Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen

Sense and sensibility are the hallmarks of sisters Elinor and Marianne, allowing the former to present a facade of dignity and civility in the face of disappointment and the latter to "[abhor] all concealment where no real disgrace could attend unreserve". (Sensibility in this context represents behaviour governed by emotions.) They and their sister, Margaret, and their mother, Mrs Dashwood, are happy at their home in Norland but circumstances force them to leave and retreat to Barton. Mrs Dashwood married a widower whose estate was wholly tied up for his son, John, by his previous marriage. Although John promised his dying father to provide for his ...

Sense and Sensibility is a classic novel set in the late 18th century, comparing and contrasting two sisters. Elinor and Marianne are devoted to each other, but have completely different temperaments. Elinor is quiet, well-behaved, and thoughtful, usually keeping her feelings to herself. Marianne, on the other hand, is hot-tempered and highly emotional. * Synopsis * These sisters are introduced to us at the beginning of the novel, shortly after the death of their father, Mr Henry Dashwood. They are still in the home they have all been living in: Norland Park. Mr Dashwood had one son by his first marriage, and three daughters by his second. The ...

I admit i was forced to read this for English literature as an exam text and i was dreading it! I didn’t want to read it and the first few chapters didn’t change my mind and unless I had to I would have left it there but I am glad I finished it; firstly just so I could say ‘I’ve read Jane Austen’, because it picks up into the novel, and wasn’t as bad as I expected. The more I read the more similarities I noticed between myself and one of the lead characters Marianne, who epitomises sensibility, feeling and doing everything in excess, throwing herself into a miserable (and somewhat cool) fit of depression and illness ...