Similarities Between Moll Flanders And Persuasion

Mrs. Fairfax believes that Rochester will marry Blanche Ingram. Blanche’s family believes they are a great match, with equal social status. Rochester may not have the same plan, as social status is not what he is looking for. Jane is not happy with herself, because she fell in love with a man out of her social reach. Both Jane and Blanche Ingram have positive and negative qualities. Rochester prefers one woman based on those positive qualities.

In these passages of marriage proposals the speakers address a different variety of approaches in a proposing marriage to his proposed. What the speakers use for the rhetorical devices in these passages are arguments, and diction. In the Jane Austen passage the reverend delivers a point of view that is more for convenience, while in the passage of Charles Dickens he distributes a type of view for passion. Mr. Collins who is speaking in Jane Austen’s passage has a tone that appears to be overconfident. He makes it seem in the passage that he supposes his cousin will say yes to the proposal even though he is not interested in her.

So if she had failed in attracting a man of substantial monetary assets, she very well could have exhausted her less-than impressive funds. It is not that Moll was physically unable to support herself, because as can be evidenced in one of her previous quotations, she was quite skilled with a needle and if she had been industrious she could have surely have found several (legal) methods with which to support herself. No, it was Moll’s complete change of attitude: from wanting and knowing herself able to support herself then to not even considering supporting herself and believing that the only way she can be taken care of is if she gets married to a man of well-endowed funds.

Woman with money in the nineteenth century was not a common facet in such a society. Those without monetary value were looked down upon and concluded that the only way to be respected was through a matrimonial bond. Jane Fairfax is a kindhearted woman forced to believe marriage is the only option to avoid a life of servitude. Though everyone only had nice things to say of Ms. Fairfax she is still not financially stable enough to be considered into the class of the wealthy. Mr. Knightly would even comment that she must marry soon to avoid being a simple governess, but Jane does not want to believe outside of marriage her life would inevitably be like her relative; “Miss Bates stood in the very worst predicament in the world for having much of the public favour; and she had no intellectual superiority to make atonement to herself, or frighten those who might hate her, into outward respect...It was her own universal good-will and contented temper which worked such wonders”(Austen pg. 22). This character description of Miss Bates describes the outcome of failing to meet societal standards. A younger Miss Bates did not properly educate herself, obtain financial security independently, or receive monetary gain through marriage. Her

In Jane Austen’s Persuasion, unlike many of her previous works the protagonists involved are middle aged lovers; Anne and Wentworth, who struggled with love before. The narrator of the story has given up on Anne’s prospective of marriage, and so has Anne; however, knowing the conformist pattern of protagonists in her novels, the reader can expect the outcome of Anne’s relationship. Indeed, as it becomes known that the Crofts are to be chosen as the future residents of Kellynch Hall and the possibility of Wentworth again appearing in front of Anne exposes itself, there is a sense of recurrence in the events that initially led the falling apart of the two before. Persuasion is a suitable title for this novel, as must reconsider her previous

On the day of Jane’s wedding during the ceremony, Mr. Rochester’s “wife’s” brother comes and claims that he is already married (Brontë). Mr. Rochester believes he is no longer married because his wife is crazy and it is not a real marriage (Brontë). After this Jane will not marry Mr. Rochester because of the amount of respect she places in herself. Although Jane was aware that she was not beautiful, she refused to sacrifice her self-respect by marrying a man that was already married. Throughout the book the Victorian culture is constantly criticized because of the high value placed in beauty (Triska). In the Victorian era the ideal for women was almost unachievable. To qualify as beautiful you had to have a 12 inch waist and a wear

Mathilde's daydreaming and longing for a wealthy lifestyle starts to not only affect her, but her friendships and her relationships around her as well. Mathilde's husband is considered a middle class clerk in the Ministry of Education and seems to be perfectly happy with his average lifestyle. Even when things were considered out of his financial reach, Mathilde's husband was always trying everything in his power to please her.

As a mistress and rich woman, she is now equal with Rochester and as a result is able to marry him.

