解放军理工大学理学院毕业论文
Abstract
Pride and prejudice is Jane Austin’s great work, discuing the different marriages and love.In Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen comments that marriage in her time is a financial contract, where love is strictly a matter of chance.This is clearly evident from the very first line of the novel: “It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in poeion of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.”
To Regency-era writer Jane Austen, a perfect marriage meant having it all - love and money.She rejects the marriage based on wealth and strees the element of emotion in a marriage.As this did not happen often in reality, her novels appeased with happy endings.
Key Words: Love; marriage; property; social status
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Table of contents
Abstract .........................................................................................1 1.Introduction ...............................................................................3 2.The Background ........................................................................3 2.1 The Background of that time ..............................................3 2.2 The Background of Jane Austin .........................................4 3.Four Marriages in Pride and Prejudice ......................................6 3.1 Collins and Charlotte’s Marriage ........................................7 3.2 Lydia and Wickham’s Marriage ..........................................7 3.3 Jane and Mr.Bingley’s Marriage ........................................9 3.4 Darcy and Elizabeth’s Marriage .......................................10 4.The Different Understanding about Love and Marriage in Pride and Prejudice ..............................................................................11 4.1 The Marriage Based on Same Interests ...........................11 4.2 The Marriage Based on Vanity and Carelene ............11 4.3 The Marriage Based on Money or Benefit ........................12 4.4 The Marriage Based on True Love ...................................14 5.Jane Austin’s Concept about Love and Marriage ....................17 6.Conclusion ..............................................................................17 7.Acknowledgements .................................................................18 8.Bibliography ............................................................................19
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1.Introduction
Pride and Prejudice is a novel by Jane Austen, first published in 1813.The story follows the main character Elizabeth Bennet as she deals with iues of manners, upbringing, morality, education and marriage in the society of the landed gentry of early 19th-century England.Elizabeth is the second of five daughters of a country gentleman, living near the fictional town of Meryton in Hertfordshire, near London.Though the
story\'s
setting
is
characteristically turn-of-the-19th-century, it retains a fascination for modern readers, continuing near the top of lists of \'most loved books\' such as The Big Read.It has become one of the most popular novels in English literature, and receives considerable attention from literary scholars.Modern interest in the book has resulted in a number of dramatic adaptations and an abundance of novels and stories imitating Austen\'s memorable characters or themes.To date, the book has sold some 20 million copies worldwide.2.The Background 2.1 The Background of that time 19th century England had serious social problems from the heyday
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of Royalty and Nobility.One of the most significant of these was the tendency to marry for money.A person sought a partner based on the dowry receivable and their allowance.This proce went both ways: a beautiful woman might be able to snag a rich husband, or a charring and handsome man could woo a rich young girl.In these marriages, money was the only consideration.Love was left out, with the thought that it would develop as the years went by.2.2 The Background of Jane Austin Jane Austen (16 December 1775 – 18 July 1817) was an English novelist whose works of romantic fiction, set among the gentry, earned her a place as one of the most widely read writers in English literature, her realism and biting social commentary cementing her historical importance among scholars and critics.Austen lived her entire life as part of a close-knit family located on the lower fringes of the English gentry.She was educated primarily by her father and older brothers as well as through her own reading.The steadfast support of her family was critical to her development as a profeional writer.Her artistic apprenticeship lasted from her teenage years until she was about 35 years old.During this period, she experimented with various literary forms, including the epistolary novel which she tried then abandoned, and wrote and extensively revised three
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major novels and began a fourth.Austen\'s works critique the novels of sensibility of the second half of the 18th century and are part of the transition to 19th-century realism.
However, her marriage is like a blank paper in her 42 years real lifetime.Going through the finest time, but eventually without meeting a comfortable partner, she gives up her love.Going through the sweet and bitter feeling which helps her to write the great work Pride and Prejudice.
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3.Four Marriages in Pride and Prejudice
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3.1 Collins and Charlotte’s Marriage
In Pride and Prejudice, the first part is the marriage of Charlotte and Collins, their marriage is lucky and natural.They get married without any expectation.Charlotte is William Lucas’s daughter, who is the neighbor of Lizzy Bennet.She has not got married even until she is 26 years old.William Collins, aged twenty-five, is Mr.Bennet\'s clergyman cousin and, as Mr.Bennet has no son, heir to his estate.Austen described him as \"not a sensible man, and the deficiency of nature had been but little aisted by education or society.\" Informed that the eldest daughter Jane has a boyfriend, he aims at the second daughter Elizabeth Bennet in spite for his aunt’s interesting sake, and Elizabeth has been tired of him.Eventually, she refuses him with sharp tongue.But Collins quickly finds comfort from Charlotte who desires to get love from a male and believes marriage is the elegant way for a girl with some education, and then they get married as quickly as the lightning.Such marriage without love is too practical, so it is a kind of superficial marriage without happine.
