Pride And Prejudice Essay -- essays research papers

Pride and Prejudice MarriageEssay written by Maria EngstromIntroductionFor this essay, I chose to read the perhaps most famous book by the English author Jane Austen.During the reading I was thinking well-nigh which theme I should choose to write about and analyze, andeventually I felt that marriage was the central keyword in the book. I will concentrate on the mooringof the daughters in the family, since these are the best described in the novel. My dealing with various ideals and problems within a marriage will be illustrated with examples from the text. Analysis" gaiety in marriage is entirely a matter of chance. If the dispositions of the parties are ever sowell grapplen to each other, or ever so kindred beforehand, it does not advance their felicity in the least.They always continue to grow sufficiently unlike afterwards to have their share of vexation and it isbetter to know as little as possible of the defects of the person with whom you are to pass your life." Thi s is a quote from Charlotte Lucas, matchless of the female characters in the novel, and a quote whichin truth well exemplify the global feelings against marriage for the period and the people in upperclassEngland. Marriage is central for all characters in the novel not just daughters and sons, further parents, aunts,uncles and everybody else who has some interest in the subject. Though it is of course most in theinterest of the daughter herself to get married, the interests of the own family can be important for the election of husband and wife. It is not appropriate for the daughter to choose whoever she likes for herhusband, which she- if she wants a clever marriage- is not very likely to do. I will discuss the reasonsfor the careful excerption of a proper husband below. "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune moldiness be inwant of a wife" This is the first line in the novel, which clearly shows the connection betwee n money and marriage. Itlies in the interest of a woman to marry a man with a fortune, or at least some good deal of money.The husband is meant to support his wife, since he is the one with a profession and she is not(something that will be discussed further down). So, naturally, personal attractions are weighedagainst financial considerations. This is why Mrs. Gardiner does not think Wickham a ve... ...connection was a ineradicable one sincedivorces were very uncommon during this period (and misfortunate for the familys good name, onecan imagine). One way for a husband to divorce his wife would be on grounds of sexual infidelity onthe wifes hand. This was, however, not an easy path to a divorce. Except from getting the permissionof the Parliament to sue the wife, these different steps costed a good deal of money, which lead toonly the rich being able afford divorces. ConclusionMarriage is the main subject in the novel, as well as for people of this period. The maybe mostimportant condition for a happy marriage is money besides love family relations. The situation of thewomen in the novel does not allow them any kind of deviant acting since a happy marriage is the onlygoal for them. Though this is the general atmosphere in the novel, I would like to end my essay withthe words of Mr. Bennet to his daughter Elizabeth on her accepting Mr. Darcys proposal, which standlike an anti-thesis of the otherwise general view of the perfect marriage "He is rich, to be sure, and you may have more fine clothes and fine carriages than Jane. But willthey make you happy?"