毕业论文-小说《傲慢与偏见》中金钱对婚姻的影响.doc

安阳师范学院人文管理学院本科毕业论文安阳师范学院人文管理学院本科毕业论文 学号： 10310277The Impact of Money on Marriage in Pride and Prejudice小说傲慢与偏见中金钱对婚姻的影响 系 别 外语系 专 业 英语 班 级 姓 名 指 导 教 师 2014年 5 月 3 日摘 要傲慢与偏见是简奥斯汀一部畅销世界各地的小说。它特殊的历史年代决定了那是的人们过分看重金钱，即使是在对待自己的婚姻大事上。这部小说通过几位人物对婚姻的抉择 ，分析了金钱如何影响婚姻的价值取向。傲慢与偏见讲述的是班纳特的姐妹和她们朋友的故事，以及她们如何寻找自己丈夫的故事。毫无疑问，伊丽莎白是简奥斯汀最喜欢的人物之一，因为她所追求的婚姻是作者心中理想中的婚姻。通读全文，我们不难发现其中缘由，而且是全文发展的主要线索。奥斯汀深刻地揭示了金钱对婚姻和恋爱中的男女的关系的影响。众所周知，爱情是婚姻的基础，但在作者生活的时代背景下，良好的经济基础对婚姻是至关重要的，作者认为伊丽莎白追求的爱情并不是“纯粹的爱情”。她所追求的爱情是理智而有具体的爱情。首先是一个人的外貌和人品；其次她所要的爱情是一种成熟的爱情，包含关心、责任、尊重与理解；最后，伊丽莎白所追求的爱情中最重要的因素是财产，因此，金钱在爱情与婚姻中起着至关重要的作用。关键词: 傲慢与偏见；简奥斯汀；婚姻；爱情；金钱AbstractPride and Prejudice is a very popular novel written by Jane Austen and it is read widely all over the world. That specific history time decided that people at that time took much more seriously, even on the marriage. In this paper, the marriage cases of most characters in the book were taken as typical to analyze how money influenced their matrimonial value orientation. The story is about the Bennet sisters and their friends and their search for suitable husband. It is no doubt that Elizabeth is her favorite character, for the marriage Elizabeth pursues is the ideal marriage in the authors view. After reading through Pride and Prejudice, we will find that money acts as the cause of each plot and the clue of its development. Austen deeply discloses the physical reason of the decision of marriage and the relationship between men and women in love. The author considers that the love Elizabeth pursues in not a “pure love”. It contains reasonable and complete factors. It contains appearance and moral quality. And it is mature love, containing care, responsibility, respect and understanding. The most important factor is money. Money plays the leading role in love and marriage.Key Words: Pride and Prejudice; Jane Austen; money; love; marriage III安阳师范学院人文管理学院本科毕业论文 Contents摘 要IAbstractII1. Introduction12. The Background of Austen and Her Pride and Prejudice12.1 The Background of Austen12.2 The Background of Pride and Prejudice23. Social Background and Survey of Marriage in Text33.1 Social Background33.2 Survey of the Marriages in the Novel33.2.1 Mr. and Mrs. Bennets Marriage33.2.2 Darcy and Elizabeths Marriage.43.2.3 Jane and Mr. Bingleys Marriage53.2.4 Collins and Charlottes Marriage53.2.5 Lydia and Wickhams Marriage64.Appearance and Moral Quality in Elizabeths Love74.1 Womens Tragedy:Marriage for Living74.2 Appearance and Moral Quality in Elizabeths Love85.The Love Elizabeth Pursues is Mature Love105.1 What is Mature Love105.1.1 Care in Elizabeths Love105.1.2 Responsibility in Elizabeths Love115.1.3 Respect in Elizabeths Love115.1.4 Understanding in Elizabeths Love116. Conclusion12Bibliography13Acknowledgements14 1. IntroductionPride and Prejudice, the most popular novel by Jane Austen, first rejected by the publishers, was not brought to final form until 1813. It talks about trivial matters of love, marriage and family life between country squires and fair ladies in Britain in the 18th century, which is frequently discussed in Jane Austens novels. The plot is very simple, focusing on the young ladies choosing their husbands. The characters are well shaped with the help of dialogues and narratives. Five kinds of marriages are displayed vividly to demonstrate the concept of marriage at that time, while money is the clue through the novel from beginning to end. This paper probes into five marriages in pride and prejudice to disclose the deep-rooted outlook on love and marriage in 18th century.Pride and Prejudice, Austens great work, earns an enduring fame for Jane Austen. Jane Austen demonstrates the social attitudes towards marriage and money and hers via description of five courtships Mr. and Mrs. Bennets marriage, Darcy and Elizabeths Marriage, Jane and Mr. Bingleys Marriage, Collins and Charlottes Marriage, Lydia and Wickhams Marriage. Unlike the social concept, she believes that love and marriage are closely associated with property and society, however, love and marriage can not be decided only by the property and social status. An ideal marriage should be based on mutual affection and respect.2. The Background of Austen and Her Pride and Prejudice2.1 The Background of Austen Jane Austen was a beautiful, talented middle class woman with extraordinary temperament