Charles Dickens and Jane Austen

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that money as a status symbol is important in both "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen and "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens. The author points out that, whereas Dickens' main character ultimately separates himself from the ideal of love and money, the main characters in Austen's novel find that this link grows stronger and ultimately culminates in happiness. The paper relates that the hypothesis of "Pride and Prejudice" is that love and money are linked and when combined the parties involved are happy; instead, Dickens distinctly portrays nearly all the wealthy, status-aware characters of his novel in a negative light with the only exceptions being the older Pip.

From the Paper:

"Bingley however soon forms a connection with Jane. His sisters however, being very aware of their own status, oppose the relationship. Interestingly, Darcy's opposition to the relationship stems not from status, but from a basis of love, or indeed a lack thereof. Darcy believes that Jane is indifferent to Bingley, and thus does not wish his friend to waste his time or be hurt by the connection. For Bingley's sisters then, goodness lies in status, whereas for Darcy this goodness lies in love. For Mrs. Benett and her daughters, goodness means loving and marrying a man of status and means. This paradigm culminates in Charlotte Lucas, who marries for security rather than love. This is indicative of the time, when few options beyond marriage were available to women."

More papers on Charles Dickens and Jane Austen:

• Analytical Essay # 120382 : "Money and Status in Victorian England"
• Comparison Essay # 120326 : "Three Women in Society"
• Comparison Essay # 68524 : "Realism in Literature"

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