Theme of Marriage in ‘Sense and Sensibility’ and ‘Middlemarch’

Name            :            Rabhadiya Vinod

Roll No.        :            34

Batch Year   :            2014/15

Semester       :            2

Paper No       :            5 (Romantic Literature)

Topic             :            Theme of Marriage in ‘Sense and Sensibility’ and ‘Middlemarch’

 

 

Submitted To :         S.B.G. Dept. Of English

                                 M.K.K.S. Bhavnagar University

 

Theme of Marriage in ‘Sense and Sensibility’ and ‘Middlemarch’

Introduction:

Brief Introduction about Novelists:

Jane Austen:

          Jane Austen the daughter of a Hampshire clergyman was born on December 16, 1775 at Stevenson Beginning of her teen years Austen wrote poems, stories and comic pieces for the amusement of her family. Her one of the masterpiece is ‘Sense and Sensibility’. Her other works are:

·        Pride and Prejudice

·        Northanger Abbey

·        Emma, etc….

George Eliot:

          George Eliot was born on November 22, 1819. Eliot chose to write her novels under a male pseudonym Mary Anne Evans. ‘Middlemarch’ was one of the great works of Eliot. This is highly unusual novel. Though it is primarily a Victorian novel it has many typical characteristics to modern novels. The subtitle of this novel is ‘A Study of Provincial Life’.

          In both the novels ‘Sense and Sensibility’ and ‘Middlemarch’ the major theme is found of marriage. The principal theme of both novels is matrimony. Generally the heroines take wrong decision, series of misunderstanding and frustration to delay but never to prevent their union. Therefore, keeping these characters Elinor and Marianne in center, Austen coveys her ideas like marriage in this novel. While the same elements can be observed in the novel of George Eliot’s ‘Middlemarch. Hence, through the characters of Dorothea and Rosamond, here the novelist unfolds the theme of matrimony. Let’s take a bird’s view about the theme of matrimony in both of these novels in detail.

Matrimony:

         

          The principal theme of ‘Sense and Sensibility’ is matrimony. Mrs. Dashwood has three daughters Elinor, Marianne, and Margaret and they were living with their distance relations the Middleton’s. Elinor closely attached to Edward Ferrars. Marianne discovers many new acquaintances including the retired officer and bachelor Colonel Brandon and the gallant and impetuous John Willoughby, who rescues Marianne after she twists her ankle running down the hills of Barton in the rain. This is one romantic scene when Marianne falls in love with Willoughby but finally she married with Colonel Brandon.

          One of the central themes that run through ‘Middlemarch’ is that of marriage. Indeed, it has been argued that ‘Middlemarch’ can be construed as a treatise in favor of divorce. Eliot not only includes the new couples (Fred and Mary, Celia and Chettam) but also the older once (the Garths and the Cadwalladers and the Bulstrodes).

          Most characters in ‘Middlemarch’ marry for love rather than obligation, marriage to consider the ultimate source of happiness two examples are the failed marriage of Dorothea and Lydgate. Dorothea’s marriage fails about marring a much older man. While Lydgate’s marriage fails because of irreconcilable personalities grand Mrs. Bulstrode also faces marital crisis due to his inability to tell her about the past and marry Garth also face a great deal of hardship in making their union as none of the marriage reach a perfect fairytale ending ‘Middlemarch’ affairs a dear critique of the usual portrayal of marriage as romantic and unproblematic.

The Imperfection of Marriage:

          In ‘Sense and Sensibility’ marriage still appears negative and unromantic. Elinor, the elder sister represents qualities of ‘sense’ and Marianne her younger sister represents qualities of ‘sensibility’. Bothe the sisters have sense and sensibility but we can see imperfection of marriage in this novel. Because one scene shows to us that Elinor is sad to leave their home ad Nor land because she has become closely attached to Edward Ferrars but Edward engaged with Lucy and Lucy has married with Robert, the elder brother of Edward. Later on Edward propose to Elinor and she married with him.  Same thing happens with Marianne loves Willoughby who rescues Marianne after she twists her ankle running down the hills of Barton in the rain. But, when he told her that he had no any feelings for her at that Marianne broke her heart and she married with Colonel Brandon and John Willoughby married with Mrs. Grey. So there is imperfection of marriage in ‘Sense and Sensibility’.

