Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance.
Charlotte voices a steady, pragmatic view shaped by limited options. In her world, security often outranks sentiment, and chance feels more reliable than romance. The paradox challenges storybook ideas, reminding us that marriages were economic structures as much as emotional bonds. Charlotte’s choice later fits this logic and never asks for pity. Austen gives her respect as a woman reading the world accurately for her circumstances. The quote widens the novel beyond one love story.