New Delhi, Feb. 27 -- "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife."

― Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice

The famous opening sentence of Pride and Prejudice presents itself like a formal social fact, yet it immediately introduces the central theme of marriage and wealth in early 19th-century England. Written in a confident tone verging on a journalistic style, the line reflects a society where financial position played a huge role in determining whom one associates with.

Families watched wealthy bachelors closely, as they saw marriage as a social obligation as well as an economic advantage.

Despite its authoritative phrasing, the statement is deeply ironic. A...