A Common Scientific Theory Applied to Marriage
In Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife” (Austen 1). However, the truth is that the female characters are in fact, searching for a suitable husband that is wealthy and able to provide well for them. Throughout the novel Austen satirizes their vain attempts at catching the right subject for marriage so that they may gain stability rather then love. Austen’s characterization of the Bennet girls, Mrs. Bennet, and the other female characters while they look for a husband displays a common rule for the animal kingdom- survival of the fittest. By ruthlessly searching for men suitable for marrying, the women share a trait of female animals searching for the fittest mate; this is a concept called Darwinism. The theme of Pride and Prejudice is about gaining wealth or simply stability through marriage of the right male, an idea known as literary Darwinism, this is represented by Elizabeth’s pursuit of Mr. Darcy, Charlotte Lucas’ settlement for Mr. Collins, and Lydia Bennet’s irrational, idealistic marriage to Mr. Wickham.
The prime example of literary Darwinism is Elizabeth Bennet’s marriage to Mr. Darcy. The initial feelings that Lizzy has for Mr. Darcy are shown when she visits Pemberly and is amazed by its beauty and richness in scenery. The attraction she describes for Darcy is not because of his own kind heart, understanding, or gentle nature, like a love based attraction would be, but instead, it is for the material things that Darcy owns, “and of this place, thought she, I might have been mistress! With these rooms I might now have been familiarly acquainted! Instead of viewing them as a stranger, I might have rejoiced in them as my own, and welcomed to them as visitors my uncle and aunt” (Austen 220). As she dreams about being mistress of Pemberly her initial feelings about prideful Mr. Darcy change to...