Sense and Sensibility

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AUSTEN'S SENSE AND SENSIBILITY Notes including • • • • • •

Life and Background of the Author A Brief Synopsis Critical Commentaries Character Analyses Critical Essays Selected Bibliography

by Norah Smaridge

LINCOLN, NEBRASKA 68501 1-800-228-4078 www.CLIFFS.com ISBN 0-8220-7283-1 © Copyright 1969 by Cliffs Notes, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Cliffs Notes on Sense and Sensibility © 1969

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LIFE AND BACKGROUND OF THE AUTHOR Jane Austen was born on December 16, 1773, in the English village of Steventon, Hampshire. Steventon Parsonage, "tolerably roomy and commodious," was her home for twenty-five years. She was fortunate in her parents. George Austen was a man of superior intellect and education who had gained a scholarship to St. John's College, Oxford, and had become a Fellow there. He was well able to direct his daughters' private studies and prepare his sons for the university. Jane's mother, Cassandra Leigh, was a slight, handsome, spirited woman with a talent for writing lively letters and commonsensical but amusing verse. Although she was devoted to her six brothers, the center of Jane's life was her sister Cassandra, her elder by three years, whom she always believed to be wiser and better than herself. When Cassandra was sent to boarding school, Jane went too; she was young for formal education but would have been wretched without her sister. "If Cassandra were going to have her head cut off," their mother observed, "Jane would insist on sharing her fate." It was natural that the two sisters, coming at the end of a line of brothers, should draw closely together, and Jane's devotion to Cassandra was almost passionate in its intensity; she shared almost every thought and feeling with her sister, and the attachment lasted a lifetime. Their brothers wielded a good deal of influence over the girls. James, the eldest, well read in English literature, helped to form Jane's reading taste. Edward, who made their childhood merry, left a sad gap when he was adopted by wealthy cousins and left Steventon forever. Henry, the least successful of the Austens, resided in London at one period of his life and was able to transact the necessary business with Jane's publishers. The two younger brothers brought vicarious adventure into Jane's life. Francis and Charles both saw action in the British Navy, rose to be admirals, and carried their flags to distant stations. Francis, who reached the very summit of his profession, becoming Senior Admiral of the Fleet, may have been the model for the Edward Price of Mansfield Park as well as for the Captain Wentworth or the Admiral Crofton of Persuasion. Her seagoing brothers made Jane very knowledgeable about ships and seamen; no flaw has ever been found in her seamanship. She followed every step of her seafaring brothers' lives, devoured their letters, delighted in the gifts and souvenirs which they sent home, and questioned them endlessly when they were ashore. Jane and Cassandra were educated chiefly at home. Higher education for women had not been discovered, however, and the Austen girls were not much better instructed than other young ladies of their day. Jane was especially skilled at needlework, in which she delighted. She was no artist, and only moderately musical; like her heroine in Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth Bennet, "her performance was pleasing though by no means capital." She was an excellent French scholar and a fair Italian one. Though it pleased her to call herself "ignorant and uninformed," and though she declared that she hated solid reading, Jane was well acquainted with the standard authors of her day and had a reasonable knowledge of English literature. Crabbe, Cowper, Johnson, and Scott were her favorite poets, though she set Crabbe highest. She had at least one brief but happy experience of school life. Like their aunts before them, she and Cassandra were sent to the Abbey School adjoining the remains of the ancient Abbey of Reading. Discipline seems to have been relaxed because Jane and Cassandra, with their cousin Emily Cooper, were permitted to accept an invitation to supper in the local inn with Edward Austen and Edward Cooper. The Abbey School, lingering in Jane's memory, no doubt served as the model for Mrs. Goddard's school in


