Abstract

In the 18th century, England was still a patriarchal society and marriage was still the best way, even the only way for women to gain some social status and recognition.

Jane Austen is the great novelist. She writes six novels and creates lot of female characters. Women in her novel had different attitudes toward marriage. In pride and prejudice, Austen creates a female figure, Elizabeth Bennet, who is a little rebellious. She wants to have a marriage on the basis of her own will. At the end of the novel, both Elizabeth and Darcy overcome their pride and prejudice and finally get married. The plot is mainly talk about the traditional marriage between Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, the happy marriage between Jane and Mr. Bingley, The tragic marriage of Charlotte and Mr. Collins and the hasty marriage of Lydia and Mr. Wickham. At last, the author puts forward the foundation of an ideal marriage: an ideal marriage should be based on love and a certain economic basis.

By analyzing the process of five types view of marriage at that time, the thesis tries to conclude that Austen’s view of marriage is still of importance at the present time.

Key words : views on marriage; pride and prejudice ; love; money

Contents

Abstract

中文摘要

1.Introduction1

2.Literature Review2

3.Background information3

3.1 The social background of Pride and Prejudice.3

3.2 Women’s status in Austen’s time........5

4.Five different marriages in Pride and Prejudice.5

4.1 Marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet6

4.2 Marriage of Charlotte and Mr. Collin7

4.3 Marriage of Lidia and Wickham8

4.4 Marriage of Mr. Bingley and Jane9

4.5 Marriage of Elizabeth and Darcy10

5.Austen’s View on Marriage.11

5.1 The ideal marriage in Pride and Prejudice...12

5.1 The possibility of an ideal marriage ...12

6. Conclusion..13

References...15