the 21st century has been considered to be a sacred declaration of eternal love between two individuals. However, in the 19th century, marriage rarely ensued due to love, but instead for security and bettering one’s social class. In Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, many characters prove to have various superficial reasons to marry. For example, Charlotte Lucas marries a pompous, arrogant man for security due to the pressures of society placed on women in Austen’s era. Despite the dishonorable intentions of George Wickham, he decides to marry Lydia out of an inconvenient agreement that guarantees financial gain. Conversely, Elizabeth Bennet refuses to marry for any reason that goes against her strong values; instead she marries…show more content…
Wickham’s charm and humorous charisma allows him to position himself in females’ lives, such as the foolish Lydia. He manipulates his young and impetuous victims by feeding them with dishonesty in order to achieve their compassion. “His appearance was greatly in his favour; he had all the best part of beauty, a fine countenance, a good figure, and very pleasing address” (Austen 70). However, the novel quickly shows the unraveling of his mercenary nature and gambling habits. To make matters worse, Wickham attempts to escape his debts and elope with Lydia for companionship, without ever having the intention of actually marrying her; “in [Darcy’s] first conversation with Wickham, he easily learnt [marriage] had never been his design” (Austen 314). Wickham’s selfish habits blind his judgment because he does not consider that Lydia and the Bennet’s reputation is at stake. Unpredictably, Wickham marries Lydia when an agreement is made that finalizes his financial security; conveniently, paying off his debts. As a result, Wickham’s marriage to Lydia is a consequence made of need on one side and a blurred judgment on the…show more content…
She refuses to marry for any other reason rather than pure love and equality. The author uses the comical character Mr. Collins to demonstrate this stance by Elizabeth. “You could not make me happy, and I am convinced that I am the last woman in the world who would make you so” (Austen 104). Her rejection to the arrogant Mr. Collins would have been looked down upon by society since this included rejection of financial security as well. On the other hand, the novel portrays Mr. Darcy, a once vain and conceited man, pursuing Elizabeth with an indecent proposal. He is driven by his feelings of superiority over herself and her family, which of course results in a furious decline. “[W]hy, with so evident a design of offending and insulting me, you chuse to tell me that you liked me against your will, against your reason, and even your character?”(Austen 187). Elizabeth triggers Darcy’s virtuous side to emerge when she reprimands him during the initial proposal by calling on his un-gentlemanlike behaviour. Likewise, Darcy teaches Elizabeth not to trust everyone’s first impressions, and not to be so quick to judge by revealing the truth about Wickham. After much remorse and humility, Elizabeth comes to the conclusion that both she and Darcy are equal, not in class, but in manner, intelligence, and wit. “He is a gentleman. I am a gentleman’s daughter: so far
Show More
Related

  • Pride And Prejudice Literature Review

    1843 Words  | 8 Pages

    Introduction The following review will be on the book of English writer, “messenger” of realism in British literature, a satirist, wrote the so-called novel of manners – Jane Austen, called “Pride and Prejudice”. Her books are recognized as masterpieces and conquer the sincerity and simplicity of the plot against the background of a deep psychological penetration into the souls of heroes and ironic, mild, truly "British" humour. Jane Austen is still considered the "First Lady" of English literature

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Le Guin's The Dispossessed

    9299 Words  | 38 Pages

    Anarres to focus also on the dynamics of gender equality. Within that communal society, gender is not seen as a factor leading to social otherness, as the institutions and social rules which create that in our own reality are lacking there: there is no marriage institution, relationships come with no strings attached, women’s sexuality is in no way oppressed, and so

    Read More

More about Pride And Prejudice Marriage Analysis

Open Document