In this essay I intend to examine how Jane Austen depicts marriage in many different ways. I have studied, in considerable detail, 3 of the many romantic novels written by Austen.
In her first novel, ‘Sense and Sensibility’ (1811), follows Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, two sisters with differing temperaments. Elinor possesses careful self-control, or "sense," while Marianne permits hasty emotions, or "sensibility," to rule her decisions. Common in all of Austen’s romantic novels, women would not only opt for handsome and educated men, but mainly wealthy ones. Wealthier women were also more likely to be legitimate for marriage for marriage depending on the dowries they could offer. In ‘Sense and Sensibility’ put Marianne and Elinor in immediate disadvantage to other women in the novel (i.e. the Steel ladies), and substantial pressure inasmuch as of their legitimacy. Their difficulty in successful marriages mainly originated from the desire for social settlement and acceptance and the restoration of their own low status. However, in Marianne’s case, the main reason for marriage seems to me to be love (sensibility) and not financial security (sense).
Pride and Prejudice (1813), is Austen's most famous work. In the novel, the lively Elizabeth Bennet dislikes Fitzwilliam Darcy's proud behaviour and is blinded to his better qualities. The point Jane Austen stresses here is financial security. Austen gently mocks their relationship with each other. A perfect of this comically mockery is that of the scene where Elizabeth Bennet over hears a conversation shared between Mr Bingley and Mr Darcy who are discussing the ‘local beauties.’ Mr Bingley suggests that his friend should consider a dance with Miss Elizabeth. Mr Darcy replies “she is tolerable but not handsome enough even to tempt me.”
In Mansfield Park (1814), the long-suffering and modest Fanny Price grows up mistreated by rich relatives. Her character may seem uninteresting compared with Austen's other female characters. However, many readers see Fanny as a successful portrait of personal integrity. I believe that Austen maybe unknowingly depicted this particular character of Fanny on herself.
In the ‘The Three sisters’ letters are written instead of a simple story in chapters. They are written by two of the sisters, the third does not actually write at all but is written about by her siblings. Mary is the eldest, she writes the first letter and writes about her feelings towards a man who has proposed to her. Unfortunately this man is not particularly good-looking or young, just lots of money.
“He has a large fortune and will make great settlement.”
Mary Stanhope does not really have a choice here to marry him or not. It has never been necessary for marriages to be for love. Women were seen as objects for their husbands and nothing else, they were purely valued for their physical appearance or family wealth. This was a common in the time of Jane Austen.
“If I refuse him he as good as told me that he should offer himself to Sophia and if she refused him, to Georgiana.”
In this quote it is quite clear that this marriage is not for love. It is also obvious that Mary is the oldest of the three therefore had been proposed to first. This man is not particularly interested in any of the sisters personality or mind, just their looks.
“he wishes to be allied to the family and because they are as pretty as you are.”
Here is an example of men marrying for the wealth of the women’s family. Here the mother make a point of saying that is her eldest will not have him
her other two sisters will. As we read on Mary tells us about the desperate need to be married before her sisters.
“I know the Duttons will envy me and I shall be able to chaperone Sophy and Georgiana to all the winter balls.”
Being a married woman gave you a certain power over her peers and all the other unmarried woman. If Mary were to marry she would be able to escort her younger unmarried sisters to balls etc.
“I wish I had a brother or a father because then they should fight him”
Girls, then were a financial burden to their family. Women were totally dependable on men - patriarchal society, (fathers, brothers, uncles.)
“It will be such a triumph to be married before Sophy, Georgiana and the Duttons.”
“I could not bear to have either of them married before me”
This shows that Mary sees marriage as a race or competition. The use of ‘triumph’ suggests a battle where you can win or lose. The prize is ‘wealthy settlement’ and in many cases surpassing her sister’s when married.
Even though Mary Stanhope seems very naive and superficial, she does realise that she will not a completely happy life because she also knows that she does not love her husband, not like him even.
“If I accept him I know I shall be miserable all the rest of my life, for he is very ill tempered and peevish (cross)extremely jealous, and so stingy that there is no living in the house with him.’
She is so immature and indecisive, one minute she wants to marry him then the next she does not. There is literally only two sentences between:
“I believe I shall have him”
And…
“I won’t have him I declare”
Pre-nineteenth century society had a greater grasp on the day to day lives of many people, all Austen’s heroines show that these can be broken. Elizabeth Bennet goes against the rules of society because she seeks more from life, she wanted happiness and marriage but based on love not materialistic means. Fanny Price after the few years she spent being oppressed by her host family, she triumph’s and gets the man she truly loves in the end. Through the course of the last century the role of women has changed greatly, we would like to think that we are more independent, ambitious and have more freedom from society’s dictatorship.
Amy Helm 11R
