On the Matrimonial Value of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

【摘要】简·奥斯丁是十九世纪英国文学史上最伟大的现实主义小说家之一。奥斯丁的代表作《傲慢与偏见》最为典型地反映了她的婚姻观。在这部小说中，奥斯丁描述了三种主要的婚姻类型：伊丽莎白和达西的婚姻即有经济保障，又有爱情基础；夏绿蒂与柯林斯的婚姻只是为了追求“可靠的储藏室”，根本没有感情基础；丽迪娅的婚姻纯粹是出于性冲动，完全不顾后果。作者的理想婚姻类型是伊丽莎白的婚姻，她的独立人格和进步的女性意识深受作者的喜爱。

在当时，妇女的社会地位极其低下，婚姻是她们提高地位的最好途径。并且金钱在婚姻中的地位举足轻重。伊丽莎白能够在那样的背景下把爱情放在考虑婚姻的首位，对当时的社会是一沉重批判。实际上，伊丽莎白的婚姻观就是作者的婚姻观。

因此作者的婚姻观带有明显的进步色彩。

【关键词】傲慢与偏见 金钱 爱情 婚姻观 进步色彩

【Abstract】Jane Austen is one of the greatest realistic novelists in English literature in the 19th century.Austens masterpiece Pride and Prejudice fully embodies her view of marriage.In this novel three major types of marriage manifest themselves：the marriage of sensible Elizabeth and decent Darcy involves both love and money，but attaches great importance to love；the marriage of mediocre Charlotte and vulgar Collins includes money but not love；the marriage of empty-minded Lydia and dissolute Wickham brings them neither love nor money.Austen prefers Elizabeths marriage because of Elizabeths independent and progressive feminine consciousness.

At that time，womens status was quite inferior.The best and the only way for them to raise status is to get married，and money plays a very important role in marriage.In that case，Elizabeth attaches great importance to love rather than money in marriage，making a great criticism to that society.In fact，Elizabeths view of marriage is just Austens view of marriage.

Therefore，Austens view of marriage bears an obvious progressive color.

【Keywords】Pride and Prejudice；money；love；view of marriage；progressive color

【中圖分类号】I561.074 【文献标识码】A 【文章编号】2095-3089（2017）05-0241-02

Chapter One Social Background

A general knowledge of the social and cultural setting in which a novel is written is important，for most novels mirror the customs and values of a particular society，often criticizing it.

Pride and Prejudice was set among the rural middle and upper classes who were landowners.None of the major characters worked，for these moneyed classes lived entirely on their income from rents and inheritances.For the women of the time，life was largely restricted to the home and the family.For the poor and the lower-class women，there was ample work in the home and the in the fields to keep them busy.But for the ladies of the upper classes，life was one big round of dances，dinners，cards，and visits to the friends and relatives.

At that time，well-educated young women of small fortune had three choices.Firstly，she kept as an old virgin，even today，nobody wants to be like this.Secondly，she could work as a tutor.However，she could earn very little money and this post was at the bottom of the society.Jane Austin used to describe a women tutor fate was absolutely inferior to a black slave.The last and the best way was to marry.Marriage at that time was indeed a shortcut for women to extricate themselves from predicaments，but economic considerations should not be neglected because a marriage without financial security could only put women into another difficult situation，in which they might suffer poverty again，and even disagreeable husbands as well.

As far as marriage was concerned，economic considerations were much more important than personal attractions.

Chapter Two Different Marriages

In this novel，the author depicted three marriage types：the marriage of Charlotte and Collins was completely based on fortune but no love；the marriage of Lydia and Wickham wanted both beauty and sex；the marriage of Elizabeth and Darcy，the marriage of Jane and Bingley were both based on love.Their combination did not exclude the consideration of beauty and fortune，but they attached great importance to virtue.

Ⅰ Marriage Focused on Fortune

Charlotte Lucas makes no attempt to find a husband whom she loves and esteems，but simply gives in to the necessity of acquiring financial security through marriage.She asks only a comfortable home.After their marriage，when Elizabeth went to visit them，Charlotte was extremely well pleased.

“When Mr.Collins could be forgotten，there was really a great air of comfort throughout，and by Charlottes evident enjoyment of it，Elizabeth supposed he must be often forgotten.”（Jane Austen，2003：117）

In her marriage，as long as she forgets about Mr.Collins，everything will be fine.In fact，they include money but no love.

Ⅱ Marriage Focused on Beauty and Sex

Though Lydia is the youngest daughter，she is very keen on taking part in social activities，indulging herself in flirtation with the “ red coats” all the time.She elopes with the rake George Wickham，which is tactfully prepared for in the presence of Lydia herself.Their marriage is obviously a disgraceful and unhappy one.Their respective motive for marriage is not out of the love for each other.Lydia marries Wickham just out of her sexual desire and momentary impulse without considering her later life，forgetting that anyhow she is a poor girl.

This marriage is based on only beauty and sex，and there is no true love between them，so it is destined to be unhappy.Therefore，Lydia is doomed to have an unhappy marriage.

Ⅲ Perfect Marriage Based on Love

Elizabeth is her fathers favorite daughter，having inherited his wit and intelligence.She turns down Mr.Collins proposal，because “ you could not make me happy，and I am convinced that I am the last woman in the world who would make you so.”（Jane Austen，2003：81）

The most unbearable thing for her is that both of the men do not propose to her out of the love based on the equality between men and women.Maybe Elizabeth never excludes economic considerations when she deals with her own marital problems，but her refusal cannot but be regarded as a strong resistance against the prevailing practice of marriage for money at that time. Here，Elizabeth expresses her view of marriage：marriage will not transfer when it is influenced by status or beauty，but is based on love.

Chapter Three Conclusion

Austens position and the importance of her works cannot be neglected in the history of English literature no matter how limited her life circle is and no matter how trivial her subject matter is.Austen is a very important writer during the development of the English realistic novels.Austens novels bring fresh air to the literary field of the late 18th century，making those Gothic and sentimental novels pale by comparison.

As a realistic writer，it cannot be ignored that this novel is the reflection of Jane Austens life environment and life track.The author has the similar life background and love experiences，and Elizabeths rational view of love and marriage，her practical choice and happy ending fully expresses Austens understanding of good behavior，of love，of marriage and her ideal.Even if Austen admits that fortune plays an important role in the stabilization and the harmoniousness of marriages，she still values the affections in marriages.Marriage should not be decided only by money，although it is not sensible to marry a person without any money.But it is quite wrong to marry for the sake of money.

Bibliography

[1]裘樂英.论简·奥斯丁的婚姻观 [D].浙江：浙江大学，2003.

[2]王科一.傲慢与偏见 [Z].上海：上海译文出版社，1996.

[3]Austen，J.Pride and Prejudice [M].上海：上海世界图书出版公司，2000（11）.

[4]Nigel，N.The world of Jane Austen [M].New York：Widenfield and Nicolson，1991.

作者简介：

赵焕丽，女，毕业于山东经济学院，本科学历，英语专业，文学学士。2006年8月至今在山东圣翰财贸职业学院从事教学工作。