3.2 Lydia and Wickham’s Marriage
The second marriage is between Bennet’s third daughter Lydia and Wickham, the son of the housekeeper.Superficially charming, he rapidly
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forms a friendship with Elizabeth Bennet, prompting remarks upon his suitability as a potential husband.He spreads numerous tales about the wrongs Darcy has done to him, coloring the popular perception of the other man in local society.It is eventually revealed that these tales are distortions, and that Darcy was the wronged man in their acquaintance.Lydia Bennet is the youngest Bennet sister, aged fifteen when the novel begins.She is repeatedly described as frivolous and headstrong.Her main activity in life is socializing, especially flirting with the military officers stationed in the nearby town of Meryton.She dominates her older sister Kitty and is supported in the family by her mother.Originally George Wickham is well-treated by the family and the friends.However, he comes down in the world because of his misbehavior.He gets into debt.So, he wants to get money and become rich and change his social status through marriage.For his purpose, he entices Lydia and gets her love easily, because she is young, innocent and vainglorious, and loves to go ease and hates to work hard, and is spoilt by her mother.Getting love and praise of a boy is her dream.So when Wickham wants to reach his aim－getting wealth by love and exalts her beauty hypocritically, she forgets who she is and feels she is the most beautiful and happiest girl in the world.Their love does not get the permiion from the parents, and then they elope.When Elizabeth hears the news, she believes that he does not love her but the wealth of her family.The marriage is admitted on the
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condition of Darcy\'s help.Their marriage is considered to be a scandal in Bennett’s family.But Mrs.Bennet is not disgraceful to this marriage.This marriage is one without love.They don’t the real meaning of marriage, they only want to satisfy their aspiration.So this is a kind of impromptu love and marriage without true love and responsibility.
3.3 Jane and Mr.Bingley’s Marriage The third marriage is of the eldest daughter Jane and Mr.Bingley.Bingley is a friend of Darcy.Charles Bingley’s wealth was recent, and he is seeking a permanent home.He rents the Netherfield estate near Longbourn when the novel opens.Twenty-two years old at the start of the novel, handsome, good-natured, and wealthy, he is contrasted with his friend Darcy as being le intelligent but kinder and more charming and hence more popular in Meryton.He lacks resolve and is easily influenced by others.Jane Bennet is the eldest Bennet sister.Twenty-two years old when the novel begins, she is considered the most beautiful young lady in the neighborhood.Her character is contrasted with Elizabeth\'s as sweeter, shyer, and equally sensible, but not as clever; her most notable trait is a desire to see only the good in others.The marriage of the able man- Bingley and the beautiful girl-Jane is ideal in most people’s eyes.At last, the lovers get married as the misunderstanding between Elizabeth and Darcy has been solved.
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3.4 Darcy and Elizabeth’s Marriage
The fourth marriage is the main theme of the works.That is Darcy and Elizabeth’s marriage.The reader sees the unfolding plot and the other characters mostly from her viewpoint.The second of the Bennet daughters at twenty years old, she is intelligent, lively, attractive, and witty, but with a tendency to judge on first impreions and perhaps to be a little selective of the evidence upon which she bases her judgments.Mr.Fitzwilliam Darcy is tTwenty-eight years old and unmarried, Darcy is the wealthy owner of the famous family estate of Pemberley in Derbyshire.Handsome, tall, and intelligent, but not convivial, his aloof decorum and moral rectitude are seen by many as an exceive pride and concern for social status.He makes a poor impreion on strangers, such as the gentry of Meryton, but is valued by those who know him well.At the beginning, Elizabeth rejects the pursuer-Darcy, because she does not like him, even looks down upon him though Darcy loves her very much.In Elizabeth’s eyes, he is arrogant and unreasonable because he is rich and has high social status.Realizing that, Darcy begins to get rid of those bad habits quietly to crate her taste and get good impreion and love of her.Because of Darcy’s perfect behavior and good education, Elizabeth gradually eliminates the bias on Darcy.Then they spontaneously fall in love.So when Darcy’s second suitor is sent to Elizabeth, Elizabeth readily agree with, and they get married and have happy family lives.
