【英语论文】浅议《傲慢与偏见》中伊丽莎白与达西的婚姻(英文)

PAGE浙江大学高等教育自学考试毕业论文（设计）说明书浅议《傲慢与偏见》中伊丽莎白与达西的婚姻ThecombinationbasedonloveandidealismresultsinasuccessfulmarriageThemarriageofElizabethandMr.Darcyinprideandprejudice姓名专业英语语言文学准考证号码指导教师20**年9月27日

ContentsAbstract3I.Introduction4Ⅱ.JaneAustenandherprideandprejudice42.1.Abouttheauthor42.2.Socialbackground52.3.Women’spositioninAusten’stime52.4.Austen’sliteraryconcern5III．CharactersofElizabethandMr.Darcy53.1CharacterofElizabeth63.1.1Sensible63.1.2LovelyandHumor73.1.3Prideandprejudice73.1.4.Independence73.2CharactersofDarcy83.2.1Pride83.2.2IntegrityandKindness83.2.3FromagentlemanofBloodtoagentlemanofsensibility9IV.MarriagebetweenElizabethandDarcy94.1ASuccessful

marriage104.2Socialfactors104.3Socialclaims10V.Conclusion11Bibliography11

AbstractPrideandprejudicehastraditionallybeeninterpretedasaworkpraisingthosewomenwhofoughtforahappymarriage.ThisarticleanalysesthemarriageofMr.DarcyandElizabeth,twocharactersinJaneAusten’sprideandprejudice.Itisanalyzedfromthetwopersons’perspectivecharacters,thesocialfactorsandthemarriageinfluenceonthem.Thoughthisanalysis,thepaperprovesthatthemarriageofMr.DarcyandElizabethisbaseonloveandsimilarinterests.Thecombinationbasedonloveandidealismresultsinasuccessfulmarriage.meanwhile,itexpressedtheviewpointsonmarriagethatmoney-orientedmarriageandsex-orientedmarriagearenotsuccessfulalthoughthepeoplecanlivetogether.Keywords:MarriageLovesuccessfulidealismCharacter

浅议简.奥斯丁《傲慢与偏见》中两位主角伊丽沙白和达西的婚姻.摘要《傲慢与偏见》历来被认为是作者为讴歌女性追求幸福婚姻的不懈努力面作。这篇文章重在对奥斯丁的《傲慢与偏见》中两位主角伊丽沙白和达西他们各自的性格特征，以及当时的社会因素和这对婚姻的社会影响方面来具体分析。通过这些分析，用以证明他们的婚姻是建立在爱情和共同的性格的基础上，他们的婚姻是爱情与理想的成功结合。同时，也说明了建立在金钱和冲动的基础上的婚姻是不幸福的，虽然他们能生活在一起。关键词：婚姻爱情成功理想性格

Ⅰ.IntroductionThebook“prideandprejudice”hasbeenvalueasthemostsuccessfulandpopularmasterpiece.Inthisnovel,JaneAustenmainlydescribedtheordinarylifeoftheBennets.Shetoldusfourdifferentmarriagestoshowthereadersthatdifferentpeoplehavedifferentattitudestowardslove.Andalsosheexpressedherownviewpointsonmarriagethatacombinationbasedonloveandsimilarinterestsisahappyandperfectmarriage.Inheropinion,themoney-orientedmarriageandsex-orientedmarriagearenotsuccessfulalthoughthepeoplecanlivetogether.Thethemeisnarrow,butsheshowedusabeautifultableauoftheEnglandpeople’slifeofherowntime.Itseemsthatshehadatalenttodescribetheordinarylifeofpeople.PrideandprejudicebeginswithamostfamoussentenceinEnglishliterature,“itisatruthuniversally

