傲慢与偏见中简奥斯汀的婚姻观

傲慢与偏见 婚姻观 简奥斯汀

本科生课程论文

论文题目：Jane Austen’s Outlook toward Marriage in

Pride and Prejudice___________________

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专 业： 英语（师范） 班 级： 学 号：

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2013 年 11月 22日

外国语学院制

傲慢与偏见 婚姻观 简奥斯汀

Jane Austen’s Outlook toward Marriage in Pride and Prejudice Abstract: Jane Austen use ironic tone to narrate four different marriages in Pride and Prejudice, through which stated her view of marriage that a perfect marriage should include both money and love and expressed contempt toward money worship.

Key Words: Jane Austen, outlook toward marriage, Pride and Prejudice, reflection

Thesis Statement: Jane Austen’s view of marriage is that love is the most important element in marriage while money is essential.

Ⅰ. Basic information of Jane Austen and Pride and Prejudice

Jane Austen (16 December 1775 – 18 July 1817) was one of the most influential English novelist in 18th century. She descried English country life with vivid word, which was regarded as foundation of early realism in literature. Using critical and satire style writing, Jane bit social illness in a humourous way. Though the theme and stories were similar, topic related to marriage would never become outdate. Maybe that’s the reason her novels remained popular all over the centuries. Pride and Prejudice was Jane’s magnum opus. In the novel, she narrated several marriages that were made for different reasons. While we laugh at the humourous dialogues, the fate of the characters’ arouses our thinking toward marriage. Marry for both of love and money is perfect. However, few of us are as fortune as Elizabeth. Jane’s outlook toward marriage was embodied in each line of the novel. Women’s consciousness of freedom and love was illuminated advanced.

Ⅱ. Background of Pride and Prejudice

A. English society in early-19th-century

1. Values

In the late 18th century and the beginning of 19th century, Britain had enlarged its colony in Australia, New Zealand and India. On account of the Independence of America, the new continent became an important market to export. In addition, after a series of wars, Britain won its maritime hegemony across the Atlantic. In the country, the Industrial Revolution brought out prosperity in fields of industry and commerce. “An empire on which the sun never sets” had risen.

The new power which consisted of a bulk of the emerging bourgeoisie sprung up. Social wealth increased in a dramatic way during this time, which negatively influenced people’s value(Gao,Y.,.99). The unprecedented eager and purchase toward fortune made money worship become the main stream of society. People fantasized to be rich during one night. To marry higher social position is such a shortcut. In many cases, marriage turned to be a deal of money rather than a bond of love.

2. Women’s status

Due to the boom of Industry Revolution, the demand of labor increased (Bai,S,L.,139). With more women took part in works, their position improved. After the enlightenment, humanism had been enjoying popular support. Besides, the new emerging bourgeoisie were open-minded. The advanced elements of them appealed rights and interests of women. Feminist movement began sprouting in big cities. Some women even attended political events (Lu,W.F.,124). However, because of the strict hierarchy, most women still suffered low social status, especially in the countryside (Wang,X,X.,132-33).

傲慢与偏见 婚姻观 简奥斯汀

B. Life in countryside

1. Landlord class in politics

At that time, England was in a transitional era of feudal economy and capitalist economy. On one hand, people in countryside produced not only for their own use but also for the supply of big cities. One the other hand, nobles from north industrial cities had a tradition of buying poverty in countryside to honor their status. Squire like Bennett, upstart like William Lucas, hereditary peerage like Darcy, all status got together in countryside, which made country a miniature of the whole society of the day. While nobles leaned for the land, squire admired higher status and privilege. By marriage, each took what he needed.

2. Peace and quiet

Though affected by social currents, country life was in the trend of money worship, its quiet and peace were still (Gao,Y.,100). The splendid English idyllic scenery, pleasant climate, fertile soil, abundant resource attracted and comforted both figures in the novel and the readers. Under such beautiful nature, love story was more romantic.

3. Limitation

Women were limited in their home and work place. They had few chances to learn about outside world. Though Jane’s family was opened-minded enough to get her well educated, she almost never left her hometown all her life. Her value and view toward the world still ranged in the level of countryside women (Zhen,Y,H.,Li,X.,35).