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4.The Different Understanding about Love and Marriage in Pride and Prejudice
4.1 The Marriage Based on Same Interests Bolobbyist, a politician, at the end of the 18th century, said that upbringing was more important than law, because it could promote moral, help to realize moral or ruin moral.Thus it could be concluded that upbringing played very important role in life at that time.On the first ball organized by Mr.Bingley in the Niger Park, Jane---the eldest daughter of the Bonnets’ is favored by the host.But the reserved personality and the standardized qualities make her feelings show nothing, so she almost loses Bingley, which is also caused by her nest-of-kin’s lap sad conducts.For example, Mrs.Bennet often gives comments on the marriage in public, especially the benefits of the marriage, which almost frightens Bingley away.This good marriage based on a favorite of mutual good impreion and true love nearly evaporates.Fortunately, the loves get married by experiencing twists.
4.2 The Marriage Based on Vanity and Carelene Lydia is impulsive, credulous and blindly following.She is pursuing love and thinking about how to get love from a male.She is stiffened
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with the style of an officer called Wickham.She elopes with him because of an impulse.They spend money without restraint, and they are unable to make ends meet.For sake of Elizabeth, Darcy gave them a sum of money to let them get out of difficulties.At the same time, this swindler prepares to climb another woman for a sum of money.Bennet couple is another example for this kind of marriage.Mr.Bennet covets the youth and beauty and is attracted and gets married with a narrow-minded young and beautiful woman lacking intelligence.Not long after the marriage, he puts an end to his love and affection, the mutual respect and trust between the couple has gone.The expectation to have a harmonious and well-being family has evaporated.Clearly, this couple’s marriage is unfortunate caused by rashne and vanity.
4.3 The Marriage Based on Money or Benefit Although Mrs.Bennet has been described as a comedy character in the work gaining a lot of sarcasm and derision, her universally acknowledged truth－all the wealthy bachelors want to marry a lady, has been proved to be truth which proves another fact that it\'s the wealth and the number of the wealth that decides the fate of life and marriage.
Charlotte knows that the marriage without property would eventually move toward disappointment and suffering.Even if the couple loves each other deeply at first, when Collins, known as a social climber, is rejected
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by Elizabeth, he immediately turns to fall in love with Mi Charlotte.Although Collins is an inborn fool, his love could not move the heart of a woman, Charlotte accepts him, because her purpose is to get married.Almost all the girls born in a poor family without good education always regard marriage as the only decent way, although marriage might not necearily bring happine to them.She manages to arrange one of the most reliable way by marriage, thus she would not be exposed to the cold temperatures and suffer hunger in the future.She now gets a storage room.Charlotte is like a rodman catching a fairly plump fish－Collins.But if he doesn’t meet a setback from Elizabeth, and the encouragement of Charlotte, I am afraid that he would not be so willing to propose marriage to Charlotte.The man like Bentley who has fairly numerable money need a beautiful wife, the poor man needs a wife with a huge wealth, like Wickham; It was lucky for Charlotte that she could gain the marriage with Collins although their marriage is not happy at all.In these marriages, it was quite interesting that the women without property really get married with those rich bachelors.However, the happine brought by marriage to them has not accompanied the husband.In marriage, money is very important.Austin objects such marriage simply based on money.Collins is the heir of Bennet family; he doesn’t know what love is.He would state some of the inappropriate remarks at
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any time.Charlotte gets married for money.Eventually she gets nothing more than a rich man, though she has economic security.She doesn’t care about her husband\'s accompanying and love.She encourages him to clean up the garden more.She sets his living-room in the small house absent of even a small number of sunshine.When her husband makes gaffe in front of their friends, she ignores and turns a deaf ear.Such arrangement for the story is a perfect irony for” the truth universally acknowledged” at the beginning of the novel.The author exprees great sympathy to the tragic fate of the women at that time and those who had to marry because of economic restraints by the description of the marriage of charlotte.Austin understands completely that the social environment makes man obey not only in material but in psychology, which improved that Austin is a rational author that she prefers true love to survival.Mi Bingley also extremely objects the marriage between her brother and Bennet’s eldest daughter Jane.She hopes her brother to marry Darcy’s sister Mi Geovgiana in order to make herself to have the same status.
