Explore Austen’s Presentation Of Marriage in Pride ...

Explore Austen’s Presentation Of Marriage in Pride Prejudice Marriage forms the basis of the events featured in Pride and Prejudice and is presented in various ways in order to convey to readers the importance of it in society and the expectations which come with it. Throughout the book, Austen clarifies what makes a good marriage and how society views marriage as a unity of equal classes and a way to establish connections. The first aspect of marriage which is revealed is the way a person’s position in society affects the choice of partner. Austen states in the opening line of the book: â€Å"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife† This line†¦show more content†¦Bennett judges Mr. Bingley and forms an opinion based solely on his income. â€Å"A single man of large fortune; four or five thousand a year. What a fine thing for our girls!† This line also shows that parents were eager to see their children married well and considered a man with a large fortune as capable of providing them with happiness. In this aspect, Austen portrays society and the characters as materialistic when discussing marriage and considering appropriate partners. Austen also portrays the fact that parents considered marriage to be important for their children’s happiness and it played an important role in the hopes parents had for their children. Mr. Bennett states that: â€Å"If I can but see one of my daughters happily settled at Netherfield, and all the others equally well married, I shall have nothing to wish for† This line shows us that marriage was something parents wished for all their children, especially daughters who in that age had no way of providing for themselves and therefore relied on a wealthy husband to support them. Marriage to a well-established man in society was something that would make parents satisfied. Marriage was considered the result of a good upbringing, when parents can finally renounce their responsibility of the child to the man they marry. The following quote states the ambitions of Mrs Bennett and portraysShow MoreRelatedPride and Prejudice: Exploring the Chasm Between Love and Marriage in Geor gian England1675 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"Pride and Prejudice†, is a novel which explores the huge chasm between love and marriage in Georgian England. Jane Austen’s presentation of passion and matrimony reiterates the fact that marriage is a â€Å"business arrangement†. Austen uses irony to make fun of polite society in this satire and Austen also emphasizes the point that social hierarchy dictates whom you can marry. The pressures of men and women in Georgian England are revealed through her exploration of the aristocracy’s prejudice against