In contrast to the marriage of Charlotte and Mr Collins is the marriage between Mr Wickham and Lydia which is full of passion and lust. The marriage is forced upon the Bennett family and their uncle Gardiner but it is really Mr Darcy that takes all the trouble of it, paying off Wickham’s debts and forcing him to marry Lydia, saving her from social ruin. As the marriage is forced this suggest that the marriage will be unhappy and that they are unsuited in marriage, Lydia is still of course only fifteen. They will live a life of financial insecurity as Wickham is a gambling man and has ran up immense debts, this is proved as towards the end of the book when Elizabeth is married to Mr Darcy she receives a letter from Lydia asking for money as well as ‘Wickham would like a place at court very much, and I do not think we shall have quite enough money to live upon without some help. Any place would do, of about three or four hundred a year;’ Elizabeth and Jane have both married well and Lydia will always beg money from them.
Jane and Bingley are both very well suited in their marriage as they are both of very sweet temperaments Mr Bennett jokes about their gentle natures and says ‘you are each of you so complying, that nothing will ever be resolved on; so easy, that every servant will cheat you;’. Due to Mr Darcy separating them their feelings have grown stronger for one another ‘would you believe it, Lizzy, that when to town last November, he really loved me, and nothing but a persuasion of my being indifferent, would have prevented his coming down again!’ they both misunderstood each other ‘last November’ as Jane believed that he no longer cared for her as Miss Bingley had written to her telling her that ‘he is much engaged with Mr Darcy and his sister’
The novel also contains many other themes relating to and influencing the subject of marriage such as: the role of women, society, love and of course pride and prejudice. Austen writes towards the beginning of the nineteenth century when the role of women was very different women in the nineteenth century did not enjoy the freedom and opportunities that a women does nowadays. Women are educated, allowed to go out to work, have careers, and earn money to support themselves. Women in the nineteenth century were considered as inferior to men and therefore women received a very simple and inferior education to men, some very rich family such as the Darcy’s or the Bingley’s could afford to educate their daughters well we are told in the novel that the two Miss Bingleys ‘had been educated in one of the first private seminars in town’ other families of not such wealth such as the Bennett’s could not afford to send their daughters to ‘private seminars in town’ but their daughters would have received a very basic education. A families wealth was partly judged on how well educated their daughters were. There was simply no need to educate a women in the nineteenth century women were not going to establish themselves as professionals such as doctors or lawyers the only career open to a women was marriage, a women would either marry or run the risk of being an old maid living with a rich sister or working as a governess in the home of a rich family teaching other girls from their basic education , being a governess was very hard for a woman as she did not belong with the servant but she neither belonged above stairs with the family therefore it was a very uncomfortable and difficult life for a governors and many did not want to run the risk.
Jane Austen herself was part of this society and would have experienced the same treatment of women for example a women wanting to publish her novels such as Austen would have found it very hard and she would often have to use a male name in order for her books to be published. Jane Austen writes from experience and therefore she can fully empathise with the situation and feelings of women such as the Bennett’s.
The society and social class Jane Austen focuses on in the novel is the gentry an extensive social class with many different ranks and levels within it. Families had different ways of establishing themselves many did this through trade we are told that Mr Bingley’s family’s fortune had been established through trade like many others such as Sir William Lucas and Mr Gardiner to be associated with trade was something of an insult and trades people were excluded from the gentry for example Sir William Lucas is a tradesman but is eager to better himself in society and prove himself a member of the gentry. Sir William is uncommonly proud of his title as Sir and often speaks of St Jamie’s Palace and of how he is associated with the court, ‘Do you often dance at St James’s?’
