After dissolving his claim to the clergyman position, Wickham received 3,000 more pounds (240,000 dollars) from Darcy. First, Wickham inherited 1,000 pounds, or 80,000 dollars from Darcy's father.

This comparison of Austen's pound with the modern dollar not only clarifies characters' annual incomes, but also exposes the magnitude of certain financial transactions, such as Darcy's dealings with Wickham. In other words, Elizabeth will only have a 40 or 50 pound annual income to live off of after her father dies, which translates into 3,200 or 4,000 dollars. Collins assumes the lesser amount when he condescendingly informs Elizabeth that he will not reproach her for bringing only 'one thousand pounds in the 4 per cents' to their marriage. Bennet is not sure of what his 100,000 pound inheritance is earning. Therefore, Bingley is described as having 'four or five thousand a year' because Mrs. These percents refer to the fact that the income the landed gentry earned came from investing their money in secure government bonds.

Additionally, the sums Austen gives are often discussed in terms of 4 or 5 percents. Compare that to Darcy's 10,000 pounds or 800,000 dollars. Bennet's annual income is 2,000 pounds, or 160,000 dollars. While he emphasizes that his estimate is not scientific and is probably conservative, such an equivalency helps to put the sums Austen scatters throughout the novel into perspective.Īccording to Austen, Mr. dollars? Critic Edward Copeland has calculated the value of one pound in Austen's day to be roughly equivalent to 80 dollars now. But what do these figures mean in modern U.S. When Elizabeth's father dies, she will not only be poor, she will have a mere 40 pounds a year. Darcy is not simply rich, he has 10,000 pounds a year. Translating the monetary realities that the characters of Pride and Prejudice face into modern equivalents helps readers to better understand the characters' motivations and the significance of their actions.Īusten describes people's financial situations throughout Pride and Prejudice in terms of actual monetary amounts. Bennet's pursuit of husbands for her daughters takes on a sense of urgency that supersedes her foolish behavior.

Because of the entail, the Bennet women will have a bleak financial future after Mr. Money plays a central role to the plot of Pride and Prejudice.

Jane pride and prejudice