In a case of life imitating art, in 1795 Jane Austen was in love with Tom Lefroy but his family found Jane unsuitable, much like Charles Bingley and Jane Bennet in "Pride and Prejudice". At the time that Jane Austen is describing, many women could literally not afford to stay unmarried. They were also prevented from entering an occupation to earn their own living. Possibly they could become a governess, though this was ranked just above being a servant, and did not pay well. Writing for money was also not desirable as this seldom paid enough to live on. Jane was living the life that she was writing about. The stigma attached to not having a husband and the pressure to marry was immense, and it determined your social standing within society. For this reason women committed themselves to attracting a husband. They had to become "accomplished" in "ladylike arts" such as singing, playing the piano or embroidery. Other details in "Pride and Prejudice" coincide with Jane Austen's actual life. Jane Austen and her fictional heroine Elizabeth Bennet had similar values and beliefs. They both found the marriage market "ridiculous", and both come from large, middle class families. Jane Austen's relationship with her sister Cassandra was much like that of Elizabeth and Jane Bennet. While Jane Austen seems to have based character Elizabeth on herself, Jane Bennet is the one she perhaps wanted to identify with. Jane Bennet is described by her mother as being beautiful and pleasant, "without exception, the sweetest temper I ever met with."
The first sentence of "Pride and Prejudice" states that "it is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife". Jane Austen immediately sets the focus on marriage, and the reader knows that the novel with centre around it. In "Pride and Prejudice", Austen uses the characters to illustrate aspects of this quote. She also highlights her ideas on the importance of love in marriage.
The Bennet household shows a strong argument for this necessity. Mr Bennet is an intelligent man, thoroughly unsuited for his wife, a foolish gossip. Mr Bennet married Mrs Bennet for her good looks and for children. Ultimately her beauty deteriorates and through the years their relationship does also. Mr Bennet withdrawers from his family, preferring instead to spend time alone in his study. This is what eventually causes his family to develop into how they are. Jane Austen demonstrates how marrying for beauty is, in her opinion, wrong and how good looks fade with time. The book firstly revolves around Mrs Bennet trying to find suitable husbands for her daughters. Jane Austen demonstrates that this is a woman who very strongly believes in the opening quote of Pride and Prejudice, and says that it was "her business in life" to get her daughters married.
Throughout the novel, Austen's ironic explanation of the ludicrous society they live in reinforces the fact that she does not believe you should marry for financial security. Her thoughts are reflected in Elizabeth Bennet's. When Mr Collins proposes to her, instead of accepting as she 'ought to', she rejected him, as she believed him to be "a conceited, pompous, narrow-minded, silly man". Her initial thoughts were correct, and her rejection of the proposal is a landmark in the book. In Elizabeth Bennet's and indeed Jane Austen's society, the refusal of a socially desirable man who could offer long term stability and respectability was almost unheard of. Elizabeth realises this, yet cannot bring herself to marry without love. Austen influences the reader to feel empathy with Elizabeth, and to agree with her own ideas of marriage and love.
Another example of this is with Charlotte Lucas. Charlotte marries Mr Collins only for economics. Charlotte is aware that she is getting old, and may not have other prospects. She explains to Elizabeth that, 'Not all of us can afford to be romantic". Jane Austen emphasizes the inequality in gender, and draws attention to what many women had to do to ensure they did not spend their life as a spinster, and a burden to their family. It was not the romantic idyll but Charlotte, being a realist, accepts it. In this time period, there was very little social acceptance for woman who were single past a certain age. One particularly fateful marriage was the disastrous elopement of Lydia Bennet to the handsome Mr Wickham. The marriage reveals Mr Wickam's true character to Elizabeth. Lydia Bennet is silly, thoughtless, flirtatious and unprincipled. Predictably, she is Mrs Bennet's favourite daughter. Neither Lydia, nor Mrs Bennet comprehends the terrible outcomes that may befall their family. Jane Austen underlines how Wickham and Lydia were not well suited; Lydia's 'love' for Wickham was merely lust and Mr Wickham had not ever loved Lydia.
Austen uses these failed relationships to juxtapose Elizabeth and Mr Darcy's, which she perceives to be as the model marriage. Both characters are proud and prejudiced, reacting against societies values and preconceived notions of marriage. They nearly do not find happiness together because of this. Jane Austen encourages the reader to believe her own views on love are worthwhile and are rewarded with a truly happy marriage.
