Theme of love and marriage in Austen's pride and prejudice

 The dominant them in this novel, as in other of Austen's novels, is marriage. In other words, marriage is the focal point of the novel. The plot concerns a series of marriages, the characters are revealed and developed through marriage is the focal point of the novel. The plot concerns a series of marriage and the lessons Austen teaches us are centered around marriage. Why should Austen choose marriage as her main them? In her word, both financially and socially marriage was a woman's chief aim. It was thought to be the single possible fulfilment for a woman. Financially, it was the "only honorable  provision". Socially, it marked maturity.

               Against this background of conventional contemporary attitudes on the subject, Austen places a series of actual and possible relationship- Elizabeth and Darcy, Jane and Bingley, Lydia and Wickham -all marry. Through all of these and specially Elizabeth, what she considers to be worthwhile in marriage and life. In the novel three marriages are made, other than that of Elizabeth and Darcy, and each in its way sheds light on the marriage of hero and heroine. And Elizabeth eventually reaches a real understanding of what a good marriage involves, and she finds it with Darcy.

                                                     The marriage  theme is clearly stated in the novel's opening sentence:

            "It is  a truth universally acknowledge, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife". 

            And the readers immediately realise how little there is of majesty in the marriage of the cynically with Mr. Bennet and his vulgar wife, full of schemes to marry off her five daughter. Despite his perverse teasing, Mr. Bennet shares his wife's concern to find husbands for their daughters, since the girls are without fortune or security, and marriage is the only hope for their future.

                    From the start, Austen seems to disapprove strongly of the link between marriage and money made by Mrs. Bennet when talking about Bingley. Wickham's fortune- hunting is condemned by Mrs. Gardiner. Darcy's awareness of the 'interiority of Elizabeth's connections' is a major flaw in his character. All those who scheme for arranged financial marriages are condemned-Mrs. Bennet, Lady Catherine and Caroline Bingley. Elizabeth also despises those who wed to be 'well-married'. She defends before Mrs. Gardiner her right to marry without a fortune, and implies the same to Collins when he proposes. To be precise, she is determined to chose her husband for love rather than money.

                                  But the success of charlotte's marriage begins to change Elizabeth's  mind. She learns that financial stability is vital to a good marriage. The superiority in Darcy that once outraged now appeals : "to be mistress of pemberley might be something". And this is how she has achieved an adult view of marriage as a practical and necessary financial contract. She knows how essential practical consideration are regarding marriage.

                            In Austen's view, sexuality was farless vital relationship than its counterpart, affection. Mr. and Mrs. Bennet's marriage, originally based only on 'youth and beauty', ended in contempt because respect and affection had died. Elizabeth's view of the sexuality-based marriage undergoes a change. She at first responds to Wickham's "beauty....countenance ... figure", but very soon realizes that appearance is not everything. It has to be matched by real worth. she realizes, too, that Darcy's goodness compensates more for any lack of 'appearance', While he, at first thinking her 'not handsome enough', in the end finds her 'loveliest Elizabeth'. All this shows that both Elizabeth and Darcy eventually learn - physically attraction may mislead, but once affection brings knowledge of and respect for one's partner, true desire follows.

                            Elizabeth's and Darcy's marriage is primarily a sound personal relationship where each person gives something and helps the other to mature. Secondly, the marriage marks a step to their maturity. They have learnt to accept responsibility for themselves. Chiefly, however, they have matured by casting aside their main faults-Pride and Prejudice though their relationship with each other. This is the real object of love and marriage, i.e. the self-development that a true relationship brings about. Pride and Prejudice, in Elizabeth and Darcy respectively, are combined, and the worst aspects neutralized by an affection that leads inevitably to marriage.

---------------