Although love is considered important in the universe we live in now. it was non the instance in the 18th century- Austen’s clip. As clip progressed. so did instruction. manner manners. medical practises and most significantly societal concepts and values. Love and matrimony in Austen’s century. though it had some similarities. it was well different. Pride and Prejudice. a love affair novel by Jane Austen. foremost published in 1813 depicts the mode of matrimony and love in the Regency epoch. It is a narrative of transmutation. in which the supporter. Elizabeth Bennet and her opposite number alteration to believe that love does exceed all things. The fresh delves into the passion and exhilaration of love. but besides the withdrawal that exists between loveless twosomes.

Marriage in Austen’s clip can be described as a concern dealing. For the adult females. the man’s income was all they could depend on. And normally for work forces. the women’s dowery or ‘portion’ would be taken under consideration. In Pride and Prejudice. the matrimony between Wickham and Lydia was strictly based on money. and possibly Lydia’s foolish worship towards Wickham. Wickham married Lydia for the money. which he lacked. Before their marriage Mr Gardiner stated in a missive “They are non married. nor can I happen any purpose of being so. ” nevertheless after there was a treatment between Darcy. Wickham and Mr Gardiner sing the ‘payment’ behind their matrimony Wickham was more than ready to get married Lydia. Mr Darcy was willing to pay off all Wickham’s debts and give them another thousand lbs if Wickham was to get married Lydia. and Wickham would merely get married Lydia if those conditions were provided to him- this is a matrimony wholly based on a pecuniary trade. Furthermore. the storyteller says. “Wickham still cherished the hope of more effectually doing his luck through matrimony. ” This clearly shows that non merely adult females. but work forces besides gained fiscal agencies from matrimony. Another
illustration in the text where matrimony is represented as a concern trade is when Colonel Fitzwilliam provinces. “there are non many in my rank of life who can afford to get married without some attending to money. ” Austen uses duologue. to reenforce the fact that matrimony is money and the bluntness of Austen’s pick of words consequences in the reader of the modern epoch to be strongly opposed to what matrimony usage to be. The fresh represents matrimony as a concern trade. shown by the relationship between Wickham and Lydia. Each additions wealth from the other. and non care. trust or love- the ethical motives of a matrimony in today’s society.

Work force looked for adult females who had many ‘accomplishments. ’ non needfully if they loved them. or if they were intelligent or had good personalities. “A adult female must hold a thorough cognition of music. vocalizing. dancing. pulling. and the modern languages… . ” stated Caroline Bingley. Not merely achievements were to be perfected. work forces looked for beauty every bit good. In the instance of Mr Bennet. he followed the societal tendency where he married based on visual aspects and achievements. Mrs Bennet was a beauty. nevertheless she turned out to be a frivolous. foolish and unmindful character. ensuing in an unharmonious matrimony. A adult female in a matrimony was about presentation. to be beautiful and accomplished- to non abash the hubby. Therefore work forces did non seek for their psyche mate. but instead a adult female who was presentable. Not merely did Mr Bennet marry to a beauty. it is besides the instance for Mr Bingley who loved Jane for her beauty. Austen represents matrimony to be decided on by a woman’s appeal and achievements. in order to win a man’s bosom a adult female had to be talented in all the art signifiers. To be accomplished was a critical demand for adult females.

Marriage for adult females is represented as their ultimate end in life. because it was impossible to populate independently- particularly the adult females who belonged to the genteel category. Genteel adult females were non allowed to prosecute professional callings or university grades. The merely recognized business was to be a governess. nevertheless they were non extremely respected. Consequently. adult females depended on matrimony to hold money of which work forces would be the 1 who provided it. Charlotte Lucas did non. “think extremely either of work forces or of marriage. matrimony had ever been her object…” and that was the ground for
her to get married the grandiloquent Mr Collins. Charlotte did non love Mr Collins. she was twenty-seven and still dependent on her family- the lone end she had was to be married. and she was despairing. For adult females to be dependent on household was something to be ashamed of and the lone manner to get away out of under the protection of household was to get married. Using word picture. Austen represents matrimony as the most of import event. the lone respectable option for adult females. Marriage was a must for those life in the regency epoch. unlike today. where populating independently is accepted and even encouraged.

Not merely was matrimony from the Regency epoch different from today. so was the construct of love. Love was non sought for in Austen’s clip. instead it would merely be convenient if you were truly in love with your fiance . Pride and Prejudice represents love as an unneeded plus in a relationship. It is non required to love person. in order to be with him or her and even be married with them. In the instance of Charlotte and Mr Collins. love was non evident. After Charlotte accepted Mr Collins’ proposal. the storyteller states that. “his fond regard to her must be fanciful. ” Charlotte did non love Mr Collins. but accepted his manus in order to obtain a comfy place. She was non looking for love to be happy. she wanted societal security. which could be provided by the reverend. Charlotte’s position on love represented society’s position. which is that love is non a critical constituent of matrimony. but instead deriving fiscal security. The absence of love within a matrimony was acceptable.

Another type of love was extremist. new. true. Mr Darcy and Elizabeth represented true love. though it was formed from misconstruing and disagreeable first feelings. Love grew despite the differences ; Austen’s supporters are in true love. the type of love where they can suppress all things. Elizabeth. “…with cryings in her eyes [ replied ] . ‘I love him. ’” though her pride influenced her to misjudge Mr Darcy she overcame her wall of bias and was profoundly in love him. Similarly with Mr Darcy. he disregarded his embarrassment and prepossessions and confessed his love for Elizabeth. Austen composed the two cardinal characters to fall in true love. connoting the thought that true love is the better and more rewarding. Elizabeth did non wholly conform to the societal concepts. she was autonomous and
romantic- she wanted love. unlike Charlotte who wanted a comfy life. And because she did non follow the ways of behavior books. she was rewarded with true love. Though the two characters were profoundly in love. they were non hopelessly in love. another extremist facet of the relationship between Darcy and Elizabeth. Mr Darcy confessed to Elizabeth that he. ” ardently admire and love you [ Elizabeth ] . ” He uses the word ‘admire. ’ demoing that there is respect and equality between the two. Mr Darcy did non love Elizabeth merely on her visual aspects but of her ‘impertinence’ and ‘liveliness of your head. ’ Love. in Elizabeth and Mr Darcy’s instance is represented as the first measure towards ageless felicity. it is the ideal matrimony with a balance of emotion and reason.

Both the societal and extremist positions of matrimony and love were represented in Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Through Jane and Bingley. Charlotte and Collins and Lydia and Wickham the societal criterion of matrimony is presented. And through Elizabeth and Darcy. a new mentality of matrimony and love was formed. Today’s society revolves around love. but in Austen’s clip happening matrimony was far more important. Jane Austen renews the thoughts of love and matrimony and re-presents them by modeling them with her values. Though she writes in the love affair genre. she ventures off at times to make her idealistic true love. In decision. matrimony is represented as a concern dealing. love may be thoughtless but to happen true love is to fall in love with 1s personality and non merely their visual aspects. Austen believes that matrimony is based on the strong foundation of true love and rational integrity within the matrimony.