The Necessity of Marrying Well in Jane Austens Sense and...

In Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility, the necessity of marrying well is one of the central themes. In Austen’s era a woman’s survival depended on her potential to acquire an affluent partner. This meant a choice of marrying for love and quite possibly starve, or marry a securing wealthy person, there was a risk of marrying someone who you might despise. Passage One, portrays the relationship between Marianne and Willoughby. Marianne was blinded by her love, ‘He was exactly formed to engage Marianne’s heart.’ Marianne is someone who can show no concern for wealth if she believes she has found true love. Willoughby was estimated to be ‘Faultless as in Marianne’ Willoughby was all that Marianne fancied, her affection for him was beyond†¦show more content†¦She is somewhat overwhelmed that she distorts her sense and rationality. Marianne and her mother, are not acting rationally, they both have similar characteristics, both are willing to overlook any flaws of Willoughby. Elinor saw nothing to censure Willoughby, but wasn’t delighted with his behaviour ’saying too much what he thought on every occasion, without attention to persons or circumstances.’ Jane Austen has depicted Elinor as a woman who is well aware of certain aspects, a woman who uses her sense and logic to make certain decisions. The last passage, Willoughby obtains emotions of pity rather than hatred against himself. Despite being in no denial that what he felt for Marianne was truly love, he betrayed her trust to pursue his own selfish desire ‘ My affection for Marianne, my thorough conviction of her attachment to me- it was all insufficient to outweigh that dread poverty†¦ false ideas of the necessity of riches, which I was naturally inclined to feel†¦I had reason to believe myself secure with my present wife.’ Willoughby’s â€Å"affection† for Marianne to him was insufficient to outweigh that ‘dread of poverty’. ‘By one measure I might have saved myself,‘ this was the only way Willoughby could save myself and be wealthy. Although Willoughby has secured his wealth, happiness is always going to be far out of Willoughby’s grasp. In Austen’s era a person’sShow MoreRelatedJane Austen Critical Analysis1220 Words   |  5 Pagesthrough their work’s content or theme. In the case of Jane Austen, an eighteenth-nineteenth century novelist, writing style and theme are two things she is most admired and remembered for. Austen’s main themes encompass her views of the roles and values of women, family, and marriage in her era. In addition to this, her opinion of how social status affected each of those also lies within her words. Although there is criticism about what Austen’s writing lacks, there is also praise of her particularRead MoreEssay on Social Class in Sense and Sensibility1084 Words   |  5 PagesSocial Class in Sense and Sensibility In her first published novel, Sense and Sensibility, Jane Austen brought to life the struggles and instability of the English hierarchy in the early 19th century. Through the heartaches and happiness shared by Elinor Dashwood, who represented sense and her sister Marianne, who stood for sensibility, Austen tells a story of sisters who plummet from the upper class to the lower crust of society and the characters that surround them. Austen juxtaposes the upperRead MoreJane Austen’S Pride And Prejudice Is One The World’S Most1357 Words   |  6 PagesJane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is one the world’s most popular novels. It was published in 1813,  Pride and Prejudice  was Jane Austen s second novel after  Sense and Sensibility  in 1811. It portrays the situation in the late 18th and early 19th century in England. Set in the country village of Longbourn in Hertfordshire The plot focuses on Elizabeth Bennet, the protagonist and her sisters and th e constant endeavors of their parents, Mr. Bennet and Mrs. Bennet to get their daughters marriedRead MoreManners in Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen3437 Words   |  14 Pages Pride and Prejudice Jane Austens Pride and Prejudice not only established her historical importance among scholars and critics, but continues to remain popular. Pride and Prejudice, a comedy of manners, was published in 1813, and is a staple of the English literature. It recreates the social world of the landed gentry of early 19th-century England and embodies the theme that preconceptions and egotism can overcome true love. Pride and Prejudice is somewhat autobiographical; emphasizes the key elementsRead MoreEssay on Pride and Prejudice Adaptations in Modern Film2311 Words   |  10 PagesRelationships vs. Love for Oneself   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In a day where loving yourself first is not only accepted but often expected, it is a stretch for the 20th (or 21st) century mind to see marriage as a necessity, as it was for Jane Austen and some of the greatest of her heroines. Marriage for money and convenience, as well as familial preservation, formally dominated matchmaking choices. Love and romance were but luxuries in the business-like fashion of marriage. Austen contested this reality and criticized itRead MorePride And Prejudice By Jane Austen1732 Words   |  7 Pagesthe example for their children yet their relationship did not constitute true love, but more of mutual tolerance. Mrs. Bennet, an obnoxious women with an erratic temper, symbolizes society’s obsession with material wealth and social standing. As Jane Austen states when describing Mrs. Bennet, â€Å"The business of her Vanek 7 life was to get her daughters married† (Austen 3). Most mothers would be happy for their daughters to marry whoever they pleased, yet Mrs. Bennet made it her occupation to haveRead MorePride And Prejudice By Jane Austen1423 Words   |  6 PagesAusten argues that women should have more freedom when choosing a husband and therefore be allowed to marry for love rather than pragmatic reasons. This view is made apparent when Elizabeth and Charlotte are discussing Jane and Bingley’s relationship. Charlotte’s view of how Jane should act is that â€Å"when she is secure of him, there will be leisure for falling in love as much as she chuses†. Austen rejects this belief by using Elizabeth’s character to express her own views and mocks Charlotte’s opinionRead MorePride And Prejudice By Elizabeth Bennet2024 Words   |  9 Pagesfinancial stability, social pressure, and passion, but it ultimately embodies the idea that females are capable of marrying for true love. In the following pages, this essay will first provide background information about society during the English Regency and the marriage customs set for women during this time period. This essay will then offer a brief summary of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. Finally, this essay will analyze the various motives of marriages presented between different characters