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Running head: THE ECONOMIC ROLE OF MARRIAGE 1

The Economic Role of Marriage in Jane Austen’s Novels

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University of Victoria

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ECON 225 Section A01

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Abstract

Jane Austen’s novels, written in the nineteenth century, are often centered around marriage. It

should be noted, however, that [wordy] However, love is rarely an aspect of these marriages.

Many Scholars have studied this theme which runs throughout Jane Austen novels [Not

necessary]. They [Scholars] have found that economic stability plays a very [an] important role

in the theme of marriage that runs through Austen’s novels. I found this to be true [the case] in

Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.

Keywords: marriage, Jane Austen, economic stability

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The Economic Role of Marriage in Jane Austen’s Novels

In today’s world, particularly in western countries, [unnecessary] people tend to marry

for love. The same cannot be said for the role that marriage plays in Jane Austen’s novels. While

most of her novels are centered on marriage, they often don’t tell a love story. Many [Some]

scholars have argued that Austen’s position was influenced by the world that she grew up in

[because]. It is regularly noted that she depicts an accurate representation of marriage during the

nineteenth century. As an overarching theme, Austen’s novels generally portray marriage as a

requirement for economic success and as a way of maintaining or improving social class for

women. This paper will analyze how Austen’s Pride and Prejudice illustrates this theme.

In “An Investigation of Socio-Economic Incentives and Implications of Matrimony on

Women's Lives in Jane Austen's Novels,” Akman (2018) said that marriage was the only source

of financial security in a woman’s life. It [Marriage] is compared to a profession. Marriage

allowed women to maintain or better their social class. The author provides a number of

examples from Jane Austen’s novels that demonstrate this. I will use this article to explain the

role that marriage plays in Jane Austen’s novels, then relate it directly to Pride and Prejudice.

Pride and Prejudice is the story of the five daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet in their

journey to find husbands. The story is written from the perspective of Elizabeth Bennet, one of

the sisters who is concerned with the meaning of marriage in her society. Much to her mother’s

dismay, she turns down multiple marriage proposals throughout the story. The eldest sister, Jane,

quickly meets a wealthy man she loves. The middle sister, Mary Bennet, is rarely discussed and

does not show any interest in finding a husband throughout the story. The two youngest sisters,

Kitty and Lydia, are always on the lookout for a potential suitor. In fact, Lydia elopes at age

fifteen. While today this would be seen as horrifying, it brings Mrs. Bennet a great deal of pride.

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It is apparent throughout this story that finding a husband is a very important job for young

women in this society. For most of them, however, this does not mean finding love.

An important note [point] that Akman (2018) makes, which relates to all of Jane Austen

novels, is that women had few options in life. “[W]omen of the middle and upper class were not

allowed to take up a profession, and therefore marriage remained the only ‘honourable

profession’ they can get in order to improve or secure their social and economic status” (p.

1102). Furthermore, because of the laws in the nineteenth century in England, women could not

inherit family land, which “rendered marriage vital for women’s economic survival” (p. 1102).

This explains the unfortunate situation women were put in at this time and helps to justify why

they could not marry for love.

Akman (2018) explains that it is [was] not only unmarried women who feel [felt] strong

pressure to marry a suitable man. The girls’ families take [took] it upon themselves to help them

find husbands: “Mrs. Bennet is so zealous of her ‘job’ that she even dares to endanger her

daughter’s life in pursuit of a husband” (p. 1114). Although Mrs. Bennet’s effort to marry her

daughters off seems excessive, it is done from a place of concern. She is aware that in the event

of her husband’s death, she and her daughters would be left with nothing. This is her way of

protecting them.

Charlotte, the best friend of Elizabeth in Pride and Prejudice, is a great example of

someone who marries solely for economic reasons. After accepting a proposal from Mr. Collins,

Elizabeth confronts Charlotte on her decision. She responds, “I am not romantic you know. I

never was. I ask only a comfortable home” (p. 96). Elizabeth, being the headstrong girl that she

is, cannot understand this, regardless of it being the reality that most of her peer’s face.

