conclusion

While many people today say they marry for love, and it is true that more marriages today are based on personal compatibility than they were long ago, the social power of males and wealth still influence marriage choice. Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice shows how powerful those influences were in 19^th century England. Her heroine, Elizabeth Bennet, provides an example of one individual who longs for a more meaningful relationship. Her higher standards of integrity and principle lead her to oppose the status quo. Today, Elizabeth would not be alone in looking for a reason to marry deeper than social power. However, it is also true that a Jane Austen of today could easily uncover just as much shallow behavior, manipulation, and materialism if she wrote about modern relationships.