Towards the end of the novel Darcy gets too much fascinated by Elizabeth and proposes to her but she refuses him on the grounds of his own proud feelings and other factors that had contributed towards her ill feelings about him.
Nonetheless, Elizabeth, during her visit to Pemberly, Darcy’s great estate she learnt that Darcy is locally loved and respected by people.
However the surprise appears the next morning when she receives a letter from him describing his thoughts about her family’s bad behaviour and character.
However Elizabeth reacted to the letter by saying ‘“How despicably have I acted!”…″How humiliating is this discovery-Yet, how just a humiliation! Had I been in love, I could not have been more wretchedly blind…Till this moment I never knew myself”.
A little later during the end of the novel ‘Pride and Prejudice’ Lady Catherine makes a surprise visit and demands that Elizabeth should deny that she and Darcy are married. However, when Darcy learns of her refusal Darcy is encouraged to propose again. This time Elizabeth accepts and hence they get engaged. Meanwhile Darcy is overwhelmed with joy and shows his greatest appreciation by saying “Dearest, loveliest Elizabeth.”
From the marriages of Elizabeth and Darcy Jane Austen is trying to inform us that people like Elizabeth and Darcy can learn from their mistakes and change themselves. For this people Jane Austen tells us that living in love is possible and Darcy and Elizabeth were able to do that. In addition Jane Austen is trying to tell us that their marriages are out of true love because in Elizabeth’ and Darcy’s case Darcy was able to change Elizabeth’s prejudice and Elizabeth was able to change Darcy’s pride although Charlotte Lucas Elizabeth Elizabeth’s best friend already told her that Darcy has the right to be prod because of his wealth.
In addition this marriage reflects the time Jane Austen is writing in because at that time marriages of women like Elizabeth was the means of social improvement. However, without mentioning romance, Elizabeth was successful because “she had already secured upward mobility and security for her and her family” (Pride and Prejudice York notes). Elizabeth was also lucky because she was married to Darcy who was considered as from a upper-class family and he was loved by local people while she was from a slightly lower class family and such combination of upper-class and lower class marriage would have been considered as a disgrace because society was not liberalizing in the 1800’s.
Now I will discuss the marriages of Mr. Collins and Charlotte Lucas. Charlotte Lucas does not have any wealth nor does she have any beauty and this is why she is unable to attract a husband by acting in a clever understanding way. Therefore she is basically without hope for an upper class marriage.
However towards the middle of the novel Mr. Collins proposes to Elizabeth and he gets rejected by her so he immediately approaches Charlotte Lucas who accepts his proposal.
However Elizabeth is shocked to learn about Charlottes acceptance of Collin’s proposal considering that Mr. Collins in unattractive. However, Charlotte defends herself by saying “I am not romantic you know. I never was. I ask only a comfortable home; and considering Mr. Collins character, connections, and situation in life, I am convinced that my chanced of happiness is fair as most people can boast on entering the marriage state.”
Hence we learn that Charlotte Lucas cannot hope for a handsome man but what she could hope fore is a safe home and live life in a sensible degree of comfort.
Later on in the novel Charlotte Lucas talks to Elizabeth about her sister. She expresses her opinion about Jane’s relationship with another man. Charlotte goes even further in saying “…it is better to know as little as possible of the defects of the person with whom you are to pass your life.”
Through the marriages of Charlotte Lucas and Mr Collins Jane Austen is trying to inform us that individuals like Charlotte Lucas and Mr Collins cannot hope for a marriage that is because of beauty but such marriages will give them the economic advantage.
Their marriages also once more reflects the time Jane Austen is writing in because Charlottes beliefs about the reality and the economy of partnership has got something to do with the right of people depending on themselves in the 18th century.
Finally I will discuss the marriages of Mrs. Bennet to Mr. Bennet. The novel ‘Pride and Prejudice’ starts of with the Bennet family, Mr. And Mrs. Bennet live at long bourn in Hertfordshire near to the town of Meryton. Mrs. Bennet is silly in the sense that she is obsessed to find her five daughters husbands. This is why when a rich bachelor Mr. Bingley takes up residence at Nether field. She is anxious to get in touch with Mr. Bingley and without Mr. Bennet first paying a formal visit the chance of linking up would be lost.
For Mr. Bennet’s part he is studious and “is content to tease his wife and express good natured amusements at yet another demonstration of her ‘nerves’ (Pride and Prejudice York notes).
However Jane Austen describes the marriage between Mr. And Mrs. Bennet as not being a model of matrimony.
In this novel we learn from the marriages of Mrs. Bennet that she got married to Mr. Bennet on the grounds of financial gain and this is exactly what she wishes for her five daughters. A little later in the novel in chapter seven we learn that Mrs. Bennet’s inheritance is insufficient to support her daughters and on the other hand Mr. Bennet’s income will be passed on to a distant relative. This is why she tried and managed to attract Mr. Bennet by being nice and charming but it is obvious that she done this for financial gain.
In this novel every action done by Mrs. Bennet is unintentionally intended to undermine the benefit of Mrs. Bennet’s five daughters. This is why when Elizabeth turns down the proposal of marriage with Collins Mrs. Bennet becomes really frustrated because Mr. Collins was extremely wealthy. This circumstance shows how obsessed Mrs. Bennet is with materialism and how unmindful she is about considering a persons beauty. However if Elizabeth was to also turn down the marriage proposal Darcy then Mrs. Bennet would have been absolutely disturbed.
Through the marriages of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet Jane Austen is trying to inform us that marriage because of the bonds of money rather than the bonds of love normally ends up unsuccessful and sad. In addition Jane Austen is also trying to inform us through the marriages of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet that marriages are incomplete if marriages are for the obsession of the moment, because this is a bad base to start with which will not last as a happy marriage. Subsequently she also is trying to inform us that Mr. Bennet had been “captivated by youth and beauty” but Mrs. Bennet’s “weak understanding and illiberal mind” stopped any lasting affection.
In addition the marriages of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet reflects the time Jane Austen is writing in because the marriages of the 18th century were more like a business transaction than it was in the 1810 century. Because the greater families thought that marriages would make stronger connections and thus this will keep them in power.
In conclusion it could be said that marriages because of money and financial gain would end up unsuccessful or unhappy. On the other hand Jane Austen is also trying to justify in this novel that marriage because of love and passion may perhaps end up successful and happy.
Therefore the novel ‘Pride and Prejudice’ written by Jane Austen proves that a balance must be met in marriage to make it a successful and a happy loving marriage as seen in the marriages Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy.
