marriage and the importance of social class, wealth and reputation in pride and prejudice

7/29/2019 Marriage and the importance of social class, wealth and reputation in Pride and Prejudice

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Personal Study:

Marriage and the importance of social

class, wealth and reputation in Prideand Prejudice, by Jane Austen

Pride and prejudice: as suggested by the title of Jane Austens most popularnovel, both pride and prejudice are the main obstacles to love and ultimatelymarriage between the main characters of the book. The main themes, however, arenot exactly those suggested by the title of the book. They are in fact marriage (andlove), as well as the importance of social class, wealth and reputation theunderlying cause behind Darcy and Elizabeths combined pride and prejudice.

Both of these topics were extremely important to the society of RegencyEngland during which Austen lived. The England she depicts is one which socialmobility is limited and in which class-consciousness is strong. As for marriage, this isthe only means for women to acquire wealth or a higher social status, which is whythis theme is so important in all of Jane Austens books and especially Pride andPrejudice.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of agood fortune must be in want of a wife. The first sentence of Jane Austens novel ischaracteristic of the rest of the book. The thread that sews together the lives of all thecharacters is the establishment of marriage. Indeed, this is the ultimate goal for all of

the protagonists: the Bennet family, the Lucases, Mr. Collins, Mr. Darcy, Mr. Bingleyand his sisters For instance, the business of [Mrs. Bennets] life was to get herdaughters married. It was the worry of every girl to die an old maid, as Lydia,careless though she is, expresses in her letter: I was in great hopes that one of youwould have got a husband before you came back. Jane will be quite an old maidsoon, I declare. She is almost three-and-twenty! Lord, how ashamed I should be ofnot being married before three-and-twenty! My aunt Phillips wants you so to gethusbands, you can't think. She says Lizzy had better have taken Mr. Collins; but I donot think there would have been any fun in it. Lord! how I should like to be marriedbefore any of you; and then I would chaperon you about to all the balls.

In the time period of this story, there was very little social acceptance of

women who remained single their whole lives. They would have to rely financially ontheir parents or brothers: indeed, failing marriage, inheritance was the only way forwomen from the middle or upper classes to acquire money. This explains whyCharlottes family are so relieved to hear that she is to marry Mr. Collins: The wholefamily in short were properly overjoyed on the occasion. The younger girls formedhopes of coming out a year or two sooner than they might otherwise have done; andthe boys were relieved from their apprehension of Charlottes dying an old maid.She herself, at the age of twenty-seven, without having ever been handsome,considers herself lucky to have found a husband, even such a ridiculous one as Mr.Collins. I am not romantic, you know; I never was. I ask only a comfortable home;and considering Mr. Collins's character, connection, and situation in life, I amconvinced that my chance of happiness with him is as fair as most people can boast

on entering the marriage state."


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Because of this fear of old maidenhood, each and every single man is seenas a potential husband. As soon as Mrs Bennet hears of the arrival of Mr. Bingley inNetherfield, even before meeting him, she is already determined that he will marryone of her daughters. We may assume that one of the reasons for which she is so

anxious to marry them is because of social and financial pressure to do so.Longbourn is entailed to Mr. Collins, upon Mr. Bennets death. This means that bothhis wife and daughters would have to abandon the estate. If his daughters hadalready married, however, they would be financially secure and would furthermore beable to lodge their mother. It is thus obvious why marriage is such an importanttheme in Austens novel.

Several married couples or future couples are described in the course ofthe novel. Some are well-matched like Elizabeth and Darcy, Jane and Bingley orMr. and Mrs. Gardiner and others are exactly the opposite: Mr. and Mrs. Bennet,Wickham and Lydia or Mr. Collins and Charlotte. Let us now see what makes a good

couple or a bad one.

