Mrs. Bennet is possibly Austen’s best known comic character. Her obsession with marrying off her five daughters results in all kinds of absurdities, comic subterfuges and violent mood swings between depression and ecstasy. She is the centre of numerous scenes of acute embarrassment, such as the occasion when she loudly professes her dislike of Mr. Darcy within his earshot, “That is my idea of good breeding; and those persons who fancy themselves very important and never open their mouths, quite mistake the matter.” Within the context of an essentially light hearted story, Mrs. Bennet, like Mr. Collins, may seem mere caricature, but we need to shift our point of view only slightly to see her destructive influence. Her ignorant and superficial outlook leaves her devoid of any moral discrimination. Her hysteria as Lydia’s elopement is so outwardly comic but her concerns for her daughter’s wedding clothes in such dire circumstances is frightening, “And tell my dear Lydia, not to give any directions about her clothes, till she has seen me, for she does not know which are the best warehouses.”
Although little is told of how Mr. Bennet and Mrs. Bennet got married, it can be inferred by their conversions that their relationship was similar to that of Lydia and Wickham. Mr. Bennet married a woman he found sexually attractive without realizing that she was an unintelligent woman. Mrs. Bennet’s favouritism towards Lydia and her comments on how she was once as “energetic” as Lydia reveals this similarity. In addition, Lydia’s “animal spirits” take on a new significance. Her giddy, irresponsible nature contrasts not only with Lizzy’s own character but seems to represent the worst of everything that Darcy may think of the Bennet family. Another similarity between Mrs. Bennet and Lydia is that of their language. Lydia’s speech is silly and immature just like her marriage, “It’s such a joke,” and “If we make haste, perhaps we may see something of Captain Carter before he goes!” Lydia only cares about the soldiers looking good in their regimentals which is surprising as during this period there was a war being fought. Hertfordshire in the novel is remarkably untouched by this and proves that the characters lead very narrow and sheltered lives as they don’t consider the reason for the soldiers’ presence. From this, we see how immature and superficial Lydia is. Just like her daughter, Mrs. Bennet’s shallow, frivolous, overexcitable nature is reflected in this response to the news of Elizabeth’s engagement to Mr. Darcy, where she speaks in endless exclamations and repetitions, with her focus still on material wealth and status, “I am so pleased – so happy! Such a charming man! - so handsome! So tall! – Oh, my dear Lizzy! Pray apologise for my having disliked him so much before. I hope he will overlook it! Dear, dear Lizzy! A house in town! Everything that is charming!”
“You [Jane and Bingley] are each of you so complying, that nothing will ever be resolved on; so easy, that every servant will cheat you; and so generous, that you will always exceed your income.” This illustrates that Lydia and Wickham are the exact opposite: they are not very complying, not generous to their servants and don’t exceed their income. Obviously, Lydia and Wickham’s marriage is an example of an unsuccessful one. Their marriage was based on appearances, good looks, and youthful vivacity. Once these qualities can no longer be seen by each other, the once strong relationship will slowly fade away, just as Mr. and Mrs Bennet’s marriage and relationship did. As Lydia and Wickham’s marriage gradually disintegrates; Lydia becomes a regular visitor at her two elder sister’s homes when “her husband was gone to enjoy himself in London or Bath.” Through their relationship, Jane Austen shows that a hasty marriage based on superficial qualities quickly disintegrates and leads to unhappiness.
Mr. Collin’s subsequent proposal to Charlotte Lucas, (after being rejected by Elizabeth), on the other hand, is far from being comic because Charlotte accepts. Readers often argue that Pride and Prejudice and the rest of Austen’s novels are unrealistic in their frequent portrayals of happy marriages. Charlotte’s marriage to Collins injects a grim note into the happiness that Elizabeth later finds. Indeed, you can interpret Charlotte’s fate as a component of Austen’s critique of a society dominated by males that leave unmarried women without a future. Whereas Elizabeth is an idealist who will not marry solely for money, to either a fool (Collins) or a man she dislikes (Darcy, at first). Charlotte, six years older than her friend and lacking in fortune, is a pragmatist: she must exploit any opportunity that presents itself in order to avoid societal scorn that accompanies old maid status. Charlotte’s brothers “were relieved from their apprehension of Charlotte’s dying an old maid,” upon hearing of her engagement. As Austen says of Charlotte: she “accepted [Mr. Collins] solely from the pure and disinterested desire of an establishment.”
While the novel ultimately delivers Jane and Lizzy to happiness, at this point in the novel, it seems as though the Bennet girls are losing out in their respectable pursuit of husbands. When Charlotte says, “I am not a romantic you know…I ask only a comfortable home,” it seems as though romanticism has compelled Elizabeth to ask for too much, to seek more than her society is willing to offer her. Charlotte Lucas, described by Austen as “a sensible, intelligent young woman’, Charlotte does not have the advantage of being rich, beautiful, or the heroine of a novel, and at twenty seven she knows what she must do. If the appalling Mr. Collins is the only suitable male on offer, she will take him and be grateful:
“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 fortune, and however uncertain of giving happiness, must be their pleasantest preservative from want. This preservative she had now obtained.”
