How is social status represented in Jane Austen's Emma and Pride and Prejudice?

Austen presents many layers of social status in each of her novels, and
and are no exceptions. One of the most memorable
representations of social status in Emma is where the newly wed Mrs. Elton
declares that she will haveprecedence over Emma at dinner parties because she is a married
womanand married women always take precedence. Precedence is the concept ofgiving social
privilege to persons of higher social status. It literallyrefers to who precedes (goes in front
of) whom at social functions orsocial ceremonies.

WhenMrs. Elton refers to
the fact that she, as a married woman, now hasprecedence, she is indicating that she has more
privilege--and goes into dinner first or opens the dancing at a ball--than Emma has and thatEmma
has to walk behind her at social events.  This signifies thatsocial status has such importance
and runs so deeply that it evengoverns who gets to be seated or dance first ahead of
whom:

A bride, you know, my dear, is...