In class,
the point was brought up multiple times that, though Little Women focused on marriage to almost the point of annoyance, Pride and Prejudice goes far beyond
that. I agree with this point, because the entire plot of the novel is formed
around marriage and relationships, though the plot is used as a vessel for
delivering social commentary from within this class in this period. Some one
brought up in class that the romance is used to make the social commentary
readable to the readers in this class in the period, and I agree. Austen uses
her characters very specifically to make points in the social commentary this
novel provides, as well as to advance the plot.
In the
novel, Mrs. Bennet serves as a way to advance the plot as well as an example of
how one should not behave. In the first chapter Austen writes, “She was a woman
of mean understanding, little information, and uncertain temper. When she was discontented,
she fancied herself nervous. The business of her life was to get her daughters
married; its solace was visiting and news”(4). From this quote, not even after one chapter,
the reader knows that Mrs. Bennet is not one that should be an example. Her
devotion to marrying off her daughters certainly allows her to propel the plot,
as if she like Mr. Bennet had wished the girls to stop gossiping, then arguably
nothing at all would occur in the novel. This dedication to marrying off her
daughters and her “mean understanding”(4) allows Mrs. Bennet to show how truly
socially inept she is and provide further evidence hers is not an example to be
followed.
While
Mrs. Bennet is the first character used for Austen’s purposes in the novel, Elizabeth
contributes most to Austen’s social commentary by constantly giving her own criticisms
of those around her. One example of this is at the first ball when Elizabeth
thinks about Bingley’s sisters. She thinks to herself, “They were in fact very
fine ladies; not deficient in good humor when they were pleased, nor in the
power of making themselves agreeable when they chose it, but proud and conceited”(16).
This blunt and sometimes mistaken first impressions are given for every non-Bennet
character in the novel. Later in the novel, even pleasant Jane speaks on the subject of Bingley's sisters, and Elizabeth exclaims, "That is the most unforgiving speech that I ever heard you utter. Good Girl!"(424). Allowing Jane to comment and Elizabeth's encouragement emphasize the point of disapproval of Bingley's sisters by Austen. These comments allow Austen to attribute qualities to her characters,
as well as give her perspective on their behavior through Elizabeth.
In the
novel Austen uses her characters to the most advantage, by not only using them
for plot but to convey her social commentary. By doing this through the
characters, Austen disguises her ideas in a romantic plot, and creates a piece
of literary work that will sell for centuries and allow her to express her
opinion.
Romance is certainly used as a vessel in Pride and Prejudice, and this argument gains strength from the rejection of Darcy by Elizabeth. It seems that the rejection serves a two-fold purpose of strengthening the plot as well as commenting on why hypocrisy is not an acceptable trait in society. In explaining why she rejects Darcy, Elizabeth states, “Had not my own feelings decided against you, had they been indifferent, or had they even been favourable, do you think that any consideration would tempt me to accept the man, who has been the means of ruining, perhaps for ever, the happiness of a most beloved sister?” (186). The base of her anger lies both in the fact that Darcy sabotaged Jane and Mr. Bingley’s relationship and that Darcy likes Elizabeth despite the state of her class. Elizabeth deems it unrespectable to counteract ones words and actions.
ReplyDeleteAnother comment that Austen makes about society is that marriages from one class to another are not only possible, but fruitful. After the marriage of Jane and Mr. Bingley, Mr. Bennet comments, “I have not a doubt of your doing very well together. Your tempers are by no means unlike,” (329). Darcy’s actions at the beginning of the novel indicate that marriage between classes cannot cause anything but trouble, but by showing the happiness between the newly-weds, Austen shows that class has no indication on the eventual happiness of a marriage.
Pride and Prejudice definitely contains many themes related to romance and marriage, especially in comparison to Little Women. However, Austen presents much more reason for the need of her children to be married. In the time the story was written, it was almost necessary for women to marry.
ReplyDeleteDuring the time both novels were written, there was very little to occupy a woman if she did not marry. Charlotte seemed to admit that she only accepted Mr. Collins’s offer for “the pure and disinterested desire of an establishment, cared not how soon that establishment were gained” (120). Had she not married, she would grow to be an old maid, left to care for her parents until they died.
Mrs. Bennett also stressed to marry off her daughters, in fear of Mr. Bennett dying and leaving them homeless and without much money. Mrs. Bennett, in usual distress, cried out her pain of the entailment exclaiming, “’I do think it is the hardest thing in the world, that your estate should be entailed away from your own children” (61). It is obviously quite distressing to think of the possibility that she, and her children, would be kicked out of their house upon Mr. Bennett’s death.
These are both very valid reasons to be concerned with marrying off your children. Especially having five daughters, it is no wonder that Mrs. Bennett was always in a tizzy. While this issue is much more pressing in Pride and Prejudice, it is much less aggressive than the constant moral lessons in Little Women.
Austen is able to use romance as a mechanism for communicating social commentary because of the strong link between marriage and social position. This link allows characters to use marriage as a device to improve their social standing, as seen with Charlotte and Lydia, or as a manner to convey an authentic romantic connection, like with Elizabeth and Jane. Austen creates positive and negative connotations with marrying for love and social position respectively through the characterization of the proponents of each option. Mrs. Bennet is the ultimate promoter of marrying for social class and believes that if the right connections are made, marriage can provide her daughters with adequate needs while perhaps even boosting their social position. When Mr. Bingley arrives in town she insists on the importance of creating this connection to her husband by iterating, “it is very likely that he [Mr. Bingley] may fall in love with one of them [the Bennet daughters], and therefore you must visit him as soon as he comes” (2). In contrast, her daughter is resolute in marrying only for love which is evident in Elizabeth’s rejection of Mr. Collins and Mr. Darcy’s first proposal. Austen suggests that Elizabeth’s beliefs stem from her observations of her parents’ unhappy relationship as, “Her father...had married a woman whose weak understanding and illiberal mind had very early in their marriage put an end to all real affection for her” (202). Elizabeth is determined to avoid an unhappy marriage and knows marrying for love is the only way to do this.
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