The Cloven Foot · Question
How does The Cloven Foot develop the theme of Love and Marriage?
Answer
The Cloven Foot by M. E. Braddon develops Love and Marriage across the chapters the companion marks for this theme.
Marriage is portrayed as both a romantic ideal and a transactional arrangement, with characters like Laura and John marrying under false pretenses to fulfill a will's conditions, while genuine love struggles against societal and legal constraints.
Jasper Treverton's condition that John must marry Laura Malcolm to inherit the fortune introduces a transactional view of marriage, blending romantic and economic motives.
The marriage condition creates an awkward, transactional dynamic between John and Laura, contrasting romantic ideals.
The condition of Jasper Treverton's will forces a potential marriage between John and Laura, raising questions about duty, romance, and personal choice.
Evidence in the book
- I: The Heir Presumptive
Jasper Treverton's condition that John must marry Laura Malcolm to inherit the fortune introduces a transactional view of marriage, blending romantic and economic motives.
- Jasper Treverton's Will
The marriage condition creates an awkward, transactional dynamic between John and Laura, contrasting romantic ideals.
- III: A Mysterious Visitor
The condition of Jasper Treverton's will forces a potential marriage between John and Laura, raising questions about duty, romance, and personal choice.
- La Chicot
The marriage of La Chicot and Jack is tumultuous, marked by passion, quarrels, and regret, illustrating a dysfunctional union.
- A Disappointed Lover
Laura and John's potential marriage is framed as a duty-bound arrangement, contrasting with Edward's romantic hopes and the ideal of a love match.
- La Chicot Has Her Own Way
The chapter explores the decay of a marriage, with Jack feeling trapped and La Chicot indifferent to his concerns.
- VII: "A Little While Such Lips as Thine to Kiss"
Celia's teasing and Laura's cautious response reveal the social pressures and romantic expectations surrounding Laura's potential marriage to Treverton.
- Days That Are Over, Dreams That Are Done
The Chicots' unhappy marriage is dissected by neighbors and by Gerard, who questions Jack's love.
