Money and status
The main motifs of the novel are money and status. From the very beginning, it is clear that Eugenia and her brother are of some form of high social standing, but they are lacking in wealth. It is the main reason for their visit to Boston from Europe. Both of these characters have an aura of wealth, while their wealthy Bostonian cousins lack in that regard. Mr. Wentworth comes across as a timid and easily influenced father of two daughters, and Mrs. Acton, a woman who lives in a mansion Eugenia imagined herself living, is a hypochondriac woman unable to leave the house and desperate to marry off her son.
Old vs. the New World
The differences between the Old and New World, the free-spirited Europeans and the puritan Americans, are enhanced throughout the novel. Felix calls himself a Bohemian, a free-spirited individual who lives for the pleasures of life and doesn’t take anything seriously, while Baroness Eugenia is a confident and independent woman who isn’t afraid to speak her honest opinion and pursue her intentions. On the other hand, the puritan Bostonians follow all the restrictive customs of Christian tradition, like rigorously going to church each Sunday. Gertrude and Charlotte are the complete opposite of Eugenia, they are timid and afraid to voice their thoughts, which makes the Baroness that much more fascinating, especially in Gertrude’s eyes.
Morganatic marriage
What this novel does well is indirectly describe the cruelties of aristocratic customs through the involvement of Morganatic marriage in relation to the character of Baroness Eugenia. A Morganatic marriage is a marriage between an aristocrat and a commoner, which prevents the non-aristocratic person from enjoying the title and welfare that is usually assumed from the marriage. The prince’s family wants him to break off the marriage with Eugenia, which leaves her with only the superficial title of a Baroness and money that will only be enough for survival. This is the main plot-point for the Europeans coming to visit the Bostonians.