acknowledged

that

a

single

man

in

possession

of

agoodfortunemustbeinwantofawife.”((Austen

1978:5)with

this

sentence

as

core,thenoveltellsthestoryofthenobleyoung

man

Darcy

and

intelligent

Elizabeth,afteraserialofeventsandmisunderstanding,theygetahappyending.so,thecombinationofdecentDarcyandsensibleElizabethresultsinasuccessfulmarriage.Darcyisagoodmanofintegritywithproudappearance.Heisconstantinhisloveandwillingtomakesacrificeforhislover;histruelovetoElizabethleadstohisfirstproposaltoElizabethregardlessofherhumblefamilyandherinferiorposition;hisdescentcharacterandtruelovetoElizabethresultinthefactthathedidhisutmosttorescueWickhameandLydiafromtheirtrouble.Elizabethisanintelligentandsensiblegirl,whoisself-dignifiedandpronetohastyjudgments.Sheisalsobraveanddiscreetinherlove.Herintelligence,braveryanddiscretioninlovebringaboutthefactthatsherefusedCollins’firstproposalagainsthermother’swill;thefactthatsheisself-dignifiedandpronetohastyjudgmentsleadstoherrefusalofDarcy’sproposal.Hersensibilityandrightloveconceptbringabouthersuccessfulmarriage.“II.JaneAustenandherprideandprejudice2.1．AbouttheauthorJaneAustenisafamousEnglishnovelistinEnglishliteratureinthe19thcentury.“Shewasbornin1775atStevensoninHampshireofmiddle-classparents.”(London:MacmillanEducationLtd,1985)Sheneveracceptedtheformalschooleducation.But“thewiderangeofactivitieswithintheAustenfamilycountrywalks,charades,readingwritingstoriesandfamilyplays,constitutedarichinformaleducationforthechildren,andstimulatedJaneAusten’sambitiontobecomeanovelist.”Duringtheforty-twoyearsofherlife,Austenhadcompletedsixnovels[NorthangerAbbey,senseandsensibility,Prideandprejudice,MansfieldPark,Emma,andPersuasion]andleftbehindthreefragments.PrideandPrejudiceisJaneAusten’smasterpiece.Theinitialtitleofthenovelprideandprejudiceis“FirstImpressions”whichwaswrittenbetweenOctober1796andAugust1797,itfirstpublishesin1813.Thebooktellsastoryaboutloveaffairsbetweentheheroine—ElizabethBennetandtheheroFitzwilliamDarcy,andmainlytalksabouttheprocessoftheirbecominglovers.2.2.SocialBackgroundToknowwhatAustenwritesprideandprejudicefor,weshouldhaveaclearmindofthesocialbackground.TherearemanysocialstraitsinAusten’stimeandpeopleineachclasshavedifferentdestinies.InAusten’sdays,therewerenocentrallyorganizedsystemsofstate-supportededucation.Ofcourse,womenwerenotallowedtoattendtheinstitutionalizedrungsontheeducationalladder.Atthattime,BritainwasattheperiodoftransitionfromtheearlierstageofcapitalismtocapitalistIndustrialization.Inthecountryside,thearistocraticfamilystillheldgreatpowerandrightthatcountrysquireswerelikelytofawnuponthem.However,asthedevelopmentofcapitalismandtheexpandoftherankofrichpeople.Thedistinctionbetweensocialstratawasbecomingsmallerandsmaller,whilemoneywasgettingmoreandmoreimportantinpeople’smindaboutsocialvalue,Awesternliteraturecriticoncesaidthat“evenDavid(aBritisheconomist)hadaunlikelyclearerunderstandingaboutthefunctionofmoneyindailylifeasJaneAustenhad”1Itisexactlybecauseofthesecurepledgeinfinancethatthecountrysquiresocietycouldbeexistingstronglyandsolidly.2.3.Women’spositioninAusten’stimeAtthattime,theIndustrialRevolutionofthe18thcenturymadewomen’sliberationpossible.Massproductionneededmorehandsandmachinecouldbeoperatedbywomenwhowerenotphysicallyasstrongasmen.Thelower-classwomenbecamewageearnersinfactories.Thiswasthebeginningoftheirindependence.But,womenstillenjoyalowsocialstatusinsociety,therewasnorequirementforacademiceducationforwomen,theyhavenowaytogeteducation,andverylittleopportunityforwomentouseknowledge.Therefore,marriageisagoodwayoutforwomen.Ontheotherhand,PropertyisaveryimportantfactorinJaneAusten’stime.“Onlyyoungwomenwithbeautifulappearanceandfoodfamilybackgroundcantheyhavelotsofopportunitiestogetasatisfactorymarriage.”2.4.Austen’sliteraryconcernAsanovelistJaneAustenwriteswithineverynarrowsphere.Thesubjectmatter,thecharacterrange,thesocialsettingandplotsareallrestrictedtotheprovinciallifeofthelate18th-centuryEngland,concerningthreeorfourlandedgentry’familiestheirdailyroutinelife,relationshipwithmembersoftheirownfamilyandwiththeirfriend.Dancingparties,teaparties,picnics,andgossips,inherworks,Austenvividlyrevealedtheclassrelationship,socialcustomsandsocialmoralsofhertimebymeticulouslyandhumorouslydepictingthelifeoftheruralgentryatthattime.ShewasthefounderofthenovelwhichdealswithunimportantmiddleclasspeopleandofwhichtherearemanyfineexamplesinlaterEnglishfiction.Sheisalsosparingofdescryingtheinternalthoughtsandemotion’sofmalecharacters.Austen’scarefulcraftsmanshiphasenabledhernovelstobepopularwithreadersineverygeneration.III．CharactersofElizabethandMr.DarcyThoughprideandprejudice,wefindthatDarcy