Other families such as the Bennett’s and the Darcy’s have been born into gentry. Even though Mr Darcy and Mr Bennett have been born into the gentry they are both of very different backgrounds and wealth. Mr Darcy is from an every ancient family, he has ten thousand a year and a large estate in Derbyshire. Pemberley Mr Darcy’s estate has a very large ‘park and contained great variety of ground’ the house itself ‘was a large, handsome, stone building, standing well on rising ground, and backed by a ridge of high woody hills;- and in front, a stream of some natural importance’. The house itself was furnished with ‘furniture suitable to the fortune of the proprietor’ Mr Darcy would have employed a land agent to take care of his lands and would have many tenants on his land to tend and harvest the land. Mr Darcy’s great estate would be today’s equivalent of a stately home. Mr Darcy is therefore a very eligible and a good catch. Mr Darcy’s ten thousand a year may not seem much by today’s standards but this amount in the nineteenth century would have been a great amount indeed in contrast to Mr Darcy, Mr Bennett’s ‘property consisted almost entirely of an estate of two thousand a year’. Mr Bennett would have a small estate and may have employed an agent to run it. Mr Bennett’s estate was ‘entailed in default on heirs male, on a distant relation’ Mr Bennett having only five daughters and no sons when he died his estate would go directly to his cousin Mr Collins, therefore leaving his wife and his daughters virtually penniless therefore his daughters needed to marry and marry well to secure stability and for social improvement. Austen is very critical of the social classes and the society of women of the time in a way she mocks this we see this when at the ball when Mr Darcy refuses to dance with any one except Mr Bingley’s sisters and says that ‘At such an assembly as this, it would be insupportable’ Mr Darcy is saying that he will not dance as he sees it as a ‘punishment to me to stand up with’ any woman this is because Mr Darcy is socially superior to the society he is mixing with at the ball and will not dance with anyone below him.
Elizabeth Bennett is the central character and the heroine of the novel, who Austen uses to exhibit and portray the difficulties for women in the nineteenth century. Elizabeth is a prime example of the hardship a women in the nineteenth century suffered. She is the second of the Bennett sisters who’s father’s estate is entailed to her father’s cousin Mr Collins. Elizabeth therefore in order to survive and have the substantial security in life must marry well. Elizabeth unlike other young ladies in her place does not s
Elizabeth is the favourite of her father he recognises her quickness and wit ‘though I must throw in a good word for my little Lizzy’ he says when teasing his wife about calling on Mr Bingley. Elizabeth is a highly intelligent woman she does not have the equivalent education or worldly knowledge of Mr Darcy yet she is prepared to engage in conversation and lively debate with him, when Jane catches cold from riding in the rain to Netherfield to take tea with miss Bingley Elizabeth goes to keep Jane comfort and to ensure that she is alright. While staying at Netherfield Elizabeth on three separate occasions when in conversation with Mr Darcy is provocative, teasing and argumentative with him. Elizabeth on one occasion goads and provokes Mr Darcy into admitting his pride and intolerance Elizabeth teasing Mr Darcy says that ‘I am perfectly convinced that Mr Darcy has no defect. He owns it himself without disguise’ Mr Darcy replies telling Elizabeth that she is wrong ‘I have faults enough, but they are not, I hope, of understanding’ Mr Darcy then goes on to explain his faults ‘my temper I dare not vouch for.-It is I believe too little yielding – certainly too little for the convenience of the world’ therefore admitting his ‘defect’ of character. Mr Darcy admires Elizabeth’s readiness to argue and oppose him and finds himself becoming very attracted to her.
Mr Darcy also mentions that everyone has a fault in there character ‘There is I believe, in every disposition a tendency to some particular evil, a natural defect, which not even the best education can overcome’ Mr Darcy is saying here that everyone has a defect in character which makes a person blind to the defects of others, both characters Elizabeth and Mr Darcy have a certain blind spot because of their respective pride and prejudice. For example Elizabeth is prejudice towards Mr Darcy because she has been influenced by Mr Wickham who she believes has been treated most badly by Mr Darcy she is blind to Mr Wickham’s faults and is predisposed to believe him because of her dislike of Mr Darcy. Elizabeth believes herself to be a good judge of character but later when the truth emerges Elizabeth must admit to herself that her judgement was wrong. Mr Darcy is proud and prides himself on being a gentleman. Mr Darcy socially higher than the Bennett family who are much socially inferior to him Miss Bingley tells Mr Darcy on several occasions that it is an insult to him to be acquainted with the family and
Elizabeth is a sensible girl we see with Mr Collins
