Theme Of Love And Money In Pride And Prejudice

Characters’ perceptions and opinions concerning about love and money are important aspects of the novel through Austen’s use of irony and understatement. Some of the characters changed their perceptions and opinions later on through the novel, however, others remained set in what they believed and perceived. For example, when Lizzie rejected Mr. Collins’ proposal and stated ‘your hope is rather an extraordinary one after my declaration. I do assure you that I am not one of those young ladies (if such young ladies there are) who are so daring as to risk their happiness on the chance of being asked a second time’ (Ch. 19, Pg. 113) is an irony in the novel because Elizabeth rejected Mr. Darcy’s first proposal, but later accepted his second one

Her viewpoints and reasons for marriage are similar with other women in the fact that marriage is the only way a woman can escape a danger of becoming a burden on her family or destitution, in which that is her only way in advancing in society and life. Austen stresses the value society places on making a good marriage in the novel in which a good marriage is a prerequisite for a wealthy life in which that is the main reason for happiness. For example, Austen satirizes the public’s opinions about Mr. Darcy at the Meryton ball stating, “ … but his [Bingley] friend Mr. Darcy soon drew the attention of the room by his fine, tall person, handsome features, noble mien; and the report which was in a general circulation within five minutes after his entrance of his having ten thousand a year. … the ladies declared that he was much handsomer than Mr. Bingley” (Ch. 3, Pg. 8). The reason that Mr. Darcy was much handsomer than Mr. Bingley was because of his wealth and income. Mr. Bingley and his family is new money where they made their fortune through their occupations, however, Mr. Darcy is part of the aristocracy and is made of old money, making himself more prestigious, powerful, wealthy, and more attractive than Bingley. Austen satirizes how society is through their opinion and perception on someone showing how society is so

Bennet to satirizes and mock society on their obsession of marriage based on money. Austen emphasizes how it is ridiculous to marry just for money and not for love through her characters such as Mrs. Bennet, Mr. Collins, and Charlotte, in which Elizabeth’s marriage based on love made her the heroine of the story who has a happy ending not based on money, but love. This shows that happiness in a marriage is not dependent on being financially secure and taken care of such as Charlotte, or lust and physical attractiveness like Lydia, but something deeper such as love that gives substance to a