Washington Square vs. Sense and Sensibility (poss. Spoilers)

Posted by Lynne on October 26, 1997 at 01:41:50:

I just saw the movie Washington Square today (and I would recommend seeing it, too) and I could not help but compare this story with S&S, and other works of Jane Austen's. . In some ways, very similar...which is more important: love or money? One thing with Jane Austen: she does ask her characters to recognize wealth, and to validate its existence: for instance, free talk is given about the incomes of the different characters, and no one seems uncomfortable with considering the wealth of a person as part of the package. Yet, in Washington Square , it is part of the test of Morris Townsend's love that he seems to be asked not to notice or care about Catherine's fortune. I do not believe Jane Austen asks this of her characters. It is understood that in order for one to remain in their class, they must marry not just for love, but for money, too. Of course, Morris Townsend was quite impovershed, and seeking to raise himself out of his class....maybe that is why the difference in attitudes about money.

REPLIES:

• Two-part (and rather involved, sorry) answer Jessamyn 13:39:45 10/26/97 (1)
  • True Lynne 00:37:00 10/27/97 (0)

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