Elements Necessary for A Happy Marriage in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.doc

毕业论文（设计）Elements Necessary for A Happy Marriage in Jane Austens Pride and Prejudice1. Introduction12. The five marriages in Pride and Prejudice33. Reasons why these elements are necessary for a happy marriage94. The research of Jane Austen and the social background124.1 Austens love experience124.2 Womens position in society165. Conclusion19References201. Introduction Jane Austin (1775 1817) was one of the famous nineteenth century British women writers. She was born in the village of Steventon in Hampshire. As a daughter of the local rector, although she never entered a formal school, she was well educated by her family. She did a fair amount of reading. She began to write at the age of 19 or 20. Janes brother Henry helped her negotiate with a publisher and her first novel, Sense and Sensibility, appeared in 1811. Her next novel Pride and Prejudice, which she described as her “own darling child” received highly favorable reviews. Mansfield Park was published in 1814, then Emma in 1816. Jane Austen was an English novelist whose books, set among the English middle and upper classes, are notable for their wit, social observation and insights into the lives of early 19th century women.Pride and Prejudice is the most enduringly popular novel written by Jane Austen. It talks about trivial matters of love, marriage and family life between country squires and fair ladies in Britain in the 18th century. The plot is how the young ladies choose their husbands. The main characters are the ladies from the genteel society which we would now call the upper-middle class. Pride and Prejudice is a story about Mrs. Bennets daughters who are at marriageable age. The whole story is about marriage. Through five couples attitude to love and marriage and the reaction of the other people, we can get a clear picture of the customs of the upper-middle class then, such as the relation between marriage and fortune, the awakening of the women at that time, etc. In this novel, from the heroine, Miss Elizabeth Bennet to the foil, Miss De Bourgh, all the female characters have their own vivid personalities. Elizabeths rational view of love and marriage, her actual choice and her satisfactory ending show us Austens attitude to love and marriage and her ideal of life. Elizabeth Bennet, the protagonist of the novel, flatly rejected William Collins proposal, who is the heir of her fathers property and manor, and refused the first proposal from the extremely wealthy nobleman Fitzwilliam Darcy later. All this makes it clear that Elizabeth seeks neither fame nor fortune, but an ideal marriage. From the view point of Austen, Elizabeths marriage, as well as Jane-Bingleys, composing money and love, is the ideal marriage people should seek. But in the other cases in this novel, we can see that if money and love cant be held together in one marriage, love would always make a concession to money because of the special social background. 2. The five marriages in Pride and PrejudiceThe authoress Jane Austen describes five couples different marriages mainly in Pride and Prejudice. These peoples attitudes towards marriage are completely different. Some of them marry for security, some for wealth, and some for love. Marriage is more important for a woman at that time than for a man because it may secure her freedom, social status, and living standard. And Austen manages to reveal the elements essential for a happy marriage in this novel.The marriage between Darcy and Elizabeth reveals the elements that constitute a successful marriage. One of these elements is that the feeling cannot be brought on by appearances, and must gradually develop between the two people as they get to know one another. Elizabeth is intelligent, vivacious, humorous, perceptive and quick-witted, and she has a strong sense of personality and dignity. These qualities are rare in traditional women characters. But it does not mean Elizabeth deviates from the standard of virtuous women. She is rewarded the best for her moral growth and elevated from a daughter of the lower gentry to a lady. Darcy is a man of self-esteem. He is very rich of an income of ten thousand pounds a year. Although he is always proud of himself, he is a true gentleman. In the beginning, Elizabeth and Darcy are distant from each other because of their prejudice. The series of events which they both experience give them the opportunity to understand one another and the time to reconcile their feelings for each other. Darcy is not remotely tempted by Elizabeth, and he grows so passionate for her that he believes his love is strong enough to spend the rest of his life with her. This proves that he does not love her for his physical desires towards her but instead, he loves her for her personality.He is brave to admit his true love for Elizabeth. Although his first proposal is refused by Elizabeth, he doesnt give up. He says his love by action. He makes Elizabeth realize her own defect and begin her self-examination. Elizabeth does the process of self-knowledge acquirement under Darcys guidance. Her closer contact with Darcy makes her see more Darcys admirable qualities. The relationship between the two characters reveals Austens values on love not being centered around beauty or immediate attraction but rather, knowing the personality of your partner before you devote your life to him or her. Darcy and Elizabeth are amongst the few characters within the novel that marry for love. They are also among the few characters who find happiness. Their mutual understanding is the foundation of their relationship and will lead them to a peaceful and lasting marriage. Austen represented her beliefs on the importance of marrying for love through Darcy and Elizabeth reveals the importance of getting to know ones partner before marrying.Austen uses the relationships of Wickham and Lydia, Charlotte and