<Articles>The Ideal Marriage in Pride and Prejudice: Through Elizabeth's and Darcy's Views of Their Fathers

Among Jane Austen's novels, Pride and Prejudice (1813) is said to be the happiest one because of the ideal marriage between Elizabeth and Darcy. First, this paper examines the relationship between Elizabeth and her father, Mr. Bennet, and then, discusses how his education influenced on his daughters, especially Elizabeth, in her choice of a partner. Second, we argue how her initial thoughts about her marriage gradually changed, influenced by several significant events such as Charlotte's marriage to Mr. Collins and Darcy's first proposal to her. Finally, we discuss Darcy's introspection about his relationship with his father, which is caused by Elizabeth's indication of his selfishness