Pride and Prejudice Essay

Macda Gerard
AP English 11: Mr. George
17 April 2009
Pride & Prejudice Essay

In “a world of social, moral and economic stability…where characters are free to make their own choices and pursue their hearts’ desires” (Austen XIII) happiness is rare. Throughout the novel Pride and Prejudice, the world of valuing social stability and making choices stimulates the emerging of marital motives. Society does not provide many choices for unmarried women as they age, which forces many to seek marriage with the understanding that contentment may later arrive as long as they are secured. Through acting on their hearts’ desires, some women hold a disposition that attract them to pursue a mercenary marriage or perhaps a prudential marriage in order to insure security; however, a marriage based on love is most favorable and results in security but also ultimate happiness.

In the novel, women are highly encouraged to marry as soon as possible: “Young women should always be properly guarded and attended, according to their situation in life” (Austen 208). Women did not commonly receive inheritance from their fathers; instead, entails were often passed down to the sons of families. With the lack of pecuniary aid, it created limited options for a comfortable single lifestyle. This entailed living with relatives as a dependent or residing with employers and taking on jobs such as a teacher or housekeeper. Many women sought eagerly to marry in order to avoid such inauspicious lifestyles and gain security through finances and beneficial rewards. Marriage became the only way out of said situations often resulting in desperation to gain a husband through financial and practical motives.

Many characters were willing to marry simply because marriage was the only means of obtaining financial security. Throughout the novel, Wickham is clearly demonstrated as having motives pertaining to money or other rewards for marrying. When speaking of Wickham’s relations with Miss King, it is evident that he simply wanted her for a financial gain: “But he paid her not the smallest attention till her grandfather’s death made her mistress of this fortune?” Furthermore, in regards to Wickham’s relationship with Lydia, it is evident that he had no intention of marrying her. However, the rogue married Lydia after Darcy offered an amount of money that would guarantee him an opportunity for a job and the absolution of debts. Wickham certainly was not alone in his mercenary beliefs.

Mrs. Bennet certainly had mercenary motives pertaining to her daughters. She felt it was her ultimate purpose to marry her daughters solely to their advantage. However, in doing so, she was depicted as extremely shallow and insatiable: “[Mrs. Bennett’s] thoughts and her words ran wholly on those attendants of elegant nuptials, fine muslins, new carriages, and servants" (226). And on Elizabeth's marriage she exclaims: "What pin-money, what jewels, what carriages you will have! ... A house in town! ... Ten thousand a year!” (365-366). Mrs. Bennet ceased to judge by first impression or civility and solely took into account how much the men were worth, which would be the crux of her judgment toward the men. Contrary to seeking pecuniary aid from marriage, many also look to practical matters as well.

A prudent marriage implies that there is a practical sense to the union. Many seek to marry for prudent motives with the sole intention of being content and satisfied. Mr. Collins exemplifies these motives through his initial proposal to Lizzy: “I think it a right thing for every clergyman in easy circumstances (like myself) to set the example of matrimony in his parish” (105). Throughout the desperate attempts to acquire her approval, Mr. Collins does not once mention love. This was simply a pretense of passion working as a masquerade for his practical desire of marriage. This clearly demonstrates that his sole purpose of obtaining a wife was to ensure that she was provided for, disregarding emotion within the marriage.

Charlotte seeks a prudent marriage as a way of securing her lasting contentment. This is clearly expressed by Charlotte, whose pragmatic views on marrying are articulated countless times: “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, and however uncertain of giving happiness, must be their pleasantest preservative from want” (122). In marrying Mr. Collins, she achieves this but does not expect ultimate happiness: “Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of choice” (24). Her intent of marrying was not to achieve extreme happiness but to achieve satisfaction. While this may indeed be sensible, other motives for marrying may result in a more gratifying end.

Marrying for love is certainly prevalent among characters in the novel. Bingley and Jane traveled a long journey before attaining their ultimate happiness. Due to the fact that Bingley was in love with Jane, he did not hesitate to step down from his high social standing to meet hers. However, because of a misunderstanding, Jane and Bingley were separated, causing Jane great sorrow. Later on, Bingley took it upon himself to return and continue his courtship of Jane. He proposed to her choosing to disregard any opinions his sisters may have had. Regardless of what may have seeped through the cracks of their love, it is genuine and will remain unchanged.

The greatest illustration of ultimate happiness is demonstrated through Darcy’s strive for Lizzy’s hand in marriage. Darcy’s love did not act as a motive solely to marry her, but also pushed him to overcoming obstacles. With a shaky start beginning at the Meryton Ball, “She is tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me” (13), prejudices arose and trickled throughout their relationship. Nevertheless, Darcy proves his undying love for Lizzy by humbling himself and paying for Lydia and Wickham’s marriage, along with paying for Wickham’s debt, and providing him with a job despite the fact that Darcy loathes him. Darcy disregards the disapproval of others and sets aside the fact that he is of a higher social standing and proclaims his love to Lizzy by proposing.

In both love marriages, Bingley and Darcy undergo leaps and bounds to achieve their goal of obtaining a wife that completes them. In regards to Jane and Lizzy, not only do love marriages bestow a sense of enduring happiness upon each couples, it also provides them with lasting contentment and financial security. All had to face ridicule at some point; however, their love prevails over all condemnation. Love marriages result in ultimate happiness and more, whereas prudential and mercenary marriages tend to border contentment and certainly never come into proximity of the ultimate happiness and contentment experienced in love marriages. “Love is the condition in which happiness of another person is essential to your own.” (Robert Heinlein). Love trumps all.