Suspense · Theme
Social Class and Upward Mobility
How Suspense develops Social Class and Upward Mobility.
The narrative explores the tensions of class, particularly through Count Helion de Montevesso, an upstart whose wealth and title clash with aristocratic sensibilities, and through the struggles of the exiled nobility trying to regain status.
Where it surfaces
- II
The contrast between the servants' practical concerns and the nobles' faded grandeur highlights class dynamics in exile.
- III
The marriage of Adèle to an 'upstart' with a newly acquired fortune challenges traditional class boundaries, as seen in Sir Charles's disdain and the émigré community's mixed reactions.
- I
The contrast between the British naval officers and the somber local patrons, along with the doctor's comments on heroes and gentlemen, underscores class distinctions in the post-war world.
- IV
Cosmo views Count de Montevesso as a dubious adventurer whose wealth, gained in India, allowed him to marry into the aristocracy, a possibility only due to the laxity of London society.
- V
The Count's rise from humble origins to wealth and status contrasts with the Countess's aristocratic background.
- VII
Clelia's distress stems from her feeling of being an outsider among the 'grandissimi signori'. The Count's ambition for her to marry a 'marquis or a count' highlights the theme of social climbing.