t always do things one would rather not do, but must because they have to be done. Morten says that Tony will “as Madame Such-and-such…will vanish for good and all into your elegant world and…it’s off to sit on the stones for the rest of one’s life.” (136) A letter from her father has a similar effect on Tony. “We are not born, my dear daughter, to pursue our own small personal happiness, for we are not separate, independent, self-subsisting individuals, but links in a chain; and it is inconceivable that we would be what we are without those who have preceded us and shown us the path that they themselves have scrupulously trod, looking neither to the left nor to the right, but, rather, following a venerable and trustworthy tradition.” (144) Early on in her life, Tony realizes that she is, indeed a link on a chain, and to uphold her family’s social position, she must be willing to sacrifice herself to enjoy the benefits of being in a wealthy, merchant family. Ironically, Tony believes that she must act this way out of familial duty, rather than because she truly believes that this is the correct way to live. She continues to reiterate the revolutionary ideas presented to her by Morten Schwarzkopf throughout her entire life. Even in her old age “She would repeatedly assert the freedom and equality of all men, dismissing class hierarchy out of hand, castigating privilege and the abuse of power and expressly demanding that the only crown be the crown of merit.” (647) Tony Buddenbrook was always the most concerned with keeping up the family’s name and image. She was the most distressed when any harm came to any of her family members, the firm, or when other firms and families, particularly the Hagenstroms fared better than the Buddenbrooks. When she divorced Grunlich, Tony desperately wanted to remarry as soon as possible because, “...by marrying a second ...