“The position of a woman in the seventeenth-century English marriage was dictated by the patriarchal nature of family relationships, with an emphasis on the subordination of women.” (Alice Brabcová, University of West Bohemia, Plzeň)

In yet another example, Mrs. De Bourgh, in her discussions with Elizabeth, reveals that wealth, and the societal station it provides, should be the primary basis for marriage. In her meeting with Elizabeth, Mrs. De Bourgh discusses the importance of planned marriages and how her daughter should be marrying Mr. Darcy instead of Elizabeth, noting that, “While in their cradles, we planned the union; and now, at the moment when the wishes of both sisters would be accompanied, in their marriage, to be prevented by a young woman of inferior birth, of no importance in the world, and wholly unallied to the

In Persuasion, the last of Jane Austen’s works, the readers are immediately intrigued by the autumnal tone of the piece, and the mellowness of the main character, Anne Elliot. Anne, a twenty-seven year old upper middle class woman, met and fell in love with Captain Frederick Wentworth at the age of nineteen. She was however, forced to break off the relationship at the time because Wentworth was deemed an unsuitable match. Eight years later, they meet again and by that time Captain Wentworth has made his fortune in the navy and has become an attractive catch. Anne was now uncertain about his feelings for her. Persuasion examines English society’s view of marriage and

In the Victorian society, marriage was regarded as a union between families and money, in order to increase or maintain social standing. This is shown when Lady Bracknell questions Jack to decide if he is an appropriate suitor for Gwendolen. After hearing Jack’s upbringing, she states “You can hardly imagine that I and Lord Bracknell would dream of allowing our only daughter—a girl brought up with the utmost care—to marry into a cloak-room, and form an alliance with a parcel?” (Wilde, 352).

England has always had a rich history of interesting cultural traditions but arguably none as prevalent as marriage. Marriage, the union of two people with emotional ideals and expectations, are brought on by many different factors that include: for love, for money, for climbing social status, escapism, survival, etc. In Jane Austen’s novels, she focuses on the importance of marriage in her world because she wanted to emphasize how marriage is the most important life event of a woman as this would determine her place in society. Persuasion shows readers good and bad examples of marriage: the amiable Crofts and other couples such as Sir Walter & Lady Elliot and the Smiths. Jane Austen uses the Crofts to support the importance of marriage

Among countless disparities present in 17th century England, one of the most prevalent differences was in gender roles. As a woman, Moll seemed to be troubled with more burdens and pressures than men. What remained constant was having females be subordinate, no matter if they were in a position of poverty or prosperity. This is why in Defoe’s novel, Moll Flanders, the protagonist would have experienced greater difficulty if she had been male. Nothing controlled a community more than money so when men take the central role in a community they become in control of most of the money. Women had their beauty while men had their assets. While Moll may have gotten blessed with beauty and natural talent, she was never looked to as a provider for others and had the luxury of being selfish with her wealth.

It is thoughtless to condemn them, or laugh at them, if they seek to do more or learn more than custom has pronounced necessary for their sex." As a great friendship and affection grow for Jane and Mr. Rochester, Jane notices that Rochester wishes to shower her in jewels, buy her fancy dresses, raise her up to some impossible image of the bride or woman, which does not suit her at all. This new treatment feels unequal, as Rochester would pay for her completely, she feels too dependent on him, and not her own woman. Jane acknowledges that she makes Rochester promise to let her continue on as Adele?s governess and being paid for that so that they are equal, or as she puts it: ?By that I shall earn my board and lodging, and thirty pounds a year besides. I'll furnish my own wardrobe out of that money, and you shall give me nothing but your regard: and if I give you mine in return the debt will be quit." Jane's views on this affair are extremely feminist when taken out of past perspective. In actuality, she attempt to not change the power dynamics of her relationship with Rochester, to be paid for work, instead of becoming his object or property. But she admits later: "My future husband was becoming to me my whole world; and more than the world: almost my hope of heaven.