and good cultivation. She showed great interest in literature while young. And she began to write in her teens. Her six novelsSense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Northanger Abbey, Manshifeierde Manor, Emma, Persuasion all describe more than marriage.”However, during Austens life, only her immediate family knew of her authorship of these novels. Though publishing anonymously prevented her from acquiring an authorial reputation, it also enabled her to preserve her privacy at a time when English society associated a females entrance into the public sphere with a reprehensible loss of femininity. In her work, Austen is often critical of the assumptions and prejudices of upper-class England. She distinguishes between internal merit, goodness of person, and external merit, rank and possessions. Though she frequently satirizes snobs, she also pokes fun at the poor breeding and misbehavior of those lower on the social scale. Nevertheless, Austen was in many ways a realist, and the England she depicts is one in which social mobility is limited and class-consciousness is strong. 2.2 The Background of Pride and Prejudice At that time, according to the social conditions in Britain, a good marriage for a young woman was critical. This phenomenon was closely associated with the British society and the status of women in the society. In the 19th century, women were not well respected compared with the ones in the present society. There was no equality between woman and man. Women were considered to be inferior to men in terms of intelligence and capacity. The central life of women was forced to be staying at home, their roles were to deal with the family affairs, such as taking care of the children and serving for the husband.” In the time of Jane Austen, there was no real way for young women of the “genteel” classes to strike out on their own or be independent. Professions, the universities, politics, etc. were not open to women. Few occupations were open to them and those who were not highly respected, and did not generally pay well or have very good working conditions. Therefore, marriage is pretty much the only way of ever getting out from under the parental roof unless, of course, her family could not support her, in which case she could face the unpleasant necessity of going to live with employers as a “dependent” governess or teacher, or hired “ladys companion”. Given all this, some women were willing to marry just because marriage was the “situation”. Austen fully criticized some bad phenomenon in her work pride and prejudice, taking some perfect points about marriage and love to demonstrate her own view on love and marriage.3. Social Background and Survey of Marriage in Text3.1 Social BackgroundThe story of Pride and Prejudice took place in the time of the Regency in Britain. At that time, Britain was at the period of the transition from the earlier stage of Capitalism to Capitalist Industrialization. In the countryside, the aristocratic still held great power and right that county squires were likely to fawn upon them. However, as the development of Capitalism and the development of the rank of the rich people, the distinction between social strata was becoming smaller and smaller, while money getting more and more important in peoples mind about social value. A western literature critic once said that “Even David Ricardo, a British economist, had a unlikely clearer understanding about the function of money in daily life as Jane Austen had.” It is exactly because of the secure pledge in finance that the county squires society could exist strongly and solidly.3.2 Survey of the Marriages in the Novel3.2.1 Mr. and Mrs. Bennets MarriageThe marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet is a typical instance of the traditional marriage in the eighteenth century. Their marriage quite dearly shows that the two have never experienced much mutual love and is done mostly for financial benefit. It is a safe preserve to Mrs. Bennet, but is a tragedy to Mr. Bennet.Austen depicts Mrs. Bennet as a simple-minded pretty woman who frequently complains about her nerve: Her mind was less difficult to developShe 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.Mr. Bennet is an intelligent and witty man. He was so odd a mixture of quick parts, sarcastic humor, reserve