We first learn of Mr Collins through a letter to Mr Bennett addressing him about his visit to Longbourn. Mr Collins is the heir of Longbourn and Mr Bennett tells us that he is a person ‘who I never saw in the whole course of my life’. Mr Collins begins the letter by referring to a past argument between Mr Bennett and his father and tells Mr Bennett that he was in two minds whether to contact him as ‘fearing lest it might seem disrespectful to his memory for me to be on good terms with any one, with whom it had always pleased him to be at variance’ Mr Collins explains that he writes the letter to ‘heal the breach’, make peace with the Bennetts. Mr Collins true reasons for making peace with the Bennett family is that he has been told to get married by his patroness Lady Catherine de Bourgh he hints and refers to marrying one of Mr Bennett’s daughters in the letter ‘I cannot be otherwise than concerned at being injuring your amiable daughters, and beg leave to apologise for it, as well as to assure you of my readiness to make them every possible amends,’ the ‘possible amends’ Mr Collins is referring to is the marriage to one of his five cousins. The letter shows Mr Collins to be very arrogant and self-important as he talks in great boring detail about himself and him patroness Lady Catherine de Bourgh QUOTE we also observe his pomposity at the Netherfield ball when he informally introduces himself to Mr Darcy. This was considered a breach of etiquette in polite society to enter into a conversation, especially with someone of superior rank, as Mr Darcy, without a formal introduction. Mr Collins believes that it is a compliment to Mr Darcy’s aunt by assuring Mr Darcy that his aunt ‘was quite well yesterday se’nnight’ Mr Collins tells Elizabeth who tries to discourage him and save him from the embarrassment that ‘I consider myself more fitted by education and habitual study to decide on what is right than a young lady like yourself.’ The way in which Mr Collins speaks to Elizabeth is condescending and patronizing he himself is ignorant he does not even take into consideration or think about what she has told him as he believes himself to be right and will not listen to her because to him she is below him in every respect.
Mr Collins proudly declares himself a clergyman ‘so fortunate as to be distinguished by the patronage of the Right Honourable Lady Catherine de Bourgh’ clergy men were members of the gentry, second sons of rich families often became clergymen as they were respected in society and could mix with any rank in society from the very poor to the very rich. Even though Mr Collins is a clergyman he has no sense of spirituality this is shown by the way he exhibits himself to the other characters for example in his proposal to Elizabeth . A patron such as Lady Catherine de Bourgh was someone who presented a clergy man to his benefice for example a rectory, vicarage or a perpetual curacy ‘she made not the smallest objection to his joining in the society of the neighbourhood, nor to his leaving his parish occasionally for a week or two, to visit his relations. She had even condescended to advise him to marry as soon as he could, provided he chose with discretion; and had once paid him a visit in his humble parsonage; where she had perfectly approved all the alterations he had been making and had even vouched safe to suggest some herself’ Mr Collins is very proud of his patroness and is infatuated and obsessed by her as he talks of her a great deal and often very tactlessly compares Rosings to peoples houses often insulting and offending them when at Mrs Philips, Elizabeth’s aunts drawing room Mr Collins ‘declared he might almost have supposed himself to be in the smaller summer breakfast parlour at Rosings’ this is a great insult to Mrs Philips as she does not know what Rosings is and for her drawing room the most impressive and largest room in the house to be compared to a ‘smaller summer breakfast room’ is an immense offence. Therefore showing that Mr Collins is a insensitive and ignorant man. His tactlessness and indiscretion is also shown when dinning with the Bennett’s Mr Collins ‘begged to know to which of his fair cousins, the excellence of its cookery was owing’ this is an insulting remark to Mrs Bennett and her daughters as they are the daughters of a gentleman and cooking was not an appropriate pursuit for a gentlewoman.
The letter produces very mixed feelings from the Bennett’s. Elizabeth is confused by the letter and ‘cannot make him out’ she asks Mr Bennett ‘can he be a sensible man, Sir.’ Mr replies telling her that ‘No, my dear; I think not. I have great hopes of finding him quite the reverse.’ Mr Bennett being a very frivolous man sees Mr Collins as an object of fun and humour in which to mock and laugh at. Mr Collins plays into Mr Bennett who asks Mr Collins ‘it is happy for you that you posses the talent of flattering with delicacy. May I ask whether these pleasing attentions proceed from impulse of the moment, or a result of previous study?’ Here Mr Bennett is completely mocking Mr Collins by asking whether his talent of flattery is spontaneous or practiced and rehearsed Mr Bennett is indirectly accusing Mr Collins of being a suck up which he is, Mr Collins plays into Mr Bennett by admitting to it ‘I amuse myself with suggesting and arranging such little compliments as may be adapted to ordinary occasions’ Mr Collins is a self important pompous fool and he demonstrates this very well while speaking to Mr Bennett.
