Love in Limbo

Here is a brief sketch of the second part of the 17th Century. 

The 17th century had that very dismal decade (1649–1659) known as the Puritan Period. Love was put into limbo. Both Donne and Shakespeare would not have flourished in this period. Lucky for them, and the other Elizabethans and early 17th century writers, that they wrote when they did. During the Puritan republic love poetry was shunned and the theatres were actually closed down. It was all work and and no play. 1660 restored the monarchy, hence the Restoration Period. This period also restored literature to its rightful place, although it was battered and bruised, and nowhere near the grandeur of the Renaissance. 

William Congreve (1670-1729) explored the turbulent flow of emotions in contrast with the restraints of marriage with his Restoration comedies. Samuel Richardson (1689-1761) in the 18th century, pointed out that virtuous love would always be rewarded, whereas unscrupulous love would only lead to ruin and self-destruction. This male chauvinistic view of love was a far cry from the Renaissance understanding of love, and was most likely due to the Puritan heritage. In Richardson’s Pamela, Or Virtue Rewarded, Pamela, a maidservant, is harassed, stalked and kidnapped by her employer who wants to seduce her, but she resists and does not give herself to him. The end of this long epistolary story is shocking for us in a modern perspective; she is rewarded with his proposal of marriage. She accepts her employer’s advantageous proposal and everybody lives happily ever after. 

Talking of advantageous marriages and love I can’t but mention Jane Austen (1775-1817) Her novels like Sense and Sensibility (1811), Pride and Prejudice (1813), Mansfield Park (1814) and Emma (1816) exemplify the dependence of women on marriage in the early 19th century. However, Austen also created extraordinary female characters who, although in the pursuit of social standing and economic security, fought for their own individuality. A case in point is Elizabeth Bennet the protagonist of Pride and Prejudice. Both men and women in that period were aware that love and marriage were subject to social status and money: 

“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.”

Elizabeth’s pride initially makes her dislike Mr. Darcy, her rich suitor, because of his supercilious attitude towards her family. Darcy’s prejudice of Elizabeth’s social status, on the other hand, stops him from giving in to the profound love he feels for her. A bit of a cat and mouse love story. Elizabeth’s initial refusal of Mr. Darcy’s proposal was quite a revolutionary choice in that period, when women were portrayed as only having marriage and money on their mind. 

After a silence of several minutes, he came towards her in an agitated manner, and thus began. In vain have I struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.
…
In such cases as this, it is, I believe, the established mode to express a sense of obligation for the sentiments avowed, however unequally they may be returned. It is natural that obligation should be felt, and if I could feel gratitude, I would now thank you. But I cannot -- I have never desired your good opinion, and you have certainly bestowed it most unwillingly. I am sorry to have occasioned pain to any one. It has been most unconsciously done, however, and I hope will be of short duration. The feelings which, you tell me, have long prevented the acknowledgement of your regard, can have little difficulty in overcoming it after this explanation. 

Naturally after all the misunderstandings are ironed out, Darcy’s love is rekindled and Elizabeth accepts his hand in marriage. We know that their marriage is not one of convenience but one of true love. Tomorrow the Romantic Period.