Jan 28, 2007 12:59 PM
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(Updated Jan 29, 2007 10:29 PM)
Pride and Prejudice is a subject matter of courtship and marriage. Jane Austen brings about the theme of novel Love and Marriage with the help of five marriages. Basically it revolves around two fully developed characters Elizabeth and Darcy. Other marriages are just to portray how a marriage should or shouldn't be.
Jane- Binley marriage
The commodification of beauty in the marriage market is made visible and satirized. Jane is the most
beautiful female and Bingley is the most civilized and courteous male in the novel. These two people fell in love with each other in their first meet. Binley is passionate and Jane is a very soft and a quite character. She's so shy that it works to her disadvantage. She shows absolutely no signals to her beloved. I wish could ask the author why she portrays her to be such a passive character.
Here Bingley feels deep love for Jane but is not sure of her feelings. But on the other hand Bingley shows as if he has no brains of his own. He gets influenced by Darcy that Jane has no feelings for him and she belongs to a bad family. He has no brains and lacks a will to ask her if this is true. But thankfully at the end when Darcy convinces him that she's the most suitable bride for him. He gets convinced. These two charters
exhibits as if they get carried away with everything. But the crux is that they feel deep love for each other and hence their marriage is a success.
Lydia- Wickham
Lydia is shown to be very immature character who is outspoken and a flirt. Amusement and vanity are her worst faults. She's just not serious towards the problems of life and takes the life long decision of
marriage on the basis of infatuations of a month. her elopment with Wikham shows her immaturity. Wickham on the other hand is a gamester who marries Lydia just because Darcy was willing to pay off his debts. She gets attracted towards wickham of his charming physical appearance and military uniform. Soon their marriage falls into indifference towards each other. They both used each other for their own needs and hence their marriage is a failure.
Mr. Bennet- Mrs. Bennet
They share a weak
relationship. Also it's the oldest of all couples. Mr. Bennet marries for youth and her beauty. But soon they realize that their marriage is not what they wanted it to be. Soon after marriage he discovers the difference between her nature and his own. Mrs. Bonnet’s weak understanding and ill mindedness puts an
end to real affection for each other. Mutual respect and confidence disappears for ever and hence their marriage is a total failure and just a compromise because of their five daughters
Charlotte-Collins
It’s again a marriage based on material needs and not true love for each other. She marries him for mere financial security, family and social factor. Collins marries her because of his
marriageable age. She gives away her choice for perfect match and married a silly man. Hence there was difference between them. Reasons other then love and respect gives birth to one more imperfect marriage.
Elizabeth – Darcy
It’s among the most favorite marriage that ever took birth in the history novels. She's literary a device used by author to present her values and attitudes on importance of marring for love and respect.
Elizabeth has prejudice and Darcy has pride. But we feel that they both have these two elements. Their marriage revels the characteristics which constitute a successful marriage. This relationship sees many development in the novel. They both shed their pride and prejudice. At the end after seeing many ups and downs they marry for true love and respect for each other.
Elizabeth rejects Darcy's first proposal for marriage when it was full of pride. But later when she knows him completely she accepts his second proposal. This relation is not centered around the natural needs of beauty or attraction or money, rather it's based on true love and affection and hence it's a perfect marriage which grows with time.
About the author
Jane Austen wrote “ Pride and
Prejudice” in year 1797 in the name of “First Impression” but actually published in year 1813 in when she
changed its name as Pride and Prejudice. Jane Austen was on in an era where
marriage was the only aim of females. The novel opens before us with one of the most known opening sentence in English literature.
“It is truth universally acknowledged that a single man is possession of good fortune must be in want of a wife”.It’s an ironical sentence which touches many issues namely marriage, money, love and most importantly the common thinking of the society.
My opinion
Marriage is a lifelong decision and should be taken very seriously. Give your relationship time to grow.
Understand your partner well and marry for true love and respect and not for other reasons. And off course read this novel before your marriage to know in depths of a successful marriage.