The Attitudes Toward Marriage in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice

The Attitudes Toward Marriage in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice

Jane Austin wrote the novel Pride and Prejudice in 1813. The novel

provides a great deal of information and gives us a detailed insight

to the different attitudes towards marriages at the time. Pride and

Prejudice is focused and written about the lifestyles among "gentry".

The "gentry" was the middle to upper class citizens in England. In the

novel Jane Austin shows us that social status is a very important

factor and that is was essential to have connections with people

higher up in the gentry.

Proposals and marriages at the time were very different that they are

today. Most people who get married today are genuinely marring their

partner because they love each other. However in the 18th century

proposals of marriages were made with the couple meeting only a few

times, and these meetings were usually at balls or gatherings and were

often very brief. The couple were very rarely alone and did not get

the chance to talk to the other. This is presented well with Mr

Collins's proposal. Mr Collin's never meet Elizabeth and before he

even arrives to the Bennet's house he has already decided that he is

going to marry one of them.

Jane Austin also shows us that marriages were also a way of improving

your lifestyle and family's connections. However in the 18th century

it was unheard of and very rare to marry anybody who was lower or

higher than you in social class, and stature. For example when Mrs

Bennet learns of Netherfeild being taken "by a man of large fortune"

who earns four or five...

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more important than love.

It is clear and evident that marriages in the 18 hundreds was a very

important factor in life and even controlled peoples lives to a

certain extent, an example of that is how Mrs Bennet goes mad when she

hears the words, single man, and well paid. It is also clear that

marriages in the 18 hundreds have changed significantly compared to

marriages of today. Marriages today are based on love and friendship,

not money and personal positions and status. However it is evident

that marriages like this were the norm and were happening very

frequently. It was also clear that there were also rules on getting

married, you were not allowed to get married out of your class.

Marriages like that are still around but were not as much of a key

factor in a relationship as back in the 18 hundreds.