What are the major themes expressed by the first line of the novel?

Passage

PASSAGE (Q86–Q90): Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions based on the passage:

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is a classic known for its humor and complex characters. The famous first sentence of the book, "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife," begins to set up all of the major themes of money, status, and marrying well that are prevalent in 19th-century England. The Bennet family, particularly Elizabeth Bennet, a smart and strong-willed heroine, is the subject of Austen’s commentary on the societal imperative for women to marry well and thereby have a stable income. The title itself is quite meaningful, as it first indicates the character flaws that drive much of the conflict in this novel, namely Darcy’s pride and Elizabeth’s prejudice. In fact, Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, being a rich and high-ranking person, first of all shows a haughty character, thereby being very superior by virtue of his class. Elizabeth, having been offended by his initial lack of warmth, as well as having been misled by the deceiving Mr. Wickham, very quickly showed prejudice against him. Traces the story of each as they navigate these weaknesses. Darcy needs to lower his pride to appreciate the value of Elizabeth’s inferior standing, though she must see the strength of his superior qualities. Austen employs irony and satire liberally to point out the absurdities of the class structure. Personages like the obsequious Mr. Collins and the imperious Lady Catherine de Bourgh symbolize the hard and silly aspects of class consciousness. The sojourn at Darcy’s grand estate, Pemberley, is an important defining instance in which the splendor of the property and the favorable reports of his servants compel Elizabeth to revise her earlier opinion and realize the truth of Darcy’s goodness. In the final analysis, the novel promotes love marriages, couples like Jane and Bingley, and Elizabeth and Darcy, who have successful marriages because of love, in contrast to couples who marry for convenience (Charlotte Collins and Mr. Collins) or those who are full of passion but irresponsible (Lydia and Wickham).

Question

What are the major themes expressed by the first line of the novel?

1. A. Nature and the countryside
2. B. Wealth, status, and marriage (Correct answer)
3. C. Education and morality
4. D. Love & War

Correct Answer

Option B — Wealth, status, and marriage

Detailed Solution & Explanation

The correct answer is Wealth, status, and marriage.

Key Points

• The passage states directly that the novel's opening sentence sets up the major themes of money, status, and marrying well that run through 19th-century England.
• The answer therefore paraphrases the passage rather than drawing on outside knowledge of the novel.
• The other options name subjects the passage never raises in connection with that line — nature, education and morality, or love and war.

Additional Information

• The famous opening is an example of irony: it presents as a universal truth a claim that reflects only the assumptions of the society being satirised.
• Austen's novels are typically classed as novels of manners, examining social conduct and class within a narrow, closely observed community.
• For theme questions, locate the sentence that states the theme rather than one that illustrates it; here the passage does the work explicitly.
• Note the phrasing "begins to set up", which signals that what follows in that sentence is the thematic list the question is asking for.