In comparison to Mr Bennett’s reaction to the letter is Mrs Bennett who before hearing the letter could not bear to ‘talk of that odious man’ has a sudden change of heart perhaps after hearing of his making ‘amends’ to her five single daughters she says that ‘if he is disposed to make them any amends, I shall not be the person to discourage him’ Mrs Bennett’s sole purpose in life is to marry off her daughters she sees Mr Collins as a very suitable match for any of her five girls as he will inherit her house and is ‘distinguished by the patronage of the right honourable Lady Catherine de Bourgh’ Mrs Bennett later tells Mr Collins that ‘her eldest daughter, she must just mention –she felt incumbent on her to hint, was likely to be very soon engaged’ therefore Mrs Bennett offers Mr Collins any of her daughters except Jane.
We witness Mrs Bennett’s determination in getting her daughters married by her behaviour when Mr Collins asks her for ‘the honour of a private audience with her (Lizzy) in the course of the morning’ Mrs Bennett readily agrees but ignores Elizabeth’s desire for her to stay ‘Dear ma’am, do not go – I beg you will not go. - Mr Collins must excuse me. – he can have nothing to me that any body need not hear. I am going away myself.’ She is dismissive of Elizabeth’s expressive decline to stay and says ‘Lizzy, I insist upon your staying and hearing Mr Collins.’ Mrs Bennett then scurries off upstairs leaving Elizabeth to face Mr Collins. All aspects of Mr Collins’s personality become revealed in his proposal. He begins by telling Elizabeth ‘that your modesty, so far from doing you any disservice, rather add to your other perfections’ Mr Collins believes that Elizabeth’s wish not to stay is the fact that she is being coy and playing games with him, he has a large self confidence and is very self important Elizabeth is not playing games she wishes to leave so she may not hear Mr Collins. She tells him that ‘I do assure you, Sir, that I have no pretensions whatever to do with elegance which consists in tormenting a respectable man.’
Mr Collins is hypocritical in what he says he tells Elizabeth that ‘as soon as I entered the house I singled you out as the compassion of my future life.’ This is of course a lie as we know that Mr Collins singled Jane out first but after speaking to Mrs Bennett who made aware to Mr Collins the fact that Jane ‘was likely to be very soon engaged’ therefore Mr Collins ‘had only to change from Jane to Elizabeth - and it was soon done- while Mrs Bennett was stirring the fire. Elizabeth, equally next to Jane in birth and beauty, succeeded her of course.’ Mr Collins is therefore very insincere as he says that he singled Elizabeth out ‘as soon as I entered the house’ and then he contradicts himself by saying that his reasons for ‘coming into Hertfordshire with the design of selecting a wife, as I certainly did.’ Mr Collins could not have singled Elizabeth out first as she was a stranger to him.
Mr Collins’s proposal is very impersonal and is similar to a sermon as it sounds rehearsed Mr Collins lists his reasons for marriage he goes into large boring detail and speaks in points for example ‘first that I think it a right thing for every clergyman’, ‘secondly that I am convinced it will add greatly to my happiness; and thirdly which I ought to have mentioned earlier, that it is the particular advice and recommendation of the very noble lady whom I have the honour of calling patroness’ Mr Collins says that he should have mentioned the fact the Lady Catherine told him to get married first before anything else therefore showing that Mr Collins has more passion and love for Lady Catherine than Elizabeth who he fails to mention at all. When Mr Collins does mention Elizabeth he insults and offends her. Mr Collins tells Elizabeth what Lady Catherine has told him regarding a wife ‘choose properly, choose a gentlewoman fore my sake and for your own; let her be an active useful sort of person, not brought up too high, but able to make a small income go a good way. Find such a woman as soon as you can, bring her to Hunsford and I will visit her’ Mr Collins is simply getting a wife as he has been told and he tactlessly makes Elizabeth aware of it he insults her by reporting of what Lady Catherine has said ‘not brought up too high’. Mr Collins believes that Elizabeth should be thankful and pleased as she is to be aquatinted with Lady Catherine who will visit her but Elizabeth does not feel this way she sees it as though she must demean herself like Mr Collins but Elizabeth being a strong willed and independent character will not do so.
