English culture has often been guilty of exclusionary attitudes towards those of lower social standing. Class divisions and their respective roles were established in the Middle Ages and chronicled in literature. A man's place in society determined his reputation. Several centuries later, the 18th-century magistrate and writer Henry Fielding noted in his novel Joseph Andrews that the class-conscious population continued to think that even "the slightest familiarity [with those of lower social rank was] degradation." (137). ). One of the most beloved writers of the English Regency, Jane Austen, continued the tradition of presenting literature as a reflection of the prejudices of contemporary society. His novels are full of indicators of the preconceptions of the English Regency. The characters in Austen's novel Pride and Prejudice seek economic security through marriage and cast a critical eye on those who entertain themselves with lesser, frivolous activities, leading them to strive either to maintain or fight against conventions. recognized” (Austen 5) in Austen’s time that marriage produced practical benefits. Indeed, several characters in Pride and Prejudice are obsessed with the rewards of an advantageous union. Mrs. Bennet is the character most hypnotized by this facet of Regency life. In fact, the novel states that his "life's business" is to marry off his daughters (5). In one case, she cleverly sends her eldest daughter, Jane, to her suitor's house on horseback, in the rain, in order to require a night and thus facilitate their courtship. Mrs. Bennet's "cheerful predictions" (31) backfire when Jane falls ill due to bad weather. Despite this, the mother's machinations remain middle of paper......class in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Ed. Johnson, Claudia Durst. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2009.87-97. Print.Fielding, Henry. The story of the adventures of Joseph Andrews and his friend Mr. Abraham Adams. 1742. New York: Signet, 1979. Howard, Carol. Introduction. Pride and prejudice. By Jane Austen. New York: Barnes & Noble Books, 2003. xxvi-xxvii. Print.McMaster, Juliette. "Class." Copeland, Edward and Juliet McMaster (eds.). The Cambridge Companion to Jane Austen. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1997. 118. Print. Spring, David. “Rank Levels.” Class Issues in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.Ed. Johnson, Claudia Durst. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2009. 42-50. Print.Professor, Debra. Understanding Pride and Prejudice: A Student Casebook on Historical Issues, Sources, and Documents. Westport, Conn.: The Greenwood Press, 1997. Print.