Money

“...the report which was in general circulation within five minutes after his entrance, of his having ten thousand a year.” (Page 12)

During the early eighteen hundreds, it was somewhat uncommon to meet anyone with an annual income of ten thousand pounds or more. The individuals who made this type of money often assumed the professions of merchants, bankers, or aristocrats. The middle class during this time period, which consisted of such professions as doctors and clerks, generally made three hundred to eight hundred pounds per year. Austen describes the Bennet family as being sufficiently wealthy considering that they have an estate of two thousand pounds a year. This, by no means, classifies them as being part of the upper class, but it enables them to be on similar terms as those who have a higher income. By mentioning his estate, Austen immediately classifies Mr. Darcy as being part of the upper class. This, in turn, gives the reader an idea of what type of personality Mr. Darcy has; one of nobility and conceit. From this information, the reader can also conclude that the difference in wealth between Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth may affect how they interact. Mr. Darcy’s wealth and consequential air certainly does not aid Elizabeth in making a first impression.

"Victorian England." Department of English, UW Oshkosh. Web. 08 Mar. 2010. http://www.english.uwosh.edu/roth/VictorianEngland.htm.