4.4 The Marriage Based on True Love Elizabeth is the ideal image for women as well as the most charismatic person in the novel.She is Bonnet’s second daughter, an active, intelligent and smart girl.She has a middle-cla family
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background and has not been affected by the formal education belonging to those aristocratic young girls, so she isn\'t good at music and painting, but she has read many books which make her knowledgeable and perceptive.The most important aspect is that she is a lady with dignity and upbringing.Darcy is a man with tall figure and good manner.He is handsome, rich and powerful.So he is the ideal husband of most girls.But he has grown up in the surroundings with strong sense of power, so he always is selfish and arrogant, and he has a critical look at each individual, except the family members.He is not concerned about anyone else, and looks down upon anyone else.Therefore, when he first arrives in the village, he finds all the persons are far away from those imagined.Although every girl there is young and lovely, he has no interest to anyone except Elizabeth.Darcy loves Elizabeth, but looks down upon her social status.He thinks that his marriage would certainly succeed and Elizabeth is waiting for him to propose marriage.Elizabeth rejects his marriage proposal, and angrily accuses his insolence.The rational aspect of the heroine Elizabeth shows her clear, calm and actually streful personality.Compared with her stupid mother, the smooth and lazy father, the shallow-minded, self-willed sister with feather head, Elizabeth is one with ideal mind.
Elizabeth has a deep understanding of all the things around her.She has a clean understanding about her own social status.Because of this,
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she resists extremely against the arrogance of Darcy, and she tries to protect herself from being hurtled by Darcy\'s commanding attitude.She believes that she must make him understand that she is not woozy.The ultimate failure makes Darcy wake up.He is aware of his own short-comings.He accepts Elizabeth’s criticism, and faithfully corrects the shortcomings and mistakes.He is no longer arrogant and has a real love with Elizabeth.With the revealing of the truth, Elizabeth’s prejudice on Darcy becomes deeper.Until when Elizabeth refuses Darcy’s long love letter, she experiences the fierce shock.In order to satisfy her own vanity, she always treats people with an irrelevant suspicion and confusion.But this shame serves her right.Even if she really falls in love with someone, she should not be so blind to meet this flunking stage.She is stupid also in the vanity.When she first knows them two, one loves her and makes her feel happy, and the other treats her in a cold manner, which makes her angry.All these cause her prejudice and ignorance, when she encounters their affairs.She could be considered to be knowledgeable at last.When we see the blame from heart, she starts to give up the bias caused by self-esteem, truly and seriously understand Darcy.She finally falls in love with Darcy.When the sister asks how she would love Mr.Darcy, Elizabeth replies that she should date from the day she see the beautiful lane manor park.The statement seems to refer to the property of
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Darcy.In addition to referring to the specific manor, she also refers the new Darcy seen in the garden.In other words, Darcy changes the attitude of being arrogant and rudest, and this is the reason why Darcy wins Elizabeth’s heart and love.We can imagine that if Darcy doesn\'t change his mind, even if other misunderstandings have been resolved, they would not fall in love forever.5.Jane Austin’s Concept about Love and Marriage
Jane Austin expreed her marital outlook that marriage should be on the basis of love but at the same time should take wealth and equal social status into account.
6.Conclusion During Jane Austin’s 42 years’ life, she didn’t marry.She devoted to creating happy marriages without creating hers.Maybe Austen’s failure in marriage just because she had the desire to get rid of earthly marital outlook at that time, but at the same time she couldn’t find the one who matched her from all aspects.Therefore, she gave up; instead, she poured all her feelings into lovers in her books and delivered her ideal pattern of marriage.
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7.Acknowledgements Firstly, I must send my most sincere respect and thanks to my supervisor Mi.Liu.Just under her supervision, my graduation paper can be succefully completed.At the same time, I should give my thanks to my neighboring clamates.They provided me much useful material and information.Their help plays another vital role in the proce of my graduation paper completing work.At last, I give the most heartfelt thanks to all my teachers and friends for their great help.I hope they all get bright future.
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8.Bibliography [1] Austen, Jane.Pride and Prejudice.ISBN 978-0743291347.1 Aug 2006.[2] Miles, Robert.Jane Austen.Writers and Their Work.Northcote House.ISBN 0-7463-0876-0.2003 [3] Robert C.\"Elizabeth Bennet: Prejudice or Vanity\" Nineteenth-Century Fiction.University of California Pre.September 1962.[4] Le Faye, Deidre.Jane Austen: The World of Her Novels.New York: Harry N.Abrams.ISBN 0-8109-3285-7.2002 [5] Rogers, Pat (ed.) .The Cambridge Edition of the Works of Jane Austen: Pride and Prejudice.Cambridge University Pre.ISBN 978-0-521-82514-6.2006 [6] Stafford, Fiona .\"Notes on the Text\".Pride and Prejudice.Oxford World\'s Claics (ed.James Kinley).Oxford: Oxford University Pre.ISBN 0-19-280238-0.2004 [7] 玛吉•莱恩著,郭静译:《简•奥斯汀的世界》 海南: 海南出版社,2004.[8] 朱 虹（编）.英国小说的黄金时代[M], 北京：中国社会科学出版社 1997
