As I read Elinor's reaction after hearing from Lucy Steele regarding her secret 4 year engagement to Edward, I have often wondered to myself whether she makes too many allowances for Edward?

She weeps for him and pities him. How could he stand having to be married to girl all his life?

Perhaps I am applying my modern-day standards to this story but, really, if he was in such a pitiable state, could he not enlist his family's support in releasing him from this engagement? All he need do is tell his mother what happened and, after listening to her lecture him for a while, she'd figure out how to end the engagement.

Could Edward's prolonged engagement to a completely unsuitable girl be a form of secret rebellion by him against his mother?