what extent these two terms were linked together or considered as opposite. To accomplish this matter we are going to focus our attention on several works that are

representative from this period and that reflect in an accurate way the social mores and more specifically, marriage conventions and romantic love. Throughout this

discussion we will be emphasizing the idea that marriage is represented in these works as an institution completely detached from love and that it pursues more than

anything else economic purposes and an rising in the social hierarchy. First of all we should account for the situation of English women during the eighteenth century,

that despite several social improvements, continued having less rights or freedom than men within the family and marriage as an institution. Patriarchal forms were still

a deep-rooted custom that ruled society, which was male-centered. Marriage was often forced on women as their only way of having a recognized position in

society, but at the same time led them to slave

and that Love had no share, or but very little in the matter."(p.83). Moll Flanders is a story about the evolution of a woman from a low to a mid-class status. Since

explains that after being obliged to maintain an illicit sexual intercourse she lost her virtue and with it all her rights as a woman in society. This leads us a to the

this aspect can be found in Goldsmith's work She Stoops to Conquer. At the very beginning of the play Mr.Hardcastle expresses that he has already chosen a

Some topics in this essay:
Moll Flanders, Wrongs Woman, Love Marriage, Kate Hardcastle, Woman Peggy, Stoops Conquer, Miss Neville, George Vernables, Joseph Andrews, Hence Darnford, eighteenth century, mary wrongs woman, moll flanders, wrongs woman, mary wrongs, life life, social scale, rising social, stoops conquer, fine gentleman, love marriage, women eighteenth century,