Ⅲ. Comparative study of Jane’s attitude toward the marriage of the three couples

A. Darcy and Elizabeth

1. Frank and Honest

Darcy and Elizabeth met at the countryside ball without any good impressive with each other. In some sense, an encounter without intention is romantic. The careless show that the comment of the other was totally real. Elizabeth’s mother was so fear her daughters would not married, that once heard there were gentlemen came by, she persuaded them to go to tempt them. However, Elizabeth was elegant and self-depended. She won’t follow her mother’s order. Though took part in serious of social occasions and met with rich nobles, she kept good manner all the time. As to Darcy, although a little asocial, he “always tells the absolute truth”. Through all procedure got to know each other, no matter hate or admire, they expressed themselves honestly. Their love was developed in a transparent way, which was a firm foundation of marriage.

2. Fate and Effort

“Pride and Prejudice” was the bond of love to Darcy and Elizabeth. Darcy’s mindless arrogant comment “She’s tolerable” stimulated Elizabeth’s prejudice, that was, Darcy was a pride noble, a “boasted”, “self-centered” man with little gentle and considerate. During the process of clearing up the misunderstanding, Elizabeth gradually found his “generous nature”, thought him as “the best man I have ever known”. Their love happened naturally as destiny that ties them together. An attempt marriage will never as happy as theirs.

Besides the fate, people should labour for their love. Lovers met, fell in love, but it’s determine to be together finally bring out into marriage. Imagine Darcy got disappointment when Elizabeth condemned him of evils he had never done, or hesitated when relevant against his affection, or Elizabeth shrink with Lady Caroline’s humiliation, they definitely won’t get happy ending. Therefore, trust each other and overcome whatever difficulties are also cores that lead happy marriage.

傲慢与偏见 婚姻观 简奥斯汀

3. Money and Love

Our hero Darcy was a rich noble instead of poor minister or something. That means Jane herself knew the importance of material and regarded as another vital element of successful marriage. Imagine Darcy was poor, then who would be the one helped to pay Wickham’s bet? At that time, “false step in one sister must be injurious to the fortunes of all the others”. If no one paid off, the whole family would be look down, and then no one could marry well. With sufficient amount of poverty, Darcy could gave a hand when his love in need. Treasure was basics of living and happiness, which is truth we have to admit. It looked ridiculous that Mrs. Bennet was so eager to marry her girls. But as the fact in 19th century that girls had no rights to inherit, she should be worried of having nowhere to live in after her husband would pass by. Even in modern society, it’s no doubt money is important element supports long-term marriage.

Money is necessity, but marriage without affection is like a tomb (Mei Z.X.,191). While others only paid attention in poverty, Jane proposed romance is essential in happy marriage. This was a big splash at that time. Her views were reflected on Elizabeth’s and words such as “I could not love a man was out of his wits”, and “Only the deepest love will introduce me into matrimony”. Unless took a man with love, she would get marry, though may “end an old maid”. As to Darcy, when he first show his love to Elizabeth, he realized “The relative situation of our families makes any alliance between us a reprehensible connection”, but because of his “a passionate admiration and regard”, he finally got marry for love.

4. Self-esteem

Woman should keep pride no matter how large the gap of statue and poverty between her and her husband. Considering Elizabeth’s condition, it was not exaggerate that Darcy took her was like prince took Cinderella. However, Elizabeth showed little lowliness, even when blamed by Lady Caroline. “He is a gentleman; I am a gentleman’s daughter. So far we are equal.” Her grace and confident manner was the core quality Darcy was captivated. To deeper sense, Elizabeth’s behavior reflected Jane’s opinion that Men and women should have equal status. One should be judged by his upbringing, instead of fortune and background. Jane’s emphasize of human inner quality embodied early awaken of humanism (Zhen,Y.H, Li, X.,39).

B. Jane and Bingley

1. Proper Attitude

Jane was a kind-hearted girl, “like an angel”，she was always thinking others’ good. That a precious quality to a woman and a wife. A beautiful girl with such quality was attractive to most men in the world. Bingley was one of them. Though Jane had a most soft heart, she was strong inside. Though seemed less of confidence, Jane held right value toward love during the relationship (Jonathan Gottschal,1117). Though Jane was not as sharp as Elizabeth, but she was also “should so much like to marry for love”. When Bingley was fascinated with her, she loved him back. When Bingley went back to London, she bravely went to the town to get her love back. Without meeting her love, she decided to let it go. When Bingley came back and propose, she generously forgave his fault. Not matter happiness or sadness, she could tolerant. Her way of dealing with difficulties helped her won happy marriage.

