Marriage can either be a gateway to happiness, if done right, or it can be a lifelong regret. There are many different purposes to marry someone, whether the intention to marry is bad or good. In Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen criticizes marriages based on infatuation, convenience and money, and emphasizes that marriage can only be successful if they are founded on mutual live.
Lydia and Wickham’s reasons for marriage goes against what Jane Austen believes will lead to a successful marriage. Lydia is known to “attach herself to anybody,” especially the officers, sometimes she will favour “one officer [and] sometimes another”. She is not capable of loving one man and staying by his side because she gets easily tired of being …show more content…
This explains why she enjoys to dress up and buy the latest fashion, so that she can impress the men around her. Once Lydia meets Wickham, she is passionately attracted to him. Unfortunately, ‘Wickham’s affection for Lydia [is] not equal to Lydia’s [affection] for [Wickham].” Wickham did not intend to marry Lydia, so his affections for her are not real. His purpose to marry Lydia, came from the opportunity to gain money to supposedly pay off his debts. Their elopement is based on the “strength of [Lydia’s] love, rather than by [Wickham].” The strength of Lydia’s love comes from the thought of being the youngest child to get married in the Bennet family. Lydia’s affection towards the officers is what causes her to get into trouble with Wickham, but she does not realise the potential danger she is putting herself in because of her thoughts. Fortunately she does not know of Wickham’s hopes of “making his fortune by marriage in some other country.” Wickham prefers to be around women who have money, and his dream is to marry a …show more content…
Collins’ marriage is also unsuccessful due to their differences. Their marriage is based on an agreement between the two of them instead of mutual love, and the proposal is similar to a business transaction because “everything was settled…to the satisfaction of both” of them. The only purpose to marry is so that Charlotte will be financially stable, and Mr. Collins will satisfy the needs of Lady Catherine De Bourgh. Charlotte does not enjoy Mr. Collins’ company because he is “neither sensible nor agreeable” He makes a fool of himself wherever he goes and whoever he talks to, and he also does not know when to stop talking. Therefore, whenever Mr. Collins’ says anything “Charlotte wisely [does] not hear” it. If she did pay attention to what he is saying, she will always be embarrassed, because he is always saying foolish things, or compliments women, even though he is married. Fortunately, Mr. Collins is seen as unimportant to Charlotte’s eyes, making it easy for her to forget about him, which brings “a great deal of comfort [in the house].” Charlotte’s abilities to forget about him, allows her to be able to relax, and do her own tasks without having any type of disturbance form Mr. Collins and his thoughts. Charlotte’s reason for marriage is based on the convenience of having money and a home, while Mr. Collins reasons for marriage is to please someone else. Their marriage is heavily influenced by
Lydia and Wickham’s reasons for marriage goes against what Jane Austen believes will lead to a successful marriage. Lydia is known to “attach herself to anybody,” especially the officers, sometimes she will favour “one officer [and] sometimes another”. She is not capable of loving one man and staying by his side because she gets easily tired of being …show more content…
This explains why she enjoys to dress up and buy the latest fashion, so that she can impress the men around her. Once Lydia meets Wickham, she is passionately attracted to him. Unfortunately, ‘Wickham’s affection for Lydia [is] not equal to Lydia’s [affection] for [Wickham].” Wickham did not intend to marry Lydia, so his affections for her are not real. His purpose to marry Lydia, came from the opportunity to gain money to supposedly pay off his debts. Their elopement is based on the “strength of [Lydia’s] love, rather than by [Wickham].” The strength of Lydia’s love comes from the thought of being the youngest child to get married in the Bennet family. Lydia’s affection towards the officers is what causes her to get into trouble with Wickham, but she does not realise the potential danger she is putting herself in because of her thoughts. Fortunately she does not know of Wickham’s hopes of “making his fortune by marriage in some other country.” Wickham prefers to be around women who have money, and his dream is to marry a …show more content…
Collins’ marriage is also unsuccessful due to their differences. Their marriage is based on an agreement between the two of them instead of mutual love, and the proposal is similar to a business transaction because “everything was settled…to the satisfaction of both” of them. The only purpose to marry is so that Charlotte will be financially stable, and Mr. Collins will satisfy the needs of Lady Catherine De Bourgh. Charlotte does not enjoy Mr. Collins’ company because he is “neither sensible nor agreeable” He makes a fool of himself wherever he goes and whoever he talks to, and he also does not know when to stop talking. Therefore, whenever Mr. Collins’ says anything “Charlotte wisely [does] not hear” it. If she did pay attention to what he is saying, she will always be embarrassed, because he is always saying foolish things, or compliments women, even though he is married. Fortunately, Mr. Collins is seen as unimportant to Charlotte’s eyes, making it easy for her to forget about him, which brings “a great deal of comfort [in the house].” Charlotte’s abilities to forget about him, allows her to be able to relax, and do her own tasks without having any type of disturbance form Mr. Collins and his thoughts. Charlotte’s reason for marriage is based on the convenience of having money and a home, while Mr. Collins reasons for marriage is to please someone else. Their marriage is heavily influenced by