Lady Susan

Throughout the novella, Austen demonstrates how important marriage is as it concerns one’s social positionality, an aspect of one’s character that is itself of the utmost importance to the 18th century landed gentry. Women within the wealthy class depended upon marriage to ensure their social standing as well as their economic security. When Susan writes to Alicia about the possibility of marrying Reginald, she mentions this dependence: “I cannot easily resolve on anything so serious as marriage, especially as I am not at present in want of money, and might perhaps, till the old gentleman’s death, be very little benefitted by the match” (19). More than anything, Susan constructs marriage as a nearly transactional event, wherein the woman would gain financial security and upwardly mobilize her social positionality in exchange for her partnership. Susan believes that marriage should solely serve to materially benefit her, and thus is not a covenant into which she can enter lightly. Susan depicts a cynical view of marriage, as she acknowledges its importance while simultaneously considering its many drawbacks.

One of these drawbacks is the freedom that women give up in exchange for stability. Susan very much enjoys the freedom to do whatever she pleases after her husband dies, as she no longer has a man whom she must answer to.