Perhaps the thing that Austen considers to be most important in a marriage isrespect and love: in all the felicity which a marriage of true affection could bestow.The couple should also be somewhat similar in temperament. This is why Jane andBingley are so well suited, as her father expresses: Your tempers are by no meansunlike. You are each of you so complying, that nothing will ever be resolved on; soeasy, that every servant will cheat you; and so generous, that you will always exceedyour income. They also share the trait of excessive modesty which is the mainobstacle to their marrying, apart from the involvement of Mr. Darcy and Bingleyssisters. Bingley has so much humility that he easily imagines Jane does not reallylove him. As for her, she is also unwilling to believe he could be interested in her and

her natural self-effacement prevents her from showing too strong an interest inpublic. Charlotte remarks on this at the beginning of the book: It may perhaps bepleasant to be able to impose on the public in such a case; but it is sometimes adisadvantage to be so very guarded. If a woman conceals her affection with thesame skill from the object of it, she may lose the opportunity of fixing him; and it willthen be but poor consolation to believe the world equally in the dark. There is somuch of gratitude or vanity in almost every attachment, that it is not safe to leave anyto itself. We can all begin freelya slight preference is natural enough; but there arevery few of us who have heart enough to be really in love without encouragement. Innine cases out of ten a women had better show more affection than she feels.Bingley likes your sister undoubtedly; but he may never do more than like her, if shedoes not help him on.

This is exactly what Charlotte does to secure the affection of Mr. Collins: shedoes not love him, but shows interest in him simply to be sure to get married. Itsounds remarkable nowadays to imagine that a woman would prefer to marry a manwith whom she could never be happy, than to chance remaining single for the rest ofher life but this is how life was for many women living during the 18th and 19th

century. Charlotte considers that happiness in marriage is entirely a matter ofchance. If the dispositions of the parties are ever so well known to each other or everso similar beforehand, it does not advance their felicity in the least. They alwayscontinue to grow sufficiently unlike afterwards to have their share of vexation; and itis better to know as little as possible of the defects of the person with whom you areto pass your life. It is safe to assume, however, that Jane Austen disagrees with this

point of view: she pictures Jane and Bingley as being a perfect match that live


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happily ever after, just like Elizabeth and Darcy. It is clear throughout the book thatfelicity is possible in a marriage, though Charlotte may believe otherwise.

The dangers of marrying without any real knowledge of the temperament ofones partner, is clearly shown by the odd couple of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet. They arenot at all suited to each other: they both have very different temperaments, one a

mixture of quick parts, sarcastic humour, reserve, and caprice, the other a womanof mean understanding, little information, and uncertain temper. Their couple is ill-suited and not a happy one. How did this come about? Mr Bennet, captivated byyouth and beauty, and that appearance of good humour which youth and beautygenerally give, had married a woman whose weak understanding and illiberal mindhad very early in their marriage put an end to all real affection for her. Respect,esteem, and confidence had vanished for ever; and all his views of domestichappiness were overthrown. () To his wife he was very little otherwise indebted,than as her ignorance and folly had contributed to his amusement. This is not the sortof happiness which a man would in general wish to owe to his wife; but where otherpowers of entertainment are wanting, the true philosopher will derive benefit fromsuch as are given. This example shows how, unlike what Charlotte thinks, it is better

to get to know someone and their temperament before marrying them. Indeed, it isonly when one desires nothing but a husband, no matter whom he is, that aprecipitate engagement might be worth it. But Austen shows us through the lastexample of Lydia and Wickham that felicity does not lie with precipitateengagements.

His unsuccessful marriage is also the reason why her father is so concernedwhen he learns that Elizabeth wants to get married to Darcy: he thinks they are toodifferent to ever be happy together. But though they are somewhat different, theyboth share the traits of pride and prejudice, and their differences are not so great thatthey would not suit each other. Lizzy thus understands at the end of the novel thatDarcy was exactly the man who, in disposition and talents, would most suit her. His

understanding and temper, though unlike her own, would have answered all herwishes. It was a union that must have been to the advantage of both; by her easeand liveliness, his mind might have been softened, his manners improved; and fromhis judgement, information, and knowledge of the world, she must have receivedbenefit of greater importance.

But apart from some similarity and taking the time to know each other, whatare the main criteria that people from the middle or upper classes looked for in afuture spouse in Jane Austens time? The characters of Pride and Prejudice aremostly interested in five characteristics: class, money, reputation, appearance and, tosome extent, accomplishment. They not only dictate whether someone is worth

marrying or not, but also the way people interact with each other: neighbours,strangers, guests, or friends.

