Last night we watched BBC's Sense & Sensibility. It's a really great movie, much like the 1995 Emma Thompson/Kate Winslet version. While watching it though, Ben asked a very good question... one that had not occured to me any of the gazillion times I'd seen it before...
Due to the patrilineal society of the time, widows with no sons (like the Dashwoods) were pretty much left destitute since their husband's estate would be rightfully claimed by the male next of kin. Ok, I get that... this is why the Dashwood ladies were in the predicament they were in. Now... the question is... if the widow herself is not entitled to the estate, rather her sons, then WHY does Mrs.Ferrars have the right to decide what part of the fortune goes to whom? She disowns Edward for his secret engangement to Miss Steele and then Robert gets it all but... how come Edward (being the ELDEST son to boot!) can't tell his dearest mum to shove off and do what he pleases with HIS (according to the law of the land, right?) inheritance?
So if women were indeed allowed to have that much decisive power, why not just let them have the money period? Makes no sense...
Due to the patrilineal society of the time, widows with no sons (like the Dashwoods) were pretty much left destitute since their husband's estate would be rightfully claimed by the male next of kin. Ok, I get that... this is why the Dashwood ladies were in the predicament they were in. Now... the question is... if the widow herself is not entitled to the estate, rather her sons, then WHY does Mrs.Ferrars have the right to decide what part of the fortune goes to whom? She disowns Edward for his secret engangement to Miss Steele and then Robert gets it all but... how come Edward (being the ELDEST son to boot!) can't tell his dearest mum to shove off and do what he pleases with HIS (according to the law of the land, right?) inheritance?
So if women were indeed allowed to have that much decisive power, why not just let them have the money period? Makes no sense...
1 comment:
You know, I have never had that question enter my head in all of the period books I have read (countless). lol Good one!
Post a Comment