explore the variety of attitudes towards marriage and love in Pride and Prejudice

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‘Pride and Prejudice’


W.J.E.C literature- Pre 1914 prose.

With detailed reference to chapters 1, 19, 34 and 58 of ‘Pride and Prejudice’ explore the variety of attitudes towards marriage and love.


Jane Austen was born on December 16th 1775; she was the seventh of eight children. The Austen family, a happy, well educated and affectionate family lived at the rectory in the parish of steventon in Hampshire. Of all Jane Austen’s novels ‘Pride and Prejudice’ seems to be the most popular and the most famous of them all. It is a love story, and romance is the key theme in the novel. In the times of Jane Austen, marriage helped women to move up in society and gain freedom which they could not get from their families. Men were the breadwinners in the household, however as of today marriage is very different as the two people have become equal, both partners have the same rights because generally they each bring in the same amount of income and commitment in the relationship.

In the novel some of the characters are associated with Pride and Prejudice. Understanding someone by examining them closely plays an important part in the stories plot. This is where the word “Prejudice” comes in, the themes sated are constantly displayed in a variety of characters, including Mrs. Bennet and Elizabeth, as they both prejudge and believe rumours passed on by their friends and family. The novel also explores the attitudes towards marriage and love through the choice of characters and their likes and dislikes. Social classes are also taken into account  playing a major role as a theme in Pride and Prejudice. People of higher class are very proud of themselves and do not like to socialise with those of a lower rank in society. An example of this is Mr. Darcy, who feels he has the moral superior and knowledge not to marry Elizabeth as he believes he is of a higher status and background to her. This is an interesting concept, as we gain a sense of understanding about the attitudes and thoughts of higher class men and women in the nineteenth century.

Jane Austen’s ‘Pride and Prejudice’ captures our attention stating two general human disadvantage. The writer is presenting in her story a warning about relying too much on first impressions and how this can lead to misjudgement and prejudice. Before making any assumptions concerning the personality of another person, one should at least try to get to know the person. Pride is a very important theme in the story. An example of a character who is frequently related to pride is Mr. Darcy who try his best not to integrate with the lower classes.

‘Pride and Prejudice,’ is based on the Bennet family and Mrs. Bennet wants to marry her daughters off before she dies. “You must know that I am thinking of him marrying one of them.” The reader can interpret this in several ways, some may consider Mrs. Bennet as being an evil, scheming and a spiteful person because the reader might feel she is inflicting unnecessary pressure on her poor daughters. Mrs. Bennet feels she has the right to “design” her daughters future, which I strongly believe she see’s this as an opportunity to move up in society and have more of a status within the community. This would give us an impression that she is selfish and doesn’t care about the effect her descision may have on her daughters. Others may believe she is doing what every mother would have done in the times of Jane Austen. We must take in account that Mrs. Bennet would have wanted the best for her children. She cares for her five daughters and doesn’t want them to be implemented with despair and anguish in years to come. If Mr. Bennet was to pass away, his daughters and Mrs. Bennet would be made homeless. In the 19th century women could not inherit the estate of their fathers, and the house would then passed on to the next man.

In chapter one of ‘Pride and Prejudice’ the reader can see the importance of marriage and its influence on how the characters attitudes are, the writer uses hysterical ridicule to create a sense of sarcasm in the first sentence, “It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.” Jane Austen has proclaimed that the main subject of the novel will be about the pursuit to love and marriage and the reader now realises it will be concerning a man in search for a women or a women in quest for a man. This is effective because the reader now understands what the story may be about, also preparing the reader for what’s in store. The word “acknowledged” suggests that society would approve of the marriage, in our modern day living we are more private and try our best not to share our thoughts and opinions about our love lives.

The chapter also shows us what women did in their free time. new rumours and gossip would be the main focus throughout the day, and new assumptions would be established by them. It also shows us the excitement to women when a new tenant moves in “a young man of large fortune” . Mrs. Bennet is overjoyed with the news of the man being “single” and feels it is an opportunity to introduce her daughters to this new resident. Jane Austen uses irony and satire through Mr. and Mrs. Bennet. Mr. Bennet uses sarcastic criticism to fool his wife who seems to not understand his humour. “for as you are as handsome as any of them.” Mrs. Bennet does not realize the joke and assumes that he is paying her a compliment. This shows us that they both are thoroughly opposite to one another. The reader may begin to get a sense that the
marriage is not working out and some may say the marriage is incompatible.

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Mrs. Bennet wants Mr. Bennet to go round and see Mr. Bingley so that her daughters and herself can become familiar with Mr. Bingley the new lodger. She feels by getting acquainted to Mr. Bingley he may take and interest in one of them and hopefully at least one will secure a husband rich enough to provide financially for the rest of the family. “But it is likely that he may fall in love with one of them.” The Bennet’s have neither spoken to nor seen him before and Mrs. Bennet is already planning for the future. This shows us ...

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