Explore how Jane Austen presents the themes of love and marriage in volume 1 of Pride and Prejudice Essay Example for Free

Explore how Jane Austen presents the themes of get laid and marriage in volume 1 of Pride and Prejudice studyIt is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a trade good fortune, must be in want of a wife.The novel begins with a satirical quote, representing many peoples opinions on love and marriage at the season of writing. To many, marriage was a way of bettering themselves socially and economically, further seldom for happiness and love. Throughout the novel there are numerous and frequent references to this way of thinking, and Austen makes characters who think of love and marriage in this way appear ridiculous. One character made to look absurd is Mrs. white avens. close to find her intolerable, and even her own daughters and husband are embarrassed by her regularly. In chapter one she says, A single man of large fortune What a fine thing for our girls Nothing of Mr. Bingleys character is mentioned, but the concomitant that he is wealthy s eems reason enough for Mrs. Bennet to approve of him.As will be future explored, Mrs. Bennet is derided throughout the novel, unresolvedly showing that Austen herself does non approve of her way of thinking, as it is centred intimately-nigh the material rather than being centred around love or moral reasons.patronage being under constant pressure from her mother, due to the details of the entailment on the Bennets estate, Jane Bennet desires to link for love, and eventually does so.The ever-important subject of money, however, does lie at the back of her mind. In chapter four, Elizabeth says, I give you leave to like him. You meet want many a stupider person. This suggests that Jane has courted men before, but they have either been lacking in character or in money, so she has not pursued their affections.In chapter four following the first ball a conversation between Jane and Elizabeth Bennet takes place. Rather than mentioning Bingleys fortune, Jane states that she admirers him due to his being sensible, good humoured, lively and states that she has never seen a lot(prenominal) happy manners.Throughout the book Jane is described positively, which influences the reader to think highly of her and views on marrying for love as just.Elizabeth, too, is presented as sensible and likeable. Though she mentions that the moment she fell in love with Mr. Darcy was after first visual perception his beautiful grounds at Pemberley, she also mentions that she fell in love with him gradually, ensuring that his wealth was not the only factor taken in to account as she accepted his second marriage offer of marriage.Her primary busy seems to be in marrying for love, as she turned down a proposal from Mr. collins which would have ensured her money, a home and a good reputation. With all of this taken into account, Eliza refuses due to Mr. Collins personality and the fact that she does not love him.In chapter nineteen Mr. Collins another ridiculed character makes hi s first proposal to Elizabeth. He makes it clear that he only makes the proposal due to Catherine DeBurghs advice. He also thinks it may benefit his happiness, though mentions vigour of hers. Much of the proposal is an insult to Miss Bennet as he retells Lady Catherines exact language (let her be an active, useful person, not brought up too high). Mr. Collins obviously does not love Elizabeth, nor is he pretending so. He seems to think that, due to the fact that he has good connections, Elizabeth would jump at the come across of marrying him. She refuses politely, yet Mr. Collins messnot see why she would refuse his offer. He is a prime example of individual who doesnt think love is a necessity for a successful marriage. He sees his proposal as an ethical gesture as a way to compensate the Bennet family for the fact that he shall inherit the contribute upon Mr. Bennets death, but somewhat selfishly to better his own military position and comfort.Soon after this, as Mr. Colli ns retreats with a slightly bruised ego, we learn that Miss Charlotte Lucas, a close title-holder of the Bennets, has accepted another proposal from Collins, presumably one of the same type. After Elizabeth confronts her on the news of their engagement Charlotte justifies her thoughts with the following I am not romantic I ask only a comfortable home connections, and situation in life, I am convinced my chance of happiness with him is fair, as most people can overdraw on entering the marriage state. This, as hearty as her earlier comment relating to Jane fixing Mr. Bingley (almost as though discussing an animal, or assuming Bingley is broken due to his being unmarried).Perhaps Charlotte only seeks the above, or peradventure she is worried about what her peers would say about her being unmarried at such an age. In this percentage point in time, women were talked about if unmarried in their late twenties.Someone with an opposite view to Charlotte is Caroline Bingley. Where the Be nnet sisters and Charlotte Lucas aim to marry high and ensure their financial security, Caroline seems to scorn them for wishing to do so. She disapproves of Jane and her brothers relationship, which can be gathered from her trying to keep the fact that Jane was in London at the same time as her brother a secret. She seems convinced that her friends marrying anyone of a lower rank would be shameful, and that anyone wishing to marry her brother of Mr. Darcy must be after their money. While chasing the hope of gaining a desirable social status and money, Caroline Bingley may well forget about love and, even if it ever came along, may well suppress it in hopes of something better.The issue of indipendence may also be one that Miss Bingley considers. She lives with her brother and has to up and leave when he does so. The security and indipendence a marriage would bring is surely something she would have looked forward to.Her friend, Mr. Darcy, is well aware of womens sides at the time. He even goes as far as to warn his best friend against Jane Bennet, as he fears that she doesnt love Bingley as is only showing an interest in him for his wealth. This cynical attitude may have grown due to his pride and perhaps the effect of spending too much time with Charles Bingleys sisters.This seems evermore the case when listening to the piano at Netherfield he thinks to himself that it may become severe to pay too much attention to Lizzy. He makes it clear that he regards her of a lower circle in his refused proposal (He spoke well, but there were feelings besides those of the heart to be detailed His sand of her inferiority of its being a degradation of the family obstacles.) and is obviously concerned about other peoples opinions.Despite the fact that the story ends happily and both Elizabeth and Jane marry for love, the underlying theme of the novel is, predictably, pride and prejudice. Lydia, though longing to marry Wickham for love, runs the risk of being ostraci sed due to her living with him outside of wedlock. This, in turn, would ruin the reputation of her sisters. Despite being in love, would Darcy and Bingley want to get married to the siblings of a disgraced woman? If Darcy had not have been able to persuade Wickham to marry Lydia, would he in turn have abandoned Elizabeth?Though Austen strongly hints that she approves of marrying for love rather than money (through satirising some characters and not others), it is clear that reputation and etiquette were still as important, if not more important than love in ones marriage.