Analysis of Perspectives of Marriage in Pride and Prejudice: Analytical Essay

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• Introduction

Pride and prejudice is profoundly concerned with love and is deemed by many to be Jane Austen’s most famous book. In this book, she emphasizes the romantic courtship and goes through it in depth. She explains her point of view about true love by making her characters fall in love. Various characters represent various facets of love (pdf). The fundamental focus of Pride and Prejudice is on love and marriage. The novel reflects on the many ways in which love can develop or fade away between two people. And if love and marriage can be found together in relationships. We see the love that develops at first sight between Jane and Bingley. Love that grows by overcoming barriers between Elizabeth and Darcy. Then we see infatuation between Lydia and Wickham that doesn’t last long with time. Love that has faded away like in Mr. and Mrs. Bennet’s relationship and also marriage without love between Collins and Charlotte. Moreover, marriages based on convenience are viewed in a derogatory way in the novel. Like Charlotte weds Collins just for the social establishment not because of love. Lady Catherine makes an effort to compel Darcy in marrying her daughter to strengthen her properties. These views are portrayed as unjust, obsolete, and eventually an ineffective step (ThoughtCo).

• Mr. & Mrs. Bennet

Austen reveals that physical appearance is insufficient in achieving happiness by defining the failing relationship between Mr. Bennet and Mrs. Bennet. Their relation reflects the foolishness of a rushed marriage based on a shallow connection and the risks of marrying for financial benefit, without looking into more facts and prospects about the state of the other side. Their irrational match is interpreted by the author as ‘Mr. Bennet captivated by youth and beauty, and that appearance of good humor, which youth and beauty generally give, had married a woman whose weak understanding and illiberal mind, had very early in their marriage put an end to all real affection for her. Respect, esteem, and confidence, had vanished forever; and all his views of domestic happiness were overthrown’ (Austen, 262). It appears that Mr. Bennet got married to his wife because she was once pretty. Soon after their marriage, he recognized his mistake. Her prettiness is now gone, and tired of her stupidity he uses his time in teasing her. It is a relationship entirely based on first impressions and preliminary desires, without worrying if they are suitable for each other. Obviously, it is not a promising marriage for each side as it is nothing but a social settlement. He married her for beauty and she married him just to get the social status (grin).

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• Lydia & Wickham

Austen stresses her disbelief in bodily desires further through the engagement of Lydia to Wickham. Their relationship is portrayed as a foolish act out of passion and greed. They do not even share a similar taste or closeness. Lydia feels she loves Wickham, though she is just attracted to his good looks and friendly ways (pdf). Lydia is young and foolish, their relation is established on outward appearances and youthful vivacity which made her elope with Wickham. She liked the idea of being the first out of her sisters to get married and considered it an accomplishment. On the other hand, Wickham wanted to withdraw his gambling debts by finding someone, and Lydia was an easy target. The outcome of their relationship was that “His affection for her soon sunk into indifference; hers lasted little longer” (Austen 471). Wickham follows his intuition and searches for temporary satisfaction. He does not follow a noble path to gain peace and happiness. Lovers such as Lydia and Wickham are classed as ‘vulgar lovers’ by Plato. They love the body instead of the mind. They are just attracted for a brief period because of physical appearance, it can not be named as real love (Plato pdf). From Lydia and Wickham’s marriage, we learn how a relationship built on irrational grounds contributes to misery because it is founded on outward qualities which soon disappears.

• Charlotte and Collins

We see another version of marriage in ‘Pride and Prejudice’ which is based on practical reasons. Charlotte gets married to Collins for being financially stable and Mr. Collins was also just eager to follow Lady Catherine’s recommendation to marry. They didn’t marry for love. Due to the fact that there is no love among the couple both make their best attempt at ignoring one another. Their relationship can be interpreted as the most practical one in the novel (Grin).

They share one thing in common instead of their contrasting personalities. Each of them desires to fill what they lack in. Charlotte wants marital status and a place to settle in. She was not unaware of Collins’s personality. As a sensible person, she had an idea of his stupidity and overbearing attitude. Despite being ridiculous, Mr. Collins offers her shelter and Charlotte didn’t flinch in embracing it. The author narrates her reason as “accepted him solely from the pure and disinterested desire of an establishment” (Austen 137). As she was already 27, she didn’t have any option. She doesn’t require love, so she agreed to that decision as it seemed like a good offer. “Without thinking highly either of men or of matrimony, marriage had always been her object, it was the only honorable provision for well-educated young women of small fortune” (Austen 138). On the other hand, Collins has a decent salary, searches for a wife as he sees it as an obligation to marry. He had the option to choose. But he is not bothered about it as he doesn’t look for love. He does not have any preference and takes the first chance he gets. Any kind of woman would please him if she could perform her duty as a wife. After his proposal got rejected by Elizabeth, he soon guides his bid to another option. This kind of marriage is portrayed in a negative light as it doesn’t value love and here one doesn’t care for his partner’s devotion or compassion. Only because of social establishment marrying is not what a person should look for.

