Undoubtly, the theme of Pride and Prejudice is something about marriage. It is apparent for the novel beginning with a “truth”------that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.(Chapter 1, page 1).

Marriage issues:

Since the novel began with this ,we can see the marriage here is abviously never connected with the stuff of love. It is only a matter of economic issues and living issues. Just as Mrs. Bannet said:”a single man of large fortune; four or five thousand a year. What a fine thing for our girls!” (Chapter 1, page 2). To the unmarried girls, Mr.Bingley was an abstract figure, for that he wore a blue coat and rode a black horse was enough to marry to. When Mr. Darcy appeared, “he soon drew the attention of the room…of his having ten thousand a year.(Chapter 3, page 11)”. They even thought he was handsomer than Mr. Bingley. That is true. Marriage is not the result of love, but for in want of possession. Maybe the truth universally acknowledged should be that a woman of small fortune or no must be in want of a weathy husband.

Marriage relationship and persuation

There are four typical and rather different couples in the novel. They’re Jane and Bingley, Elizabeth (Lizzy) and Darcy, Lydia and Wickham, and Mr. Collins and Charlotte Lucas.

They show us two forms of marriage, one is on economic, the other is on manner.Miss Lucas and Mr. Collin’s marriage is a typical representation of bourgeois marriage——just related to trade and profits, a real economical marriage. After reading the reasons for marrying to Lizzy that Mr. Collins said:”……it is the particular advice and recommendation of a very noble lady whom I have the horour of calling patroness……But the fact is, that being, as I am, to inherit this estate after the death of your honoured father (who, however, may live many years longer,) I could mot satisfy myself without resolving to choose a wife from among his daughters, that the loss to them might be as little as possible, when the melancholy event takes place……”(Chapter 19, page 133). To Charlotte, Mr. Collins to be sure was nerther 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 matrimory, marriage had always been her obtained; it was the only honourable provision for well-educated young women of small fortune, and however uncertain of giving happiness, must be their pleasantest preservative from want.(Chapter 22,page 155). Uncertain happiness and matrimony but a comfertable home containing house, garden and frniture are what Charlotte got in the marriage.

Comparetived to them, Lydia is more miserable, no love and even no fortune. Her marriage was completely out of her thought, sexual impulsion and no resistence to tempatation. She, a playgirl matched with Mr. Wickham, a hypocrite, so that it destined to be a tragedy.

Jane and Bingley seemed to adhere to a regular procedure of choose of the other one freely and setting up a foundation of love------acquaintance, falling in love, persuation, engagement and then marry. During the procedure, Jane was cautious in her praise of Mr. Bingley till Bingley proposed to her, it is a common tradition and shows “reasonable” manner. But it is really a happy ending, marriaging with love, and a manner form of marriage.

Then there came Darcy and Elizabeth. It seems to be an unequal marriage for their fortune and status. At the very beginning, there are so many barriers between them. Maybe for status, money or characteristic. For the first meet of Darcy and Lizzy, Darcy is proud, self-awarelessly. He said:”there is not another woman in the room whom it would not be a punishment to me to stand with.”(Chapter 3, page 12). So that Lizzy had prejudice against him for his pride. Darcy looked down upon Lizzy’s relatives for their bad manners. Lizzy even thought Darcy was a cold-blooded man for what he did to Mr. Wickham (made up by Wickham).

Elizabeth was a smart, kind girl. For the liveliness of mind, and her affectionate behaviour to Jane while she was ill at Netherfield, all these can be the reasons that Darcy fell in love with her and even proposed to her. “I cannot fix on the hour, or the spot, or the look, or the words, which laid the foundation. It is too longer ago, I was in the middle before I knew that I had begun.”(Chapter 60, page 465).

After the letter written to Lizzy by Darcy for explanation, and after Darcy even changed his proud attitude, and after their meeting in Longbourn, Lizzy gradually removed all her former pregudices and even full of gratitude and love to Darcy.

They two have a gap in fortune, possession and social status. If we insist on their match, there is one in their background of identity.”( Elizabeth said to Lady Catherine) He is a gentleman; I am a gentleman’s daughter; so far we’re equal.”(Chapter 56, page 435). The main marriage of Elizabeth and Darcy of the novel reveal the substance and ideal of marriage------the procedure has misunderstanding and humor and then understanding, the love has nothing to do with money, poosession, status even outside beauty and manners. Lizzy said: I never spoke to you without rather wishing to give you pain than not. What’s more, maybe Darcy did admire lizzy for her ipertinence and Darcy even changed his manners( that Lizzy did not like ------ pride) for his lover. That’s the true attraction of love.

From the women’s point of view, her lover loves her for her mind, for her unique soul------this kind of true love is essencial for an ideal marriage .