Class is perhaps the most important aspect of all. Austen depicts an Englandin which it is the aim of every man or woman to rise in social class be it throughmarriage or, in some cases, the receival of a title from the royal family. This is forinstance the case of Charlottes father, Sir William Lucas, who had risen to thehonour of knighthood by an address to the king during his mayoralty. Theimportance of class is one of the reasons why Bingley is so well liked in Longbourn;and though she is very partial to Mr. Collins and his grandiose speeches, Mrs Bennetmuch favours the idea of Jane and Mr. Bingley marrying soon. Of having anotherdaughter married to Mr. Collins, she thought with equal certainty, and with

considerable, though not equal, pleasure. Elizabeth was the least dear to her of allher children; and though the man and the match were quite good enough for her, the


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worth of each was eclipsed by Mr. Bingley and Netherfield. After all, Bingley truly isa gentleman of leisure of high rank, whereas Mr. Collins is a simple rector. Althoughhis situation in life, [his] connections with the family of de Bourgh, and [his]relationship to [the Bennet family], are circumstances highly in [his] favour, he is nomatch for a man of Bingleys stature. Mrs Bennet even expresses the fact that hedearest wish would be to see one of my daughters happily settled at Netherfield ()and all the others equally well married.

So the dream of any middle-class girl would be to marry a gentleman from theupper class. But this is easier said than done. Most of these men are expected bytheir friends and family to marry someone from the same class as themselves, if notfrom the same family. A marriage between Darcy and Anne de Bourgh, daughter ofthe distinguished Lady Catherine de Bourgh, is hence expected because both partiesare of equally notable lineage and hail from the same prestigious family. The unionbetween the two aristocrats was planned while in their cradles, according to Ladyde Bourgh. According to her, they are formed for each other. They are descended,

on the maternal side, from the same noble line; and, on the father's, fromrespectable, honourable, and ancientthough untitledfamilies. Their fortune onboth sides is splendid. They are destined for each other by the voice of everymember of their respective houses; and what is to divide them? The upstartpretensions of a young woman without family, connections, or fortune.

She is aghast that the anticipated matrimony may be prevented by a youngwoman of inferior birth, of no importance in the world, and wholly unallied to thefamily like Elizabeth. When she comes to Longbourn after hearing rumours of Darcybeing engaged to her, she goes on to advise Elizabeth that: If you were sensible ofyour own good, you would not wish to quit the sphere in which you have beenbrought up. This is presumably because, according to Lady Catherine, she shouldnot expect to be noticed by his family or friends, if you wilfully act against theinclinations of all. You will be censured, slighted, and despised, by everyoneconnected with him. Your alliance will be a disgrace; your name will never even bementioned by any of us.

Darcy himself feels the danger of paying Elizabeth too much attention. Inspite of her attraction on him, he believes it to be wrong to marry someone from suchinferior rank he has extreme class-consciousness. This is the reason why heconvinces Bingley to leave Netherfield, so that he might not be in danger of askingfor Janes hand. Bingleys sister participates in this scheme for the same reason. AsElisabeth clearly sees, the Bennet family is not rich enough or grand enough forthem; and she is the more anxious to get Miss Darcy for her brother, from the notionthat when there has been one intermarriage, she may have less trouble in achieving

a second. Both of Bingleys sisters, as well as Lady Catherine, are perhaps the mostclass-conscious characters in the novel. They despise the rural, middle-classvillagers of Meryton. You are considering how insupportable it would be to passmany evenings in this mannerin such society; and indeed I am quite of youropinion. () The insipidity, and yet the noisethe nothingness, and yet the self-importance of all those people! Even Darcy, considered extremely proud by thevillagers, seems to share these opinions at first though he repents of his pride andprejudice later on. Wickham thus explains that only among those who are at all hisequals in consequence, he is a very different man from what he is to the lessprosperous. His pride never deserts him; but with the rich he is liberal-minded, just,sincere, rational, honourable, and perhaps agreeableallowing something forfortune and figure. Of course Wickham is hardly a trustworthy source, but Darcydoes consider rank to be extremely important, so much that he seems to despisethose lower than him on the social scale.