Collins, Bingley and Jane and Mr and Mrs Bennet in juxtapositioning with the relationship of Darcy and Elizabeth. The fatal one of these marriages is the one between Wickham and Lydia. Wickham is very handsome and charming by his appearance, but actually, he is a lying man. He pretends to be a sociable officer. He likes to be a spectacular man. He wants all ladies to notice him. He is extravagant and always greatly in debts of honor. Lydia, far more different from her two elder sisters, is vain, ignorant, idle and absolutely uncontrolled. Moreover, she indulges herself in flirtation with officers. She is constantly obsessed with the officers in the regiment, and sees no purpose to life beyond entertainment and diversion. Wickham and Lydia elope from Brighton without any engagement and are found out in London finally. Though under such circumstances, Wickham has no intention at all to marry Lydia. He knows that Lydia is an innocent girl and praises officers very much. So he only philanders with Lydia. Eventually, he marries Lydia just because Darcy pays his debts of honor, purchases his commission, gives Lydia another thousand pounds. Their marriage is based on appearance and youthful ignorance. Their relationship is one where physical desire outweighs reason, decency and good sense, with their passions stronger than their virtue. Lydias infatuation with the uniform and desire for social standing, and Wickhams desire for financial inducements leads them to marry for entirely wrong reasons. As a result of this their relationship rapidly fades away to the point where Lydia enjoys regular visits to her elder sisters homes and Wickham constantly visits London or Bath, alone. Austen suggests, without stating, that perhaps Wickham isnt the loyal husband that Lydia perceives him to be. The marriage between these two is on the grounds of superficial attraction and neither characters felt true love for one another. As a result of this, both characters appear to be somewhat miserable with their married life and constantly try to escape.The marriage between Mr. Collins and Charlotte is of a different nature from the ones mentioned above. It is based on economics rather than on love or appearance. Collins, who will inherit all Bennets property when Mr. Bennet dies, is a vulgar man， is not a sensible man, and there is deficiency of Nature in him. He likes depend on rich people， such as Lady Catherine. Charlotte is the firstborn of Mr. William. She is at the age of twenty-seven, without ever having been handsome. As for what kind of men she will marry and what kind of marriage life she will live, she doesnt care too much. In fact, she is a sensible, intelligent young woman, knowing it very clearly that Mr. Collins, to be sure, was neither sensible nor agreeable; his society was irksome, and his attachment to her must be imaginary. But still he would be her husband. Without thinking highly either of men or of matrimony, marriage had always been her object; it was the only honorable provision for well-educated young women of small fortune, and however uncertain of giving happiness, must be their pleasantest preservative from want. It was a common practice during Austens time for women to marry a husband to save herself from spinsterhood or to gain financial security. Charlotte presents a pragmatic view on marriage, declaring that happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance. Her marriage to Collins is to gain in establishment and acquire social standing and economic stability. It is through Charlotte that Austen illustrates the dire economic and social plight faced by unmarried women in the eighteenth century. The superficial nature of Collinss love is made abundantly clear by Austen through his earnest desire to appease his patroness, by the ease with which he is able to transfer from one marriage object to another and the absurdity of his emotions. While the Collinss relationship has social standing and economic security, it is entirely deficient in the affection and intellectual union that Austen regards as quintessential in a true marriage. The relationship between Collins and Charlotte proves to the readers the outcomes of placing practicality before romance and although Charlotte appears to be able to endure Collins, the readers realize that she will never have a life of complete happiness.Bingley and Jane, the fourth couple comes to enjoy affection, position and economic security at the end of the novel. Bingley is a pleasant man, and also a single man of large fortune. He has an income of four or five thousand pounds a year. He is good-looking and gentleman-like. When he meets Jane at first time, he has fallen in love with her. But he doesnt know whether Jane was suitable for him. And Darcy thinks Jane is not suitable for Bingley, so Bingley can not make up his mind to marry Jane at first. Though Jane is not as intelligent and strong-minded as Elizabeth, she is a gentle girl, always seeing the good side of mankind. She wishes not to be hasty in censuring any one. She is portrayed as an angel in the house in accord with proper women in the patriarchy. Though she loves Bingley at first sight, she conceals it perfectly, only assuming a polite and friendly look. She is not brave enough to pursue her love. When Bingley and Janes romance go smoothly, Bingleys sudden departure nearly ends his happy love. The cause of his departure stems from his relationship with Darcy. Darcy thinks that Bingleys attachment to Jane is obvious, however he sees Jane likes Bingley, but he doesnt believe her to be in love, and therefore liable to be injured except in a worldly sense by Bingleys withdrawal. So Bingley begins to doubt Janes affection to him, he leaves her without saying good-bye. Later, when all misunderstanding clarified he comes back to Jane at Darcys assistance. However, Bingley and Jane relationship is delineated to be lacking in depth of feeling, self-confidence and