by Miranda Gent
In Jane Austen's novel, Sense and Sensibility, The abstract quality of sense is represented by the elder sister Elinor, and the quality of sensibility by the younger sister Marianne.
The Role of Women in the Victorian Period :
● Their role in life was to attract a respectable husband.
● They were owned by their fathers until they were married off, at which point they were owned by their husbands.
● Women of a certain class (middle-class upwards) were expected to have ‘accomplishments’ in order to attract a suitable husband.
● Men and women were seen as occupying two separate spheres, and only joining together at breakfast and dinner.
● Lower-class women often became prostitutes when they could find no other way of working to support their family.
● Women were considered physically inferior but morally superior.
● Other than gaining ‘accomplishments’, very few women had access to education
A woman must have a thorough knowledge of music, singing, drawing, dancing, and the modern languages … ; and besides all this, she must possess a certain something in her air and manner of walking, the tone of her voice, her address and expressions …” Mrs Bingley- Pride and Prejudice
“The Miss Dashwoods were young, pretty and unaffected. It was enough to secure his good opinion, for to be unaffected was all that a pretty girl could want to make her mind as captivating as her person.” - Sir John Middleton, Chapter 7
The Characters:
Elinor Dashwood
Elinor is the elder of the two sisters; aged 19. She is a very rational and reserved character, who always considers the feelings of others around her and is prudent in all she does. She is often thought of as the character in the novel who is on the best terms with everyone, due to her never-failing politeness and thoughtfulness. For much of the novel, she represses the full extent of her emotions, choosing to keep secrets to herself, and realises as the novel progresses that sensibility is important too, and begins to be more open about
her feelings with her sister and other close friends and family.
“Elinor..whose advice was so effectual, possessed a strength of understanding, and coolness of judgment...She had an excellent heart; her disposition was affectionate, and her feelings were strong: but she knew how to govern them...a knowledge her sister had resolved never to be taught.”
- Chapter One
Marianne Dashwood
Marianne is the younger of the two sisters; aged 17. She is vivacious and extremely open about all her emotions. She thinks little before she acts, making her far more imprudent than her sister, and is a complete romanticist, but is by no means however stupid. Marianne is passionate about poetry, prose and music, and finds beauty in the world around her. In fact, she causes some of the most important events in the book to happen by deciding to go off on walks, as she gets so much delight from the beauty of nature.
“Marianne’s abilities were, in many respects, quite equal to Elinor’s. She was sensible and clever, but eager in everything; her sorrows, her joys, could have no moderation. She was generous, amiable, interesting: she was everything but prudent.”- Chapter 2
Colonel Brandon
Colonels Brandon is a friend of the Middletons, who falls in love with Marianne the moment that he sees her. He is a quiet but kind man of the age of about 35, who, like Marianne, greatly appreciates the beauty in the world around him and is just as delighted by it, only he is less vocal about it. As the novel progresses, we discover how generous and loving he really is, despite how he can be misunderstood as somber and uninteresting.
“He was silent and grave...but though he was not handsome, his countenance was sensible, and his address was particularly gentlemanlike...He paid her [Marianne] only the compliment of attention; and she felt a respect for him on the occasion”
John Willoughby
Willoughby is a young and attractive man who quickly becomes friends with the Dashwoods thanks to his charisma. At the start of the novel he is portrayed as charming, kind and effervescent. However, as the novel progresses and his schemes and pursuits of both women and money are revealed to the Dashwoods, he is found to actually be selfish, deceptive and cold-hearted.
“His manly beauty and more than common gracefulness were instantly the theme of General admiration”- Chapter 9
Edward Ferris
Edward is the Dashood’s half-brother’s wife’s brother. He is very kind to all the family, as he makes a lot of effort with all of them. He is a generous and respectable man, although a little shy and awkward at points, as he is not particularly good with confrontation. Through the novel he struggles against his wishes and the wishes of his mother, but in the end, manages to achieve what he wants without breaking his word to anybody.
