ABSTRACT
I argue that this famous love story not only foregrounds the battles of the sexes but also critiques changing kin and kith relationship in Georgian England. The traditional family can be inclusive. The nuclear family is relatively egalitarian, but it faces increasing pressure within and isolation without. What makes Elizabeth special is that she prioritizes affection and moral sense, linking the pursuit of self-interest to the love of kin welfare. The ending of Pride and Prejudice emphasizes the triumph of the kinship family, even though there is no hard-and-fast rule for computing the links between genetic relatedness, economic investment, and psychological intimacy.