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However one must take into account the way he was raised: as Charlotteexpresses, he has a right to be proud. And when one thinks about it, the way theBennet family behave with their servant is much worse than the way Darcy ignoresthe Bennet or Lucas family during the first ball he attends at Meryton. Austencriticizes the snobbish ways of the upper class, but does not give a moments thoughtto the lower class who are not even deemed worthy enough to be mentioned in hernovel whereas the middle and upper classes can at least converse and mingleduring social events, or even marry. Lydia is deemed to have married underneath herwhen she takes Wickham as a husband but how much worse would it have been ifshe had eloped with a lowly servant!

The arrogant way with which the aristocracy views the middle class ismirrored in turn by the admiration sometimes attaining idolatry that the latter feel forthe former. Although Lady Catherine and her peers are in no ways perfect, they arealmost idolized by people such as Mr. Collins, the Lucas family or Mrs. Bennet.Indeed, Mr. Collins high regard is so extreme that it become comical: He had neverin his life witnessed such behaviour in a person of ranksuch affability andcondescension, as he had himself experienced from Lady Catherine. She had been

graciously pleased to approve of both of the discourses which he had already hadthe honour of preaching before her. She had also asked him twice to dine at Rosings,and had sent for him only the Saturday before, to make up her pool of quadrille in theevening. Lady Catherine was reckoned proud by many people he knew, but he hadnever seen anything but affability in her. She had always spoken to him as she wouldto any other gentleman; she made not the smallest objection to his joining in thesociety of the neighbourhood nor to his leaving the parish occasionally for a week ortwo, to visit his relations. She had even condescended to advise him to marry assoon as he could, provided he chose with discretion. As for Mrs. Bennet, she takesno account whatsoever of Lady Catherines rudeness and simply admires heraristocratic behaviour. Looking like one is from the upper class is even consideredbetter than having beauty: Miss de Bourgh is far superior to the handsomest of hersex, because there is that in her features which marks the young lady ofdistinguished birth.

To contrast these depreciative examples of the class system, Austen offersmore positive examples in Bingley and the Gardiners. Bingley is someone from theupper class who wears his position lightly and gallantly. As for the Gardiners, theyrepresent the honest, generous, and industrious middle class. They offer greatcontrast to the scheming and shallow Caroline Bingley, the mixture of pride andobsequiousness, self-importance and humility that is Mr. Collins or the arrogant andrude Lady Catherine.

A last thing that people from the upper class thought of as extremely

important was peoples families and connections. A typical example of this is theimportance that Lady Catherine, Darcy and Bingleys sisters attribute to the Bennetslower-class connections: the Gardiners. Mr. Gardiner is an attorney, who works tosustain his family, whereas only idle landowners are considered worthy by thesearistocrats. As Caroline Bingley tells Darcy at the beginning of the novel: I have anexcessive regard for Miss Jane Bennet, she is really a very sweet girl, and I wish withall my heart she were well settled. But with such a father and mother, and such lowconnections, I am afraid there is no chance of it. Another big obstacle that Elizabethand Jane have to overcome is the silly behaviour of their close family: especially thatof their mother and younger sisters. Darcy acknowledges this in the letter he givesElizabeth after she rejected his marriage proposal. My objections to the marriagewere not merely () [your] want of connection (). There were other causes of

repugnance; causes which, though still existing, and existing to an equal degree inboth instances, I had myself endeavoured to forget, because they were not


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immediately before me. These causes must be stated, though briefly. The situation ofyour mother's family, though objectionable, was nothing in comparison to that totalwant of propriety so frequently, so almost uniformly betrayed by herself, by your threeyounger sisters, and occasionally even by your father.

Perhaps the worst thing that could have happened in such a situation is

Lydias elopement with Wickham. The Bennet family already suffered from its want ofconnections, its belonging to the rural middle class, and the silliness of most of thefamily members. But such an event is terrible for the reputation of the family.Elizabeth feels that her power [over Darcy] was sinking; everything must sink undersuch a proof of family weakness, such an assurance of the deepest disgrace. As forMr. Collins, he goes on to say that the death of your daughter would have been ablessing in comparison of this. [Lady Catherine agrees] with me in apprehending thatthis false step in one daughter will be injurious to the fortunes of all the others; forwho, as Lady Catherine herself condescendingly says, will connect themselves withsuch a family?

