Pride and Prejudice Essay

Marriage unifies two people into one being, but there are a multitude of reasons for why two people marry. People often make the mistake of marrying a person for their wealth, rather than valuing their partner’s qualities. Others make the decision to marry based on practicality, without care for commitment. The reason that truly justifies a marriage is when two people are blissfully in love and mutually make the decision to spend the rest of their lives together. In a love marriage, nobody benefits more than the other, and there is a growing depth to the relationship, which makes love the most favorable basis for marriage.
In Pride and Prejudice, the characters reveal three types of marital motives through differing relationships. Mr. Wickham is first introduced as a man to die for, with charming good looks and personality. After attracting Elizabeth Bennet, Mr. Wickham immediately shifts his interest to Miss King when he finds out she inherited a large sum of money: “[Mr. Wickham] paid [Miss King] not the smallest attention, till her grandfather’s death made her mistress of this fortune” (Austen 118). Mr. Wickham suddenly becomes interested in Miss King because he wants her wealth, which reveals his mercenary intentions. Unfortunately, this does not stop Mr. Wickham from acquiring enough money to get out of his debts: “Wickham still cherished the hope of more effectually making his fortune by marriage” (245). As the novel continues, he makes a swift move onto the docile heart of Lydia Bennet. Initially, Mr. Wickham used Lydia as an excuse to leave the militia. When Mr. Darcy asked Mr. Wickham if he was interested in marrying Lydia, “[Mr. Darcy] easily learnt, [marrying Lydia] had never been [Mr. Wickham’s] design” (245). Mr. Darcy convinced Mr. Wickham to marry Lydia, because running away without a cause would put more shame upon Mr. Wickham and the Bennet family. Mr. Wickham’s motive stayed resolute, and he acquired the money for his debt from Mr. Darcy. The greed of Mr. Wickham still continued after his marriage with Lydia: “[Mr. Wickham] not wholly without hope that Darcy might yet be prevailed on to make his fortune” (296). Mr. Wickham wanted more money, showing no gratitude for Mr. Darcy’s help.
Mr. Wickham’s first attempt of acquiring wealth must not be forgotten. He charmed the innocent heart of Miss Darcy into almost eloping with him: “Mr. Wickham’s chief object was unquestionably my sister’s fortune” (155). Mr. Wickham purported his love for Miss Darcy and broke her heart with no remorse. A mercenary marriage benefits one partner through the other’s wealth; in this case, Mr. Wickham would have been the benefactor of all three of these ladies. Mr. Wickham managed to reach his goal when he married Lydia.
A mercenary marriage does not unite two people into one being; it unites one person with the other’s wealth. A person with mercenary interests is using the means of marriage for their own personal advantages, not pursuing what the true meaning of marriage is: love. A person marries another for the love of their partner, not the love of their partner’s money. Mr. Wickham did not love Elizabeth, Miss King, Lydia, or Miss Darcy. Even as a married man, his love for Lydia withered away: “His affection for [Lydia] soon sunk into indifference” (296). The amount of wealth one shares with their partner should not affect the love that is shared between them. Mr. Wickham left Elizabeth and the other women ignorantly without considering their feelings. In the end, Wickham is not happy with his relationship, which clearly shows that money is one of the least favorable reasons for marriage.
Mr.Collins took a practical approach to marriage when he came to Longbourn. In order to find a wife, Mr. Collins went down the line of Bennet daughters. Since Jane was taken by Mr. Bingley, he proposed to Elizabeth. In his proposal, he explained his motives for marriage, which solely benefited himself: “I think it is a right thing for every clergyman […] to set the example of matrimony in his parish. […] I am convinced it will add very greatly to my happiness. […] It is the noble advice […] of [my] patroness” (81). Mr. and Mrs. Bennet wanted one of their daughters to marry Mr. Collins in order to keep the Bennet land among family. Since Mr. Collins was to entail the land after Mr. Bennet’s death, it made sense for Elizabeth to marry him. Besides that, Mr. Collins did not love Elizabeth. He claims to hold “violence of […] affection” (81) for her, yet marries Charlotte Lucas within a day of Elizabeth’s rejection.
