Pride and Prejudice is a representative of the realistic novel. It undeniably plays a significant role in the history of British literature. The author, Jane Austen is one of the greatest women writers in the world. The novel shows vivid and complicated relationships between characters and reflect the importance of marriage for women in the early nineteenth century. Austen mainly depicts two disparate marriage attitudes between Elizabeth Bennet and Charlotte Lucas. The story is set in a society which marriage was determined more by economic factors than by emotions such as love and characters. Therefore, as a follower of society, Charlotte bases her marriage on money, fortune, and social status. Some hold opinions that Elizabeth has other motifs
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Elizabeth is considered as a representative of the new woman who can decide her own fate. She has her own judgments and attitudes on marriage that is not influenced by others. She bases her marriage on mutual respect and love, thus she rejects Mr. Collins and Darcy’s proposals even though she knows both of them can promise her a comfortable life with infinite wealth and higher social status. The reason that Elizabeth agrees to marry Darcy because she is in love with Darcy and they worked through obstacles. Elizabeth does not regard marriage to a rich husband as the main goal of life like majority women in that time period, but she is longing for true love. However, Charlotte, as a traditional woman, she expresses her views on marriage when she states “Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance”(16). She does not consider herself as romantic. She does not believe she will marry a man for love and respect because she does not want to be an old maid for the rest of her life since she is already twenty-seven. She accepts Mr.Collins’s proposal is only because her pursuing of mere comfort and a shelter that will protect her from poverty and judgements from the …show more content…
Elizabeth is an intelligent, idealistic and independent middle-class woman. At the beginning of the novel, Mr. Bennet says his daughters“ are all silly and ignorant like other girls; but Lizzy has something more of quickness than her sisters” (2) In Elizabeth’s father point of view, it is clear that Elizabeth is clever than her sisters. Elizabeth also does not yield to rich and powered such as Lady Catherine when she “ be the first creature who had ever dared to trifle with so much dignified impertinence” with Lady Catherine by not giving her a direct answer to her question (111). Elizabeth is also rebellious that she does not obey her mother’s will to accept Mr. Collins’s proposal. She does not subject to the temptation of money. If she does not have strong self-control, she will fall into the trend of the society like Charlotte. On the other hand, Charlotte is a "sensible, intelligent young woman, about twenty-seven" (13). She is a traditional woman who does not have updated thoughts that are similar to Elizabeth. Twenty-seven is an awkward age for her because she does not have much choice for dating. Therefore, no man pays attention to her. Mr. Collins is the first man who shows interest in marrying her. Although Charlotte understands Mr. Collins’s “society was irksome, and his attachment to her must be imaginary”(84), she takes economic condition into
Elizabeth is considered as a representative of the new woman who can decide her own fate. She has her own judgments and attitudes on marriage that is not influenced by others. She bases her marriage on mutual respect and love, thus she rejects Mr. Collins and Darcy’s proposals even though she knows both of them can promise her a comfortable life with infinite wealth and higher social status. The reason that Elizabeth agrees to marry Darcy because she is in love with Darcy and they worked through obstacles. Elizabeth does not regard marriage to a rich husband as the main goal of life like majority women in that time period, but she is longing for true love. However, Charlotte, as a traditional woman, she expresses her views on marriage when she states “Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance”(16). She does not consider herself as romantic. She does not believe she will marry a man for love and respect because she does not want to be an old maid for the rest of her life since she is already twenty-seven. She accepts Mr.Collins’s proposal is only because her pursuing of mere comfort and a shelter that will protect her from poverty and judgements from the …show more content…
Elizabeth is an intelligent, idealistic and independent middle-class woman. At the beginning of the novel, Mr. Bennet says his daughters“ are all silly and ignorant like other girls; but Lizzy has something more of quickness than her sisters” (2) In Elizabeth’s father point of view, it is clear that Elizabeth is clever than her sisters. Elizabeth also does not yield to rich and powered such as Lady Catherine when she “ be the first creature who had ever dared to trifle with so much dignified impertinence” with Lady Catherine by not giving her a direct answer to her question (111). Elizabeth is also rebellious that she does not obey her mother’s will to accept Mr. Collins’s proposal. She does not subject to the temptation of money. If she does not have strong self-control, she will fall into the trend of the society like Charlotte. On the other hand, Charlotte is a "sensible, intelligent young woman, about twenty-seven" (13). She is a traditional woman who does not have updated thoughts that are similar to Elizabeth. Twenty-seven is an awkward age for her because she does not have much choice for dating. Therefore, no man pays attention to her. Mr. Collins is the first man who shows interest in marrying her. Although Charlotte understands Mr. Collins’s “society was irksome, and his attachment to her must be imaginary”(84), she takes economic condition into