Significance of Jane Austen’s Views on Marriage -- An Analysis of Pride and Prejudice（3）

In their undesirable marriage, strong passion plays a dominative role, but when passion fades away, what else is left in their marital life? Only indifference is left. The marriage pattern of Lydia and Wickham shows that mutual love, virtues as well as money are very important in a happy marriage. Marriage that results from just passion or sexual attraction can only bring misery to both sides.

2.4 Marriage of Collins and Charlotte

    The nature of marriage of Charlotte and Collins is quite different from that of the ones mentioned above. Based on property rather than on true love or mutual understanding, the marriage of Charlotte and Collins is realistic. Charlotte is a sensible, intelligent young woman about twenty-seven, who has her own independent view and has a realistic idea of marriage, that is, marriage is only a means to offer her financial security. Collins is a stupid, pompous and supercilious clergyman. In his eyes, marriage is just a business, which has nothing to do with love, even his plan to get married is out of his patroness’s strong advice. He has neither personal feeling nor values, and only power can hold a position in his heart.

The marriage of Charlotte and Collins, which is based on money, is realistic, but not happy. As to Charlotte, she obtains financial security; as to Collins, he gets a wife. It seems that both have got what they want through their marriage. But it is not difficult to find that their marriage involves no equality, no understanding, no love at all. Such marriage without love is just like a business transaction, and is doomed to be an unhappy one.

    From the four marriage patterns in Pride and Prejudice, it is not difficult to see that true love, mutual understanding and solid economic foundation are inseparable for a happy marriage. A marriage either only for money or only for lust will not be lasting or blessed.

Chapter 3 Analysis of China’s Marriage Status from the Perspective of Austen’s Views on Marriage

With the rapid development of economy in China, people has become more and more impetuous, especially the younger generation of post-80’s and post-90’s. Their love and marriage often easily gives in to reality. They tend to be more concerned about money, position, power, desire, etc. The following sections are going to analyze some major marriage status in modern China, including flash marriage, “naked” marriage, late marriage and high rate of divorce, from the perspective of Austen’s views on marriage.

3.1 Flash Marriage

The phenomenon of flash marriage (shanhun) is associated today mainly with the post-80’s and post-90’s generations in China. Members of such generations are considered to be less conservative and possibly more impulsive when it comes to love. Some young Chinese, particularly middle class members, allow themselves to drift by the spell of romance and passion and get married at once. The term “flash marriage”, in fact, describes the speed in which a couple moves from dating to marriage, or the short lifespam of the marriage itself, which inevitably leads to a quick divorce.

Flash marriage results not only from social-value changes that lead to a rebellious attitude towards tradition, but also from the idea of “romantic love”, that has penetrated to China in recent decades from the West. The idea of mythic love and soul mates has become much more widespread in recent decades, through the exposure to foreign films, magazines, etc, and later on through new elements in the Chinese culture itself. Such ideas, combining with some behavior shifts in the young generation, often lead to “flash marriage”. Flash marriage is also a response to difficulties in establishing a proper marriage foundation in modern China. There are three types of “shanhun” marriages: an impulsive romantic relationship, in which youngsters cannot restrain their excitement and choose to get married at once; a relationship resulting from empty feeling, where a recent breakup or emotional pain leads lovers to institutionalize their relationship impatiently; and a relationship for mutual interests, where marriages are not based on romantic emotions, but the desire to leave one’s parents’ house, or settling for a good financial arrangement.

According to Austen, a successful and long-lasting marriage results from mutual understanding, mutual respect, true love as well as solid economic foundation. However, shanhun couples marry soon after meeting, without getting to really know each other, so it is impossible for them to gain mutual understing and mutual respect before marriage, which often leads to a very short marriage lifespan. Besides, most people married not because of true love, but some other reasons. Such marriage is like the marriage of Charlotte and Collins, and is doomed to be an unhappy one.

3.2 “Naked” Marriage

“Naked marriage” (luohun), referring to couples who get married without money, an apartment or whatever necessities a new family requires, is another new marriage behaviors in modern China. “Naked marriage” is considered more acceptable, as couples sometimes cannot wait forever before starting a family. The luohun couples manage to promote romantic love and oppose some traditional concepts, while still avoid much of the criticism directed at the Chinese post-80’s generation, as it is acknowledged that the conditions of 21st-century China often do not provide them with better alternatives.

Most luohun couples claim that the most important base of marriage is emotion, love, and a deep acquaintance with the partner. Such couples might have been in relationship for several years, so the “naked marriage” is not an act of impulse, just a desire not to wait too long before getting married. They believe that the essence of marriage should not be dependent on material conditions. It seems that luohun is becoming more and more understandable and acceptable by not only post-80’s generations but by the entire society, because it shows not only commitment to love, but also shows respect to the marriage institute.

“Naked marriage” is based on emotion, love, and mutual understanding which is considered by Austen as the most important factors leading to successful and long-lasting marriage. However, according to Austen, a solid economic foundation is an indispensable element of a successful marriage. Without a solid economic foundation, many problems and conflicts will arise in daily life, especially when considering expanding the family to three members.

3.3 Late Marriage

Late marriage is another prevalent phenomenon in China’s society today. Many surveys show that there is an increasing tendency for Chinese people to marry later, or not to marry at all. The records of the All-China Women’s Federation show that registered marriages are decreasing year by year.

Reasons for late marriage could be concluded in several aspects. First, the fierce competition of the society and the frantic pace of life keep people busy all day. Some people even have no time to think about love, let alone marriage. Their busy lives keep them from social activities, and thus their friend circle would be small, so it is difficult for them to find an ideal partner. Although one has found an ideal partner, he or she has no time to get to know the partner, so mutual understanding, thought to be very important by Austen in marriage, is impossible.

Second, Further education is another reason for late marriage. Many people choose to seek for post-graduate degree or even PHD degree. Some people would like to go abroad for further study. These people tend to get married late.

Third, as women have received more education and gained more economic independence than ever before, they tend to seek an ideal marriage. Good-looks, high education and solid economic foundation would be taken into consideration.

Last, in many layers of society, prospective wives are expected to be young and beautiful, and less qualified than their husbands. Men must secure a job and a stable income to stand more chances of finding a wife. However, most professional women are too qualified, and not so young or so beautiful, which makes it hard for them to find an ideal husband.

According to Austen, a successful marriage results from mutual understanding, mutual respect, true love as well as solid economic foundation. People, who get married late, tend to take these factors into consideration, which is healthy for their future marriage. However, because of social and economic pressure in China today, it is difficult to build up a marriage relations based on mutual understanding, mutual respect, true love as well as solid economic foundation.

3.4 High Rate of Divorce

Flash divorces, following flash marriages, has become a stigma for those born in 1980s in China. Statistics show that between 2008 and 2009, 6275 people in Shanghai’s Putuo District filed for divorce. Among them, 610 cases, or almost 10%, were of newly wed post-80’s couples. Since then, these figures have been on the rise, and experts predict that China is about to enter its fourth wave of high divorce rates.