Pride and Prejudice Essay

Pride and prejudice: Marriage
   In the 1813 novel, Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen described a time when customs and culture,

almost, if not, literally controlled peoples’ lives. These customsincluded the way people dressed,
talked and acted. Perhaps, most importantly, the custom of marriage greatly influenced the lifeof each
and every character, married, or not.  

Marriage is a very complicated thing in Pride and Prejudice. There are so many rules. First, a woman

must be get married (to a man of course.). It effects the reputation upon a family and their friends if a
lady who has been out for a while is single. And reputation is very important in this time

period.Obviously men would like to marry a woman with a high social class and fine reputation.Men

would also like to marry women who are very accomplished. Accomplished being having ideally, a large
fortune in their family name, beauty, and brains. A woman’s role in this custom is presenting one’s self
tothe upcoming ball in which unmarried men will be attending in search of a wife. At these balls woman
mustdress a certain way as do men. There are many other customs of marriage but these are just a

handful.

   Marriage has a different meaning to all the diverse characters in Pride and Prejudice but  the
character who expresses the most interest in marriage is none other than Mrs. Bennet herself.

Mrs. Bennet is a very rambunctious woman with very high energy. She could spend all day talking about
marrying off her daughters if Mr. Bennet allowed it. (She’s very close to doing so already.) Actually, at

the start of the novel Mrs. Bennet literally talks about marriage throughout the whole part of Chapter I,

Chapter II, and Chapter III.


“Oh! single, my dear, to be sure! A single man of a large fortune, four or five thousand a year. What a
fine thing for our girls!” (I, 6)
As you can see wealth is very important in the marriage according to Mrs. Bennet, which is normal for

women and men alike in her time period. She is also very persistent which makes sense for her
rambunctious personality.

“But it is very likely that he may fall in love with one of them, and therefore you must visit him as soon

as he comes. “ (I, 6)

She is being very relentless, wanted to see Mr. Bingley “ . . . as soon as he comes.” (I, 6) She really does

have a one-track mind. That was just snippets of the Chapter I including text of Mrs. Bennet’s
obsession.  But it doesn’t end there. During Chapter I Mr. Bennet doesn’t exactly specify whether or not

he will indeed introduce and make plans with Mr. Bingley once he arrives in Longbourn, and Mrs.

Bennet believes that they will not be introduced to Mr. Bingley at all.

Observing his second daughter employed in trimming a hat, he suddenly addressed her with,
“I hope Mr. Bingley will like it Lizzy.” (II, 8)

“We are not in a way to know what Mr. Bingley likes,” says her mother resentfully, “since we are not to visit.” (II,8)

It also shows Mrs. Bennet does not get what she wants, at least, marriage-wise for her children (I

think that’s really ALL she wants anyway.) she can become rude and bitter taking life out on others

around her.

“Don’t keep coughing so, Kitty, for heaven’s sake! Have a little compassion on my nerves. You tear them

to pieces.” (II, 8)

   As you can see in this quote Mrs. Bennet is taking out her frustration of not ever meeting Mr. Bingley
(or so she thinks.) on poor Kitty.  Her attitude quickly changes, however, when Mr. Bennet informs her

that he did indeed speak with Mr. Bingley.

“How good it was in you, my dear Mr. Bennet! But I knew I should persuade you at last. I was sure you

loved your girls too well to neglect an acquaintance. Well how pleased I am! . . .”


It’s ridiculous how quickly her attitude changes but that is all part of Austen’s interruptions of women
like Mrs. Bennet.