It was very hard for people back then to get a divorce, but in 1854 there was a bill created to try and help lower class people be able to get a divorce and matramonial problems. It did not pass, but a simialar bill was brought up in 1857, and was past. This was a big part of his book, and i hope this helps you better understand how things were at those times, and why he would write the way he would.