and

Elizabethpossesssomegoodqualities.Theyhavetheirownpersonalcharm.ElizabethistheprotagonistofPrideandprejudiceandoneofthemostwell-knownfemalecharactersinEnglishliterature.Elizabeth

has

many

virtues:

she

is

a

girl

withwit,

quickness

of

observation,intelligent,vivacious,humorous,lovely,playful

dispositionandshehasastrongsenseofpersonalityanddignity.Sheconversesasbrilliantlyasanyone.Herhonesty,virtue,andlivelywitenablehertoriseabovethenonsenseandbadbehaviorthatpervadeherclass-boundandoftenspitefulsociety.Mr.Darcyisawealthyandreservedman,thoughheoftenappearshaughtyorproudtostrangers.Butheisagoodman,amanofintegrity,withthesomberattractivenessofawickedone.Suchpersons’characterswillenablethemtomakeidealismandrationalismmarriage.

3.1CharacterofElizabethElizabethisthe2nddaughterofBennets’familyandsheisalso“herfather’sfavoritedaughterwhohavinginheritedhiswitandintelligence.’(London:YorkPress,1980)“Elizabethismuchmorespiritedandindependentthanatwenty-year-oldladyofherperiodwouldordinarilybe.”ShehasperhapsreceivedmoreadmirationthananyotherheroineinEnglishliterature;sheis“unique.”Sheisintelligent,vivacious,humorous,perceptiveandquick-witted,andshehasastrongsenseofpersonalityanddignity.3.1.1SensibleAmongthecharactersappearedinthenovel,it’snodoubtthatElizabethisthemostoutstandingperson.“Shewasayoungwomanverymuchaddictedtomakingspeeches,verypertoften,fondofhavingthelastword,andpronetohastyjudgments,withreallynothingbutherprettinessandacertainsharpsmartnessoftalktorecommendher.”(MargaretOliphant290)shewasself-dignifiedandsensible,valuedtrueloveassomethingnobleandlofty,butnevertradeself-esteemwithlove,nevertrademoneywithlove.Sheisverysoberindoingthings.Nomatterwhatshedoesorsays,bothinappropriateterms.Shealsostressesreality.Socomparewithhermotherwho“wasawomanofmeanunderstanding,littleinformation,anduncertainternper.”(Beijing;foreignlanguageTeachingandResearchPress,1991,3)andwithherfatherwhoisabletoadapthimselftodifferentcircumstancesandalsoverypassive,indolentandwithherthreesisterswhoareveryshallow,frivolous,capricious;andwithhersurroundingworldwhichfullofthefoolishpeople,Elizabethistheonlypersonwhoownsthesuperiorreason.3.1.2LovelyandHumorComparisonwithsomeparticulargirl,Elizabethdisclosedherspecialcharacters;sheisfullofricherthoughtsthanMiss.Bingley,alsosheismoremagnanimous,plainerthanher;ElizabethismorebeautifulthanCharlotte,andcomparewithher,Elizabethhasgreateridealandhigherpursuit;Elizabethiscleverer,morecourageousthanhersisters,comparingwithJane,whosemanneriselegantandtemperismild.“Elizabethhasoriginality,especiallyinherliveliness,whichmakesheraninterestingcharacter.”