Bingley was an outgoing and enthusiastic man. He could have fun in any place with any people even at the simple and cruel ball in country. That showed his tolerant, which was the same with Jane. What’s more, he didn’t think a lot of money. When he met Jane, he was deeply impressed by her beauty and good quality and never gave her cold-shoulder because the large gap between

傲慢与偏见 婚姻观 简奥斯汀

poverty and statue.

The only flawless was Bingley’s hesitate when love got into trouble. Compared with Darcy, Bingley was more vacillate under surrounding disapproval. However, under such social environment, his frailness was understandable.

2. Surrounding influence

In Jane and Bingley’s case, we can see sometimes relevant and friends may influent a lot in marriage. It was Darcy and Bingley’s sisters persuaded Bingley to give up and leave, which almost led to breaking up. It was also Darcy’s encouragement made him went back and proposed, which finally ended with happiness. So, when our friends fell in love, we should encourage them and give them courage. Besides, a wrong advice may lead others’ life-long regret, which demand us think twice before interfere a relationship.

C. Collins and Charlotte

Collins and Charlotte’s marriage was seemed in a rush, but they were doomed to be together because they got what each other needed (Mei Z.X.,192). With little feelings, their marriage was “perfect” in their own eyes. While Collins needed a young wife, Charlotte needed a rich husband. When Elizabeth visited Charlotte’s house after she got married, she felt sorry when she heard Collins and Charlotte hardly spoke all day. But Charlotte said, “I found myself quite content with my situation”. In marriage is like drinking water, whether it is cold or warm is known by oneself. Charlotte always knew what she really wanted: “I’m not romantic…I ask only a comfortable home”. In her value, she had married a man whose poverty and statue good enough to be envied (Niu,B.H.,31). However, a marriage without love was hardly to maintain.

Collins and Charlotte’s marriage was typical in that time. Collins’ ridiculers thought that propose of a “noble” man could manage to receive by any low statue and poor woman was common. Meanwhile, Charlotte’s thought that a happy marriage was equal to find condition was also. Charlotte tempted Collins right after his proposal was declined, and soon received proposal from Collins. Their marriage was decided so easy and rash. Once “agreement” was reached, it was done. Their marriage was ugly exchange. The sympathy Jane showed to Charlotte represented her attitude toward woman in that time. With social system that woman could not hesitate, woman had to choose richer man for better situation in future, which killed their desire to love.

D. Lydia and Wickham

Lydia and Wickham’s marriage was a total swindle of money (Dennis W. Allen, 435). Lydia was so young and dizzy that hadn’t form mature value. Under Mrs. Bennet’s education of “good marriage”, she entered social intercourse with the age of fifteen. Knowing nothing of man and the world, she was tricked by Wickham’s hypocrisy and good-looking outside. Simple-minded would be used. Therefore, in order to make wise judge on future husband, women should develop her inner cultivation and enlarge their views for there might be another faces below masks. For ladies, when pick up husbands, one should judge from outside to inside.

Lydia didn’t realize she harm the honor of the family all along for her immature and selfish. Love is not everything in life(Jonathan Gottschal,1118). If marriage brings hurt to the whole family, it is definitely not successful. Through Lydia and Wickham were married under Darcy’s “help”, they won’t happy because their casual attitude.

Ⅳ. Writing techniques

A. Humors

1. Mr. and Mrs. Bennet

傲慢与偏见 婚姻观 简奥斯汀

Jane expressed her views of marriage not only in arrating stories of the four couples, but also in wring style. Her sense of humor was one of the major pleasures when reading her works. Mr. and Mrs. Bennet was a pair of love-hate relationship. When Mrs. Bennet advised Mr. Bennet to visit Bingley, he scored, “So that is he design in setting here to marry one of our daughters?” When the wife complained his less of considerate: “You have no compassion on my poor nerves!”, he responded: “You mistake me. I have a high respect for your nerves. They’ve been my old friends for 20 years”. The funny dialogues between the old couple compared the two adverse attitudes to marriage. Mrs. Bennet’s ridiculous manner of tempting a wealth son-in-low was emphasized in this way.

2. Elizabeth and Darcy

Elizabeth inherited her father’s humor naturally. Her humor was revealed especially when she marked Mr. Darcy: “I wonder if he’d be as handsome if he weren’t so rich.”, “Will he be in humour to consider young ladies who are slighted by other men? …Never!” The dislike she showed toward Darcy was widely divergent of her admire afterwards. “Indeed, he has no improper pride. He is perfectly amiable. ”, “If you only knew his generous nature.”, “He is truly the best man I have ever known”. The huge convert was assuming. It reminded us that in many cases, romance begin with dislike even hatred.

