ENTAILEMENT: When the
properties go down the male
blood line of the family when the
previous male passes away.
When the next alive male inherits the property.
Women needed to marry
before 25 (Charlotte Lucas)
or they would not get marry
after that age as they would
be seen as unwanted goods.
Women needed to marry because
it was very rare for women to get
jobs and their only source of
income/survival is from their
father's income. When they marry,
they would rely on their husband's
money.
Women may also get
money from
inheritance (like Lady
Catherine de Bourgh)
At the time, marriage was seen as a social contract, often without the need for love.
Austen wrote about couples marrying
for lvoe which was very unsual at the
time.
Austen states very obvious
stereotypical facts that applied to
the society that she was in when she
wrote 'Pride and Prejudice'. These
obvious quotes, in a way, mocks the
view on marriage at the time.
CLASS
People normally married
for wealth, status or
property and men normally
married women of the
same status or of a higher
status in order to keep their
reputation., or to have a
good reputation with a
respectable wife in society.
People would regard you
differently based on your
status and Darcy sacrificed
his status o=ti marry
Elizabeth,
The Bennets family are quite
low down on the social status,
Catherine de Bourgh is an
aristocracy and Mr Bingley is
very high up no the social ladder
too ( new gentry )
Lady Catherine descirbes Elizabeth as "a young
woman of inferior birth" and she dislikes her as
she feels that her daughter is more worthy to be
married to Darcy due to their similar status.
In the beginning, Darcy knows that he is much
more superior than the Bennets due to his pride,
but later looks beyond this and admits that he
kept back his love for Elizabeth due to their social
difference and the 'inferior nature' (not a quote) of
the Bennets
Women were usually govened by a governess for the women to seem
to be educated and this is similar to Austen's life as she was pulled back
from boarding school as her family could no longer support her or her
sister to have education.
"No governess! How was that possible? Five daughters brought up at home without a governess! I
never heard of such a thing. Your mother must have been quite a slave to your education.” Lady
Catherine
'Good breeding' in order to get a good suitor.
Mrs. Bennet wants to raise and
climb on the social status ladder by
having more relations with other
people, but she has quite a basic
idea about how the idea of 'class'
works.
Darxy is far richer compared to the Bennets family
COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE
Mr. Collins only married so that he would
gain status as he was the clergyman for
the community. He also wanted to show
Catherine de Bourgh that he was capable
of getting a wife.
Men usually
took the lead
role in the
relationship
Mrs. Bennets aim was for all her daughters to be
marreid off to a wealthy man and with a reputable
status.
An ideal woman would be a woman who know
how to sing, be well mannered (lady like). be
pretty, play the piano, draw read, write and a
good fortune would also help to unite the
fortunes from both families.
Women tried
to jump
through to a
higher rank by
marrying a
man of a
higher status.
THe couple (man and woman) would
not be allowed to be alone in the same
room or have very intimiate moments
(e.g. touching them on the hand, etc)
Jane seemed to be ashamed of her
actions when she was caught in an
embrace with Mr Bingley when Lizzie
walked in on them.
Women were allowed to
reject a man's proposal, but
they were not allowed to
call for a divorce.
A woman's main goal
would be to marry
and the family would
usualyl provide a lot of
money for the
marriage to go
forward.
Mr. Bennet couldn't afford
Lydia and Mr. Wickham's
marriage, so Darcy paid for
it- mainly paid due to his loe
for Elizabeth and wouldn't
like to see her upset.
Darcy kept it a secret that he
was the one who paid for it
because it was usually the father
who paid for their daughter's
wedding. It would be embarrasing
for the father to allow someone
else to pay for them
(emascualtion).
Family connections were quite important .
Good health in order to produce children to carry the blood line/inheritance.