(London:Yorkpress,1980,40).Thereissentencetakenfromthenovel,“She(Elizabeth)hadalovely,playfuldisposition,whichdelightedinanythingridiculous”(Beijing;foreignlanguageTeachingandResearchPress,1991,3).Thissentencecanwellsummarizeherlovelydisposition.Suchdispositionthatsheownsmakesherattractive,welllikedbyotherwomen(herauntandCharlottesLucasinparticular)andmuchadmiredbymen.Sheisthemostfavoritedaughterofherfather.Formthissentence,wecanseeherfather’slikenessofher,and“Lizzyhassomethingmoreofquicknessthanhersister.”Elizabethwashumors.HerdialoguewithDarcy,herfatherandJaneisfullofhumors;sheseldomspeakswithoutanelegantmanner.She“hasmorefreedomofmaneuver”withlanguage,moreconceptualspacetomovearoundin.”andasaresult,shecanforetellthingsandiscapableofarrivingatindependentandthoughtoutconclusionsofherown.Elizabeth“hasahealthysenseofhumor,eventothepointofjokingaboutMr.Darcy’srudebehaviortowardherselfattheball”(London:Yorkpress,1980,40).Afterhearingsuchrudewords“sheistolerable;butnothandsomeenoughtotempme,andIaninnohumoratpresenttogiveconsequencetoyoungladieswhoareslightedbyothermen.”Elizabethdoesn’tflusterandexasperate.Instead,becausesheownsthesenseofhumor,sheeventellsthesewordswithGreatSpiritamongherfriends.WhatalovelygirlElizabethis!3.1.3PrideandprejudiceIndeed,Elizabethisfullofprideandprejudice.Prideistheveryelementinherlife.Sheopenlydeclares,“TherearefewpeoplewhomIreallylove,andstillfewerofwhomIthinkwell.”However,herpride,generallyspeaking,isundergoodregulation.Elizabethisproudofherdetachmentonmarriage.Sheshakesoffconventionsonthisproblem.

Elizabeth

has

to

admit

the

fact

that

she

is

not

in

a

much

wealthyfamily,thusshemustmarryawealthyman,andasawomanofthattime,shehasfewchancestochoose.HoweverElizabeth

is

a

sensible

woman,

she

would

not

accept

the

marriageunlessitisonthebaseofunderstanding

and

equality

of

both

sides.Sherejectsmarryingonlyfortheworldlyadvantage.ShescornsMissBingley’sovereagernesstopleaseDarcy,andrejectsCharlotte’sschemesforsecuringahusband.Shewouldnotbecontrolledbymanwhoissuperiorinpositionandproperty.She

rejects

marrying

only

for

the

worldly

advantage.ShescornsMissBingley’sovereagernessto

please

Darcy,

and

rejects

Charlotte’s

schemes

forsecuringahusband.She

would

not

be

controlled

by

manwho

is

superior

in

position

andproperty.Sowhen

Mr.Collins

proposes

with

too

much

confidence,hisspeechisenoughtooffendElizabeth.“Youmustgiveme

leave

to

flatter

myself,

my

dear

cousin,thatyourefusalofmyaddressismerelywordofcourse,myreasonsforbelievingitarebrieflythese.andyoushouldtakeitintofurtherconsideration,thatin

spite

of

your

manifoldattractions,itisbynomeanscertainthatanotherofferofmarriagemyeverbemadeyou.Youportionisunhappilysosmall,thatitwillinalllikelihoodundotheeffectsofyourlivelinessandamiablequalifications.”(Austen1978:87-88)whathesaidisridiculoustoElizabeth,herrejectiontothiscondescensionis,“youcouldnotmakemehappy,andIamconvincedthatIamthelastwomanintheworldwhowouldmakeyouso.”(Austen1978:87)Similarly,when

