In the course of the novel four marriages take place. :: Free Essay Writer

In the course of the novel four marriages take place. In the course of the novel four marriages take place. Discuss which one you feel will be the happiest and compare it with the other three to justify your choice. You may wish to consider: - Key events relevant to these relationships - The language, which Austen uses to portray these characters and relationships and Austen’s narrative craft. - Society’s attitudes towards love and marriage in Austen’s period. The four marriages, which I am going to be discussing, are the marriage of Mr Collins to Charlotte Lucas, Lydia Bennet and Wickham, Jane and Bingley and finally Elizabeth and Mr Darcy. I will also discuss the marriage of Mr and Mrs Bennet, as there is a lot of important information, which Austen includes about marriage relating to them. Right from the start marriage is mentioned in an ironic and humorous way and hints the events, which are to follow. ‘It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.’ It highlights the importance of marriage within the world of the novel. The sentence suggests that the sole purpose for marriage was to increase the characters social and financial ranking. The quote mentions nothing of love yet it provokes the feeling tint he minds of the readers that the purpose of marriage was to merely create security. We see that Mrs Bennet has a consuming passion to find suitable marriage partners for her daughters. In her opinion the wealthier a young man the more an attractive proposition he becomes. Jane Austen is keen in this book to point out the dangers of a marriage that is not based on mutual love and respect. The first marriage we witness is the unsatisfactory relationship between Mr and Mrs Bennet. It is their absurd personality clash that causes us to look for qualities in their relationship, which could help us believe this was a happy marriage. Unlike other relationships in the novel we are able to see the effects which time has had on their relationship. The main pleasure Mr Bennet receives from married life results from teasing his wise and finding amusement at her expense. They are clearly incompatible and we see no signs of love at this stage. Mrs Bennet is obsessed with marrying off her daughters, while Mr Bennet enjoys reading and countryside pursuits. However, they both seem to draw vague contentment through compromise and small things; for example when Mr Bennet proclaimed himself adamant not to visit Mr Bingley when his intentions were otherwise. Mr Bennet had his