This is also highlighted in Chapter 11 when Anne compares herself to Captain Benwick, who has recently lost his wife and is still mourning her death.
“ “And yet,” said Anne to herself, as they now moved forward to meet the party, “he has not, perhaps, a more sorrowing heart than I have. I cannot believe his prospects so blighted for ever. He is younger than I am; younger in feeling, if not in fact; younger as a man. He will rally again, and be happy with another.” ”
Part of the reason that Anne feels Captain Benwick is at an advantage to her is that, although they are the same age, it is socially acceptable for a man to marry much later in life than a woman. This is why Anne describes him as ‘younger as a man’.
Marriage was also a serious consideration since it determined a woman’s future quality of life. Elizabeth had always presumed she would marry Mr. Elliot, Sir Elliot’s heir;
“She had, while a very young girl, as soon as she had known him to be, in the event of her having no brother, the future baronet, meant to marry him; and her father had always meant that she should.”
If Elizabeth had married Mr Elliot, her standard of living and income would have been secure. The couple could also have provided for the rest of the family, e.g. Anne, but since Mr Elliot refused Elizabeth, her future is still uncertain.
In Chapter 4, the significance of marriage is highlighted when Anne is persuaded, against her will, to refuse an offer of marriage from Captain Fredrick Wentworth. Although Fredrick was “a remarkably fine young man with a great deal of intelligence, spirit and brilliance”, he was deemed an unsuitable match for Anne because at that point he did not have any notable wealth or position;
“Anne Elliot, with all her claims of birth, beauty, and mind, to throw herself away at nineteen, involve herself at nineteen in an engagement with a young man, who had nothing but himself to recommend him, and no hopes of attaining affluence, but in the chances of a most uncertain profession, and no connexions to secure even his farther rise in that profession would be, indeed, a throwing away, which she grieved to think of!”
This shows how different the criteria for marriage was in the 1800s – where it was openly admitted that material wealth and social position rather than love were of top priority. This was in direct consequence of the fact that women were nothing on there own had to marry well to be assured quality of life.
The risks of marrying a socially unacceptable person are shown in the episode between Sir Walter Elliot and Mrs. Clay. This potential match is a great worry to Anne, Lady Russell and many of Sir Elliot’s acquaintances because Mrs. Clay has “little to live on and no sir name of dignity”. She would be socially less acceptable and therefore would degrade the family. Another consequence could be that if Sir Walter did marry Mrs. Clay and she had a son, he would inherit the entire Elliot estate and wealth.
Society
Society at the time of Jane Austen was very male dominated. This can clearly be seen in the importance of marriage to a woman’s welfare – she has comparatively few rights on her own and is totally dependent on her male relatives. The fact that Sir Walter has to give his estate to someone he had never previously may when he has three daughters who will receive nothing also highlights male dominance.
‘Persuasion’ also makes it very clear how important social position and connections were in the 1800s. Although it is more important to some characters than to others and Austen warns us against excess class-consciousness, it is clear that social distinction was a definite fact of life.
“ “But was not she a very low woman?”
“Yes; which I objected to, but he would not regard. Money, money, was all that he wanted. Her father was a grazier, her grandfather had been a butcher, but that was all nothing…” ”
In this conversation between Anne and her friend, Mr. Elliot – Sir Walter’s heir – is being regarded as unwise because her did not think of his first wife’s low social position as a problem. (One can see here how different society was at this time since today Anne’s opinions would be very politically incorrect.) Mr. Elliot’s first wife was rich but despite this, her lack of social standing causes her to be immediately judged unworthy of Sir Walter’s heir by his family.
At the other end of the scale are Viscount Dalrymple and his family, cousins of the Elliots, who live at ‘Camden Place’ in Bath.
“There was no superiority of manner, accomplishment, or understanding. Lady Dalrymple had acquired the name of “a charming woman,” because she had a smile and a civil answer for everybody. Miss Cartaret, with still less to say, was so plain and so awkward, that she would never have been tolerated in Camden-place but for her birth.”
Despite their weak characters, the Dalrymples are seen as key in the Elliots’ social lives in Bath – since Mr. Dalrymple is a Viscount, he moves in the ‘best circles’.
near the end of chapter 16
