Love and marriage—they go together like zombies and brains. At least in Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.
But that wasn't always the case. Back in the 19th century, a lady didn't necessarily marry because she was head over heels in love; she married because her husband had an income of five thousand pounds a year. You could buy a lot of daggers and swords with that kind of money.
Basically, if you wanted to survive as a woman in a society where you couldn't earn a living (or where the dead were rising from their graves), sometimes you had to be practical. Love was a luxury, and only the lucky could find it in marriage.
We think that means Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy really hit the jackpot.
Questions About Marriage
- Elizabeth not only turns down Mr. Darcy's marriage proposal, but she also tries to kill him. Why?
- Why do you think Mr. Darcy is so picky about his wife? Why not marry a girl like Caroline Bingley, who has the money and connections he's looking for?
- Why does Mr. Wickham decide to marry Lydia? Is it just about the money? Or does the fact that he'll never walk again finally convince him?