Irony of the differences between the Old and the New World
Eugenia and Felix are Europeans that came to the New World to visit their cousins, the Bostonians. The differences between the Old and the New World, Europe and New England, are portrayed through the contrasting characters in the novel. On one side, Eugenia and Felix represent freedom of expression and confidence of the Old World, while their Bostonian cousins represent the restriction of individualism of puritan New England.
Charlotte falls in love with Mr. Brand
Mr. Brand, the theologian, is introduced as a character that is courting Gertrude Wentworth, much to her dislike. Gertrude is persistent in her refusal of this courtship. As the plot of the novel progresses, and Gertrude and Felix begin falling for each other, Charlotte, Gertrude's sister, begins spending more time with Mr. Brand. As a consequence, she is the one who falls in love with him, but she refuses to acknowledge this out of sense of duty and expectations. This development comes as unexpected and represents situational irony in the novel.
The irony of Baroness Münster and Robert Acton
The relationship of the Baroness and Robert Acton, the Wentworth's neighbor and cousin, is a complicated one. Eugenia came to Boston with the intention of finding a potential husband, and Robert Acton seems a suitable candidate at first. However, their differences come between them. Robert Acton is cautious and unsure of Eugenia's independent and free nature, and he finds it hard to trust her. Eugenia, on the other hand, finds his reluctance not up to her standards. The dissipation of their romance at the end comes as unexpected because the moments they had were moving towards a positive outcome.
Mr. Brand officiates the marriage between Gertrude and Felix
As Gertrude's potential suitor at the beginning of the novel, it is ironic that Mr. Brand is the one who accepts the duty of marrying Gertrude and Felix. The negativity surrounding the character of Mr. Brand in the novel comes from Gertrude's refusal to accept his courtship and their obvious incompatibility.
