Marriage

Barnes describes many marriages and delves deep into the differences between British and French attitudes towards marriage in order to demonstrate that the Belle Époque held a decidedly structured and yet -- for the modern reader -- counterintuitive understanding of marriage. The modern Anglophone reader, descended normatively from British sensibilities and understandings, would likely expect marriage to be undertaken voluntarily, for the purpose of love, between two individuals regardless of stature or wealth. This is the idealistic vision, naturally, but it contrasts greatly with the Belle Époque's ideal version of marriage greatly: there, an ideal marriage was one which brought together two individuals of close rank, expanded one's personal connections and wealth, and which did not need to involve love at all. Sexuality is kept within the confines of the marriage in the former ideal scenario, but is almost mandatorily removed from the confines of marriage in the...