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www.cliffs.com Emma. The adjoining Abbey, with its past history and relics of ancient grandeur, may well have impressed the child Jane and later suggested some of the features of her own Northanger Abbey. The future novelist grew up in an atmosphere of encouragement and approval. She was the darling of her home, and nothing she wrote was ever unkindly scrutinized. How soon she began to produce finished stories is not certain, but from a very early age her writings were a source of amusement and interest to her family. When she was about twelve, the young Austens developed a passion for amateur theatricals, and Jane kept them supplied with plays of her own composition. Some of her copybooks, still extant, contain tales and plays written before she was sixteen. Dedicated with mock solemnity to some member of her family, they poke sly fun at the grandiloquent dedications then in fashion. Before long, her stories became burlesques of the sentimental romances and wildly improbable horror tales of the day. Jane's contempt for the state of mind which expected a mystery in everything was later exemplified in an incident in Northanger Abbey, when Catherine Morland, fired with curiosity, pulls out a bundle of dusty papers from an ancient cabinet, only to find them a roll of laundry bills. The passing years brought few changes to the family in Steventon Parsonage. James, Edward, and Henry made their start in life, and the two elder ones married. Francis and Charles went into the navy. Cassandra took her place as the "Miss Austen" of the family, and finally it became Jane's turn to be, as she wrote to a friend, "grown up and have a fine complexion, and wear great square muslin shawls." During the last five years of her life in Steventon, Jane wrote steadily. At least three of her best-known novels, Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, and Northanger Abbey, were written during this period. It is difficult to understand how Jane managed to combine so much literary work with all her household and social occupations, and she herself sheds no light on the subject. She writes to Cassandra-telling her the smallest details of home life--without ever once mentioning the subject of her writing. It cannot have been from shyness because her own family knew of her stories, and her actual writing was all done in the family sitting-room. However, there was still prejudice against women writers, so Jane was careful to keep her work a secret from the outside world. Callers at the parsonage were likely to find her doing embroidery or playing "spillikins." They did not suspect that Jane wrote on small pieces of paper which could easily be put away or covered with a scrap of needlework. Pride and Prejudice was the first novel to be completed. She began it in October 1796, when she was twenty-one, and finished it ten months later. Her father, anxious to judge it fairly, set himself a course of reading in the contemporary novel. Six months later, certain of its quality, he wrote to Dodley, an eminent London publisher, offering to send the novel for consideration. The refusal was so definite, and so chilling, that the manuscript was laid away in an attic for eleven years. Jane's philosophic disposition was proof against disappointment. She was already at work on Sense and Sensibility. No one in the neighborhood suspected that there was "a chiel amang them, takin' notes." Jane Austen appeared to be pleasantly occupied with domestic duties and social life. Her parents were comfortably off; they had neighbors and cousins to entertain and visit. They kept a carriage and a pair of horses, although Jane and her sister sometimes trudged in pattens (high-soled overshoes) through the muddy roads to visit their friends in the nearby parish of Ashe.


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www.cliffs.com It is rumored that Jane had a romance with a man she met while in Devonshire, but he died shortly afterwards. But devotion to Cassandra seems to have satisfied her, especially after the tragic ending to Cassandra's own love affair. The young clergyman to whom she was engaged, not being rich enough to marry, went out to the West Indies as chaplain to a regiment. He caught yellow fever on his arrival and died in a few days. Settling, of her own choice, into spinsterhood, Jane soon took to wearing caps, the symbol of middle age. In a sketch made by Cassandra, she is shown wearing a small tulle cap. Short, round curls shade her forehead, and her expression is arch, intelligent, and lively. She seems amused by everything that is going on around her. The first great change in her life came when her father, in failing health, conferred "the living" (property and income) at Steventon on his son, and moved to Bath with his wife and daughters. At first the thought of such a move was disturbing. But Jane, a determined optimist, was soon writing cheerfully to her sister: "I am becoming more and more reconciled to the idea of departure. We have lived long enough in this neighborhood; the Basingstoke balls are certainly on the decline; there is something interesting in the bustle of going away, and the prospect of spending future summers by the sea or in Wales is delightful." As Cassandra was away on a visit, and their mother was in delicate health, it was left to Jane to cope with the problems of transportation and house-hunting. Until they found a house, they stayed with Mrs. Austen's married sister, Mrs. Leigh Perrot, and settled down to the staid routine of life in a spa. Bath was not new to Jane Austen, but its heyday, as described in Northanger Abbey, was over. The sleepy town suited her parents, but Jane found its small gaieties uninspiring. She composed nothing of importance while she was there. She began only one story but did not finish it or even divide it into chapters. When she left Bath in 1801, she had nothing but this fragment to add to the valuable stock of writing which she had brought with her from Steventon. After the death of Mr. Austen in 1801, his widow and daughters moved to Southampton, where a friend of Jane's, Martha Lloyd, came to live with them and was a source of great happiness to the little family. Their house was pleasant enough, with a garden for Mrs. Austen, but they never took root there, and Jane felt as little at home as she had in Bath. She wrote nothing during their stay. When an opportunity of escape was offered, they took it eagerly. Edward, now a wealthy landed gentleman, offered them the choice of two estates--Godmersham Park, in Kent, and Chawton Cottage, in Hampshire. They chose the latter, a small house which was altered and fitted up to suit the four ladies. Jane settled in happily, little knowing that this was to be her last home. The house was large enough for entertaining, and the Austens had many callers, friends, and relatives in the neighborhood. There was much coming and going. A clannish family, the Austens took pleasure in meeting as often as they could. Their brothers and their families were frequent callers, and all the young nephews and nieces looked upon a visit to "Aunt Jane" as a delightful privilege. "As a very small girl, I was always creeping up to Aunt Jane," a niece wrote after Jane's death, "and following her whenever I could, in the house and out of it. . . . She could make everything amusing to a child." Settled in a real home again, Jane returned to her writing. Now she was working in the most pleasant of environments and under the best possible conditions. She had the continual companionship of Cassandra, the uncritical admiration of Martha Lloyd, and the kind of country life she delighted in observing. In the summer of 1811, two years after the move to Chawton Cottage, Jane at last saw publication. Sense and Sensibility was at once appreciated by the public, and Jane, at thirty-six, was firmly launched on a career of authorship. But she was so modest and her expectations were so humble that she saved Cliffs Notes on Sense and Sensibility © 1969

