Jane Austins Pride and Prejudice Essay -- Jane Austin Pride Prejudice

Jane Austin's Pride and Prejudice Attitudes to love and marriage in the nineteenth century was very different from the comparatively liberal approach of today, and strict codes of etiquette were applied to Courtship for all but the lower classes of society. At the time of Pride and Prejudice, women's role was firmly in the home and the young ladies portrayed in this middle and upper class, occupied themselves with singing, playing the piano, sewing and other such accomplishments that would enhance their prospects of suitable marriage. Courtship was almost a formal procedure, and often engineered by parents, wishing a suitable match. Jane Austin demonstrates this when Bingley, a rich bachelor, is quickly drawn into the Bennett family on his arrival at Netherfield Park. The book also shows the intricacies of meeting and socialising the Bennett sisters with prospective suitors and the restraints of withholding any affection's until after an engagement. If a couple were to exchange gift, escort one another in carriages or touch intimately they were assumed, engaged. However, in Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austin also wishes to illustrate the desire of young woman to choice lifelong partners for love and compatibility, rather than arranged marriages which are set up for considerations of wealth and social standing. A lot of woman in these days were classed in gentry and were almost entirely dependant on men. However if a woman did not marry she relied financially on her male relatives. They were allowed, employment as a governess but this was viewed as an unsatisfactory way of life. If a woman was proposed to and rejected marriage she would keep the man's failure to herself. She might tell her ... ...d management"(Ch.19 p.319). Mary became more sociable "Mary was obliged to mix with the world" (Ch.19 p.319). Jane Austen has used humour to show us how silly some of the people were in Pride and Prejudice like Mrs Bennets obsession with marriage of her daughters, Mr Collins Pompous character and how Lady Catherine De Bough is so snobbish and nosy. Then she uses Views Of society and rituals of courtship to show the way people lived and to compare it to our lifestyles today. Finally she used Omniscient narrator to show us what the characters are really like and to express her views through them. Love and marriage was very tangled in those days because of strict rules. In the book however they overcame the obstacles of marriage, which changed all of them making them happy or unhappy, but Lizzy and Darcy were happy, as they loved each other very much.