Pride and Prejudice written by Jane Austen is a romantic novel which contains the constraints and privileges of men or women through their class. This was largely a result of the unwritten 'rules' current in the society of the time. The higher class ladies had more privilege than lower classes due to their wealth, they were able to obtain more freedom and control over the lower class. Men of this level of society were also, though perhaps less so, constrained by its unwritten rules and expectations. They were expected to marry to ladies within their own social level, because they needed a wife socially, to provide them heirs. They were however largely privileged by their position, wealth, education and occupation.
Families' financial situations and position in society imposes constraints on women during that period of time. Elizabeth who is from the middle class family is constrained by the society's unwritten 'rules'. She is expected to socialize and marry within her own level. .
Because honour, decorum, prudence if you wilfully act against the inclinations of all. You will be censured, slighted, and despised, by every one connected with him. Your alliance will be a disgrace; your name will never even be mentioned by any of us.
Lady Catherine de Bourgh highly disapproves of Elizabeth engaging to Mr Darcy, who possesses a higher status than her own. She pronounced Elizabeth's unsuitable background, if Elizabeth broke the unwritten 'rules', she will be prejudiced and disdained by Darcy's family and connections. Through out the entire novel, Austen has created a distinction of levels in the classes, and clearly illustrated the roles expected to be performed in each class. This is also evident when Darcy first proposed to Elizabeth.
His sense of her inferiority - of its being a degradation - of the family obstacles which judgement had always opposed to inclination.
Considering Elizabeth's family connections and her position in society, Darcy believes he is overlooking at all these to marry to her, which he believes he shouldn't be, because of her constraints in society and objection from his connections.