Aspects Of Marriage In Jane Austen's Pride And Prejudice

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Pride and Prejudice explores many different aspects throughout its text, marriage being one. Marriage can mean different things to different people and Austen clearly suggests her opinion according to Susan Fraiman. She sees Elizabeth’s and Darcy’s betrothal lacks all emotional integrity but we clearly see her understanding of marriage, as Darcy’s status and wealth contributes to Elizabeth’s acceptance of his proposal.
Austen illustrates the perspective of how young women live at this time in this class which portrays the institution of marriage too. Marriage was needed for the financial security of the family and it offered women a life and a place in society. This is why we see Elizabeth taking the opportunity to marry Darcy after refusing …show more content…

She knew what life was like at the time so she decided to live an unmarried life considering her own situation. The men like Darcy and Bingley were so rare to her, that it was almost impossible for her to find her ideal man as she was restricted because of the area she lived in. Gao (2013) suggested that in one sense, Elizabeth is a representation of Austen herself, so literature critics commonly regard Pride and Prejudice as an autobiographical novel that many people can relate to. Austen points out emphatically that economic consideration is the bonds of ‘wedlock and love’. Austen states that marriage is not determined by property and family status; but it is unwise to marry without money which is exactly how Elizabeth’s character is portrayed. Elizabeth did say that economic fundament is an essential security for their marriage to be successful. This is seen when Elizabeth's sister, Jane asks her how long she has loved Darcy. Elizabeth replies that "It has been coming on so gradually that I hardly know when it began. But I believe I must date it from my first seeing his beautiful grounds at Pemberley." (Austen, 2007, p.338). This is the moment when Pemberley is seen as wealth and family status. It shows that even Elizabeth herself admits that property and social status plays a significant role in an ideal marriage and this contributed to her acceptance of Darcy’s proposal.
Marriage to someone with an economic respectable background was considered to be the only choice for women at this time. It was expected of them in society and it was a tradition and men inherited everything. Therefore, women had to choose the right men in order to gain these processions and status by marrying the ‘ideal’

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