Jane Austen once said, “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife” (Austen 1). In Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen initiates the society's corrupted views on love and marriage during the 19th century. Austen wrote this novel during the early 1700’s in England, contributing endless wit, irony, cynicism towards her views on marriage and love during that era. In the novel, Mrs. Bennett contains anxiety for pushing her daughters- Jane, Lydia, Elizabeth, Mary, and Catherine- to marry a man with high social status. When Mr. Collins, a wealthy man, proposes to Elizabeth, she refuses because she wants to base her marriage on affection, not monetary values. Elizabeth, unlike
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Darcy’s journey of self-awareness finally starts. After recurring meetings with Elizabeth, Darcy is enamored by Elizabeth personality and he admits, "Her eyes were rendered uncommonly intelligent by the beautiful expression” (211). Darcy sees that Elizabeth is not like the other women who are superficial. When Darcy proposes to Elizabeth, he confesses, “I came to you (Elizabeth) without a doubt of my reception. You showed me how insufficient were all my pretensions to please a woman worthy of being pleased" (310). He admits that he truly loves Elizabeth by proposing to her “without a doubt”. Darcy explains his previous behavior by admitting in his letter to Elizabeth; “ I was spoiled by my parents, who though good themselves … allowed, encouraged, almost taught me to be selfish and overbearing” (287). Darcy acknowledges that his social class made him blind with the prejudice. He starts to love Elizabeth for her personality, and he disregards her social status. Dvora Zelicovici, an English professor at the University of Calgary, reinforces this point in her article: "The question is not one of acceptance but of Darcy's discovering that love of the right lady knows no impediments". At the end, when Darcy realizes that Elizabeth does not follow societal expectations, he starts
Darcy’s journey of self-awareness finally starts. After recurring meetings with Elizabeth, Darcy is enamored by Elizabeth personality and he admits, "Her eyes were rendered uncommonly intelligent by the beautiful expression” (211). Darcy sees that Elizabeth is not like the other women who are superficial. When Darcy proposes to Elizabeth, he confesses, “I came to you (Elizabeth) without a doubt of my reception. You showed me how insufficient were all my pretensions to please a woman worthy of being pleased" (310). He admits that he truly loves Elizabeth by proposing to her “without a doubt”. Darcy explains his previous behavior by admitting in his letter to Elizabeth; “ I was spoiled by my parents, who though good themselves … allowed, encouraged, almost taught me to be selfish and overbearing” (287). Darcy acknowledges that his social class made him blind with the prejudice. He starts to love Elizabeth for her personality, and he disregards her social status. Dvora Zelicovici, an English professor at the University of Calgary, reinforces this point in her article: "The question is not one of acceptance but of Darcy's discovering that love of the right lady knows no impediments". At the end, when Darcy realizes that Elizabeth does not follow societal expectations, he starts