The first time Jane and Mr. Bingley meet, the air is filled with promise and romance. It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife. There are many women and men in this world who state that they do not need to unite in holy matrimony to feel complete or happy in their lives. Obviously, these women and men do not live in the world of Pride and Prejudice. Even the first line states a subtle truth so well that it makes you think. At first glance, we see this as an ironic statement that attempts to open up the comical and loving atmosphere of the book. However, as you dig deeper, you see that there is more to this line than meets the eye. This phrase can summarize the purpose of many women in this novel who are looking for a single man in possession of a good fortune like Mrs. Lucas, because it sums up the plot in many ways. As he states that men must need a wife, he subtly implies that the women in the novel are most likely seeking or desperate for a [rich] husband. This line also gives little clues as to who are these men looking for these women? If we read on the same page as this line, we find that Mr. Bingley, who has just moved to Netherfield, is one of these men "Well, my dear, you must know, Mrs. Long says that Netherfield is taken by a wealthy young man from the north of England… This quote states that Mr. Bingley is a man blessed with great fortune that is akin to good fortune, in fact even better Every New One meets. central male character is attached to a descriptive phrase about his wealth As we read the novel, we see that most of the women in the novel notice this wealth and also notice that these men are in fact caring for wives. to marry and share their lives with The first time Jane and Mr. Bingley meet, the air is heard is filled with promise and romance. mutual affection in his life There is a lot of truth behind this quote which sums up the behaviors of most of the male characters in the book; slight exception of Darcy who is not looking for love but is surprisingly revealed to him.