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A Hazard of New Fortunes · Theme

Love and Marriage

How A Hazard of New Fortunes develops Love and Marriage.

Romantic relationships and marriages are depicted as complex negotiations of affection, social status, and economic security, as seen in Beaton's vacillations between Christine Dryfoos, Alma Leighton, and Margaret Vance, and in the Marches' enduring but tested partnership.

Where it surfaces

  • IV

    The Marches' negotiation over the move reveals their deep mutual reliance, the compromises of marriage, and the blend of humor and pathos in their relationship.

  • V

    Beaton's unrequited interest in Alma and her deliberate emotional distance explore the complexities of romantic pursuit and rejection.

  • XV

    Alma's rejection of Beaton and her mother's concern about her romantic choices explore themes of love, trust, and independence.

  • III

    Beaton's attention to Christine and her evident happiness suggest a budding romantic interest, complicated by Dryfoos's suspicion and class anxieties.

  • VI

    Margaret is described as the kind of girl who might have fancies for artists and poets but might end up marrying a prosperous broker, highlighting the tension between romantic ideals and social expectations.

  • I

    Fulkerson's engagement to Miss Woodburn and Beaton's failed proposal to Alma illustrate different approaches to love, duty, and personal ambition.

  • VII

    Mrs. March speculates that Conrad was in love with Miss Vance, suggesting a romantic dimension to his final actions.

  • XV

    Beaton's desperate proposal and Alma's rejection highlight the tension between romantic love, social expectation, and personal autonomy in marriage.

  • XVI

    The discussion of Beaton's rejection and March's anti-marriage novel idea critique the societal pressure to marry and the romantic idealization of matrimony.

  • XVII

    The destructive and unrequited passion between Beaton and Christine illustrates the darker side of romantic attachment.

  • XVIII

    Fulkerson's marriage and Kendricks's interest in Alma, alongside Christine's engagement, explore various forms of romantic and marital relationships.