This shows that reputation was also incredibly important in such a society.

Just like Darcys regard, once lost, it is lost forever. This is what Mary tells Elizabethafter hearing the terrible news: unhappy as the event must be for Lydia, we maydraw from it this useful lesson: that loss of virtue in a female is irretrievable; that onefalse step involves her in endless ruin; that her reputation is no less brittle than it isbeautiful; and that she cannot be too much guarded in her behaviour towards theundeserving of the other sex. This loss of reputation involves the whole family. Thisis the main objection that Lady Catherine has to a marriage between her nephew andElizabeth, and leads to perhaps the best-known quote from this novel: To all theobjections I have already urged, I have still another to add. I am no stranger to theparticulars of your youngest sister's infamous elopement. I know it all; that the youngman's marrying her was a patched-up business, at the expense of your father anduncles. And is such a girl to be my nephew's sister? Is her husband, is the son of his

late father's steward, to be his brother? Heaven and earth!of what are youthinking? Are the shades of Pemberley to be thus polluted?

Austen thus describes a world in which choices for individuals are verylimited, based almost exclusively on a familys social rank, connections andreputation. But thinks are not quite as desperate as they seem. The final marriage ofDarcy and Elizabeth shows that class restrictions, while rigid, do not determine onescharacter, and that love can overcome all obstacles, including class.

The second main criterion that people looked for when marrying someonewas money. This is especially true of women, who could only get wealthy by

marrying someone rich whereas it was considered all right for upper and middleclass men to work to become more prosperous. Bingley is thus seen as aprospective husband by the Bennet women even before having met him: A singleman of large fortune; four or five thousand a year. What a fine thing for our girls!" Mr.Collins is also considered a good match, even though he is far from handsome oreven agreeable: Mr. Collins's present circumstances made it a most eligible matchfor [Charlotte], to whom [her family] could give little fortune; and his prospects offuture wealth were exceedingly fair.

Even Wickham, though he seems charming, well-bred and very handsome, isnot considered as a prospective husband because of his relative poverty. After heraunts intervention ("Do not involve yourself or endeavour to involve him in anaffection which the want of fortune would make so very imprudent. I have nothing tosay against him; he is a most interesting young man; and if he had the fortune heought to have, I should think you could not do better. But as it is, you must not let


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your fancy run away with you.), Elizabeth stops viewing him as a suitor when sheacquires the mortifying conviction that handsome young men must have somethingto live on as well as the plain." Nevertheless, after her elopement, Lydias wedding toa poor and lowly soldier is strongly desired by her family because anything elsewould not only destroy Lydias reputation, it would also be extremely harmful to hersisters. Imprudent as the marriage between Mr. Wickham and our poor Lydia wouldbe, expresses Jane Bennet in her letter to Elizabeth, we are now anxious to beassured that it has taken place.

As I have said before, men as portrayed in Austens novels generally think ofwealth as being less important when looking for a partner than women do.Characteristics like beauty, reputation, accomplishment and of course class areconsidered more important. Only Wickham, because of his gambling tendencies, isso materialistic that he pursues Mary King as soon as she inherits a large fortune.But the Bennet sisters are still disadvantaged by their lack of fortune in some ways.Mr. Collins, to persuade Elizabeth to marry him, tells her that you should take it intofurther consideration, that in spite of your manifold attractions, it is by no meanscertain that another offer of marriage may ever be made you. Your portion is

unhappily so small that it will in all likelihood undo the effects of your loveliness andamiable qualifications. She herself realizes that Jane will have difficulties in marryingBingley though she is the person with whom he will in all likelihood have the bestchance at happiness - because of his sisters and friendsmay wish many thingsbesides his happiness; they may wish his increase of wealth and consequence; theymay wish him to marry a girl who has all the importance of money, great connections,and pride."