and caprice, that the experience of three and twenty years had been insufficient to make his wife understand his character. It shows that there is no marital happiness of emotional and intellectual understanding between the couple. Mr. Bennet married for beauty and money. After marriage, he soon realized that Mrs. Bennet, due to her intellectual weakness and narrow vision, would not make her an ideal wife. He puts an end to all real affection for her.To Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, their marriage is a social responsibility, even when love disappears, the marriage still can be continuing. Through their marriage, Austen tries to show that Mrs. Bennet is unfairly treated, and the womens social status is very low in the patriarchal society. As a typical woman of that time, she was merely educated in pleasing the male. But in the real life, she could not satisfy with her husbandAusten seems to ridicule Mrs. Bennet, in fact，she criticizes this unequal society. She believes that both men and women should enjoy equal treatment. Although the world is dominated by men, and men are considered as intelligent and sensible, not all of them are qualified. Mr. Bennet provides a good example. He has intelligence and insights, but he is not a qualified husband, nor a qualified father.3.2.2 Darcy and Elizabeths Marriage.The courtship between Darcy and Elizabeth is one of the most cherished love stories in English literature. As in any good love story, the lovers must elude and overcome numerous stumbling blocks before being together. Elizabeths pride makes her misjudge Darcy on the basis of a poor first impression, while Darcys prejudice against Elizabeths poor social standing blinds him, for a time, to her many virtues. Elizabeth, the second daughter in the Bennet family, is the most intelligent and quick-witted. Her admirable qualities are numerousshe is lovely, clever. Her honesty, virtue, and lively wit enable her to rise above the nonsense and bad behavior that pervade her class-bound. Nevertheless, her sharp tongue and tendency to make hasty judgments often lead her astray. Darcy, The son of a wealthy, well-established family and the master of the great estate of Pemberley, is intelligent and forthright, he too has a tendency to judge too hastily and harshly, and his high birth and wealth make him overly proud and overly conscious of his social status.Their marriage, not only hindered by their own qualities, but Austen poses countless smaller obstacles to the realization of the love between Elizabeth and Darcy, including Lady Catherines attempt to control her nephew, Miss Bingleys snobbery, Mrs. Bennets idiocy, and Wickhams deceit. Darcy and Elizabeths realization of a mutual and tender love seems to imply that Austen views love as something independent of these social forces, as something that can be captured if only an individual is able to escape the effects of hierarchical society. Austen does sound some more realist notes about love, using the character of Charlotte Lucas, who marries the buffoon Mr. Collins for his money, to demonstrate that the heart does not always dictate marriage. Yet with her central characters, Austen suggests that true love is a force separate from society and one that can conquer even the most difficult of circumstances.3.2.3 Jane and Mr. Bingleys MarriageElizabeths beautiful elder sister and Darcys wealthy best friend, Jane and Bingley engage in a courtship that occupies a central place in the novel. When the news comes that Mr. Bingley, a young gentleman with an annual income of 5,000 Pounds will be their new neighbor; Mrs. Bennet immediately plans to pair him with her favorite oldest, prettiest daughter Jane. They first meet at the ball in Meryton and enjoy an immediate mutual affection. They are spoken of as a potential couple throughout the book. They are vague characters, sketched by Austen instead of being carefully drawn. Indeed, they are so similar in nature and behavior that they can be described together: both are cheerful, friendly, and good-natured, always ready to think the best of others. Their principal characteristics are goodwill and compatibility. Jane and Bingley demonstrates the true love unhampered by either pride or prejudice, though in their simple goodness, they also demonstrate that such a love is mildly dull.3.2.4 