First things first:
- Sense and Sensibility was published in 1811, although Austen had completed an earlier version as early as 1795.
- The novel focuses on sisters Elinor and Marianne Dashwood.
- Elinor primarily represents reason (“sense”), while Marianne represents emotion and sensibility.
- The novel suggests that neither pure rationality nor uncontrolled emotion is the ideal approach to life.
- Austen also criticises the social and financial dependence of women in her time.
Plot
After their father’s death, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood have to leave their family estate with their mother and younger sister and adjust to a significantly reduced income. Elinor falls in love with Edward Ferrars, but a future together seems impossible when she discovers that he is secretly engaged to Lucy Steele. Marianne, meanwhile, falls for the charming John Willoughby, who unexpectedly leaves her and later marries a wealthy woman.
Both sisters are therefore forced to reconsider their ideas about love. Elinor learns to allow herself to express her feelings more openly, while Marianne realises that passion alone does not guarantee a reliable relationship. In the end, Elinor finds happiness with Edward, while Marianne marries Colonel Brandon.
The main characters
Elinor Dashwood
Elinor is the eldest of the Dashwood sisters and represents the “sense” in the novel’s title: reason, self-control and a strong sense of responsibility. She considers the consequences of her actions and tries to support her mother and sisters even in difficult situations.
This does not mean that Elinor feels less deeply than Marianne. Her feelings for Edward are equally strong. Unlike her sister, however, she rarely shows her pain outwardly. This is also one of her weaknesses: Her self-control protects those around her, but it often leaves her dealing with her problems alone.
Marianne Dashwood
Marianne represents “sensibility”, meaning emotionality and sensitivity. She loves music and literature, believes in great romantic feelings and sees little reason to hide emotions simply to conform to social expectations.
Her relationship with Willoughby initially seems to embody her ideal of love. His rejection therefore affects her deeply. Over the course of the novel, Marianne develops a more nuanced understanding of her own emotions. She does not lose her passion, but learns to combine it with greater reason.
Edward Ferrars
Edward Ferrars is Fanny Dashwood’s brother and Elinor’s great love. Unlike many other characters, he has little interest in social status or wealth. Instead of pursuing the prestigious career his family has planned for him, he wants a quieter life.
His relationship with Elinor is complicated by a secret from his past: Years earlier, he became engaged to Lucy Steele. Although his feelings have changed, he feels bound by his promise.
Lucy Steele
Lucy Steele is intelligent, ambitious and socially skilled. She comes from less wealthy circumstances and knows that a financially advantageous marriage could significantly improve her social position. She reveals her secret engagement to Edward specifically to Elinor. While Elinor and Marianne are strongly guided by their emotions, Lucy pursues her own interests in a much more strategic way.
Colonel Brandon
Colonel Brandon is a wealthy former officer who develops feelings for Marianne early on. At first, she considers him too old, serious and unromantic. Over the course of the novel, however, Brandon proves himself to be reliable, helpful and loyal. This makes him a clear contrast to Willoughby and shows that reliability can be more important than grand romantic gestures.
John Willoughby
John Willoughby initially appears to be the perfect romantic hero. He is charming, attractive and shares Marianne’s interests. Later, however, it becomes clear that a romantic appearance does not necessarily go hand in hand with responsible behaviour. His decisions and his past make him an important contrast to Colonel Brandon.
Themes and interpretations
The role of women
Sense and Sensibility clearly shows how strongly women’s lives were shaped by financial security, social status and marriage.
After their father’s death, the Dashwood women lose their previous standard of living and have to find a new way forward. Marriage is therefore not only a romantic decision, but often an economic one as well. Austen highlights how limited women’s opportunities for self-determination were at the time.
Female Protagonists in Jane Austen's "Sense and Sensibility" and Frances Burney's "Evelina"
15.99 €
The GRIN paper Female Protagonists in Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility and Frances Burney’s Evelina examines the portrayal of female characters in Austen and Burney from a feminist perspective. It focuses on social expectations placed on women, their limited opportunities for self-determination and the ways in which Elinor and Marianne deal with these expectations. The significance of marriage, patriarchal structures and female autonomy is also explored.
Male seduction
Through John Willoughby, Austen shows how different romantic charm and actual reliability can be. He initially corresponds to Marianne’s ideal of a passionate partner, but fails to take responsibility either towards her or towards Eliza Williams. The novel therefore also addresses the unequal consequences of romantic and sexual relationships: While women risk their reputation and social future, men are far less likely to face comparable consequences.
Female Cunningness and Male Deception in Jane Austen's 'Northanger Abbey' and 'Sense and Sensibility' and in Henry Fielding's 'Tom Jones'
15.99 €
The GRIN paper examines in particular how male characters influence female characters through deception, seduction and emotional manipulation. In the context of Sense and Sensibility, it focuses on how men can build trust, create expectations and use their stronger social position without facing the same consequences as women. The paper therefore demonstrates how closely male manipulation is connected to existing gender roles and social dependencies.
The 80/20 rule
A modern interpretation applies the 80/20 rule, or Pareto principle, to Elinor and Marianne. Elinor’s excessive self-control and Marianne’s intense emotionality are viewed as traits that cause a large part of their respective problems. This approach highlights one of the novel’s central ideas: Both sisters need to learn to balance reason and emotion.
Clarifying The Relevance of 80/20 with respect to the Complexity of Ideas in Jane Austen’s ‘Sense And Sensibility’
5.99 €
The analysis assumes that a small number of particularly pronounced traits cause a large proportion of their personal suffering: Elinor’s excessive restraint and Marianne’s uncontrolled emotionality. From this, the paper derives the importance of finding a balance between reason and emotion.
Good to know:
- Austen initially published the novel anonymously under the description “By a Lady.”
- An early version was titled “Elinor and Marianne” and was originally planned as an epistolary novel.
- The title describes the central contrast between reason and emotion.
- In German, the novel is known under titles including Sinn und Sinnlichkeit, Verstand und Gefühl and Vernunft und Gefühl.
Source:
- Jane Austen: Verstand und Gefühl. Reclam 2016.
- Female Protagonists in Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility and Frances Burney’s Evelina — GRIN
- GRIN analysis of male seduction and manipulation in Sense and Sensibility
- GRIN analysis applying the 80/20 rule to Elinor and Marianne
FAQs:
Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility was published in 1811, although an earlier version of the novel had already been completed in 1795.
The novel tells the story of sisters Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, who have very different approaches to love and life. While Elinor represents reason and self-control, Marianne follows her emotions and believes in passionate love.
The title refers to the contrast between reason and emotion. Elinor represents “sense”, while Marianne represents “sensibility”. Over the course of the novel, both sisters learn that neither extreme is ideal and that a balance between reason and emotion is important.
The main characters include Elinor Dashwood, Marianne Dashwood, Edward Ferrars, Lucy Steele, Colonel Brandon and John Willoughby. The two sisters and their different approaches to love and society are at the centre of the novel.
Important themes include love, marriage, social class, financial security, gender roles and the relationship between reason and emotion. Austen also highlights the limited opportunities for women to achieve financial independence and social autonomy in her time.
The novel can be read from a feminist perspective, particularly because it highlights women’s financial and social dependence on marriage and the limited opportunities available to them. Elinor and Marianne also show different ways of dealing with the expectations placed on women.
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