Chapter one begins with the following statement:
“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife”.
This sentence, the first of the novel, establishes the introduction, thus the centrefold of one of the major correlating themes with Pride and Prejudice, the theme of wealth, power and status. It is ironic as this being one of the first statements within the novel as life within 18th century England was primarily based upon marriage: social competition into who would marry who based primarily on the mere fact of wealth. There was constant pressure on women of those times to marry well in order to obtain financial security and social status for not only themselves, but also for their immediate family. A man’s fortune was ultimately dependent on their wealth and income therefore with Mr Bingley being described as earning “ four or five thousand a year” by Mrs Bennet, his financial advantage obviously subsidises his status within society offering an egotistical aspect into his wealth and again enhancing one of the more prominent themes within Pride and Prejudice, wealth. This quote by Mrs Bennet also augments the fact that she is somewhat a gossip within the novel and prepares us for her actions later on.
Chapter one successfully succeeds in introducing the main protagonists within the novel and the way in which they characterise themselves. Mr Bennet, for example, epitomizes favouritism early on in the novel favouring Elizabeth as opposed to the his other four daughters and is reflected when he says “though I must throw in a good word for my little Lizzy” and also when he states that “Lizzy has something more of quickness than her sisters”, whom he describes as “silly and ignorant like other girls”. Humour within Chapter one on behalf of both Mr and Mrs Bennet further enhances the aspect of unfit marriages within 19th century society. It’s comprehensible to see that they’re incompatible for one another. With it being only chapter one their antithetical attitudes clash in order to spark humour and also illustrate the failure of societies expectations: unfit marriages. We are engaged to think this when they dispute with one another, “You have no compassion on my poor nerves” with Mr Bennet replying, “you mistake me my dear. I have a high respect for your nerves. I have heard you mention them with consideration these twenty years at least
The end of Chapter 1 provides a character analysis for Mr. and Mrs. Bennett. Austen portrays Mr Bennett as being easy-going, reserved, and full of sarcastic humour, in contrast to Mrs Bennett, who is a woman of temperamental nature, one who listens to gossip and spreads it; a woman of limited understanding. This is illustrated thus, Mrs Bennett: “Mr Bennett, you take delight in vexing me. You have no compassion on my poor nerves.” He replies, “You mistake me, my dear, I have a high respect for your nerves. They are my old friends. I have heard you mention them with consideration these twenty years at least.”
In conclusion one can see that see that Chapter One introduces a variety of themes within Pride and Predujice that pursue to the contribution and success later on within the novel. Two of the chief themes within the novel are exemplified through chapter such as that of wealth and power and ultimately, pride.