B. Satire

In Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austin used ironic in her writing, With this kind of rhetoric, Jane excellently created figures’ characters, expressed their motion and also embodied her humor as a writer. “Though the sarcastic sometimes revealed her limitation as a countryside woman, her writing style has still regarded as one of the representatives of ironic” (Fu,R.,168-70).

“In ironic, or other relative rhetoric such as satire, Jane showed her views toward society”(Gemmill,K.,1120). When Darcy encountered Elizabeth for the first time at the party, his attitude was indifferent, even cold. Elizabeth was the same. Darcy’s comment about her caused her disgust. She refused to talk with him during dance. However, after went though misunderstanding and struggle, they were strongly attracted by each other. The twist in spot setting itself was an ironic. Another example was set in the scene of Collin’s proposal to Elizabeth. When made the request for the first time, Elizabeth declined gently. Collin was so unwise that he listed his belongings, tried to change her mind. Without self-knowledge and sense of shame, he proposed again. Unsurprisingly, he was rejected twice in a minute. Different from the sincere and earnest that showed before, he was too angry to keep his manner. His absurd self-conceit，false and value of money worship was vividly described in Jane’s ironically style of writing (Fu,R.,170).

Jane’s writing of ironic contributes not only in literary, but also in her independent thoughts. As a woman writer, Jane’s advanced outlook toward marriage and society was well delivered by the disdain tone(Wootton,S,42).

C. Others

1. Exaggeration

Exaggeration was also used by Jane to portray characters. For incidence, Collins “continued apologize for a quarter of an hour." Mrs. Bennet’s exiting when rich man came by was another example. The ugly vanity was enlarged for readers to identify. She took advantage of her imagination to make novel funnier. “Once readers catch her intention, they will taste the homour and smile knowingly” (Fu,R,170).

2. Metaphor

傲慢与偏见 婚姻观 简奥斯汀

Expect for exaggeration, Jane used metaphor to strength ironic. She compared Mr. Bennett to philosopher, as he could only be gain happiness from the books, instead of his marriage. This kind of expression can also unify the whole novel.

3. Reiteration

Reiteration was appeared in the novel, too. For example, every time when described Mrs. Bennet’s worry of marrying her five daughters, Jane referred her “poor nerves”. We can imaan old lady consisted to sob and complain: “Oh, my poor nerves”. What’s more, “5000 a year” and “10000 a year” were referred again and again to emphasize Mrs. Bennet’s favor of money. It was not only criticism of Mrs. Bennet, but her type of people who put poverty in the first place. Another example was Mr. Collins told everyone his seeing of the luxurious fitment when visited Lady Caroline’s house. Jane’s description about his of silly endless talk about worship toward wealth and high status showed his stupid shallow mind.

Ⅴ. Jane appeal that money is important in marriage but it is not the most important thing.

A. Conclusion of Jane’s view of marriage

Jane herself was most like Elizabeth, from whom we can analyze her view of marriage (Zhou,N.,16). Elizabeth’s self-esteem, fine manner, pursue of romantic was characters Jane intended to advocate. In Elizabeth and Darcy’s marriage we can see in Jane’s opinion, a perfect marriage should contain both fine material and love. “Though Jane expressed her distain of money aimed marriage, she had to admit comfortable condition was also a vital element” (Liu,T.T.,2-7).

B. Significance in Current Society

Jane’s sagacity words were forever classical, especially for females. For the question she posed has been puzzling for centuries. Until today marry for money or for love is still an issue. No matter how the society develops, total equality of man and woman hasn’t achieved still. Marriage is a long-life choice that may totally change one’s life. Though time changes, for common people, happy marriages are similar. Most people can find advice for marriage in Pride and prejudice. That is the reason it has been publishing again and again.

Not everyone in so lucky like Elizabeth, even Jane herself. It is said that, in a research, the probability that one can find his perfect mate (that includes family condition, character, and geography and so on) is 1/6000, which means most of us can’t really have one. Some prefer to be single and ended up with alone all life. But it is not bad to learn from Charlotte. One should always know what he really wants. Once choice has been made, he should thankful for what he has owned and accept what he has given up. After all happiness is satisfaction from heart, to own it or not depended on one’s own feeling.

傲慢与偏见 婚姻观 简奥斯汀

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