Question

Lady Bertram is best described as

• A. a social pariah
• B. an unwanted family member
• C. a disenfranchised member of society
• D. a gossipy aristocrat
• E. a disillusioned elderly woman

Answer 1

Answer: (D)

a gossipy aristocrat

The focus of the entire passage is Lady Bertram, her habit of writing letters in 'amplifying style', and her being without a topic to write about.

"For though Lady Bertram, rather at home in the epistolary line, having early in her marriage, from the want of other employment, and the circumstance of Sir Thomas's being in Parliament, got into the way of making and keeping correspondents, and formed for herself a very creditable, commonplace, amplifying style, so that a very little matter was enough for her; she could not do entirely without any;..." - this extract from the passage supports the claim that Lady Bertram is a gossipy aristocrat. Option D is the best answer. The other options are incorrect because they do not fit into the context of the passage.