Honesty, reverence and sympathy are crucial to a successful marriage, Lack of these qualities on both or either side results in a disaster. In the novel Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen conveys the theme that superficial love Will only lead to fabricated lives. All of the characters in the novel show seemingly absurd characteristics in the society in one way or the other, which contributes hugely to the success of their marriages. Successful marriagesaZJ unfitting connections with etiquette, beauty, and finance are shown through Lydia and Mr. Wickham’s, Jane and Mr. Bingleyaus. and Charlotte and Mr.Collins’ marriages. Lydia and Mr. Wickhamiis marriage, the most absurd and shameful marriage in the entire novel, is the result of Lydiaifls ignorance in differentiating between what is accepted and what is disapproved in the society and Mr, Wickhamaflis immorality. Lydia recklessly tries everything to marry a man and shows no regard for social standards and never heeds when and to who she choses to ignore.
Mrs. Gardiner, her aunt, comments on Lydiaaifs behavior that she is aii’iYoung in the ways of the world, and not yet open to the mortifying conviction that handsome young men must have something to live on, as well as the planar. Lydia expects all handsome men to be perfect in every way and does not realize that creating love through flirting could open up to dangers of ruining her and her familyajis reputation. Mr. Wickham, a disrespected soldier With great debt and scandalous motives. seizes his chance of seducing Lydia into lalse love after realizing her ignorance on the subject of marriage and social expectations. Together they run off to London, Lydia not knowing that livmg With Mr. Wickham unmarried is socrally unacceptable. She writes to Mrs. Folster that ED[Lydia] cannot help laughing [herself] at surprise to-morrow mornmgafl.
Even after they are found and a great deal of money is spent on their marriage, Lydia still acts in an absurd and childish manner, unaware of the magnitude of the risk to save her from disgrace. Lydia congratulates herself on her marriage while af’Elizabeth was disgusted, and even Miss Bennet was shockeda’i on realizing that a”Lydia was Lydia still; untamed. unabashed. wild, noisy, and fearless. Because of their superficial love towards each other for the sole purpose of pursuing materialistic advantages, the two newly wedded couple does not seem to have a stable marriage life. After Lydia and Mr. Wickhamaii’s unsuccessful and shameful marriage, Elizabeth thinks of aiihow little of permanent happiness could belong to a couple who were only brought together because their passions were stronger than virtual. After the marriage, Lydia. liVing an unstable marriage life with Wickham, desperately writes to Elizabeth that she ai[does] not think [Lydia and Mr. Wickham] shall have quite money enough to live upon Without some helpam.
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Their superficial love for beauty and money foreshadows their difficult future. Jane and Mr. Bingleyaifls marriage is atypical happy-ever-after fairytale marriage. Jane and Mr. Bingley are both very optimistic, naA’ve, and affable, Because of their child-like characteristics, they fall in love With each other at first sight, despite the fact that they don’t even know much about each other except for their looks. On first sight, without any observation of Janea’fis character in depth, Mr. Bingley exclaims afth! She is the most beautiful creature. Similarly, Jane develops affection towards Mr. Bingley at her first sight of him for she aJLnever [sees] a fault in anybodyalii. Because of their naturally good and easygoing nature, they do not develop a true love through hardships and disagreements. Their relationship sprouts merely from the fact that they are both gentle and agreeable.
The strong bond of love between them quickly disappears when Mr. Bingley suddenly leaves Jane. When Mr. Bingley is not in her sight for months, Jane starts to doubt the love between them. When Mr. Bingley comes back to Netherfield, Jane is already heartbroken and not Willing to love him anymore. Jane tells Elizabeth that she is atiperfectly satisfied from what his manners now arefl] and she thinks that etihe never had any design of engaging [her] affectionafl. But with Mr. Bingleyaiis proposal to Jane soon after he comes back, her hastyjudgment on Mr. Bingley is proven false and they fall back in love. Although they settle the misunderstandings between them and they now love each other again. their love for beauty and beauty only will always have them in doubt of each other. Although the past two marriages seem unsuccessful, marriage can get much worse without true affection.
Charlotte and Mr. CollinsaU’s marriage. for example, is an unromantic marriage where they have absolutely no affection towards each other. Mr. Collins. perceived as one of the most oblivious character in the novel, proposes to Elizabeth in the most insensible manner, disregarding the charm and respect in his proposal and only magnifying the trivial advantages of his materialistic qualities. In an attempt to gain her affection, he says that his aZJSituation in life, [Mr Collinsal] connection With the family of De Bourge, and [Mr. Collinsii] relationship to [ElizabethEIiEs] own are Circumstances highly in [Mr. Collinsaflj] favoraji. After Elizabethéflfls rejection, Mr. Collins leaves, only to return with news of his engagement.
With Charlotte. Elizabethails dear friend and neighbor, Confused. Elizabeth seeks for explanations behind Charlottes extreme reasoning in her engagement with such a senseless and unromantic man, She later finds that marrying Mr. Collins was the only provision for well-educated young women of small fortune. and however uncertain of giving happiness must be their pleasantest preservative from wanta: and that Charlotte did not have much of a choice under the societyalj strict expectations of women her ag. Elizabeth also realizes that Charlotte is not romanticiml and that she only asks for aLUa comfortable homeall. She explains furthermore that she only marries Mr. Collins for materialistic gain. not for greed but for her survival.
She gives her own View on marriage and tells Elizabeth that aJZhappiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance. Their marriage is a success in both Charlotteils and Mr. CollinsaE: views because through this marriage they acquire the one and only thing they sought in their whole life: a wife. and protection. Charlotte and Mr. Collins conquer their threat of survival through marriage. but never regard its true meaning and purpose. True love is a love that sprouts from each spouseaJJs deepest feelings from the bottom of their hearts. Through Jane AustenaZZs novel Pride and Prejudice. it is clear that superficial love will only lead to fabricated lives. A marriage Without true love is a meaningless marriage and oftentimes ends up unsuccessful.
Marriage has been, still is. and will always be practiced all around the world and people from many different cultures interpret marriage differently than one another. However marriages through true love are unlike other superficial marriages such as marrying for more money or power. Fabricated love. created by other influential people around the couples to benefit both themselves and the couples through materialistic gains, often results in unromantic marriages of emptiness and despair. On the other hand. marriages of romance and true love result in a more joyful and fulfilling life for both spouses. The benefits of true love and marriage are clear. but still many pursue materialistic benefits from marriages and ignore the true meaning behind marriage: to love each other forever.
