Marriage and Sacrifice

Where it surfaces

• Years of Grace

  Jane's internal conflict about her own marriage and her concerns for Cicily's future underscore the theme of personal sacrifice within marital bonds.

• II

  Jane's reflections on her marriage to Stephen Carver highlight the sacrifices inherent in marital commitments.

• II

  Jane reflects on Lily Furness's unhappy marriage to Mr. Furness, suggesting sacrifice and unfulfillment.

• III

  Jane reflects on her own marriage as a series of compromises and sacrifices, contrasting with Cicily's more independent choice.

• IV

  Jane contemplates the compromises and losses inherent in her own marriage and anticipates similar patterns for Cicily.

• I

  Jane's twelve summers at Gull Rocks, away from Stephen, and her sense of martyrdom underscore the sacrifices made in marriage.

• II

  Jane ponders why men like Stephen sacrifice adventure for bank work and family duty.

• Chapter III

  Jane reflects on her marriage to Stephen—its comforts and limitations—and contrasts it with the romance she might have had with André.

• IV

  Agnes's marriage to Jimmy Trent led to the abandonment of her writing career, while Silly's spinsterhood is marked by unfulfilled dreams, illustrating the sacrifices women make.

• II

  Agnes's marriage to Jimmy Trent is portrayed as a compromise, with Jane viewing Jimmy as a worthless husband despite his charm.

• III

  Jane contrasts her stable marriage with Agnes's strained relationship, highlighting the sacrifices and compromises in marriage.

• Chapter VII

  Jane reflects on fifteen years of marriage and Stephen's consistent habit of meeting her, yet feels a pang of pity comparing his current demeanor to Jimmy's youthful debonairness.

• I

  The conversation contrasts Mrs. Ward's belief that wives must always love their husbands with Jane and Isabel's more nuanced views on infidelity and duty.

• II

  Jane's internal conflict between her desire for freedom and her commitment to Stephen and family life highlights the sacrifices inherent in marriage.

• III

  Jane's reaction to Jimmy's kiss shows her commitment to her marriage and the sacrifices it entails.

• V

  Jane sacrifices full honesty to protect Stephen's innocence and their marriage, choosing silence over confession.

• IV

  Jane sacrifices her desire to stay and talk with Jimmy to uphold marital propriety and avoid gossip, reflecting the constraints of marriage.

• V

  Jane's internal conflict highlights the sacrifices demanded by marriage, as she weighs her love for Jimmy against her commitment to Stephen and her children.

• VI

  Jane chooses to sacrifice her personal happiness and love for Jimmy to honor her marriage vows and family responsibilities.

• Chapter VII

  Jane chooses to remain in her marriage to Stephen despite her deep feelings for Jimmy, sacrificing her own emotional fulfillment for duty.

• V

  Jane reflects on the sacrifices she made in her marriage to Stephen Carver.

• I

  Jane's decision not to run away with Jimmy leads to his enlistment and death, underscoring sacrifice in relationships.

• Chapter II

  Cicily and Jack's decision to marry quickly is driven by the war and the impending separation, highlighting sacrifice for love.

• IV

  Jane reflects on her past engagement to André and her marriage to Stephen, hinting at the sacrifices and irrelevance of her marital choices influenced by war.

• VI

  Jane contemplates her own sacrifice of love for Jimmy in favor of domestic stability and the happiness of others.

• II

  Jane's reflections on her marriage to Stephen Carver and the sacrifices she has made for her family.

• Chapter III

  Jane contemplates the emotional isolation within marriages, the secrets kept between spouses, and the sacrifices made for conventional happiness.

• VI

  Cicily's insistence on Jack's bank job reflects her view of marriage as a partnership where she must push him for their collective good.

• III

  Explored through Jane's and Isabel's differing views on what marriage demands of women.

• I

  Muriel's past sacrifices for her son Albert and her current engagement to Ed Brown highlight the complexities of marriage and duty.

• II

  Cicily feels she 'signed on the dotted line' and is stuck in a marriage that lacks excitement, while Jane reflects on the compromises inherent in long-term marriage.

• IV

  Jane contemplates the sacrifices she made in her own marriage and worries about Cicily's future.

• I

  Jane thinks about André's difficult marriage to Cyprienne and her own past with André.

• II

  The discussion of Cicily's flirtation and its impact on Belle's marriage underscores the tensions between marital fidelity and personal desire.

• V

  Cicily's discussion of alimony and financial sacrifice for love reflects the theme of marriage as a negotiation of personal and economic costs.

• V

  Jane reflects on the compromises and sacrifices inherent in her marriage, and sees similar patterns emerging in Cicily's engagement.

• IV

  Belle's decision to let Albert go and Cicily's pursuit of divorce highlight the tensions between marital commitment and personal desire.

• V

  Cicily's pursuit of personal happiness clashes with Jane's belief in marital duty and sacrifice; Jane's own past sacrifice is contrasted with Cicily's determination.

• VI

  Explored through Isabel's engagement and Cicily's wedding preparations.

• IV

  The chapter explores the moral complexities of marriage, divorce, and remarriage, as Cicily prepares to marry Albert while still legally married to Jack, and Jane grapples with the sordidness of the situation.

• VII

  Cicily's divorce and remarriage highlight the complexities and sacrifices of modern marriage.

• VIII

  Cicily's church wedding is portrayed as a social event and a 'friendly conspiracy of chatter,' yet Jane finds it worse than all previous weddings, haunted by the ghost of Jack.

• Chapter X

  Jane reflects on Stephen's role in her life and feels ashamed of her recent preoccupations with other men, reaffirming her commitment to him.