Marriage in Pride and Prejudice

Marriage The Foundation of Happiness or Misery In at presents world, 50 percent of marriages stamp out in divorce. Although the other 50 percent of marriages dont end in divorce, not all those marriages ar considered an ideal marriage. The concept of an ideal marriage has changed as time has progressed. An ideal marriage in our time is a marriage base on making respect and family. Most societies have always had the same perspective of an ideal marriage during their time periods. However, in Jane Austen Pride and Prejudice, the author defies the view of the ideal marriage of her parliamentary procedure by giving her own perspective on an ideal marriage.In the time period of Pride and Prejudice, society viewed ideal marriage as one establish on financial stability and social equality. Although Jane Austens view of an ideal marriage overwhelms financial and social stability, love was a major factor as well. In the invention, Jane Austen writes about suitable marriages and co nflicting marriages. Although the marriages based on wealth and social class seems suitable through with(predicate) with(predicate) societys eyes, Jane Austen suggests those marriages to be unsuitable because of their lack of love and happiness.In the novel, many of the marriages reflect societys view of marriage as a business affair and these marriages be quite unsuitable. Although Mr. and Mrs. bennet have been married for 23 years, there is no mutual affection between them. Mr. Bennet married Mrs. Bennet because he was captivated by her jejuneness and beauty he married a fair sex whose weak understanding and illiberal mind had very early in their marriage put an end to all real affection for her (202). Mr. Bennet practically never communicates with his wife and when he does, he teases her for his own enjoyment.Their marriage was solely based on forcible attraction which has now faded away. Both of these characters were mismatched in personality and in social class. However, this couple isnt the only unsuitable marriage through Austens eyes. Mr. Collins and Charlotte are a couple that exhibits everything Jane Austen is against, which is a marriage solely based on financial and social security measures. Mr. Collins and Charlotte Lucas married distributively other just for their own personal gain. When Mr. Collins proposed, Miss Lucas, accepted him solely from the pure and disinterested desire of an establishment (106).Charlotte was 27 and single, her future didnt look great so marrying Mr. Collins was the best thing that could have happened. She is now set considering Mr. Collins character, connection and situation in life, she was convinced that her dislodge of happiness with him was as fair as roughly can boast on entering the marriage state (109). Mr. and Mrs. Collins arent really a couple based on love and happiness which is what Jane Austen considered suitable. She marries a man who is richer and socially higher than her. Although Mr. and Mrs.C ollins marriage was considered ideal by society, Jane Austen thought it to be unsuitable. Jane Austens ideal marriage is a marriage based on love and happiness but also the aspects of societys ideal marriage which includes financial and social stability. Mr. Bingley and Jane Bennet and Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy all exhibit the qualities of marriage that are considered suitable by Jane Austen. Mr. Bingley is an extremely wealthy modest man who never settle anyone and Jane is a quiet gentle woman who never thinks badly of anyone.Both these characters are matched perfectly and are one of the rare couples in the novel who genuinely love each other though their love seems very superficial. Although Jane and Mr. Bingley exhibit an ideal marriage, their love has no depth. Mr. Bingley doesnt seem to care about marrying a woman based on her social class or wealth. He believes love is more important than the match of social class in a marriage. This is seen when Mr. Darcy convinces Mr. Bingley that Jane doesnt actually love him and Bingley abandons Jane.Since love matters he doesnt want to be with someone who doesnt love him foul. However, they had an instant connection it was generally evident whenever they met he did admire her and to her it was equally evident that Jane was yielding to the preference which she had begun to entertain for him from the first, and was in a way to be very much in love(16). They are both in love, both happy, and are both financially secure, exhibiting an ideal marriage for Jane Austen. However there was a couple that was more ideal through Jane Austens eyes.Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet epitomize the ideal marriage for Jane Austen. At first, Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth disliked each other and had no initial attraction towards one another. However, as the novel progresses, their attraction for each other grows and soon they fall in love. Elizabeth isnt a woman who doesnt want to marry just for financial security or to be higher within t he social class. Her view of marriage is different than her friends Elizabeth had always felt that Charlottes opinion of matrimony was not simply like er own, but she could not have supposed it possible that when called into action, she would have sacrificed every better feeling to worldly advantage (110). Charlotte represents societys view of marriage in her time period which regarded marriage as a business affair. However, Elizabeth is one of the few characters to believe that marriage is based on love. Mr. Darcy is the wealthiest man in the novel and with that kind of wealth, he could marry anyone.However, he chooses Elizabeth who is part of a lower class than him proving that he wants to marry Elizabeth because he is in love with her. Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth are both physically attractive, intelligent, and they both love each other dearly. They are the ideal couple in Jane Austens eyes. Jane Austen suggests the marriages that are based on social class and wealth to be unsuitabl e although they seem ideal through societys eyes. Austen believed that a suitable marriage had to include love and happiness on top of financial security and social class.However, through societys eyes happiness in marriage was altogether a matter of chance (18). Although in todays world there are arranged marriages based on social class and wealth, most people in todays society believe marriage to be based on a foundation of love which links back to Austens belief of marriage. Although Jane believed that a suitable marriage had to include love, financial security and physical attraction, todays society believes a suitable marriage can be solely based on love for one another.