1500-1800s Marriage

During the 1500-1800s, marriage was viewed as one of the most important aspects of society. The concept of marriage was taken very seriously by women and men because they were both affected by it. Marriage could either ruin your reputation (by marrying someone of a lower class) or support you (by marrying someone of the same or higher class). The novels of Pride and Prejudice and the Taming of the Shrew describe various marriages and inevitable factors that played key roles in shaping them. Social Statuses, the inferiority of women, and the purposes of marriage arrangements formed the marriages in Pride and Prejudice and the Taming of the Shrew.

Social conditions played a crucial role in Pride and Prejudice and the Taming of the Shrew. In both societies, women were expected to assist their husbands by providing them with money, property, and goods. …show more content…
In both novels, the couples who were able to have a successful relationship became tolerant of each other's personalities and behaviors. In Pride and Prejudice, couples like Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy were able to have a sincere, pleasant marriage because they truly fell in love with each other. They had a successful marriage because they focused their marriage on love and emotions rather than social statuses and wealth. In contrast, couples like Petruchio and Katherine, from the Taming of the Shrew, focused their marriage on economic benefits and aspects. For instance, Petruchio decided that he was going to marry Katherine before he even laid eyes on her. He ignored the warnings of her psychotic behavior and only focused on her wealthy inheritance. Since both of these characters married each other for wealth and economic pleasure, their relationship was negative and unsuccessful. These couples demonstrate that the goals and purposes for marriage affect the outcome of the