Mr Collins sees his proposal as a favour and a good deed towards Elizabeth to compensate for her fathers death and his inheriting Longbourn he tells Elizabeth that he chose to come to Longbourn instead of ‘my own neighbourhood, where, I assure you there are many amiable young women’ he is telling Elizabeth that she is lucky as he choose her instead of any other ‘amiable young woman’ Mr Collins’s self importance is also shown here but as far Elizabeth is concerned she is far from lucky that he chooses to propose to her. Mr Collins is arrogant in his proposal he refers to her fathers death and diminishes her by telling her that ‘To fortune I am perfectly indifferent, and shall make no demand of that nature on your father, since I am well aware that it could not be complied with’ Mr Collins is telling Elizabeth that he will not ask her father for as dowry as he knows that he cannot offer him one. Mr Collins believes that he is being generous and that Elizabeth will thank him for his charity little does he know or think that he is being insensitive and rude by insulting her and her family. Mr Collins is greedy he and materialistic he has worked out how much money Elizabeth will be entitled to ‘one thousand pounds in the four per cents, which will not be yours till after your mother’s decease, is all that you may ever be entitled to.’ Mr Collins is very thoughtless and insensitive when referring to Elizabeth’s mother’s and father’s deaths. He flatters himself by being generous ‘I shall be uniformly silent, and you may as sure yourself that no ungenerous reproach shall ever pass my lips when we are married.’ Mr Collins is very confident that Elizabeth shall not refuse him as and when Elizabeth does he thinks that she is being coy ‘it is usual with young ladies to reject the addresses of the man whom they secretly mean to accept,’ Mr Collins warns Elizabeth that she may not receive such an offer, ‘ it is by no means certain that another offer of marriage shall be made to you’ Mr Collins instead of accepting her refusal persists that she is not serious in her rejection and tells her that ‘by the authority of both your excellent parents, my proposals will not fail of being acceptable.’ Mr Collins is trying to bribe Elizabeth into marrying him by telling her that her parents will force her to marry him. Mr Bennett being Elizabeth’s father can tell Mr Collins and close the matter which he does by deriving amusement from the situation he gives Elizabeth an ‘alternative is before you, Elizabeth .from this day you must Britain a stranger to one of your parents.- Your mother will never see you again if you do not marry Mr Collins, and I will never see you again if you do.’ Mr Bennett is being sarcastic and trying to aggravate Mrs Bennett ‘What do you mean, Mr Bennett, by taking in this way. You promised me to insist upon her marrying him.’
From the proposal we can see Elizabeth is strong willed and independent she will not be bullied she has higher expectations. Mr Collins reacts to Elizabeth refusal by proposing to Charlotte Lucas therefore proving that he is insincere in his feelings towards Elizabeth. Charlotte accepts Mr Collins Elizabeth is shocked and disappointed when she hears the news she feels that her friend has disgraced herself ‘the possibility of Mr Collins’s fancying himself in love with her friend had occurred to Elizabeth within the last day or two; but that Charlotte could encourage him seemed almost as far from possibility as that she could encourage him herself and her astonishment was consequently so great as to overcome at first the bounds of decorum, and she could not help crying out “Engaged to Mr Collins! My dear Charlotte, - impossible!” ’. When Lydia and Wickham elope Mr Collins comes to Longbourn in order to gloat and delight in their misfortunes he writes that ‘the death of your daughter would have been in comparison to this’ Mr Collins is clergyman a man of the church and instead of supporting and reassuring the family like a clergyman should do he offends them and tells them to disown Lydia ‘as my dear Charlotte informs me, that this licentiousness of behaviour in your daughter, has proceeded from a faulty degree of indulgence, though , at the same time, for the consolation of yourself and Mrs Bennett, I am inclined to think that her own disposition must be naturally bad.’ Mr Collins’s letter of condolence simply expresses his commendation of the family and his relief of not having married into it.
In comparison to Mr Collins is Mr Darcy who is immensely rich and powerful, even though Mr Darcy is a gentleman like Mr Collins he deserves a lot more respect and acknowledgement than Mr Collins. Even though the characters of Mr Collins and Mr Darcy and completely different they are both in some ways similar. For example in the way in which they both propose to Elizabeth, Mr Collins believes that he will be accepted as he tells Elizabeth when she refuses him ‘it is by no means certain that another offer of marriage shall be made to you’. Mr Darcy on the hand is guaranteed that he will not be refused as he is the type of man that no one would refuse anything as he is rich and powerful and can offer Elizabeth everything.