intelligence, and is a union of less intelligent minds, less self-awareness. Unlike Darcy and Elizabeth, there is a flaw in the relationship between Bingley and Jane. The flaw is that both characters are too gullible and too good-hearted to ever act strongly against external forces that may attempt to separate them.The marriage between the Mr and Mrs Bennet is an imprudent one, a union of a reasonably intelligent man with an inane wife. These characters are literary devices. The suggestion that the initial attraction is purely physical elucidates that the relationship is based on superficial grounds. Mr. Bennets lack of satisfaction in his marriage leads him to shut himself from reality. Mr Bennet has a very witty sense of humor and often takes the mickey out of his wife. This is the only enjoyment he gains from Mrs Bennet. Mr Bennet marries Mrs Bennet on false grounds. Deficiencies which may have initially been attraction have now become flaws in the marriage. Mr Bennet is seduced by good looks and youth, and the effect of these is that Mr Bennet isolates himself from his family, finding refuge in his library or through mocking his oblivious wife. This becomes his only happiness.From the five marriages mentioned above, a conclusion can be drawn that elements necessary for a happy marriage are as follows: love, wealth and intelligence.3. Reasons why these elements are necessary for a happy marriageIn Pride and Prejudice, Austens portrayal of the five marriages contributes to the theme that it takes time to build a happy and strong marriage and it must be based on love, fortune and intelligence. Hasty marriage acting on impulse and on facial qualities will not survive and will lead to inevitable unhappiness. Simultaneously, Austen announces those old-fashioned indispensable elements for a successful marriage for women. To a great extent, Austen satires the conventional views on love and marriage by inverting that expectation of love at first sight and the celebration of passion and physical attractiveness, and even marriage on property and status without true love. Pride and Prejudice is most easily defined as a romantic comedy, but Austen stresses that the first flush of romantic love will not sustain a marriage and is no basis for happiness. Mr Bennett is described as being captivated by Mrs Bennetts youth and beauty on first meeting her, but this is inadequate for a relationship to last. Similarly, Wickhams elopement is, on the face of it, very romantic, as Wickham and Lydia are driven by passionate feeling. But, Austen charts the effect of such recklessness on others, and we see this intensity starting to decline as it is brought into the mundane practicality of the everyday. Love is what Austen puts a great deal of emphasis on. The heroine, Elizabeth, is a loyal follower of her own affection. She encourages Jane to pursue true love with Bingley. She is committed to her true feelings. She believes happiness is grounded upon mutual understanding and love. She feels it intolerable to learn to marry someone whom she doesnt love just for the sake of a seemingly-normal life. This is why she is shocked by Charlotte Lucass unsentimental detachment: “I am not a romantic. I ask only a comfortable home” (Austen, 1948). We indeed could not get married without love. Love is the basis of marriage. Love based on independence and equality is the most important reason to gain happy marriage.Matrimony is a real life, not a fairy imagination. From the perspective of social evolution, mental world is constructed on the base of material situation. Love is indispensable to happy life but not always a right remedy to any pain we may encounter. Love without bread is never lasting. Lydias marriage is much less fortunate than her two elder sisters because of Wickhams inferiority to Darcy and Bingley in both morality and wealth. And the latter factor seems more critical. Even Elizabeth is attracted by Wickhams charm in her first meeting with him unaware of his infamy, but she also tells her aunt she will not have the intention of marrying him, for both of them have no enough money to support their life if they are united. Apparently, wealth is also a necessary element for a happy marriage.Elizabeth is intelligent. She is independent in thought. She possesses the quality of strong reason and keen observation. She has her own attitude towards marriage, and knows the happy marriage should be based on true love and she should choose her partner carefully and seriously. Elizabeths independence in thought is also reflected in rejecting Darcys proud offer. She cant endure Darcys pride and looking down upon her family. She thinks that both sides should love each other deeply. This is her belief and never shakes. To be a woman who has the sense of equality, she hopes that she can be respected and has the equal right. She insists that if both sides stand on the level of equality, they will gain the happy marriage. Darcy is intelligent and independent in thought, too. He has money and rank. He should marry a girl who has the same condition. But he loves Elizabeth for her charming appearance, intelligence and character. His love to Elizabeth is prevented by his sense of family status. He has tormented but with the effect of Elizabeth he triumphs over himself and loves Elizabeth more. Darcy respects Elizabeths idea of equality. Darcy and Elizabeth get united with the foundation of equality. After their marriage they mutually respect and love each other. Their statues are not equal but they can smash the bonds of tradition and can treat equally each other. Their intelligence leads them to a happy marriage.A happy marriage springs from both physical attraction and compatibility. So while Bingley may have been drawn to Janes beauty, it is their general similarity of feeling and taste that will ensure their marriage lasts. Their love has deepened through their shared setbacks. On the other hand, Darcy and Elizabeths love a