Essay written by Maria Engstrom
For this essay, I chose to read the perhaps most famous book by the English author Jane Austen.
During the reading I was thinking about which theme I should choose to write about and analyze, and
eventually I felt that marriage was the central keyword in the book. I will concentrate on the situation
of the daughters in the family, since these are the best described in the novel. My dealing with
different ideals and problems within a marriage will be illustrated with examples from the text.
"Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance. If the dispositions of the parties are ever so
well known to each other, or ever so similar beforehand, it does not advance their felicity in the least.
They always continue to grow sufficiently unlike afterwards to have their share of vexation; and it is
better to know as little as possible of the defects of the person with whom you are to pass your life."
This is a quote from Charlotte Lucas, one of the female characters in the novel, and a quote which
very well exemplify the general feelings against marriage for the period and the people in upperclass
Marriage is central for all characters in the novel: not just daughters and sons, but parents, aunts,
uncles and everybody else who has some interest in the subject. Though it is of course most in the
interest of the daughter herself to get married, the interests of the own family can be important for the
choice of husband and wife. It is not appropriate for the daughter to choose whoever she likes for her
husband, which she- if she wants a happy marriage- is not very likely to do. I will discuss the reasons
for the careful choice of a proper husband below.
"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must
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