“A gentleman-like and pleasing young man...He was not handsome, and his manners required intimacy to make them pleasing...but when his natural shyness was overcome, his behaviour gave every indication of an open, affectionate heart”-Chapter 3
Plot Summary:
● Elinor begins to fall in love with Edward Ferris (the brother of the wife of her half-brother).
● The family move from their grand Sussex stately home, which Marianne refers to as ‘Dear, dear, Norland!’, into a modest cottage in Devonshire.
● They become firm friends with the family who live on a nearby estate, Barton Park, and their visitors.
● Marianne captivates the attention of Colonel Brandon, a friend of the families, who admires her from the second he sees her.
● Marianne meets a young and attractive man named John Willoughby completely by accident when she falls and sprains her ankle and he finds her and carries her home.
● A romance then develops between the two.
● Marianne is left distraught by Willoughby’s dramatic and unexpected departure.
● Edward visits and is withdrawn and verging on dismal, leaving Elinor perplexed.
● Two sisters, the Miss Steeles, who are new acquaintances of their friends, come to stay at Barton Park
● Miss Lucy Steele confides in Elinor that she has been engaged to Edward Ferris for four years and talks about him and their love affair continuously.
● Elinor and Marianne visit London together, where, after much waiting and hoping, they finally see Willoughby again, but the meeting isn't the pleasant one that Marianne had hoped for.
● Marianne receives an outrageous letter from Willoughby which incites the rage both herself and her sister.
● Colonel Brandon is deeply distressed by Willoughby's treatment of Marianne, and reveals to Elinor Willoughby’s dark history.
● The Miss Steeles become acquainted with the Dashwoods and go to stay with them, at which point Lucy reveals her engagement to Fanny Dashwood, which causes utter chaos.
● Elinor and Marianne are invited to stay at the house of another friend, where Marianne falls gravely ill, and her mother is summoned to visit her by Colonel Brandon.
● Marianne recovers and the family return home.
● Marianne and Colonel Brandon develop a romance, which ends in marriage.
● Edward proposes to Elinor.
● All ends well!
The Role of Women in the Victorian Period :
● Their role in life was to attract a respectable husband.
● They were owned by their fathers until they were married off, at which point they were owned by their husbands.
● Women of a certain class (middle-class upwards) were expected to have ‘accomplishments’ in order to attract a suitable husband.
● Men and women were seen as occupying two separate spheres, and only joining together at breakfast and dinner.
● Lower-class women often became prostitutes when they could find no other way of working to support their family.
● Women were considered physically inferior but morally superior.
● Other than gaining ‘accomplishments’, very few women had access to education
A woman must have a thorough knowledge of music, singing, drawing, dancing, and the modern languages … ; and besides all this, she must possess a certain something in her air and manner of walking, the tone of her voice, her address and expressions …” Mrs Bingley- Pride and Prejudice
“The Miss Dashwoods were young, pretty and unaffected. It was enough to secure his good opinion, for to be unaffected was all that a pretty girl could want to make her mind as captivating as her person.” - Sir John Middleton, Chapter 7
The Characters:
Elinor Dashwood
Elinor is the elder of the two sisters; aged 19. She is a very rational and reserved character, who always considers the feelings of others around her and is prudent in all she does. She is often thought of as the character in the novel who is on the best terms with everyone, due to her never-failing politeness and thoughtfulness. For much of the novel, she represses the full extent of her emotions, choosing to keep secrets to herself, and realises as the novel progresses that sensibility is important too, and begins to be more open about
her feelings with her sister and other close friends and family.
“Elinor..whose advice was so effectual, possessed a strength of understanding, and coolness of judgment...She had an excellent heart; her disposition was affectionate, and her feelings were strong: but she knew how to govern them...a knowledge her sister had resolved never to be taught.”
