"It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.” (Chapter 1) This is the opening sentence of the novel. It also tells us the topic of Pride and Prejudice. In the eighteenth century, women do not have many opportunities to receive education. School’s gates are not all open to them. They are not required to get higher education. Marriage becomes an important way for women to get social status, property and establishment. Mrs. Bennet’s lifetime job is to marry her five daughters. In fact, this is a common phenomenon in Austen’s time. Austen is not a critic but is deeply critical of the general female obsession with the institution. This is the novel’s startling point, the ironical statement that a wealthy, single man must need a wife: this reflects the proprietarily attitude of those women who want to acquire a man and who know her needs better than he does. Great wealth and an elegant manner are a man’s most important qualities; profundity and wisdom are unfashionable. Marriage is directly connected with men's property and social status.
As for Charlotte, she is rather plain and has little property, and then chance is rather rare for her in marriage market. As Collins will get a large amount of property and enjoys a higher social status, Charlotte chose Collins as her husband. This marriage conforms to the contemporary social trend and should not be criticized at all.
4.1. Property in society
An important factor in society is property. Darcy and Bingley are rich gentlemen and they have large property. Therefore they can choose their wives according to their will.⑹ However, even for Elizabeth, although she is very beautiful and witty and full of wisdom, as she does not have large property; she loses many competitions in marriage market.
As for Charlotte, Things are more difficult. She has already been 27; neither does she have a good social status, nor does she own large property. At twenty-seven, the rather plain Charlotte has little prospect of marriage---it is a society in which the option of work is not open to woman. Charlotte lives in a world in which men judge women’s looks before examining their characters. Charlotte is less beautiful than Elizabeth and Jane. She is sensible and intelligent--more worthy of a good husband than Mrs. Bennet , but this also makes Charlotte a realist. In a certain sense, Mr. Collins is what she wants. The kind of suitor Jane Bennet can attract, as experience has shown, beyond Charlotte’s cope. Given his rather odious character, Mr. Collins, because of his evident lack of passion, is more eligible to Charlotte than if he were full of amorous desire. Through her marriage, Charlotte is able to achieve the dignity of a match of good status and material comfort, together with independence. What is more, she obtains what she wants to get from marriage--establishment, security and comparative comfort. She is quite sensible and realistic, and she can grasp every chance to realize her own purpose, thus her choice is not wrong. According to social reality, there is no point for us to criticize her marriage.Seen from another angle, Charlotte is brave to fight against social injustice, to be independent .She made it. We should not criticize her marriage.
4.2. Social status in society
Another important factor in marriage is social status. Elizabeth’s marriage is a good proof of it. If Elizabeth were not a gentleman (Mr. Bennet)’s daughter, her marriage to Darcy would not do.We know that Charlotte and Elizabeth are good friends. As Elizabeth is a brilliant star in this novel, clever and elegant. It is Charlotte that whose good friend is Elizabeth. But what is the basis of their good relationship? The geographical position of their house and their social status is the most important factor in their friendship. Netherfield and Longbourn are not far away from each other. The social status and property status have some similarities. Therefore, the equality between Charlotte and Elizabeth set up the bridge for their good relationship.⑺
From the second part, we know that women really have very low social status in society. Social status is a very important role in marriage. Charlotte married Collins so that she can get a higher social status. Charlotte is so sensible that she can take advantage of her marriage to avoid her bad destiny. We see that Bingley and Darcy are so popular because they have high social status. That the reason why Charlotte marries Mr. Collins is to gain a higher social status in society .This is very practical and certainly is very rational.转贴于 酷文网-论文下载中心 http://www.coolwen.net
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