• Jane & Bingley

The relationship between Jane and Bingley portrays love at first sight. In the book, Mr. Bennet vividly describes their character by saying “Your tempers are by no means unlike. Each of you is so complying, that nothing will ever be resolved on; so easy, that servant will cheat you, and so generous, that you will always exceed your income” (Austen 446). Both of them are simple, humble, and well-natured. Jane does not complain about anyone or anything. Generally, she likes people and does not find them bad or unethical. Bingley is easygoing and very friendly. Despite being rich he doesn’t show any pride which is why he is easily liked by people. Their connection is based on the understanding that comes from their similar personality (pdf). Bingley disobeys his family’s wishes and gets married to Jane because of love and affection, even though she lacks in wealth. In spite of the opinion that “happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance”(16), Austen raises questions on social standards and expectations by supporting the view that love should be a significant component in the selection of a partner (WordPress).

In my opinion, their relationship a bit awkward and bland. Their relation was uncertain and lacked longing for each other even though they clearly loved each other. Their relationship was formed almost instantly and they never questioned each other. So it didn’t seem profound and multidimensional like Darcy and Elizabeth’s relation. Moreover, fighting for love is not found in their story although they somehow reunite in the end. Bingley takes orders from Darcy or his sisters and doesn’t show any opinion of his own. When they try to leave Netherfield he doesn’t protest against it. Jane even wondered if Bingley ever loved her as he returned to London without saying anything. This refers to a lack of love and compassion in their relation. I believe one should fight for their love against all odds.

• Elizabeth & Darcy

Austen gives us an idea about how love should be through Darcy and Elizabeth’s relationship. They had to go through a lot of struggles to find happiness. The story focuses more on overcoming their inner obstacles rather than external ones. While all other characters are busy compromising in marriage without love, we see a different viewpoint in Elizabeth and Darcy’s story. Elizabeth doesn’t want to marry for any other reason than love. If not she would have accepted Darcy’s proposal the first time considering his wealth. She has a certain vision of ideal marriage unlike her friend Charlotte. Rather than marrying to add to his property or boost his condition, Darcy married Elizabeth for love. He fell for her wit and qualities.

Due to Elizabeth’s misconception about Darcy and his arrogant proposal he got rejected the first time. She knew that this proposal is a golden chance, yet she refused it. It depicts that she craved at least respect before marriage. It tells us that love requires respect and without that marriage is simply an obligation (Ask literature). Through the rejection, Darcy realized his mistake and changed for the better. He understood the significance of Elizabeth in his life. He made her problems as his own. To save her family from the humiliation caused by Lydia and Wickham, he made their marriage happen and didn’t even take credit for it. All of this changed Elizabeth’s perception of Darcy and made a place of him in her heart. So she accepted his proposal the second time and they got married.

Furthermore, even though Elizabeth appears indifferent to Darcy’s fortune as she initially refused him, yet it is impossible to ignore how this match is beneficial for her. As the protagonist of the novel, it is evident that Elizabeth’s marriage is supposed to be an ideal one. The distinction of such an unconventional marriage for love implies that this is what the author yearns to be the truth (University of Pittsburgh). Though Elizabeth’s social status doesn’t match with Darcy, it doesn’t mean she is less than him. He could have married anyone who matches his social status and is prettier than Elizabeth. But her virtues makes her incomparable. They have mutual understanding and affection. They were successful in overcoming their pride and prejudice against each other. In that way, their relationship prospered with the story. Their marriage is not founded on compromise, but it is established on their love for each other. That’s why it is the greatest kind of love and relationship in Austen’s perspective.

• Conclusion

Jane Austen reveals her disagreement with the custom of matrimony in a sarcastic manner through ‘Pride and Prejudice’. The diverse characters show which perspectives of marriage are deemed to be the most dreadful and which are actually inevitable facts (University of Pittsburgh). The ideal couple of ‘Pride and Prejudice’ are Elizabeth and Darcy. They got married because of love, but not all are privileged like them. The other couples in the novel remind us of the fact that this goal is rarely accomplished. Pride and prejudice warn against infatuation. Elizabeth was deceived by Wickham’s pleasing nature at first. But later he came out to be manipulative and greedy, who would have been the worst partner for her. True love is established on the understanding of each other. Jane and Bingley fell in love Because of their similar personality. Elizabeth and Darcy’s relation encountered obstacles and by going through it their love flourished. The author shows that marriage based on settlement doesn’t have a happy ending like Charlotte-Collins. Also, only fascination can not create everlasting happiness which is portrayed through Lydia-Wickham and Mr. Bennet-Mrs. Bennet’s relationships. To conclude, the novel suggests that love should be the foundation of a marriage, not anything else. This kind of view was new in that period which makes the novel different from the others.

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