Marital Power in Dickens' Fiction

The institution of marriage is a favorite subject in the works of Charles Dickens. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the many kinds of unions that appear in Dickens' fiction, such as those based on the patriarchal paradigm, those in which the wife is dominant, and mercenary alliances. Focusing on the abuse of power as a significant factor in these unions, it shows how the success or failure of a marriage is intrinsically linked to the absence or presence of power in the relationship.