Mrs Bennet is often made to look a fool by her husband, which makes this society seem even more intense. Mrs Bennet’s constant humiliation adds to the story. She is a character which is meant to be laughed at.
We are given an excellent quotation to provide our first views on the intentions of Mrs Bennet:
‘You must know that I am thinking of his marrying one of them.’ This quotation implies that Mrs Bennet’s central interest is to get each of her daughters married. From the way Mrs Bennet is perceived, this shows Jane Austen’s view that women in her time lacked status. The narrative style in which Austen is using makes it apparent to the reader that Mrs Bennet is made to be laughed at. Mr Bennet’s lack of interest at the beginning of the chapter reinforces this theory:
‘You want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it.’
One of the first marriages in Pride and Prejudice is Mr Collins and Charlotte Lucas. Mr Collins firstly proposes to the young Elizabeth Bennet but she refuses. Collins is made to look a fool by Jane Austen. This implies that his character and his goings on are not meant to be taken seriously. Mr Collins is the male beneficiary to the Bennet’s estate. He is desperate to marry simply for the inheritance of the estate and for his own social security. He is very obligated to Lady Catherine De Bourgh. He insists to Elizabeth that it is because of Lady Catherine’s wishes that he should marry:
‘…while Mrs Jenkinson was arranging Miss de Bourgh’s foot-stool, that she said, “Mr Collins you must marry. A clergyman like you must marry…’
He then continues to describe his reasons for marrying but not one of his reasons is for love:
‘My reasons for marrying are, first, that I think it a right thing for every clergyman in easy circumstances (like myself) to set the example of matrimony in his parish…’
Collins is put across as a foolish character who is meant to be humoured, as he does not seem to take no for an answer. He believes that when Elizabeth says no to his proposal, that she is merely teasing him and so he continues. The reader feels further embarrassment for him when she continues to turn down his many offers. Collins is so wrapped up in himself and the fact that Elizabeth would want to marry him simply for social security. There is no mention of love at all:
‘…and I flatter myself it will not sink me in your esteem.’
Charlotte has no want of love at all, as is shown in the language used:
‘Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance.’
Mr Collins finally decides that Elizabeth really is not interested in him at all and leaves. Charlotte Lucas takes advantage of Mr Collins’ downfall and believes she would make an honourable wife to him. She also talks not of love and commitment, but of a home and inheritance. Charlotte has no want of love at all, as is shown in the language used:
‘Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance.’
Charlotte is desperate to be married, but as shown in her marriage to Collins, is not in desperate need of love. She is desperate to marry but at the same time she wants others to be happy. She is a loyal friend:
‘I wish Jane success with all my heart; and if she were married to him tomorrow, I should think she had as good a chance of happiness, as if she were to be studying his character for twelve-month.’
Her loyalty as a friend seems to disappear as soon as her chance of being married occurs.
The style in which this part of the story is written has an underlying twist. An example of this is:
‘Miss Lucas perceived him from an upper window as he walked to the house and instantly set out to meet him accidentally in the lane.’
This shows an irony of tone in the language used.
Jane Austen’s point of view is put across through the character of Charlotte Lucas. She portrays how people of her time would have viewed an ideal marriage at that time. Charlotte and Collins’ marriage will be successful because neither of them are marrying for love and lead separate lives. They both have someone or something to fall back on and the marriage is based like a contract. The marriage agreement suits them both fine because they have no want for love but for social security.
Jane Austen portrays an example of an unacceptable relationship, at that time, through the characters of Lydia Bennet and Mr Wickham. This relationship was an embarrassment to the Bennet family. This relationship is perceived as a failure, due to the way Lydia is presented to the reader. She is still a child and acts like it most of the time. This is not a basis for a successful marriage. This marriage is an example of when the reader develops their own views on the success of the marriage. The way the relationship is presented makes it apparent to the reader that this marriage should not be taken seriously.
Lydia seems to be either jealous or would like to be like Charlotte Lucas, because she states that she will be able to live comfortably and never be distressed for money.
Lydia later decides to run off with Mr Wickham to marry, much to the astonishment of her mother. It is apparent to the reader that Lydia is not a very highly thought of person in the household, therefore when she decides to leave with Mr Wickham it comes really of no surprise:
‘Lydia will never be easy until she has exposed herself in some public place or other and we can never expect her to do it with so little expense or inconvenience to her family…’
This quotation really does provide the substantiation that Lydia is a predictable person who does not present herself appropriately.
Lydia's improper actions will surely ruin any of her sisters chances of becoming decently married. Running off with a man you are not properly married to is not tolerated during this time. This is an age of manners, etiquette, rules, and codes. However, the rules that society lives by can be romantic barriers for a magnificent marriage, as we will see later on with Darcy and Elizabeth.
