The moral high ground

Quick Index Board Index Home FAQ Site Map

View thread | Previous message | Next message

The moral high ground Written by Line (10/24/2008 1:58 p.m.) in consequence of the missive, It's fascinating to me, penned by LeeAnne

It's clear from all of JA's novels that she was always in favour of marrying for love, though in P&P we get a sympathetic description of Charlotte Lucas' POV as well. However, by "Mansfield Park", the most "moral" of JA's novels, we are given evidence that the Omniscient Narrator feels that marrying without love would be not only regrettable, but morally wrong.

In ch.32 of MP, Fanny, the moral example of the novel, hopes "that her uncle’s displeasure was abating, and would abate farther as he considered the matter with more impartiality, and felt, as a good man must feel, how wretched, and how unpardonable, how hopeless, and how wicked it was to marry without affection."

In ch.35, Edmund asks "How could you imagine me an advocate for marriage without love?"

IMO, Anne won't consider either Charles Musgrove or Mr. Elliot because she not only doesn't love either of them, she also feels she never will be able to love them with the memory of CW to compare them to. As JA's most nearly perfect heroine, I think Anne feels that it would be morally worthier to stay single for the rest of her life than to marry a man she can never love.

Previous message | Next message | Board index

Chapter 17 - Anne and Mr Elliot... Moni (10/24/2008 3:23 a.m.)

Anne is presented to repeat her mothers mistake Elbè (10/24/2008 4:42 a.m.)
- I have to say JulieW (10/24/2008 5:29 a.m.)
  - I think the same Patricia P (10/24/2008 1:33 p.m.)
    - I think she thought Anne would be happy LeeAnne (10/24/2008 2:17 p.m.)
      - Did LR really respect Anne's feelings now?   JanELT (10/25/2008 11:03 a.m.)
        
        In Chapter 2 Lady Russell...   Moni (10/26/2008 3:42 a.m.)
        
        That makes sense.   JanELT (10/26/2008 6:32 p.m.)
  - This is a good point... Moni (10/26/2008 3:26 a.m.)
It's fascinating to me LeeAnne (10/24/2008 11:15 a.m.)
- The moral high ground Line (10/24/2008 1:58 p.m.)
  - Anne marrying without love. Rachel G (10/24/2008 3:36 p.m.)
    - The two go together, IMO Line (10/24/2008 7:57 p.m.)
  - Yes, this kind of moral value matches with... Moni (10/26/2008 2:58 a.m.)
    - Correction... Moni (10/26/2008 3:17 a.m.)

Groupread is maintained by Myretta with WebBBS 3.21.

View thread | Previous message | Next message Board index

- Jane Austen | Republic of Pemberley -

Quick Index

Home

Site Map

JAInfo