Inheritance

“Mr. Bennet’s property...was entailed in default of heirs male...” (Page 29)

During the nineteenth century, women had little to no rights in the owning of property. Although it was possible for a woman to inherit land from her father, it was very rare. It was more common for a father to pass his property onto his son. In the case of their being no male descendant, property was often passed onto the closest male relative. If a female was to inherit land, it was often in the form of “personal property” which was essentially leased land or land governed by a lord. Males usually received what was referred to as “real property” which was actual land that they had control over. Being from this time period, Jane Austen probably alluded to this political and social affair merely because it was the natural ordinance of inheritance. In addition to this, it is clear that she mentions this in order to introduce Mr. Collins, the heir of Mr. Bennet’s property.

"PROPERTY RIGHTS OF WOMEN." UM-Dearborn Home: University of Michigan-Dearborn. Web. 08 Mar. 2010. http://www.umd.umich.edu/casl/hum/eng/classes/434/geweb/PROPERTY.htm.