When Lydia returns from fleeing with Wickham, she has become very discourteous and abrupt with her sisters. She feels she is superior now because she was the first to be married:
‘My Aunt Philips wants you so to get husbands, you can’t think.’
The only person who seems to be close to Lydia in the Bennet family is Kitty:
‘Lydia, assisted by Kitty’s hints and additions, endeavour to amuse her companions all the way to Longbourn.’
This quote presents a fine cameo of the Kitty and Lydia relationship.
There is a slight possibility that Mr and Mrs Bennet’s relationship could have been rather like Lydia and Wickham’s. This is because it will be all to do with sexual relations at the beginning and will die down later. The reader may be able to relate Mr and Mrs Bennet being perceived as Lydia and Wickham in years to come.
Throughout the whole story Jane Bennet and Mr Bingley have their ups and downs. Right from the start the reader can settle on the fact that there will be some relations, at some point, between the two. When the pair finally gets married, the reader feels a sense of relief and happiness for them. This marriage has been portrayed throughout the novel as probably the most ideal marriage. It is a marriage based purely on love and attraction, rather than money and sexual relations. Jane has a very reserved personality which helps her to finally win Mr Bingley over. Bingley is attracted to Jane and vice versa but they aren’t just flirtatious, they compliment each other. Austen’s omniscient narrator at this time leads us to the fact that she wants the reader to value this marriage.
This marriage is certain to be one that the reader can mostly relate to. It seems to be the perfect way of living a happy marriage. Jane does sincerely wish for herself and her sisters to truly be happy in a marriage as this quotation shows:
‘My dear, dear Lizzy, I would – I do congratulate you – but are you certain? Forgive the question – are you quite certain that you can be happy with him?’
Jane is Mrs Bennet’s most prized daughter. Mrs Bennet is assured that Jane's beauty and meticulous manners will win her a prized husband who may be able to support not just Jane, but her other sisters as well. The story of this quest is told through the second daughter, Elizabeth.
Elizabeth is a cherished friend of Jane’s, not just her sister. They both seem to want to marry for love and that is why the two marriages are so comparable. Elizabeth is a very level headed woman who sticks to her beliefs. . Elizabeth does not comprehend why someone would marry without any true love for his or her husband, as in Charlotte’s case. The most likely cause of her lack of understanding probably results from growing up in a household where her mother and father showed no affection whatsoever for each other. Elizabeth is mindful of her father's mistake in marrying her mother.
Elizabeth’s attitude towards marriage is shown through her conversations with her sisters, mainly Jane:
‘Miss Bingley sees that her brother is in love with you, and wants him to marry Miss Darcy. She follows him to town in hope of keeping him there, and tries to persuade you that he does not care about you.’
Here she is trying to help Jane and from the language used, Elizabeth seems a very understanding person and has got the situation correct down to the very last detail. She is clever.
Elizabeth and Mr Darcy’s relationship changes on a day to day basis. This is due to Mr Darcy’s “Pride” and Elizabeth’s “Prejudice.” At the beginning of the novel, Darcy did not really have any intentions of having any further relations with Elizabeth:
‘She is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me...’
Elizabeth at this very same point does not seem to want anything further with him either:
‘Elizabeth remained with no very cordial feelings towards him.’
This seems to be a relationship which has progressed immensely since day one and is one that will continue to progress with time.
We get a more in depth view of Mr Darcy’s feelings towards Elizabeth in chapter ten. It is at this point that there seems to be more to him than just his severe stubbornness and his tendency to be a proud man:
‘…Mr Darcy’s eyes were fixed on her.’
The narrator presents dramatic irony to the situation when we, the readers, gain a more in depth account of Darcy’s feelings towards Elizabeth:
‘…Darcy had never been so bewitched by any woman as he was by her.’
This marriage is a true marriage to which people of this society could relate to. People do understand that relationships have their ups and downs, as in this relationship.
Throughout the entire novel, the reader often has the chance to express their own views on a certain marriage. On the whole, it seems that society at this time would like to be married for money and social security, rather than love. It was acceptable for two people who did not love each other to marry, at that time. There are occasions, as with Elizabeth and Darcy, and Jane and Bingley, where we gain Jane Austen’s view at the time. Jane Austen also believes that you should marry for love. There are many humorous characters throughout the novel which adds to the effect.
I, myself believe that the marriages between Jane and Bingley, and Elizabeth and Darcy, will be very successful. This is because we have seen their relationships progress through the whole story and it is what a marriage would be like today.
Jane Austen has written this book to portray the acceptable marriages of her time. From her narrative writing we can gather that:
- We are not to take Lydia and Wickham’s relationship seriously.
- Charlotte and Collins have an understanding marriage, but not ideal.
- Darcy and Elizabeth are the couple that the readers want to be together.
- Jane and Bingley have the ideal marriage.
The reader is drawn in by all of the different situations that they encounter and this is what makes their relationships more understandable.