Darcy

first

proposes

to

Elizabeth,heexpresseshissenseofherinferiorityatthesametimewhenheexpresseshislove.Elizabethcouldsee“hehasnodoubtofafavorableanswer.”Althoughsheissorryforhispainatfirstinspiteofherdislike,sheisoffendedbyhisprideagain.DarcyisunawarethatbysayingsohehashurtElizabeth’spride.Thenhegetssuchrejection”IhasnotknownyouamonthbeforeIfeltthatyouwerethelastmanintheworldwhomIcouldeverbeprevailedontomarry.”(Austen1978:151)3.1.4IndependenceShedespiseshermother’sdreadfulmentalityandunbearablyvulgarandalsoheryoungersisters’flirtatiousnessanddissoluteness,butisneverashamedofheramiableuncleandaunt,Mr.AndMrs.Gardinerjustbecauseoftheirprofessionasmerchants.ShefirmlyrefuseMr.Collins’sproposal,againsthermother’sexpectation,becauseshedoesnotwillneverlovehim,anddeclinesMr.Darcyresolutely,forhisexpressinghislovetoherarrogantlyandimpertinently.SheonceholdsgoodfeelingsonWickham,consideringhimtobethemostagreeablemanshehasevermet.Butmeanwhile,shethinksitistooimprudenttofallinlovewithhim.Sheoncesaystoheraunt,Mrs.Gardiner,“IwilltakecareofmyselfandofMr.Wickhamtoo.Heshallnotbeinlovewithme,ifIcanpreventit.”SowhenWickhamgetsengagedwithMissKing,shedoesnotfeelalittlebitsadbutfree.3.2CharactersofDarcy3.2.1PAtthefrontpartofthenovel,thereaders’attentionisfirstdrawntoMr.Darcyasaresultof“hisfine,tallperson,handsomefeatures,andnoblemien”.“Hewasatfirstsingledoutforattentionandhislooksadmiredbecauseheisrumoredtohavetenthousandayear.ThismakeshimmuchhandsomerthanMr.Bingley.However,bytheendofthehall,heisfoundtohaveaforbidding,disagreeablecountenanceandisunworthyofcomparisonwithhisfriendbecauseofhisbadmanners.”(London:MacmillanEducationlode,1985,45)SinceDarcyisfromtheupperclass,hegrowsupinastrongawarenessofrankandpowerfromhisverychildhood,soitisunavoidablethathehasprideinhismindandisaloftandsuperiorinhisbehaviortowardshisnewacquaintance.WhenhecomestoLongbourn,thepersonsthereandthemannerstheytakearefardifferentfromwhatheisfamiliarwith.Thoughtherearesomanypleasantgirls,“thereisnotanotherwomanintheroomwhomitwouldnotbeapunishmenttometostandupwith.”Andalso,Darcy’simageasaproudmanisfurtheremphasizedwithhisoffensiverejectionofElizabeth,whenMr.BingleyaskshimtodancewithElizabethanunknownpersontohim,hesays:“sheistolerable,butnothandsomeenoughtotemptme”.DarcyishaughtyandbiasedagainstElizabeth’sfamily,atfirstconspicuouslyrepresentedbyherflightyyoungersisters,hermotherandMr.Collins.Despitehiswealth,however,heiscontrastedwithhispopularfriendBingleyandisfoundtobearrogantandproud,“hewaslookedatwithgreatadmirationforabouthalftheevening,tillhismannersgaveadisgustwhichturnedthetideofhispopularity;forhewasdiscoveredtobeproud,tobeabovehiscompany,orabovebeingpleased!”(Wuweren125)3.2.2IntegrityandkindnessDarcywasverypound.but,asamatteroffact,hewasggoodman,amanofintegrity,withthesomberattractivenessofawickedone.HislovetoElizabeth,nourishedbyday-to-dayencounterswithher,grewsteadilyandquickly.HeadmiredElizabethforherintelligenceanddisposition,triedtounderstandherbyeverypossiblemeans.Themoreheunderstood,themorehelovedher.Andso,Darcy’ssteadycharacterandnoblemindsdeterminethathislovewasnotmereovernight’simpulse.Afterhavingbeenaccusedofarroganceandselfishofthefeelingsofothers,Darcydecidedtomakeachangeofhim.InordertowinthefavorableimpressionofElizabeth,heinvitedElizabeth,herAuntandUncletovisithisPemberley.NoeffortssparedonthepartofDarcy,wecanfindhismannersremarkablyimprovedandhisbehaviorstrikinglyaltered!thatheshouldevenspeaktoherwasamazing!