Social Status In Pride And Prejudice

Jane Austen’s novel, Pride and Prejudice, revolves around the major recurring theme of social status within marriage in the eighteenth century. Coincidentally, social standing is the most emphasized within the novel and provides the basis for the important plot points prevalent throughout the story. The characters, depending on their class, marry for security and higher social standing, an eighteenth century notion that contrasts heavily from the qualities applied to currently married couples. Some marriages such as Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, Mr. Collins and Charlotte, and Wickham and Lydia, focus their marriage primarily on wealth and security, whereas couples like Bingley and Jane, and Darcy and Elizabeth center more so on genuine affection.
Mr. …show more content…
Collins’ marriage also represents the need for wealth and status. Charlotte, Elizabeth’s dearest friend in her late twenties, represents desperation in the story. During the eighteenth century it was uncommon for a woman to still be single at that age. Like Mrs. Bennet, Charlotte, believes that a woman should find a man that can provide a stable life for her. Charlotte’s view on love have only one underlying factor, in which the man must be able to take care of the woman. Security and stability become the main focus for her instead of finding true love. One of the older characters in the story, Charlotte often finds herself desperate in finding a husband because of her beliefs in marrying for wealth. Initially, Mr. Collins makes attempts to propose to the main characters, Jane and Elizabeth, soley to inherit the Bennet household and gain the wealth, even to the point of lurking around them and making for an uncomfortable presence. However, after receiving a painful rejection from both sisters, he resorts to Charlotte. Charlotte, desperate for a man with money, agrees to the marriage. The marriage of Charlotte and Mr. Collins represents another couple based off of money and security. Neither character possesses a significantly deep compassion or intimacy for the other. Both took advantage of an opportunity to become married in order to have a stable future. Similar to Mr. and Mrs. Bennett, Charlotte and Mr. Collins’ marriage represents money and …show more content…
The novel mainly focuses on these two, showing how their own pride and prejudice get in the way of realizing and showing their love for the other. Similarly, the two are both stubborn and strong-willed. However their differences often clash which results in arguments and confusion. Elizabeth stands out from all the other girls because of her independent nature and rebellious inclination towards the culture’s idea of money’s influence on marriage. Darcy’s character often clashes and aggravates Elizabeth. When they first met, Darcy acts like an arrogant pessimist who has no intention in looking for a wife. Moreover their relationship began to grow after their first encounter. Initially a sarcastic and rude relationship, the two had an underlying meaning to their bickering with one another. As plot progresses both develop profound feelings for one another. Like Jane and Bingley, their relationship had many setbacks that conversely pushes the love to grow stronger. Elizabeth and Darcy constitute the closest definition of love in modern society. Unlike the other couples, Elizabeth and Darcy were consistently open with one another. Whether insulting or loving, both found a way to get their point across. When Darcy first proposes to Elizabeth, she rejects him, expressing to him the arrogant and unromantic qualities qualities of the proposal. Realizing this, Darcy told