Collins and Charlottes MarriageThe marriage of Charlotte and Collins is lucky and unexpected. They get married without any expectation. Charlotte is William Lucass daughter, who is the neighbor of Lizzy Bennett. She was born to humble parentage and very mediocre in every aspect. So she has not got married even though she is 26 years old. However, there are 5 daughters in the Bennetts, who are gradually growing up to the age for marriage. So both of the two families rival mutually, especially in the eyes of the vulgar women, such rivalry was particularly tedious. Bennetts wife does not give birth to a boy but five girls, so the familys property couldnt be given to a daughter according to the customs at that time, and the family without a son can grant the wealth to the nephew. Thus, one of Bennett nephew Collins can inherit the family wealth. In his mind, if he could be one son-in-low of his uncles, then he could get the property of the family. He stays at home for a long time to repay his uncles heritage and gets sympathy from the family. Informed that the eldest daughter Jane has a boyfriend, he aims at the second daughter Elizabeth Bennett in spite for his aunts interesting sake. Tired of him, eventually, Elizabeth refuses him with sharp tongue. But Collins quickly finds comfort from Charlotte who desires to get a comfortable home from a male and believes marriage is the elegant way for a girl with some education, and then they get married as quickly as the lightning. It is a mediocre love, a dull marriage. Such marriage without love is too practical, so it is a kind of superficial marriage without happiness.3.2.5 Lydia and Wickhams MarriageIn the marriage between Bennetts third daughter Lydia and Wickham, the son of the housekeeper, For Wickham, this marriage is mainly about money. He elopes with Lydia to extort the Bennets and agrees to marry Lydia only after getting paid by Darcy. At first this marriage is kind of girlish fever to Lydia and she does not think too much about money. Originally he is well-treated by the family and the friends. However, he comes down in the world because of his misbehavior. He gets into debt and desperate situation. So, he wants to get money and become rich and change his social status through marriage. He does nothing except assailing a woman with obscenities. In his opinion, love is only recreation. For his purpose, he entices Lydia, who is spoilt by her mother and gets her love easily, because she is young, and innocent, and loves to go ease and hates to work hard. Getting love and praise of a boy is her dream. So when Wickham wants to reach his aim getting wealth by love and exalts her beauty hypocritically, she forgets who she is and feels she is the most beautiful and happiest girl in the world. Their love does not get the permission from the parents, and then they elope. When Elizabeth hears the news, she believes that their love is totally ridiculous, since he does not love Lydia but the wealth of her family. The marriage is admitted on the condition of Darcys help. Their marriage is considered to be a scandal in Bennetts family. This marriage is one without love. They dont know the real meaning of marriage, but only want to satisfy their aspiration. So to a large sense, it is a kind of impromptu love and marriage without true love and responsibility. Such couple only seek having had the experience but not everlasting and unchanging. Of course, such kind of marriage is destined to be a tragedy.3.3 Elizabeths Love is not “Pure” LoveIn the novel, the marriage of Elizabeth and Darcy is the main clue. For a long time, Elizabeth is an obverse character in peoplemind. She is an intelligent, vivacious girl. Elizabeth has the ability to judge others characters and to uncover the motives behind their actions. There are a lot of views and opinions of Elizabeth in the novel. The author expressed her own by her character. Professedly Elizabeth is a loyal adherent of love and gains true love in the end. Then can we say the love Elizabeth pursues is very “pure” ? By reading the novel we can find that she is also circling around the money when searching a husband. And her “love” is much more expensive than other people wants.4.Appearance and Moral Quality in Elizabeths Love4.1 Womens Tragedy: Marriage for LivingWomen of low social status were difficult to cal