- Chapter One
Marianne Dashwood
Marianne is the younger of the two sisters; aged 17. She is vivacious and extremely open about all her emotions. She thinks little before she acts, making her far more imprudent than her sister, and is a complete romanticist, but is by no means however stupid. Marianne is passionate about poetry, prose and music, and finds beauty in the world around her. In fact, she causes some of the most important events in the book to happen by deciding to go off on walks, as she gets so much delight from the beauty of nature.
“Marianne’s abilities were, in many respects, quite equal to Elinor’s. She was sensible and clever, but eager in everything; her sorrows, her joys, could have no moderation. She was generous, amiable, interesting: she was everything but prudent.”- Chapter 2
Colonel Brandon
Colonels Brandon is a friend of the Middletons, who falls in love with Marianne the moment that he sees her. He is a quiet but kind man of the age of about 35, who, like Marianne, greatly appreciates the beauty in the world around him and is just as delighted by it, only he is less vocal about it. As the novel progresses, we discover how generous and loving he really is, despite how he can be misunderstood as somber and uninteresting.
“He was silent and grave...but though he was not handsome, his countenance was sensible, and his address was particularly gentlemanlike...He paid her [Marianne] only the compliment of attention; and she felt a respect for him on the occasion”
John Willoughby
Willoughby is a young and attractive man who quickly becomes friends with the Dashwoods thanks to his charisma. At the start of the novel he is portrayed as charming, kind and effervescent. However, as the novel progresses and his schemes and pursuits of both women and money are revealed to the Dashwoods, he is found to actually be selfish, deceptive and cold-hearted.
“His manly beauty and more than common gracefulness were instantly the theme of General admiration”- Chapter 9
Edward Ferris
Edward is the Dashood’s half-brother’s wife’s brother. He is very kind to all the family, as he makes a lot of effort with all of them. He is a generous and respectable man, although a little shy and awkward at points, as he is not particularly good with confrontation. Through the novel he struggles against his wishes and the wishes of his mother, but in the end, manages to achieve what he wants without breaking his word to anybody.
“A gentleman-like and pleasing young man...He was not handsome, and his manners required intimacy to make them pleasing...but when his natural shyness was overcome, his behaviour gave every indication of an open, affectionate heart”-Chapter 3
Plot Summary:
● Elinor begins to fall in love with Edward Ferris (the brother of the wife of her half-brother).
● The family move from their grand Sussex stately home, which Marianne refers to as ‘Dear, dear, Norland!’, into a modest cottage in Devonshire.
● They become firm friends with the family who live on a nearby estate, Barton Park, and their visitors.
● Marianne captivates the attention of Colonel Brandon, a friend of the families, who admires her from the second he sees her.
● Marianne meets a young and attractive man named John Willoughby completely by accident when she falls and sprains her ankle and he finds her and carries her home.
● A romance then develops between the two.
● Marianne is left distraught by Willoughby’s dramatic and unexpected departure.
● Edward visits and is withdrawn and verging on dismal, leaving Elinor perplexed.
● Two sisters, the Miss Steeles, who are new acquaintances of their friends, come to stay at Barton Park
● Miss Lucy Steele confides in Elinor that she has been engaged to Edward Ferris for four years and talks about him and their love affair continuously.
● Elinor and Marianne visit London together, where, after much waiting and hoping, they finally see Willoughby again, but the meeting isn't the pleasant one that Marianne had hoped for.
● Marianne receives an outrageous letter from Willoughby which incites the rage both herself and her sister.
● Colonel Brandon is deeply distressed by Willoughby's treatment of Marianne, and reveals to Elinor Willoughby’s dark history.
● The Miss Steeles become acquainted with the Dashwoods and go to stay with them, at which point Lucy reveals her engagement to Fanny Dashwood, which causes utter chaos.
● Elinor and Marianne are invited to stay at the house of another friend, where Marianne falls gravely ill, and her mother is summoned to visit her by Colonel Brandon.
● Marianne recovers and the family return home.
● Marianne and Colonel Brandon develop a romance, which ends in marriage.
● Edward proposes to Elinor.
● All ends well!
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