It’s true! Jane married down, and Mr. Bingley married up! The characters in Pride and Prejudice all seem to understand the nuances of social order, but for a modern reader, it’s a bit like stepping into a new world. Before I started researching it, I thought that I (kind of) understood it, but I came across several surprises.
To start, here’s a general outline of what it meant to be upper or middle class, the two classes most represented in the novel.
Upper class: This is the landed gentry. These are the people who own land and do not have to work outside of managing their estates (i.e., Mr. Bennet hanging out and reading books in his library).
Middle class: These are people who do not own land and have to get, like, jobs. (Ew.) They might rent and work another man’s land, making them tenant farmers, or they might own their land but have to work it themselves, making them yeoman farmers. (If you own your own land but have to work it, you don’t count as landed gentry.)
The middle class also included people with professions, such as bankers, lawyers, clergymen, and those in the military.
There were divisions within these classes—what I would term the upper middle class, the lower middle class, the upper upper class, and the lower upper class. Sound confusing? Maybe, but it’s always been important to people to establish superiority. These days, it’s harder, since we no longer have an organized system, but we still manage to create a hierarchy by comparing our numbers of followers, “likes,” and Stanley cups.
What did these social class distinctions mean for the characters in Pride and Prejudice? Let’s take a look at who married up and who married down:
- Mr. Bennet married down.
Mr. Bennet owns Longbourn, and his estate brings in about 2,000 pounds a year. This makes him landed gentry and part of the upper class.
Mrs. Bennet, however, came from a middle class family in trade. Her father was an attorney in Meryton. Her sister, Mrs. Phillips, is married to an attorney, and her brother, Mr. Gardiner, is a merchant.
The narrator notes that Mr. Bennet wasn’t thinking about upward mobility when he made the match, explaining instead that he was captivated by Mrs. Bennet’s “youth and beauty, and that appearance of good-humour which youth and beauty generally give.” She was hot, and he had money, and that’s…still the basis for a lot of marriages today.
2. Elizabeth married within her class.
Elizabeth is landed gentry and upper class—just like Mr. Darcy. In fact, she and her family are the “principal inhabitants” in their village, which means they are of the highest social class in their village. No wonder Elizabeth was insulted by Mr. Darcy’s proposal.
Elizabeth tries to tell us this: “He is a gentleman; I am a gentleman’s daughter; so far we are equal.” Hm. When she says that, why do we as readers have the lurking thought that Mr. Darcy is a little bit more equal?
He’s richer, and he’s descended from nobility, and Pemberley is so big, and 10,000 pounds is so much more than 2,000 pounds. But all that really means is that he’s more upper class than she is. They’re still from the same class. Plus, Mr. Darcy’s best friend is—get this—middle class. Which brings us to…
3. Jane married down.
Jane, like Elizabeth, is landed gentry and upper class.
Mr. Bingley, however, does not own land and his wealth comes from…trade. (Shudder.)
Mr. Bingley’s father had intended to purchase an estate but never did, and in the beginning of the novel, Mr. Bingley rents (but does not purchase) Netherfield. This is why Caroline Bingley hopes her brother will build a house “half as delightful as Pemberley,” or, at the very least, make his “purchase in that neighbourhood.” What she is really saying is, “Purchase anything! Just buy something and get us out of the middle class!” Of course, to completely move into the upper class, Bingley would also have to cut all ties to his businesses that created his wealth—because wealth that comes from trade reeks of middle class.
It seems ridiculous that Bingley’s sisters criticize Jane for having an uncle who’s an attorney in Meryton and another in Cheapside—when they are the ones who are middle class. But maybe Austen is observing that people don’t need a good reason to look down on each other. They just go ahead and do it. Perhaps it’s like how, previously, if you were a millionaire who didn’t own a yacht, you were decidedly less than, and now, if you’re a billionaire without a rocket, you’re just kind of dumb.
Thanks for reading. I’d love to hear your thoughts below!
Here are some websites with good information on the topic:
Social Class and the Bennet Family in “PRIDE AND PREJUDICE”
Social Rank in Pride and Prejudice
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