—buttospeakwithsuchcivility,toinquireafterherfamily!Neverinherlifehadsheseenhismanners,solittledignified,neverhadhespokenwithsuchgentlenessastothisunexpectedmeeting.Whatacontrastdiditoffertohislastaddressinrosin’spark,whenheputhisletterintoherhand!Sheknewnotwhattothinkorhowtoaccountforit!Ofcourse,shecouldaccountforit!Lovewastherealcauseofallthoseamazingalternations.Fromtheotherhand,wealsocangetabetterunderstandingofDarcy’scharacterofkindnessthroughLydiaWickhame’scase.HecertainlyhaddeepaversiontoWickhameforhehadseducedhissisterinvainandslanderedhimmaliciously.However,hisaffectionforElizabethoutweighedanythingelse.HedidhisutmosttorescueLydiaandWickhamefromtheirtrouble.HemetLydiaandWickhameseveraltimes,extricatethemfromtheirdebtsandassistthemintheirmarriage.Withoutconsiderationofhumiliationandsocialposition,hedidallthesethingssecretlyandconsciously.TheonlyvotiveheprofessedwasthathisconvictionofitsbeingowingtohimselfthatWickhame’sworthlessnesshadnotbeensowell-know,astomakeitimpossibleforanyyoungwomenofcharacter,toloveofconfideinhim.Butwewerealldeeplytouchedbytherealvotivebehindthis.3.2.3fromagentlemanofBloodtoagentlemanofsensibilityInthenovel,firstly,Darcy’sprimaryhaughtinessasggentlemanofbloodcausesstrongobjectionandrepugnanceamongtheothercharacters.Hishighbornstandingmakeshimbelieveabsolutelyinhisgentlemanlyidentity,untilthemomentheisaccusedofbeingunworthyofitduringhisinsultingmarriageproposaltoElizabeth.Heishighlynotifiedandgraduallyawakenstochange.InordertorepairhisreputationandgainElizabeth’slove,heabandonshispreviouscontemptuousmannerstoliveuptothestandardsofthenewgentlemanofsensibility.Hebecomespolite,hearty,andcompassionate,capableoflovingandhelpingElizabeth’sfamily.HehasfinallywonElizabeth’IIII.MarriagebetweenElizabethandDarcyJaneAustenemphasizedtheimportanceofidealmarriage,andshethinkthebaseofthemarriagewasthetruelovebetweenthemanandthewomen.ElizabethrefusedDarcyformisunderstandingandwasbiasedagainsthimwasareason,butthemajorreasonwasshedisagreedhewasarrogant.ThiskindofpridefromDarcywasshowedthereflectionofdiscrepantstatusactually,aslongasthearrogancewasexistent,DarcyandElizabethwasimpossibletobetogetherandhaveareallysuccessfulandidealmarriage.4.1AThemarriagebetweenDarcyandElizabethrevealsthecharacteristicswhichconstitutesasuccessfulmarriage.Oneofthesecharacteristicsisthatthefeelingcannotbebroughtonbyappearances,andmustgraduallydevelopbetweenthetwopeopleastheygettoknowoneanother.Inthebeginning,ElizabethandDarcyweredistantfromeachotherbecauseoftheirprejudice.Theseriesofeventswhichtheybothexperiencedgavethemtheopportunitytounderstandoneanotherandthetimetoreconciletheirfeelingsforeachother.Thus,theirmutualunderstandingisthefoundationoftheirrelationshipandwillleadthemtoapeacefulandlastingmarriage.InElizabeth’sattitudetowardsloveandmarriage,sheviewuponmarriageisdifferentfromthatofCharlotte.Charlotteisinterestedina“comfortablehome”justastraditionalviewuponmarriage,butElizabethis“romantic”ratherthanCharlotte‘s“realistic”.Shewantsto“teachtheadmiringmultitude”Whatconnubialfelicityreallywasbyherownexample.Shelikesafreechoice,notdictatedbyeconomicpressure.ShedeclinestogiveMr.Collinsherhandbecausesheknowstheysharenotthesameideasandtaste.ShelovesDarcybecausesheloveshim.Thefactthattheyarebothofakindlaysthefoundationofherlove;herprejudicebeingovercomemovesawaythebarriers.FromthepointofviewofMr.Darcy,inspiteofallhisprejudicesagainstmarriageintoalowerstatus,onecanseethatheistoodiscriminatingtobeblindedbythearroganceoftheBingleywomen,andlearnstoappreciatethelivelyindependenceofElizabethinsiteofthesillinessandvulgarityofhermotherandsisterLydia.ThiseventfinallyunitesElizabethandDarcy.Whenandonlywhenfalserideishumbledandprejudicedissolvedcantheybetogether,becauseElizabethwantsamarriagewhichisbasedonunderstandingandequality.Justasherfathersaid,“Iknowthatyoucouldbeneitherhappynorrespectableunlessyoutrulyesteemedyourhusband-unlessyoulookeduptohimasasuperior.”(Austen1978:290)4.2SocialfactorsPropertyisimportantfactorsinJane’stimeandplayveryimportantrolesinmarriage.“Itistruthuniversallyacknowledgedthatasinglemaninpossessionofagoodfortunemustbeinwantofawife.”Thisistheopeningsentenceofthenovel.Italsotellsusthetopicofprideandprejudice.Atthattime,womendonothavemanyopportunitiestoreceiveeducation.Marriagebecomesanimportantwayforwomentogetsocialstatus,propertyandestablishment.Andalso,greatwealthandanelegantmannerareaman’smostimportantqualities;profundityandwisdomareunfashionable.Marriageisdirectlyconnectedwithmen’spropertyandsocialstatus.DarcyandBingleyarerichgentlemenandtheyhavelargeproperty.Thereforetheycanchoosetheirwivesaccordingtotheirwill.However,forElizabethalthoughsheisverybeautifulandwittyandfullofwisdom,asshedoesnothavelargeproperty;shelosesmanycompetitionsinmarriagemarket.Anotherimportantfactorinmarriageissocialstatus;Elizabeth’smarriageisagoodproofofisit.DifferentfromDarcy,Elizabethdoesnotownthesenseofthesuperiorityofhersocialstatusandfamilybackground,butshehasthesobersenseandtheparticularsensitivenessaboutherclassorigin,herfamilyandherpositioninthesociety.Thisisproducedbecauseofherstayinginthelowersocialpositionforsolongtime.SowhenElizabethattacksladyCatherineDeBoughaboutherinterferencetotheloveaffairsbetweenDarcyandher,shecan’shelpevaluatingherselfaccordingtotheopposesvalue;“he(Darcy)isagentleman;Iamgentleman’sdaughter;sofarweareequal.”Fromthis,wecanknow,AsElizabethisabrilliantstarinthisnovel,cleverandelegant.But,ifshewasnotagentleman’sdaughter,hermarriagetoDarcywouldnotdo.4.3Socialclaims(socialsignificance.)AtthecenterstandDarcyandElizabethwhosestrugglesleadtoareconciliationofpersonalandsocialclaims.FartoonesideofthemstandCollinsandCharlotte,whodemonstrateacompleteyieldingtosocialclaims.AlthoughtheCollins,CharlotteandWickhame,LydiamarriagesdramatizethepossiblefateofagirlinElizabeth’ssocialposition,theirchiefpurposeistoshowbycont