The arrival of Mr. Collins immediately precedes the first appearance of Wickham, and the clergyman’s foolishness contrasts with Wickham’s ability to charm. The irony between the marriages of Lydia and Wickham and The Collins’ is that the men are both lacking in moral scruples, both wholly mercenary and both prepared to exploit women. I, personally, do not believe that Charlotte and Mr. Collins were in love at all and they did not really appear too happy in each other’s company. I think their marriage was an illustration of why you should not marry just for financial reasons. On the other hand, her pragmatic approach to marriage may be restricted, but within the wider context of society at large, it probably represents a more realistic goal than that of Elizabeth and Jane. Charlotte is a sensible woman who seems well able to adapt to her new circumstances. Ironically, like Mr. Bennet, who retreats to his study, Charlotte does soon learn to cope with the pompous and mercenary Mr. Collins by using a back room as to keep out of her husbands way. However much Elizabeth may take pity on her, Charlotte’s chosen lifestyle must be weighed against the fickle and unsettled lifestyle of Lydia and Wickham.
Wickham himself is one of the only male characters described by Austen as being extremely good-looking: his appeal exists only on the surface, but it is an attractive surface. This superficial appeal is crucial because it makes his story about Darcy’s mistreatment of him believable, at least to Elizabeth. Darcy’s pride has been obvious from his first appearance in the novel, but Elizabeth’s decision to trust Wickham introduces her “prejudice” into the story. Lizzy’s curiosity and eagerness to soak up any scandal concerning Darcy, causes her to overlook Wickham’s over familiarity and lack of propriety. She is also prepared to excuse Wickham’s absence from the ball she had been looking forward to as evidence of his tact, rather than deliberate avoidance of Darcy, “his absence was pronounced by his friend, Mr. Denny, who told them that Wickham had been obliged to town on business the day before...” The reader may wonder about a man who tells self-pitying stories about his own life to a woman he barely knows, but Elizabeth seems to have few doubts—a testament, again, to the power of “first impressions” that is so important in the novel. She dislikes Darcy the first time she meets him. In contrast, she likes Wickham at their first acquaintance, leading her to believe his story even without hearing Darcy’s side of it, and against Jane’s greater sensibility. Despite Miss. Bingley’s warning, it is difficult to blame Elizabeth for not seeing the truth, however. Austen has established Miss Bingley as a spiteful, treacherous figure in the preceding chapters, and Elizabeth has no reason to value her warning about Wickham more than the trust she instinctively places in him. Conversely, her failure to ask Darcy about the matter directly while they are dancing is less excusable.
““When you met us there the other day, we had just been forming a new acquaintance,”
The effect was immediate. A deeper shade of hauteur overspread his features…”
However, she brings the issue up in a manner that assumes Wickham to be telling the truth (an assumption that is her key error). Unsurprisingly, Darcy is unwilling to talk given those terms. This leads Elizabeth to become convinced that Wickham is telling the truth and that Darcy “deserves to be publicly humiliated.”
The marriage between Darcy and Elizabeth reveals the characteristics which constitutes towards successful marriage. One of these characteristics is that love cannot be brought on by appearances, and must gradually develop between the two people as they get to know one another. Darcy’s immediate opinion of Elizabeth is that “she is tolerable but not handsome enough to tempt me.” Mr Darcy was not remotely attracted to Elizabeth and yet when he learns of her true personality he admits that “My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.” From Darcy not being remotely tempted by Elizabeth he grows so passionate for her that he believes his love is strong enough to spend the rest of his life with her. This proves that he does not love her for his physical desires towards her but instead, he loves her for her personality.
Elizabeth's and Darcy's relationship is filled with trials and tribulations, misjudgements and prejudice, eventually culminating in a blissful union of two complementary souls. Their relationship begins at an inauspicious starting point when they first meet at the Meryton assembly, with both receiving unfavourable first impressions. Elizabeth thinks Darcy a proud, cold man as a result of his reserve and his slighting her, “tolerable, not handsome enough to tempt me,” and this “remained with no very cordial feelings towards him.” Her assessment of his character, given her limited exposure to him, in those unfortunate circumstances is most natural and understandable.
Darcy, on the other hand, is to be blamed for his lack of prudence and his pride, which leads him to criticize Elizabeth most unfairly in that first encounter. This indeed, jeopardizes his prospects of a “lasting happiness” with Elizabeth, as he leaves an indelible first impression which colours Elizabeth's later judgements of his character.
