Explore Jane Austen's attitude to marriage in Pride and Prejudice

The first 200 words of this essay...

Explore Jane Austen's attitude to marriage in Pride and Prejudice

Looking at the social, historical and cultural context

In the 19th century when Austen wrote 'Pride and Prejudice', the way in which marriage was viewed was very different. It would have been expected of a young woman to find a 'suitable' partner for marriage before they were thirty, as after this they could be seen as an embarrassment to their family. By suitable, it does not mean in the way in which marriage is viewed today. Today marriage is seen as an expression of deep love and respect for another person. In Austen's time, a 'good' marriage was seen to be one where wealth and social status of the man and woman were socially suitable. There was very little, if nothing at all based on a good love match. This can be seen in Austen's opening statement, 'it is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.' Austen's use of irony immediately indicates that she does not agree with this popular view of her time. Austen's views are depicted throughout the book through the