All I have mentioned earlier, though they were of course consideredimportant, it would be unfair to say that all that mattered to the characters of Prideand Prejudice was class and wealth. Accomplishment was also consideredimportant, especially be members of the upper class. Indeed, women from the middleor upper classes had very little to do when not out on visits, so they had lots of timeavailable to become more accomplished. But being truly accomplished means a lot ofwork, according to Caroline Bingley: A woman must have a thorough knowledge ofmusic, singing, drawing, dancing, and the modern languages, to deserve the word;and besides all this, she must possess a certain something in her air and manner ofwalking, the tone of her voice, her address and expressions, or the word will be buthalf-deserved." Accomplishment was also a way for women with not many things torecommend them, to become more desirable. This is for instance the case of MaryBennet, who in consequence of being the only plain one in the family, worked hardfor knowledge and accomplishments. Since she is plain, with a small dowry and

from a middle-class family with not many connections, accomplishment is the onlyway for her to improve her odds at finding a husband.

In addition to accomplishment, beauty and manners are the last criterion thatpeople considered when looking for a spouse. Darcy, Bingley and Wickham are allhandsome and agreeable: [Wickham's] appearance was greatly in his favour; he hadall the best part of beauty, a fine countenance, a good figure, and very pleasingaddress. The introduction was followed up on his side by a happy readiness ofconversationa readiness at the same time perfectly correct and unassuming;[Bingley] was quite young, wonderfully handsome, extremely agreeable, and, tocrown the whole, he meant to be at the next assembly with a large party. Nothingcould be more delightful!; His friend Mr. Darcy soon drew the attention of the roomby his fine, tall person, handsome features, noble mien, and the report which was ingeneral circulation within five minutes after his entrance, of his having ten thousand ayear. Though to be fair, the people of Meryton are not so material that they


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appreciate Darcy simply because of his fortune and looks. At the end of the ballduring which he stays taciturn and proud, not all his large estate in Derbyshire couldsave him from having a most forbidding, disagreeable countenance, and beingunworthy to be compared with his friend.

This is Darcys weakness: he is haughty, reserved, and fastidious, and his

manners, though well-bred, were not inviting. In that respect his friend had greatly theadvantage. Bingley was sure of being liked wherever he appeared, Darcy wascontinually giving offense. Although he is in fact not as arrogant or despising as heseems, his lack of ease of address makes the entire population of Meryton despisehim. Wickham is quite the opposite: his manners are perfect, but his true character isquite different: he is in fact an avid gambler, deceitful and materialistic. Even CarolineBingley and Mrs. Hurst are admired and respected because of their appearance ofwealth and class: [Bingleys] sisters are charming women. I never in my life sawanything more elegant than their dresses.

As for Jane and Elizabeth, they are neither wealthy, nor of the upper class,nor even well-accomplished. Their beauty and good manners (especially compared

to that of their mother and sisters) are their only assets in finding a husband: [Mr.Collins] had not been long seated before he complimented Mrs. Bennet on having sofine a family of daughters; said he had heard much of their beauty, but that in thisinstance fame had fallen short of the truth; and added, that he did not doubt herseeing them all in due time disposed of in marriage. One may add that Janeskindness and generosity, as well as Elizabeths vivacity and intelligence, were notnegligible in helping Bingley and Darcy fall in love; but by Austens account, this is arare occurrence in such a society.

To conclude, all of the main criteria that were considered important in ahusband or wife are enumerated by Mrs. Bennet, ecstatic at the interest that Bingleyshows for her eldest daughter: His being such a charming young man, and so rich,and living but three miles from them, were the first points of self-gratulation; and thenit was such a comfort to think how fond the two sisters were of Jane, and to becertain that they must desire the connection as much as she could do. It was,moreover, such a promising thing for her younger daughters, as Jane's marrying sogreatly must throw them in the way of other rich men. These are the main points ofimportance for people living in Austens time: class, connections and reputation;wealth, beauty and manners; accomplishment. This shows us how materialistic andshallow society was. Everything is about the exterior and about appearances;whereas not many people concentrate on character or even feelings. In this way,

though women have more and more freedom in choosing their husbands later on,Austens novel can be compared to The Great Gatsby. Both books criticizesuperficiality and the importance accorded to wealth and class.

However, though the great Gatsby dismisses the possibility of happiness everbeing attained, the ending of Pride and Prejudice is much more hopeful. Jane andBingley as well as Elizabeth and Darcy are considered to be well-matched coupleswho live happily ever after precisely because

marriage and the importance of social class, wealth and reputation in pride and prejudice

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