“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). The opening line of Pride and Prejudice is iconic- it has been quoted hundreds of times and is arguably the most well-known quote of the entire book. Despite the widespread agreement of its popularity, its meaning is less straightforward; whether to interpret it as a genuine perspective or wisdom imparted in a mocking tone is an ongoing conversation.
One interpretation of this line is Mrs. Bennet’s perspective on the ultimate goal of a woman’s life. As described by the narrator, “the business of her life was to get her daughters married” (Austen, 3). Mrs. Bennet wants each of her daughters to marry the richest men possible; whether this is in the best interest of her or her daughters is debatable, but the reader is inclined to believe the former due to the security it will bring if her husband should die first. Because Mrs. Bennet is so obsessively focused on marrying her daughters to the highest bidder, it is easy to believe that she would hold the belief stated in the opening line of Pride and Prejudice.
The second interpretation, and the one most readers (including myself) tend to lean towards, is the exact opposite of Mrs. Bennet’s perspective. Rather, one is inclined to read this as Elizabeth’s perspective on the widely-held belief of the time. She believes the exact opposite of this statement, as proved when Charlotte Lucas marries Mr. Collins purely for the security he will bring. When Mr. Collins proposes to Elizabeth, she declines because she does not love him. Likewise, Charlotte also does not love Mr. Collins, but she accepts his proposal, saying “I am not romantic you know. I never was. I ask only a comfortable home; and considering Mr. Collins’ character, connections, and situation in life, I am convinced that my chance of happiness with him is as fair, as most people can boast on entering the marriage state” (Austen, 93). Mr. Collins, who is “a single man in possession of a good fortune,” clearly wants a wife, and a wife is exactly what he gets. Elizabeth, however, struggles to accept her friend’s marriage; she cannot fathom how one could be happy in a marriage without love. Rather than value a man for his money, she values him for his character, something that is not expressed in the opening line.
While the majority of Austenites read the opening line of Pride and Prejudice as one that sets the somewhat sarcastic tone of the novel, it can be interpreted in a number of ways. Perhaps this was Austen’s intention, or maybe just a happy coincidence. Either way, it is fascinating to analyze how a singular, famous line written over 200 years ago can today be understood in numerous ways depending on which character one has in mind while reading it.
This post has effectively demonstrated the two differing definitions of the infamous opening line of Pride and Prejudice. Understanding the tone Austen tends to utilize in her books assists the reader in interpreting this line of a universally acknowledged truth. Austen gravitates towards irony and sarcasm throughout her novels and this post was written with a solid grasp on these two figures of speech. Two different interpretations of the line, “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife” are given (Austen, 1). The first is stated, in this post, as Mrs. Bennet’s view on the purpose of a woman’s life which is to find a husband. The second interpretation comes from Elizabeth’s point of view which is to marry for love. Reading this line behind the lens of two starkly different characters brings to light many different takes on its meaning. Prior to reading this blog post, many, including myself, may have taken the opening line verbatim and understood it as men of this time period long for wives and women should long to be wives. However, this post strengthens the argument that it could very well be Austen ridiculing that ideology and posing the opinion of marrying for love alone. Excellent examples of either interpretation are given and they are written in a way that is easily comprehensible, yet go deeper than surface level thoughts.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your perspective that Austen believes that marriage is something that should be based around values of love, not just security. While security and financial stability are added pluses, marriages based upon just these factors are marriages void of happiness. I believe that Austen believes that, with love, any sort of barriers can be overcome, as she shows with Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy. Austen also shows through the story line, that it is not the first priority of a man to want a wife, as initially. expressed by the opening quote. Where at first Mr. Darcy describes Elizabeth as "tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me" (Austen Ch 3), he later claims, "In vain I have struggled...You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you" (Ch 34). This shows that while he did end up coming around and wished to marry her, it was not something that was at the forefront of his mind right when they met. He clearly also values a marriage based upon more than just status, however, considering the fact that Elizabeth is stationed so much lower in class than him, and at the end of the day he still wishes to marry her.
ReplyDelete