Charlotte’s position on marriage is further explained in the statement, “without thinking highly

THE ECONOMIC ROLE OF MARRIAGE 5

either of men or of matrimony, marriage had always been her object; it was the only honourable

provision for well-educated young women of small fortune” (p. 94). Despite the story being told

from Elizabeth’s perspective, it is clear that she is an anomaly with regard to her desire for a

husband. She is looking for someone she loves and wants to spend her life with. Her peers,

however, are looking for financial stability.

Marrying in [within] one’s social class is widely acknowledged by the rest of society in

this novel, particularly by those who feel that unworthy girls are marrying into families where

they don’t belong. Lady Catherine de Bourgh is an example of a character who vocalizes her

hate for young ladies who marry into higher social classes, especially when she feels that her

family name could be tarnished by it. When she becomes concerned that Elizabeth and Mr.

Darcy might marry, she tells Elizabeth, “You have no regard, then, for the honour and credit of

my nephew! Unfeeling, selfish girl! Do you not consider that a connection with you, must

disgrace him in the eyes of everybody?” (p. 273). While most of the novel is centralized around

young ladies using marriage as a way of improving one’s social status, this interaction sheds

light on the opposing view [“opposing view” is not clear] [use this instead: on the view that

marriage could also lower one’s status]. Regardless of the wealth they are raised in, it is

important that women marry someone that can provide for them. Therefore, Lady Catherine de

Bourgh wants Mr. Darcy for her own daughter and feels threatened by the connection he has

with Elizabeth.

The editor of the 2003 edition of Pride and Prejudice makes special note of the use of income

when characters reference potential husbands. According to Viven [sp] Jones, “In Austen’s

world, money certainly matters. Austen always make sure we know precisely what her main

characters are worth in financial terms” (p. 300). The regular mention of yearly income, rather

THE ECONOMIC ROLE OF MARRIAGE 6

than personality traits, emphasizes the economic role that marriage plays. Austen is precise when

she writes: “A single man of large fortune; four of five thousand a year” (p. 1). [This is fairly

clear, but note the typo—the word “of” is used instead of “or.” Also the quote would be more

effective it were completed and placed in context; for example, one could use the following: The

father, Mr. Bennet, asks his wife if the man she is talking about is married or single, and she

replies: "Oh! single, my dear, to be sure! A single man of large fortune; four or five thousand a

year. What a fine thing for our girls!"]

From the very first introduction of a possible suitor, Austen makes reference to his annual

income. This is a trend that is carried [“trend carried through” is redundant] [emphasis on money

occurs] throughout the novel because of the great importance that a suitor’s income has on a

woman’s livelihood. Most young women were not concerned with the happiness [is love a better

word?] that a husband could bring them. Instead, they focused on the economic stability that

could come from having a husband.

In Jane Austen’s world, where women are provided with no way to succeed on their

own[; therefore,] marriage becomes necessary. [In nineteenth century England,] women were

restricted from the ability to work, [get an education], or to inherit anything from their father.

While it [marriage] provided a means for women to climb the social ladder, marriage [it] was

really a method of survival and stability. Most women in Pride and Prejudice recognized that it

was better to spend their lives with someone they didn’t love than to risk losing their livelihood.

[No word count]

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References

Austen, J. (2004). Pride and prejudice (V. Jones, Ed.). Oxford University Press.

Akman, F.B. (2018). An investigation of socio-economic incentives and implications of matrimony

on women's lives in Jane Austen's novels Ankara Üniversitesi Dil ve Tarih-Coğrafya Fakültesi

dergisi, 58(1), 1101-1127.

[not alphabetical order by author’s last name]

[Check on OWL or sample research paper posted on CourseSpaces to make sure the

references are all in APA style. Make sure the references page is titled “References,” not

“Reference,” if there is more than one reference. If a movie is on the references page, make sure

it is referenced in correct APA style with the producer first. If a print source is cited in the text,

use p. or pp.; however, if it’s a movie, use the minute duration of the scene that is cited, e.g., 53

min. or 53-57 min.]