          In ‘Middlemarch’ most of the characters marry for love rather than obligation. In many novels of the time marriage is not considered the ultimate source of happiness. Two examples are the failed marriage of Dorothea and Lydgate. Dorothea wants to reform the society. She wants a kind of social reform which removes all the vices from the society so she wants to marry because of helping. She doesn’t know regarding the society and jumps into the society with unconscious mind. Her marriage fails because of her illusion of youth and older man, while Lydgate’s marriage fails because of irreconcilable personalities Mr. and Mrs. Bulstrode also face a great deal of hardship in making reach a perfect fairy tale ending. So we can also see imperfection and unromantic of marriage.

Vocation and its Frustration:

          In love affairs there will be frustration despair, break hearts, etc. In ‘Sense and Sensibility’ we can see vocation and its frustration in both the main characters stories of Elinor and Marianne because of their love. First Elinor loves Edward but he suddenly engaged with Lucy. But the there is misunderstanding take place because Lucy married with Robert, Edward’s elder brother, while she has love feelings for Edward. Meanwhile Marianne loves Willoughby but for vocation purpose and money matter Willoughby suddenly announces that he must depart for London for and married with Mrs. Grey leaving Marianne lovesick and miserable. Then Marianne has to marry with Colonel Brandon a retired officer. So frustration and miserable atmosphere we can see in ‘Sense and Sensibility’.

          In ‘Middlemarch’ the political and social atmosphere of society in became problematic and frustration idealism. Dorothea’s life is also a tragedy of frustration idealism. She has been referred to as a modern st. Theresa by her intense desire to do well for noble achievement. But ‘Middlemarch’ narrow minded society, people, their tradition, religion all the things force Dorothea to self sacrifice for her love. While Lydgate, who is wee educated and cultured he is not wasting money in common fashionable physician.

          Dorothea marries Casaubon in the hope that in marrying him she would be marring a pascal and find her true vocation by heaping him in scholarly researches again her quest is frustrated because Casaubon is not true scholar but only dried up pedant. Dorothea fails to find her vocation through it.

          Lydgate is equally frustrated in her quest for a proper vocation. He hasn’t success in his project of financial help. So Lydgate also frustrated with his marriage life.

          So, in both the novels frustration and vocation theme of marriage we can easily see.

Self-sacrifice and Selfishness:

          Elinor especially is model of self-sacrifice. She helped her younger sister Marianne travel to London with Mrs. Jennings for her sister’s happiness and love, and trying her best to be civil to everyone to make up for Marianne’s uncivil behavior. Marianne is the opposite character of Elinor, caing only her-self and her feelings. She needs to learn how to be giving toward others in order to become her own, independent person. Elinor represents qualities of sense, reason restraint, social responsibility and Marianne represents sensibility who only cares herself and her feelings. So Elinor comes out self-sacrifice character while Marianne comes out in some matter selfishness character.

          In ‘Middlemarch’ also we can see similarity between Dorothea and Elinor’s characters. Both are comes out as self-sacrifice. Dorothea is an exceptional, pious woman. Her growing principle of her character is her desire to help the needy. She has been referred as modern st. Theresa. By giving money to Lydgate for hospital and frees from his debt of Bulstrode. Casaubon seems selfishness character in some matter when his only desire to marry with Dorothea only for her submissive and worshipful nature. Her stubborn indepence frustrates him while in Dorothea’s mind there is nothing like that.

          Rosamond is also genteel character but when Lydgate loses his money at that time Rosamond loses interest with Lydgate. So Rosamond in this point comes as selfishness nature.

          In the love matter of Fred and Mary marry comes out selfishness when she refuses to marry him if he becomes clergyman.

Social life in both the Novels:

          In ‘Sense and Sensibility’ Austen represents her interests and intention’s picture through social life by this novel. Most of the characters are related to one another’s family. Three families are very important. They are:

·        The Dashwood Family

·        Mrs. Ferras Family

·        Mrs. Jennings Family

          The families visit each other. They arrange parties and invite others to join. There are engagements, marriages, pregnant women, child births, breaking of engagements etc. They all belong to semi wealthy class or wealthy class. They are showy as well as simple people, cunning crafty and spirited.

          There are various relationships. Mostly they are related to women. Elinor’s Edward love then break up and again the purpose by Edward to Elinor. Same thing with Marianne loves Willoughby and finally marries with Colonel Brandon. So how social life was there in London beautifully presented by Jane Austen.

          In ‘Middlemarch’ George Eliot has tried to present true picture of Middlemarch town. She represents narrow minded people , their religion, tradition. Dorothea’s social life and intense to help people her ideas by making projects and rebuilding and to help poor people. Lydgate also good scholar person but something wrong is going in his life and he has to loss his financial heritage and marries with Rosamond. So in the both novels we can see in social life that there are many relations with women, individual often receive harsh public criticism, misunderstanding, bitterness, selfishness all the things intimately presents the social life of ‘Middlemarch’ and ‘Sense and Sensibility’.