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www.cliffs.com something out of her income to meet any possible loss. When she learned that her book had made a hundred and fifty pounds, she was as surprised as she was gratified. The success of Sense and Sensibility encouraged her to submit Pride and Prejudice, which appeared in 1813. In love with her own heroine, she wrote to Cassandra, "I think her [Elizabeth] as delightful a creature as ever appeared in print, and how I shall be able to tolerate those who do not like her at least, I do not know." Mansfield Park, the first of the novels written at Chawton, placed Jane Austen in the first rank of English writers. Twelve years of lying fallow had borne rich fruit; the long years of observation gave her added depth, subtlety, and variety. After the publication of this book, she began to fear that she might be written out, but the gallery of portraits in her next novel, Emma, shows no falling off. Persuasion, the last of her novels, was finished in August 1816, but it was not published until after her death. It shows her at the peak of her powers. The families of Eliots, Musgroves, and Crofts, the little interests of Bath life, and the returning affection of Captain Wentworth for his former love, Anne Eliot, are touched with all the liveliness and delicacy which make Austen's novels incomparable. But as Jane was writing the final chapters, she became ill. Gradually she grew weaker, and as spring came on, she went to Winchester to be close to her doctor. He was unable to help her, and she accepted her illness philosophically, even managing to amuse and cheer her worried family. In a letter written just before her death, she hopes that Cassandra has not been made ill by her exertions. "As to what I owe her," she says, "and the anxious affection of all my beloved family on this occasion, I can only cry over it and pray God to bless them more and more." Jane Austen died peacefully on July 18, 1817, in her forty-second year. She was buried in Winchester Cathedral. Some years later, when a gentleman was visiting the cathedral, he asked to be shown Miss Austen's tomb, and the verger said: "Pray sir, can you tell me whether there is anything remarkable about this lady? So many people want to know where she is buried." Today there are few people who do not know Jane Austen. She has become a classic. Fresh editions of her work are continually being issued. Her novels are enjoyed by thousands of readers who owe to her some of the happiest hours of their lives. Small wonder that when young writers hopefully ask what author they should study, the reply is invariably the same--Jane Austen.

A BRIEF SYNOPSIS This is the story of Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, sisters who respectively represent the "sense" and "sensibility" of the title. With their mother, their sister Margaret, and their stepbrother John, they make up the Dashwood family. Henry Dashwood, their father, has just died. Norland Park, his estate, is inherited by John; to his chagrin, Henry has nothing but ten thousand pounds to leave to his wife and daughters. On his deathbed, he urges John to provide for them and John promises that he will do so. He is already wealthy because he has a fortune from his mother and is also married to the wealthy Fanny Ferrars. Immediately after Henry's burial, the insensitive Mrs. Dashwood moves into Norland Park and cleverly persuades John not to make any provision for his stepmother and stepsisters. Mrs. Henry Dashwood, disliking Fanny, wants to leave Norland Park at once, but Elinor prudently restrains her until they can find a house within their means.


