Considering the choices women had in Jane Austen's time, where does Lucy Steele fit into the role of women? How does Austen use Lucy to further the plot and deepen the characterization of Elinor and Edward? Your answer should be

at least 250 words.

Women had only one main choice in regards to their lives within the time period that Jane Austen wrote Sense and Sensibility. Women had to be married off to older gentlemen in order to be financially secure as predominately their brother would receive any inheritance. Lucy is a prime example of a woman who went along with the status quo of society and married not for love but instead for the financial security. She valued connection and societal views more than she valued independence and attachment. Jane Austen utilized Lucy as a way to demonstrate the sad truths of how society valued marriage, as more of a business deal instead of holding sacred the value of emotions and love that should accompany marriage. Lucy did not come to realize that sense and sensibility in moderation could bring her far more happiness than money ever could. Lucy deepens the plot by initially having an attachment to Edward Farrer, who was the object of Elinor's one and only affection. In the end, because Lucy decided to marry Edward's brother instead because he was receiving the inheritance, it demonstrated how Edward and Elinor valued attachment opposed to connections. Edward had given up his inheritance to be with Lucy however, she saw this as a horrid thing to do and chose to give up her love to him for a materialistic value instead. This demonstrated the development of Elinor and Edward's character as they both learned that to love one another they needed to not only demonstrate the characteristics of sense but also encompass sensibility and with both in moderation they were able to reach a state of happiness and contentment within each other.

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