However, as the novel progresses, Darcy shows enough flexibility and good sense to change his opinion of Elizabeth. Thus, his first inclination of scorning her is erased as he becomes enamoured of Elizabeth as a result of her witty intelligence and spirit, such that he began to find that “her eyes were” rendered uncommonly intelligent by the “beautiful expression.” After repeated meetings and verbal parries with Elizabeth, Darcy's first impression of her is completely replaced by ardent affection, as he sees in her a kindred spirit. It is his prudent judgement and flexibility which temper his inclination to scorn and criticize, such that he is able to recognize in Elizabeth a worthy wife and companion, despite her social standing and Lydia's elopement. Therefore, we must credit his prudent judgement for his remarkable change in opinion, which paves the way for his future happiness with Elizabeth.
Unfortunately, Elizabeth displays little of her cautious judgement and astute assessment with regard to Darcy. It is for this singular reason that her relationship with Darcy is fraught with difficulty. After her first meeting with Darcy, Elizabeth determinedly preserves her prejudice against Darcy, even after repeated incidents which attest to his credibility of character, displaying uncharacteristic lack of intelligent and careful judgement.
After the monumental unveiling of the truth about Wickham and his past, Elizabeth’s former dislike of Darcy is reversed, and after a few more obstacles (Lydia's engagement), which ironically brings them together, they reveal their mutual affection for each other, and are joined in a joyful union.
The relationship between the two characters reveals Austen’s values on love not being centred around beauty or immediate attraction but rather, knowing the personality of your partner before you devote your life to them. Darcy and Elizabeth are amongst the few characters within the novel that marry for love. They are also among the few characters who find happiness. Austen represented her beliefs on the importance of marrying for love through Darcy and Elizabeth and uses the Darcy-Elizabeth relationship to prove to the audience that happiness in marriage can only be achieved if the couple feel love for one another.
In contrast, Jane and Bingley's relationship proves that too much of prudent judgement can damage, most severely, the possibility of lasting happiness. The two characters are immediately charmed by each other at the Meryton assembly. Jane's prudence is revealed as she “who had been cautious in her praise of Mr. Bingley before, expressed to her sister how very much she admired him.” Jane's prudent judgement and utmost caution are apparent from the beginning of their relationship, and it is this factor which proves most damaging to any blissful future prospects, whilst Elizabeth is pleased that Jane displays caution and “united with great strength of feeling, a composure of temper ... which would guard her from the suspicious or the impertinent,” Charlotte Lucas is surprisingly accurate in her declaration that less cautious judgement is required and that “he [Bingley] may never do more than like her [Jane], if she does not help him on."
It is Jane's guardedness which is the sole reason for Bingley and the Netherfield party leaving the country, as he is so “modest” that her apparent lack of affection had led him to trust in Darcy's advice and to leave. Jane has completely hidden her inclinations of affection for Bingley beneath her prudent judgement and distance, such that his affection is not encouraged, but is crushed, and any prospect of marriage seems impossible. It is only after Elizabeth has revealed to Darcy her sister's feelings that Jane realizes her own fault in his leaving her: “he really loved me, and nothing but a persuasion of my being indifferent, would have prevented his coming down again.” Thus, Jane's excessive carefulness and caution would have ruined her lasting happiness had not Elizabeth revealed her affection.
Bingley, on the other hand, is not hampered by excessive prudent judgement in his following his inclinations and courting Jane, and it is his active approach in wooing Jane which eventually precipitates a joyous marriage.
In her portrayal of Jane and Bingley's relationship, Austen provides a counterpoint to Elizabeth and Darcy's relationship by showing that an excessive amount of prudent judgement and caution can so much temper inclinations, such that with so little encouragement offered, prospects of lasting happiness can be endangered and lost.
Jane Austen has cleverly used Elizabeth Bennet in the novel, so that we are influenced to agree with her attitudes on the importance of marrying for love. Austen has used her characters to express the different opinions towards marriage. Such characters as Mr Collins and Charlotte Lucas and Wickham and Lydia represent marriage for superficial purposes, which can never result in happiness. The juxtaposition between the characters of Darcy and Elizabeth show the audience that happiness in marriage can only be achieved if the couple both throw away immediate physical attractions and financial desires and marry for nothing else but true love.
Through her contentious book, Austen brings to surfaces aspects of the 1800s marriages and declares that most people did marry for the wrong reasons: she isolated herself from these common attitudes and reveals that in her opinion, it takes a very good, brave person to see past faults of society and that only in accepting someone who you understand and love, that marriage can be expected to last: Austen was obviously a romantic. Only now, when women have gained satisfactory financial security to enable them to make marriage choices dictated solely by romantic considerations, have Austen’s views become conventional; however, we still place a lot of faith in wealth and social status.