“Is he married or single?” “Oh single to be sure! A single man of large fortune; four or five thousand a year.” “What a fine thing for our girls!”‘Jane Austen strongly emphasises the links between romance and finance: her attitude is always

In Austen's time, social status was determined by a combination of family background, reputation, and wealth, and marriage was one of the main ways in which one could raise one's social status. This method of social development was especially crucial to women. Austen shows this through the less fortunate spinsters, like Miss Bates who is lacking beauty and accomplishments. Austen also writes about clergymen and their need to marry for financial security. Mr Knightley and Mr Darcy are wealthy and owners of their great estates: Donwell Abbey and Pemberley. Emma is the heroine who does not need to marry for financial security as her father, Mr Woodhouse, is wealthy but Elizabeth is of a middle class family and secures the Bennet family with her marriage to Mr Darcy.

Both Mr Darcy and Mr Knightley are wealthy estate owners but although they are affluent they still remain courteous to those less off than themselves. To begin with this is shown more in Mr Knightley whereas Darcy has to o...