Pride And Prejudice Then Vs Now Analysis

Pride and Prejudice: Then versus Now

Pride and Prejudice written by Jane Austen in the early nineteenth century portrays the life of women and their attitudes toward marriage. Marriage, the major theme in the novel, is depicted as a way of social verification. The only way women could have a standing in their class was through their husband’s finances. Men were the owners of any type of property, which means that women could only obtain anything through their husbands. Thus, women tended to marry based on the ideas of wealth and social gratification. Jane Austen auspiciously illustrates societies concept of marriage in her novel.

England’s early nineteenth century was measured off of class, wealth, and etiquette. The social status of a woman

Today, money is seen as a bonus versus a necessity. Most women don’t base a marriage proposal off of wealth, instead for love. More women in the contemporary world have access to opportunities unlike Austen’s characters.

Women can hold property, have jobs, and handle their own finances without a husband.

This makes marriage more open in the sense of being able to choose versus being chosen. As the title suggests, Pride and Prejudice are a main concern for Women and their marriages. If a woman chooses to be with someone she loves, even if it means being poor, she also loses her honor within the society and even her family’s honor. In Austen’s novel, this can be seen through Lydia Bennet. She runs away with her lover, Wickham, and ruins not only her reputation - but her families as well, “Elizabeth’s power was sinking; everything must sink under such a proof of family weakness, such an assurance

3 of the deepest disgrace. She could neither wonder nor condemn, but the belief of Darcy's self-conquest brought nothing consolatory to her bosom, afforded no palliation of her distress. It was, on the contrary, exactly calculated to make her understand her own wishes; and never had she so honestly felt that she could have loved him, as now,