A practical approach to marriage was also taken by Charlotte Lucas when she decided to marry Mr. Collins. Charlotte listed the necessities she believed would make her happy in order to justify her marriage with him: “I ask only a comfortable home; and considering Mr. Collins’s character, connections, and situation in life, I am convinced that my chance of happiness with him is as fair, as most people can boast on entering the marriage state” (96). This prudent marriage benefits not only Charlotte with a home and a nice living, but also Mr. Collins with a wife. This list of benefits only supply satisfaction and not true happiness, something a love marriage would provide.
The relationship between Charlotte and Mr. Collins had no depth, unlike a love marriage. Both characters were incapable of showing the other any affection because there was no physical attraction to begin with. Charlotte and Mr. Collins shared neutral feelings and showed no genuine care for each other. They did not marry because they loved one another; they married for their own benefits. Similarly to a mercenary marriage, a prudent marriage is also taking advantage of matrimony. In this case, instead of two people uniting as one being, Charlotte and Mr. Collins united for their own personal needs.
As for Jane and Bingley, they married with a focus on love and affection. The Bennet family needed to marry their first daughter; thus, Jane was introduced to Mr. Bingley. Jane and Mr. Bingley were two optimistic people who found joy being together. When Mr. Bingley left Longbourn, Jane was heartbroken and tried convincing herself to forget about Mr. Bingley: “The first wish of my heart […] is never more to be in company with [Mr. Bingley] […] Let me never see [him] again!” (257). After Mr. Darcy brought Mr. Bingley back, it did not take long for Jane and Mr. Bingley to rekindle their relationship. After a year without communication, Jane and Mr. Bingley’s love remained strong. Distance did not stop the love between the two characters, showing the powerful affect love can have on a person.
Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy took a completely opposite route to their marriage. Mr. Darcy’s comment on Elizabeth’s appearance shifted their relationship towards disaster: “[Elizabeth] is tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me” (7). From that point, Elizabeth kept a grudge towards Mr. Darcy and judged him on his first impression: “[Mr. Darcy’s] character was decided. He was the proudest, most disagreeable man in the world” (7). Elizabeth held her grudge and rejected Mr. Darcy’s proposal, but she reconsidered her feelings when he paid for Lydia’s wedding: “[Elizabeth’s] heart did whisper, that [Mr. Darcy] had done it for her” (248). Mr. Darcy went out of his way to help Elizabeth’s family even though he despised Mr. Wickham and had “neither regard nor esteem” (248) for Lydia. Mr. Darcy hindered his wealth and status, also sacrificing the respect of his aunt to marry Elizabeth. He did not care about the dishonor that would come to his name if he married her because he loved Elizabeth passionately.
Mr. Darcy did not stop trying to win Elizabeth’s love even though she rejected him: “I had not known you a month before I felt that you were the last man in the world whom I could ever be prevailed to marry” (148). After realizing her idiocy, Elizabeth expected Mr. Darcy to court her yet again. She did not even believe the things Mr. Darcy said to her in his proposal and continued to doubt them: “A man who has once been refused! How could I ever be foolish enough to expect a renewal of his love?” (260). Mr. Darcy fixed the flaws Elizabeth saw in him and took the time to write her a letter, justifying his actions with Mr. Bingley and Mr. Wickham. Mr. Darcy went through many obstacles to achieve Elizabeth’s love. She opened her eyes and eliminated her prejudice towards him to see the true gentleman he really was: “I am the happiest creature in the world. Perhaps other people have said so before, but no one with such justice. I am happier than Jane; she only smiles, I laugh” (293).
Wealth and practicality of a marriage are overpowered by love. Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy’s love for their wives was more important than the dishonor of their status. When two people unite as one being, materialistic objects are worthless. It is the person, and solely the qualities of that person, which make one fall in love with another and wish to marry. In Pride and Prejudice, love marriage brought the most happiness to the characters, whereas the growth of the mercenary and prudent marriages was limited. Love challenged Mr. Bingley, Mr. Darcy, and the Bennet sisters, but all four characters overcame many obstacles for the love of their partner. A love marriage promoted the unity of two people through true love, whereas mercenary and prudent marriages are held as a means to an end. In a love marriage, there is no end, simply never ending growth.