Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen, presents many different perspectives regarding marriage. Austen portrays this through a variety of characters such as, Charlotte Lucas, Elizabeth Bennett and George Wickham. During this time period, males and females held different stances on the value of marriage and why or why not people should marry. At this time in history, women were highly encouraged to marry young, and if they did not, this was often looked down upon. As for males, it was highly encouraged, but not as crucial as it was for women. Jane Austen depicted the ideas and importance of marriage through Wickham, Charlotte and Elizabeth’s differing opinions and desires for marriage and through this, the novel depicts the difference between
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Most men were encouraged to marry but when the men were well off, marriage was not as important. Wickham was a handsome military man, who used his looks to charm Elizabeth and comes from a poor family. Although he was a very charming and attractive man, the Bennett family quickly came to realize that he was dishonest in many ways. Due to the fact that Wickham came from a poor family, the Bennett family was very attractive to him. Even though the Bennett’s were not one of the wealthiest families, since they had all daughters, their estate would have to go to a male who married into the family. Wickham desired to marry rich to escape the chance of remaining poor. “How Wickham and Lydia were to be supported in tolerable independence, she could not imagine. But how little of permanent happiness could belong to a couple who were only brought together because their passions were stronger than their virtue, she could easily conjecture” (Austen 183). Even though, Wickham and Lydia were not necessarily in love, they eloped because Wickham was attracted to the advantages that Lydia came with. They were unable to deny the reality of their fate and were willing to sacrifice true happiness, for receiving wealth and …show more content…
It was not absolutely essential for men to marry, although it was encouraged to an extent. If a man was wealthy, then they could manage to be on their own without marrying. If a man was poor then it was highly encouraged for a man to marry to find a wealthy woman. An example of this is Wickham. Coming from a poor family, he is urged by society and his family to marry into wealth. Wickham eloped with Lydia not because he loved her, but rather because he loved the wealth of her family. By marrying Lydia, he saw this as a way to escape the poverty of his family’s
Most men were encouraged to marry but when the men were well off, marriage was not as important. Wickham was a handsome military man, who used his looks to charm Elizabeth and comes from a poor family. Although he was a very charming and attractive man, the Bennett family quickly came to realize that he was dishonest in many ways. Due to the fact that Wickham came from a poor family, the Bennett family was very attractive to him. Even though the Bennett’s were not one of the wealthiest families, since they had all daughters, their estate would have to go to a male who married into the family. Wickham desired to marry rich to escape the chance of remaining poor. “How Wickham and Lydia were to be supported in tolerable independence, she could not imagine. But how little of permanent happiness could belong to a couple who were only brought together because their passions were stronger than their virtue, she could easily conjecture” (Austen 183). Even though, Wickham and Lydia were not necessarily in love, they eloped because Wickham was attracted to the advantages that Lydia came with. They were unable to deny the reality of their fate and were willing to sacrifice true happiness, for receiving wealth and …show more content…
It was not absolutely essential for men to marry, although it was encouraged to an extent. If a man was wealthy, then they could manage to be on their own without marrying. If a man was poor then it was highly encouraged for a man to marry to find a wealthy woman. An example of this is Wickham. Coming from a poor family, he is urged by society and his family to marry into wealth. Wickham eloped with Lydia not because he loved her, but rather because he loved the wealth of her family. By marrying Lydia, he saw this as a way to escape the poverty of his family’s