There are three main themes in the novel Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. These themes are Love and Marriage, Good breeding and Social rank, and Moral belief and Behavior. These themes are present throughout the entire novel; they are the underlying motif of the story. It is widely recognized that these themes were the reason for Austen writing this book, she wanted to show and preserve how the upper classes lived in the Napoleonic era. She also wanted to; criticize how and why people married in those times, how the upper classes related to everyone else and how the values of Napoleonic English society shaped their society. Maybe her most ardent viewpoint is on the theme of Love and marriage.
Love and marriage is a major theme in this novel, it is used to show a criticism of peoples reasons for marrying. The novel is shown through the view point of Elizabeth Bennet, and Elizabeth is a representation of Jane Austen; she lives in the same era and an author's views are shown in their novels, and in Pride and Prejudice the views are shown through Elizabeth. This is done in a third person limited technique. Thus when we see Elizabeth's point of view we see Austen's. Elizabeth believes that people should marry for Love and Reason, not just for physical or monetary gain. The first example of this shown in the novel is when Elizabeth is talking to her friend Charlotte Lucas at a Netherfield ball. Charlotte believes that love and affection aren't important in a marriage and that people should marry for social and monetary advantage. This is shown when she says; "when she is secure of him, there will be leisure enough for falling in love as much as she chuses." From this statement you can tell that she doesn't value love and regards it as something you can develop in time if you wish. This view is rejected by Elizabeth and thusly by Austen. Elizabeth replies to this; "You make me laugh, Charlotte; but it is not sound.