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Edward Ferrars, Fanny's brother, comes to stay and is attracted to Elinor. Mrs. Dashwood and Marianne expect an engagement, but Elinor is not so sure; she knows that Mrs. Ferrars and Fanny will object to Edward's interest in her. Fanny takes exception to Edward's fondness for Elinor and is so rude that Mrs. Dashwood at once rents a cottage fortuitously offered to her by her cousin, Sir John Middleton. The Dashwoods move to Barton Cottage and are met by Sir John, who does all in his power to make them comfortable. They soon meet his elegant but insipid wife and their four children. One day, when Marianne and Margaret are walking on the downs, Marianne sprains her ankle. She is carried home by a stranger, John Willoughby, who is staying at Allenham Court, a country estate which he will inherit after the death of its elderly owner, Mrs. Smith. Marianne and Willoughby fall in love and are inseparable. But after a short time, Willoughby leaves unexpectedly for London without explaining or declaring himself. Edward Ferrars soon pays a visit to Barton Cottage. But he is distraught and gloomy, and Elinor is puzzled by his reserve. Lady Middleton's mother, Mrs. Jennings, has been staying at Barton Park. She teases Marianne about Colonel Brandon, a friend of Sir Henry, who obviously admires Marianne. Though she likes the colonel, Mrs. Jennings repeats some scandal about him; he is said to have an illegitimate daughter, Miss Williams. Lady Middleton's younger sister, Charlotte Palmer, and her husband visit Barton Park. When they leave, Sir John invites the Misses Steele, two young ladies whom he has met in Exeter and has found to be connections of Mrs. Jennings. Lucy confides to Elinor that she has been secretly engaged to Edward Ferrars for four years. He was tutored by her uncle and became well acquainted with Lucy and Anne at that time. Elinor is shocked but concludes that Edward had a youthful infatuation for Lucy. Lucy persists in asking for advice and begs Elinor to persuade her brother John to give Edward the Barton living if he decides to take orders. Mrs. Jennings invites Elinor and Marianne to stay with her in London. Marianne is eager to go because she hopes to see Willoughby there. He has not been back to visit them, nor has he written to Marianne. In London, Marianne waits for a visit from Willoughby. She writes him several times but receives no reply. One day he leaves his card but never calls personally. Finally, Elinor and Marianne see Willoughby at a dance with a fashionable heiress, Miss Grey. He speaks curtly to Marianne, who is distracted by his coldness. She writes him for an explanation, and he returns her letters with a cruel note, denying that he had ever been especially interested in her and announcing his engagement to Miss Grey. Colonel Brandon, who is also in London, is distressed by Willoughby's conduct to Marianne and tells Elinor his own story. As a young man, he had loved his cousin Eliza, his father's ward. But to gain Eliza's fortune, his father had married her to his eldest son, who had treated her badly. Years later, the colonel discovered that Eliza had left her husband for another man. She had sunk lower and lower, and was now penniless and on her deathbed. The colonel did all he could for her and promised to bring up her daughter, also named Eliza. Eliza, now grown, had been seduced by Willoughby, who had deserted her. The colonel had fought a duel with Willoughby, but neither had been injured.


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www.cliffs.com John Dashwood and his wife come to London for the season. He meets his sisters and is introduced to the Middletons, whom he finds very congenial. Anne and Lucy Steele are invited to stay with the Middletons and eventually pay a visit to the Dashwoods, John and Fanny. They are treated so kindly that Anne feels it is safe to break the secret of Lucy's engagement to Edward. Fanny Dashwood has hysterics and orders Lucy and Anne out of her house. Edward's mother disinherits him because he will not break his word to Lucy. He decides to take orders and offers to free Lucy from her engagement, but Lucy will not give him up. Charlotte Palmer's son is born, and she invites Elinor and Marianne to accompany her mother on a visit to her country house, Cleveland. Marianne falls ill there and seems near death. Colonel Brandon is also staying at Cleveland and offers to fetch Mrs. Dashwood. The Palmers leave their house, fearing infection for the baby, and while Elinor awaits her mother's arrival, she is amazed by a visit from Willoughby. He has heard of Marianne's illness and has come to get news of her. He tells Elinor how bitterly he repents of his conduct and how wretched his wife has made him; it was she who dictated the cruel note which he sent to Marianne. Elinor is sorry for him. Marianne recovers and the family returns to Barton Cottage. Eventually, Elinor tells Marianne about Willoughby's repentant visit. Marianne is now sorry that the family has suffered on her behalf. One day, a servant tells them that Edward Ferrars is married. Elinor tries to put him out of her mind; however, he arrives at Barton Cottage and explains that Lucy did not marry him; instead, she eloped with his brother, Robert. Everything ends happily. Edward is reconciled to his mother and marries Elinor. He takes orders and is given the living at Delaford, Colonel Brandon's estate. Eventually Marianne agrees to marry the colonel, and the two couples live happily, close in distance and in friendship.

