"It is a truth universally acknoledged, that a singlr man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife."
             Within this opening line Austen instantly introduces us to the comic irony and surroundings of "Pride and prejudice." The use of the words "universally acknowlrdged" humoursly presents us with the notion that in reality this is actually reversed.
             Within pride and prejudice we see marrage as a social need, a need for possession, property and fortune. Austen demonstrates to us clearly through various marrages in "Pride and prejudice", her views of an "ideal marrage", one that is not souly based on the traditional ingredients of love but also intelectual and social equallity.
             The first marrage we encounter is that of Mr and Mrs Bennet. Their marrage is one souly built on first impressions. Mr Bennets affections were greatly bases on infatuation and exteriour beauty of Mrs Bennet rather than love , brains, understanding of character and compatability. Soon after all Mrs Bennets exteriours melted away her stupidity, mean minded nature and transparant foolishness was revealed and her character is decided as a vulger and silly woman with but one worry in the world, that her five daughters bee "happily settled at Netherfield." Mr Bennet dispises her stupidity and therefore finds joy in underminding her constantly in public aswell as infront of the whole family. Austen supports this in her use of indirect speech throughout the novel used by Mr Bennet when concerning Mrs Bennet.Austen continues to support the condeming of this marrage by the poor parenting skills Mrs Bennet performs. It is this mental incapability that is a contributing factor in the discrace that follows Lydia and Wickhams elopment.
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