The Harshness of Social Expectations:

         

          The ways in which people conduct themselves and how community judges them are closely linked in both the novels.

          In ‘Sense and Sensibility’ we can expectation of both the daughter of Dashwood family. Their expectations for love, their expectations for marriage and happiness but the reality total different. Elinor has to suffer to get Edward. How the society the social life plays a role to marry with him. Another example of Marianne’s love with Willoughby. Her feelings, her desires but the modernism and idealism atmosphere created something round Willoughby, so that he thinks to leave, from the relation of Marianne and will marry with Mrs. Grey who is financially well known person.

          In ‘Middlemarch’ one good example of Dorothea modern St. Theresa is also feeling the harshness of society. How she helps others, projects for people but she becomes a “puppet” when Casaubon only marries with because of her submissive and worshipful mature. The expectations of the social community are not met, individual often receive harsh public criticism. For example the community judges Ladislaw harshly because of his mixed pedigree. Fred Vincy is almost disowned because he chooses to go against his family wishes and not join the clergy. It is only when Vincy goes against the wishes of the community by foregoing his education that he finds true love and happiness. Finally, Rosamond’s need for gentility and the desire to live up to social standards becomes her downfall the rules of society allows her to emerge as the most respectable character in the end.

Money/ Inheritance:

          Austen and Elinor both describe how in rich people in modernism, money matters becomes importance. How money matters can change the relations in few seconds, how money matters are very important in both the sides ‘Middlemarch’ and ‘Sense and Sensibility’.

          Dashwood families also suffered in this novel and Elinor has also to leave his love Edward at Nor Land. When Willoughby informing Marianne he is an engaged to Miss Grey, a high born, wealthy woman with fifty thousand pounds. So it proves that in money matters there is no any kind of relations.

          In ‘Middlemarch’ also same type of situation or money matters can be seen. Edward Casaubon has something in his about the wealth and property of Dorothea. He becomes jealous of Will’s relationship with Dorothea. He includes an addendum in his will starting that Dorothea will lose his wealth and property is she ever marries Will Ladishaw. He dies before finishing his keys. Rosamond Vincy marries with Lydgate because she thinks that he is very rich and because he has titled relatives.

Hypocrisy:

          In both the novels Austen and Eliot tries to bring out reality of society, a hypocritical image of society. Likewise imperfection of marriage, social life, money, inheritance, self-sacrifice, disappointment represents a hypocritical picture of the people. Meanwhile the fashion of rich people, their living style, their different hobbies like party, love, pregnant woman all the shekels of people reveal the reality and real picture of human kind. How money meters in their relations, break up, feelings, love, happiness, willingness of marriage. In ‘Sense and Sensibility’ eventually Elinor becomes victim of hypocritical society. In Marianne’s case also we can see such type of image. A vast number of characters in the novel embody this trail to varying degrees. John and Emmy, Lady Middleton, the steel girls, Mrs. Ferras and Robert, among others lead our vision towards hypocritical display of self serving flattery, Vanity and professing opinions they do not believe in for self gaining or to get ahead with others. Unfortunately none of this character is thought any better in the course of the novel as hypocrisy is unavoidable part of human nature and almost a part of polite society as well.

          In ‘Middlemarch’ also it displays real image of hypocritical society. One of the examples Fred can’t convince the parents to marry with Marry Garth as she is from middle class family. Moreover there are many characters which show the reality of the society. One of the Dorothea a self-sacrifice lady, pious woman bust she has made ‘puppet’ in the hand of Casaubon. In Lydgate and Rosamond, Lydgate was good scholar man but Rosamond only marries with him in hope to live fashionable, wealthy and higher society life style. But around the atmosphere of that town is also responsible for such hypo critic thing. Money, hobbies, to become rich, these all things play a part to create society on that way; there the society will show the reality of person.

Conclusion:

          Both the novels ‘Sense and Sensibility and ‘Middlemarch’ display the theme of love, marriage, affairs, break up, disappointment and misunderstanding. People within the novel have varying ideas of family obligation in the novel. The main theme of both the novels is matrimony. But modernism, idealism, self-sacrifice love and hobbies to join rich people’s parties are showing a picture of the reality of the person in married life. Money matters also a vital part of this society. In other way both the writers tries to bring out the real image of human kind in which they are freeing in or two way problems or other way happiness of making relations with others. ‘Middlemarch’ is also great example where there are exploitation of research to earn money to get love, to get happiness same way ‘Sense and Sensibility’ also reflect the image of expectations of peoples to get something desirable for him or himself.