We first meet Mr Darcy at a local ball one of the regular ‘assemblies’, which were popular at the time as people could meet, converse see and be seen. Mr Darcy’s pride emerges at the assembly unlike his friend Mr Darcy is pronounced to be reserved and aloof as he thought himself ‘to be above his company, and above being pleased;’ unlike his friend Mr Darcy danced ‘only one dance with Mrs Hurst and once with Miss Bingley’ and refuses to dance with any one else ‘whom it would not be a punishment to me to stand up with’ instead Mr Darcy spends most of his time at the ball ‘walking about the room, speaking occasionally to one of his own party’. While at the ball Mr Darcy slights Elizabeth Mr Bingley tells Mr Darcy ‘I must have you dance. I hate to see you standing about by yourself in this stupid manner.’ Mr Darcy says he will not dance as to dance
‘At such an assembly as this, it would be insupportable.’ Mr Darcy’s slight of Elizabeth sparks of a certain distain and dislike towards him and Elizabeth tells her mother that QUOTE
Mr Darcy pride is greatly shown and made aware here. Mr Darcy is immeasurably rich and powerful he is of a high status in society and therefore requires and deserves a certain amount of respect. Therefore Mr Darcy being as rich as he is ‘can afford to give offence’ wherever he goes Charlotte unlike Elizabeth feels that in view of his wealth and background, he has much to be proud about’ Charlotte may be right but
As Mr Bingley’s ‘oldest friend’ who Mr Bingley depends on for judgement and superior intelligence we witness this later in the book when Mr Darcy at the
During the novel we see Mr Darcy passion and affection for Elizabeth growing from the beginning of the attraction when Elizabeth stays at Netherfield when Jane is ill. Elizabeth engages in conversation with Mr Darcy and is moved to provoke, tease and argue with him as an intellectual equal, this suggests that her apparent dislike of Mr Darcy is really unconscious fascination. Mr Darcy on the other hand becomes particularly attracted to Elizabeth’s independent, lively character and ‘fine eyes’. Mr Darcy proposes to Elizabeth while she is at Hunsford visiting her friend Charlotte he himself is staying with his aunt the famous Lady Catherine at Rosings. When Elizabeth first sees Miss de Bourgh she takes mischievous delight in the thought that Mr Darcy is to marry Miss de Bourgh ‘I like her appearance…. She looks sickly and cross……. She will him a proper wife’ showing that Mr Darcy is never far from Elizabeth’s mind and that she does have feelings for him. Mr Darcy and his cousin Colonel Fitzwilliam make a very surprisingly early call on the Collins suggesting that Mr Darcy immediate visit is because of his continuing interests in Elizabeth and that he is impatient to see her, as he would not wish to see Mr Collins, Charlotte herself picks up on this and says ‘My dear Eliza he must be in love with you, or he would never have called on us in this familiar way’. Mr Darcy’s increasing infatuation and love for Elizabeth grow until he finally proposes. Elizabeth who feels to unwell to attend Rosings in the evening as she has heard from Colonel Fitzwilliam of how Mr Darcy has saved Mr Bingley from a ‘most imprudent marriage’ the marriage Colonel Fitzwilliam is oblivious to, to Jane. Elizabeth is angry and feels indignant that Mr Darcy pride and arrogance have destroyed her sister’s happiness. Mr Darcy finds Elizabeth alone
From other marriages within the novel we can see that Elizabeth and Mr Darcy will have a strong marriage even though their backgrounds and wealth are not suited they are so far equal as Elizabeth tells Lady Catherine who comes to Longbourn Elizabeth later on to make sure if Elizabeth and Mr Darcy are engaged, Lady Catherine insults Elizabeth telling her that she is ‘a young woman without family, connections, or fortune. Is this to be endured! But it must not, shall not be. If you were sensible of your own good, you would not wish to quit the sphere, in which you have been brought up’ Lady Catherine is insulting Elizabeth by telling her that she would not wish to quit the sphere in which she had been brought up she is being arrogant and obnoxious as far as Elizabeth is concerned they are in the same ‘sphere’ ‘He is a gentleman; I am a gentleman’s daughter; so far we are equal.’ Lady Catherine asks who are ‘your uncles and aunts? Do not imagine me ignorant of their condition’ this is an ironic statement as yes her uncle Gardiner is in trade but yet he has a certain intimacy and friendship with Mr Darcy who later ‘rejects’ his aunt proving that connections and wealth is irrelevant .