Gender roles are separate patterns of personality traits, interests, attitudes, and behaviors that are regarded as either ‘male’ or ‘female’ by one’s culture or actions. In Chapter 1 of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, Mrs. Bennet, a mother of many girls, wants to marry off one of her daughters. During this time, a man of great wealth comes to town, named Mr.Bingley, with the purpose of bringing a piece of land. When Mrs.Long, The Bennett Family neighbor, finds out about the man of large fortune, she goes and tells Mrs.Bennett about him. The Bennet family is not poor, but is also not as rich as Bingley so, w khen Mrs.Bennett finds out about Mr.Bingley, she proceeds to tell her husband, Mr.Bennet, about the wonderful news. The author expresses, “Why, my dear, you must know, Mrs.Long says that Netherfield is taken by a young man of large fortune…” (Austen, Ch. 1).
Mrs.Bennet is excited for the man that has transferred into their town, ready to marry off one of her daughters. She is wanting her husband, Mr.Bennet, to meet Mr.Bingley so once the story proceeds, they can all get together as one whole “family” since she is so confident that one of her daughters will marry Mr.Bingley, out of all of the women in their town. Mr.Bennett reacts to Mrs.Bennet telling him about the wealthy rich man by asking how it will affect his daughters, and basically acting uninterested, saying that he will not go to met Mr.Bingley. Mr.Bennett thinks that Mr.Bingley’s sole purpose of settling in the town in which the Bingleys live in is to marry someone off, “Design! Nonsense, how can you talk so! But it is very likely that he may fall in love with one of them…” (Austen,Ch.1).
Mrs. Bennett is defending Mr.Bingley saying that he is not just there to be married, but is also there for the purpose of him obtaining new property and having a business in the town. Overall, Mrs.Bennet wants to marry her daughter off quickly to Mr.Bingley, and is trying to rush the process between him and her daughter, because someone else may catch his eye, and “steal” him and his money away from them. This ties back to the idea of gender roles because it shows that women then had one job, and that job was to get married to a man who would support a family, and their needs. The way that the author portrays it, Mrs.Bennet seems like she is only trying to get one of her daughters to marry the wealthy rich man, just because he is rich, and so that she can benefit from his money.
Pride and Prejudice become unique approximately how love can go through many awkward, tough and hard situations and nevertheless can win after all, it truly is reflected within the dating amongst Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy. Jane Austen made humans agree that however many regulations and prejudices of society there is continuously something that acts the world; there is always something inner of any human that is pure feelings which incorporates love. Love is like an illusion and it completes the happiness of each human being. However, in this novel it is “likely” viable to see all of the dark aspects of this male- centered society. I stated likely, because of the reality this tale is covered with romantic scenes and love illusions, statistics that every female would like, for example within the following quotes, in which Mr. Darcy looks like a gentleman that every woman, after all, might be in love with:
“In vain I truly have struggled. It will now not do. My feelings will now not be repressed. You want to allow me to tell you the way ardently I recognize and love you.”- Darcy to Elizabeth. (Jane Austen 1813:236)
“You are too beneficent to trifle with me. If your feelings are nevertheless what they were in April, tell me so at once. My affections and needs are unchanged, however one word from you may silence me on this challenge for ever.” Darcy to Elizabeth (Jane Austen 1813:451)
