Explore how Jane Austen presents the themes of love and marriage in volume 1 of Pride and Prejudice Essay

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a iodine man in possession of a dear(p) fortune, must be in want of a wife.The novel begins with a satirical quote, representing some peoples opinions on make out and marriage at the snip of writing. To many a nonher(prenominal), marriage was a sort of bettering themselves socially and economically, but seldom for triumph and love. Throughout the novel there are numerous and frequent references to this way of thinking, and Austen makes roles who think of love and marriage in this way appear ridiculous. angiotensin converting enzyme character made to look absurd is Mrs. bennet. Most find her intolerable, and withal her own daughters and husband are embarrassed by her regularly. In chapter atomic number 53 she says, A single man of large fortune What a hunky-dory thing for our girls Nothing of Mr. Bingleys character is mentioned, but the accompaniment that he is wealthy seems reason enough for Mrs. Bennet to approve of him.As go out be future explored, Mrs. Bennet is derided throughout the novel, assailablely showing that Austen herself does non approve of her way of thinking, as it is centred around the material rather than be centred around love or moral reasons.Despite being nether constant pressure from her mother, imputable to the details of the entailment on the Bennets estate, Jane Bennet desires to marry for love, and eventually does so.The ever-important matter of funds, however, does lie at the back of her mind. In chapter four, Elizabeth says, I give you leave to like him. You have liked many a stupider person. This suggests that Jane has courted men before, but they have either been absentminded in character or in money, so she has not act their affections.In chapter four following the first ball a dialogue between Jane and Elizabeth Bennet takes place. Rather than mentioning Bingleys fortune, Jane states that she admirers him receivable to his being sensible, good humoured, lively an d states that she has never seen such happy manners.Throughout the news Jane is described positively, which influences the reader to think full(prenominal)ly of her and views on marrying for love as just.Elizabeth, too, is presented as sensible and likeable. Though she mentions that the moment she fell in love with Mr. Darcy was after first seeing his beautiful grounds at Pemberley, she in like manner mentions that she fell in love with him gradually, ensuring that his wealth was not the only agent taken in to account as she accepted his second purpose of marriage.Her primary interest seems to be in marrying for love, as she put to worked obliterate a marriage offer from Mr. collins which would have ensured her money, a plate and a good reputation. With all of this taken into account, Eliza refuses due to Mr. Collins personality and the situation that she does not love him.In chapter nineteen Mr. Collins another ridiculed character makes his first proposal to Elizabeth. He makes it clear that he only makes the proposal due to Catherine DeBurghs advice. He also thinks it may benefit his delight, though mentions nothing of hers. Much of the proposal is an insult to Miss Bennet as he retells Lady Catherines exact words (let her be an active, useful person, not brought up too high). Mr. Collins ostensibly does not love Elizabeth, nor is he pretending so. He seems to think that, due to the fact that he has good connections, Elizabeth would jump at the chance of marrying him. She refuses politely, nevertheless Mr. Collins cannot see why she would refuse his offer. He is a outpouring example of someone who doesnt think love is a exigency for a successful marriage. He sees his proposal as an honourable motion as a way to compensate the Bennet family for the fact that he shall inherit the house upon Mr. Bennets death, but somewhat selfishly to better his own status and comfort.Soon after this, as Mr. Collins retreats with a slightly bruised ego, we le arn that Miss Charlotte Lucas, a close confederate of the Bennets, has accepted another proposal from Collins, presumably one of the same type. by and by Elizabeth confronts her on the news of their engagement Charlotte justifies her thoughts with the following I am not romantic I ask only a comfortable home connections, and situation in life, I am convinced my chance of happiness with him is fair, as most people can boast on debut the marriage state. This, as strongspring as her earlier observe relating to Jane fixing Mr. Bingley (almost as though discussing an animal, or assuming Bingley is broken due to his being unmarried).Perhaps Charlotte only seeks the above, or perhaps she is worried or so what her peers would say about her being unmarried at such an age. In this period in time, women were talked about if unmarried in their late twenties.somebody with an opposite view to Charlotte is Caroline Bingley. Where the Bennet sisters and Charlotte Lucas aim to marry high and ensure their financial warrantor, Caroline seems to scorn them for wish to do so. She disapproves of Jane and her fellows relationship, which can be gathered from her trying to keep the fact that Jane was in London at the same time as her blood brother a secret. She seems convinced that her friends marrying anyone of a lower rank would be shameful, and that anyone wishing to marry her brother of Mr. Darcy must be after their money. While chasing the expect of gaining a desirable social status and money, Caroline Bingley may well forget about love and, even if it ever came along, may well suppress it in hopes of something better.The issue of indipendence may also be one that Miss Bingley considers. She lives with her brother and has to up and leave when he does so. The security and indipendence a marriage would bring is surely something she would have looked forward to.Her friend, Mr. Darcy, is well aware of womens attitudes at the time. He even goes as furthermost as to warn his best friend against Jane Bennet, as he fears that she doesnt love Bingley as is only showing an interest in him for his wealth. This misanthropical attitude may have grown due to his disdain and perhaps the effect of spending too much time with Charles Bingleys sisters.This seems always the case when listening to the piano at Netherfield he thinks to himself that it may occasion dangerous to pay too much attention to Lizzy. He makes it clear that he regards her of a lower class in his refused proposal (He spoke well, but there were feelings besides those of the heart to be little His sense of her inferiority of its being a degradation of the family obstacles.) and is obviously implicated about other peoples opinions.Despite the fact that the storey ends happily and both Elizabeth and Jane marry for love, the underlying theme of the novel is, predictably, pride and prejudice. Lydia, though eager to marry Wickham for love, runs the risk of being ostracised due to her vi tality with him outside of wedlock. This, in turn, would ruin the reputation of her sisters. Despite being in love, would Darcy and Bingley want to get married to the siblings of a disgraced woman? If Darcy had not have been able to persuade Wickham to marry Lydia, would he in turn have abandoned Elizabeth?Though Austen strongly hints that she approves of marrying for love rather than money (through satirising some characters and not others), it is clear that reputation and etiquette were still as important, if not more important than love in ones marriage.