# Inheritance and Legitimacy in The Cloven Foot

> Theme guide for The Cloven Foot by M. E. Braddon.

The entire plot is driven by Jasper Treverton's will, which conditions inheritance on a marriage, raising questions about rightful ownership, fraud, and the legitimacy of claims to property.

## Where it surfaces

- [I: The Heir Presumptive](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/chapters/i-the-heir-presumptive): The entire chapter revolves around the inheritance of Jasper Treverton's estate, with John Treverton as the sole surviving relative and the condition of marriage attached to the bequest.
- [Jasper Treverton's Will](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/chapters/ii-jasper-treverton-s-will): The will's condition ties John's inheritance to marriage with Laura, raising questions about legitimacy and obligation.
- [A Disappointed Lover](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/chapters/v-a-disappointed-lover): Jasper Treverton's will forces John to marry Laura to inherit, creating tension between personal desire and financial obligation.
- [IX: “And Art Thou Come! and Art Thou True!”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/chapters/ix-and-art-thou-come-and-art-thou-true): The marriage is driven by the conditions of Jasper Treverton's will; Laura and John must marry to secure the estate and prevent it from going to a hospital.
- [XIII: The Settlement](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/chapters/xiii-the-settlement): The deed of settlement transfers John's inherited estate to Laura, emphasizing themes of property, inheritance, and the legal securing of a wife's position.
- [XXVI: A Disinterested Parent](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/chapters/xxvi-a-disinterested-parent): Laura's adoption by Jasper Treverton and the revelation of her true father raise questions about inheritance and familial legitimacy.
- [On His Defence](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/chapters/xxxii-on-his-defence): The validity of Treverton's first marriage directly impacts his right to inherit the Hazlehurst estate, with the potential for the estate to be used to found a hospital.
- [On a Voyage of Discovery](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/chapters/xxxv-on-a-voyage-of-discovery): The validity of Treverton's first marriage directly impacts his inheritance and the legitimacy of his current marriage.
- [XXXVI: Kergariou's Wife](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/chapters/xxxvi-kergariou-s-wife): The discovery that John's second marriage is valid secures his claim to Jasper Treverton's estate without fraud.
- [Celia's Lovers](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/chapters/xxxviii-celia-s-lovers): John's legal position regarding Jasper Treverton's estate is secured by proving his first marriage was not legitimate.
- [XLII: The Undertaker's Evidence](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/chapters/xlii-the-undertaker-s-evidence): Laura's anxiety about her father's criminality and her own legitimacy is resolved.
- [An Old Lady's Diary](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/chapters/xliii-an-old-lady-s-diary): Laura's financial independence from a deed of trust and her marriage to the inheritor of her benefactor's estate are discussed.
- [Epilogue](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/chapters/epilogue): The birth of John Treverton's firstborn son ensures the continuation of the family name and legacy, fulfilling Jasper Treverton's hopes.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/themes/inheritance_and_legitimacy
- Themes index: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/themes