# Class and Social Appearance in The Law and the Lady

> Theme guide for The Law and the Lady by Wilkie Collins.

The book contrasts social status and physical beauty, as seen in the plain wife's jealousy of the attractive Mrs. Beauly, and the critique of marriages based on money or appearance rather than genuine affection.

## Where it surfaces

- [III: Ramsgate Sands](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_law_and_the_lady_se/chapters/iii-ramsgate-sands): The landlady's overfamiliar address of 'Mrs. Woodville' and the mother-in-law's disdain reflect class distinctions and the importance of social propriety.
- [V: The Landlady’s Discovery](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_law_and_the_lady_se/chapters/v-the-landlady-s-discovery): The landlady emphasizes her status as a 'gentlewoman' reduced to letting lodgings and her concern about 'taint' from mystery in a lodger's position, reflecting Victorian class anxieties.
- [The Defense of Mrs. Beauly](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_law_and_the_lady_se/chapters/xxxi-the-defense-of-mrs-beauly): Lady Clarinda's description of Mrs. Beauly's unconventional behavior and the social risks of attending a disreputable ball.
- [Gleninch](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_law_and_the_lady_se/chapters/xxxiv-gleninch): The deserted grandeur of Gleninch contrasts with its tragic history, highlighting the gap between appearance and reality.
- [The Last of the Story](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_law_and_the_lady_se/chapters/l-the-last-of-the-story): Major Fitz-David's bride marries for money and status, revealing the mercenary side of Victorian marriage.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_law_and_the_lady_se/themes/class_and_social_appearance
- Themes index: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_law_and_the_lady_se/themes