View of Marriage in Pride and Prejudice

论《傲慢与偏见》中的婚姻观

Purpose and Significance of the Study

Jane Austen, who was born in the village of Steventon in Hampshire in 1775 and died of Addison#8217;s disease in 1817, was a famous English novelist. Born in a clerical family and educated strictly, Jane Austen created six novels and three unfinished stories. Among her works, Pride and Prejudice is the most successful and impressive masterpiece.

The story of Pride and Prejudice took place in the time of Regency in Britain. At that time, Britain was at the period of transition from earlier stage of Capitalist Industrialization. As the development and the expansion of the rank of the rich, money took priority to the social value. In the 18^th England countryside, an important concern of conventional marriage is property, which is closely related to the social conditions. Another concern is status, which is decided by the social traditional values.

Pride and Prejudice is the most outstanding one representation toward love and marriage. The story is about the five Bennet sisters and their search for suitable husband. Five marriage types are involved in the story: traditional Mr. and Mrs.Bennet; felicitous Jane and Bingley; ideal Elizabeth and Darcy, realistic Charlotte and Collins; unhappy Lydia and Wickham. Jane Austen has her personal view on marriage: Though a considerable fortune is necessary for a happy marriage, love is the most fundamental condition. In addition, in choosing a suitable spouse, class hierarchy or social lineage should be taken into consideration. The story also exhibit so many characters of widely diverse personalities.

In fact, Pride and Prejudice explores the moral and social conditions of life in the early nineteenth century in ways that enable us both to understand that earlier time better and to examine with greater insight our own attitudes and actions within the moral and social conditions of life in our own time, enabling us to determine ways in which our decisions about love, marriage and proper behavior reflect our own truths about what is ultimately right and wrong. Yet, for all of its emphasis on reality, the novel is not preachy. Through her ironic style, Jane Austen causes us to laugh at and with her characters as we explore our own pride and prejudice along with theirs.

In this paper, the author will probe into the attitude of the marriage about five pairs of couple by analyzing their diversified characteristics. Besides, Jane Austen#8217;s view on marriage will also be discussed. Finally, more practical significance to modern people will be explored.

Literature Review