For a 21st century reader it is easy to interpret the two themes as divided as it is what we have been socialised to do, however at the time Austen was writing Pride and Prejudice, in the 18th century, it was socially conditioned that marriage and money were inextricably linked. Women were omitted from the entail system which meant they could not inherit their family’s wealth which left them vulnerable and in need of a husband. For those people who read Jane Austen’s novels for her flare of the romantic it is easy to conclude that Jane Austen championed love as being more important than money. However if this is the case, why do both Jane and Elizabeth Bennett marry suitors that are deemed to be wealthy? To explore the tension between love and money even further the main concern in the other two marriages in the novel revolve around money and fortune.
Marriage was more about picking the right in-laws than picking the right partner to love and live with. The point to marriage was to gain advantageous marriage connections with some value and avoid paying debts to others. Marriage became the main way that the upper classes consolidated wealth, forged military coalitions, finalized peace treaties, and gained claims to social status or political authority. Personally for myself I could never live in the twentieth century. I would have been a disgrace to my family and probably would have been disowned.
Daisy had been raised to marry for money and keep her family’s name involved in old money and lavish events. Doing otherwise was socially unacceptable. When Daisy met Tom she may have once loved or still was in love with Gatsby, however Tom’s old money and social status was all that mattered to her. I don’t think social status and money are as important to Daisy as maintaining her reputation
“Dear Harriet, I give myself joy of this. It would have grieved me to lose your acquaintance, which must have been the consequence of your marrying Mr Martin.” (Page 52) This scenario conveys Emma’s concern about society as she expresses that she cannot keep friends of lower class than her. Emma’s behaviour reflects her society’s values towards the importance of social order. In this way, Austen criticises yet, by eventually uniting Harriet and Mr Martin in marriage, ultimately reaffirms the harsh divides within the social hierarchy of Highbury, a microcosm which represents the values of Regency England. While Austen questions her society’s views on social order, Amy Heckerling also challenges social
The book firmly projects the patriarchal society as the context: “A young woman, if she falls into bad hands may be teased…but one cannot comprehend a young man’s being under such restraint.” This language, although satirical reaffirms a main attitude existent in the context of Regency England. Austen uses the novel's protagonist Emma as a manager of self-determination and although she is a part of high society, she is delicately able through Austen’s narrative, to resist traditional gender roles and concerns. Emma proudly states, when refusing Mr. Elton’s proposal: “I have very little intention of ever marrying at all”, showing her dominant stance yet she is still somewhat a woman of her context as the novel results in her marrying of Mr. Knightley. This reaffirms the fundamental reality of patriarchy as although Emma forms her own opinion, she
Ibsen however takes a more moralistic approach to portraying Victorian society; by doing this he makes the characters more realistic.Both writers position the argument that marriage was being undermined as increasingly society seemed to show a lack of trust and respect within marriage. Wilde uses the character of Mrs Allonby as a vehicle to satirize this lack of respect. In conversation with the other ladies, Mrs Allonby openly admits to being bored by her husband "my husband s a sort of promissory note; I am tired of meeting him" and that as a result she thinks that it is
After reading the novel it can be said that true love is real and Hurston definitely presented the idea that true love is difficult to attain. Janie’s first marriage to Logan Killicks was mostly determined by her grandmother’s vision of wealth and security for her granddaughter. This marriage forced Janie to grow up very quickly and discover what she desires with another man. At a young age Janie’s grandmother had Janie married off to Logan Killicks. After a couple months of marriage, Janie goes to visit her grandmother and her grandmother questions why she is there.
Whereas Romeo's reaction was focused on Juliet and his pain of her loss and want to be with her.Wuthering Heights, by Emily Brontë, is an epic romance novel of the Victorian Era. Throughout the novel, it intertwines the lives and hearts of two family names, the Linton's and the Earnshaw's. Love is able to bring them together, but revenge and animosity pulls them apart. In Wuthering Heights, the characters confess their love to each other and rush into marriage even though they do not truly love one another. It is often influenced by money and greed.
Men and Women of the Victorian Era had very distinct roles. Women looked for values in men-duty, respectability, commercial success, etc. If the men were not married, then they were not fully successful. Keeping a woman and his family safe and cared for showed great success. The women‘s role was to marry, and then take part in the husbands interests.
To summarize her point, In “The Future of Love: Kiss Romance Goodbye, It’s time for the Real Thing,” She discusses the relationship between love and marriage. She outlines the historical and cultural definitions of marriage to illustrate that marriage being based on love is a recent idea of the 20th century. She also tells us how the scientific evidence shows that biologically love is misleading, and is not enough to base a long-term relationship on. Graham states that the reason of our century’s high divorce rates is due to expectations of ideal love . She also says that “In short, marriage was designed to serve the economic and social needs of families, communities, and religious institutions, and had little or nothing to do with love.