CRITICAL COMMENTARIES CHAPTER 1 Summary For many years, Henry Dashwood and his family had lived at Norland Park and cared for its owner, Henry's aged uncle. On the old man's death, Henry inherited the estate. He had always expected that he would be free to leave it, in turn, to be shared among his wife and three daughters. John, his son by a previous marriage, was amply provided for. His mother had left him a large estate, and his wife further increased his wealth with a handsome dowry. However, when the old man's will was read, Henry found to his dismay that he would not be able to dispose of the estate. The uncle had been wooed by John's young son and wished to procure the estate for him by tying it up in favor of "his son and his son's son." This meant that Henry's wife and daughters could inherit only such money as he could save for them, which turned out to be 10,000 pounds. Henry survived his uncle by only one year. When he was dying, he sent for John and begged him, "with all the strength and urgency which illness could command," to look after his stepmother and stepsisters. Moved by this plea, John promised "to do everything in his power to make them comfortable." One thousand pounds for each daughter would be fair, he decided, and would leave them quite comfortable.


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www.cliffs.com John was "rather cold-hearted, and rather selfish." He had married young and his wife had great influence over him. She was "a strong caricature of himself; more narrow-minded and selfish." Immediately after Henry's funeral, without notice, Mrs. John Dashwood moved into Norland Park with her small son and her servants. This insensitive behavior was bitterly resented by Mrs. Dashwood, who thought of leaving Norland Park at once. Elinor prudently restrained her. Mrs. Dashwood and her daughters were a devoted family. Elinor, nineteen, was sufficiently mature and well-balanced "to be the counsellor of her mother," a good-hearted woman who tended to be imprudent. Marianne, though clever and sensible, was extreme in her emotions. She was "generous, amiable, interesting: . . . everything but prudent" and thus much resembled her mother. Margaret, thirteen, was an immature girl who took after Marianne rather than Elinor. Marianne and her mother "gave themselves up wholly to their sorrow," encouraging each other "in the violence of their affliction." Elinor suffered too, but she managed to "receive her sister-in-law on her arrival, and treat her with proper attention." She prevailed on her mother and Marianne to do likewise. Commentary In this opening chapter, Austen sets the scene with her usual clarity and precision. The reader meets most of the leading characters and is given insight into their personalities and temperaments. It is obvious that this is to be a story of opposing temperaments--Marianne's excessive "sensibility" contrasted to Elinor's calm common sense. The reader is plunged into a world which is socially and linguistically very different from the world of today. Austen is writing a "comedy of manners," or "domestic comedy." As a novelist, she narrows her outlook to the people of her own class--country gentlemen and their families whose main concern is their social status and the comforts it brings them. Owning property is essential to social status, which explains Henry Dashwood's deep disappointment when he finds that he cannot bequeath Norland Park to his wife and daughters. Also, the meager fortune with which the girls are provided makes their prospects for a good marriage rather dismal.

CHAPTER 2 Summary Installed in Norland Park, Mrs. John Dashwood (Fanny) treated her mother-in-law and sisters-in-law with "quiet civility" while determined to defeat any attempt to provide for them financially. John Dashwood, still moved by the memory of his father's death, begged them to consider Norland Park their home until they could find a suitable house. Aghast at his proposal to give his half-sisters a thousand pounds apiece, Fanny began to offer her husband persuasive arguments to make him pare the sum down--first to five hundred pounds and finally to nothing. She first made him think of their poor son, of whom they would be depriving the money. Then, after he had divided the sum in half, she appealed to the fact that the girls really didn't need so much money--as their social life would be limited, their expenses would be negligible. When John decided on giving them only some furniture, Fanny returned with the argument that the linen and china left them by their father should amply furnish their new quarters. She finally got him to believe that he owed no gratitude to his father at all: "Your father thought only of them. . . . [W]e very well know that if he could, he would have left almost everything in the world to them." This rationale made John's ultimate decision an easy one. He decided that he need do no more for his stepmother and half-sisters than send them occasional gifts of fish and game, a very generous thought, he believed, all considered.


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Commentary Some of the finest examples of Austen's ironic writing are found in the scene in which John Dashwood is persuaded not to help his relatives financially. "I would not wish to do anything mean," he says complacently--and moments later decides to give them nothing. And his wife reminds him, "They will have no carriage, no horses, and hardly any servants; they will keep no company, and can have no expenses of any kind! Only conceive how comfortable they will be!" John Dashwood needs only the excuse, which his wife happily gives him, to deprive his relations of money which they desperately need to facilitate their already desperate condition. Once he has been able to rationalize his ruthlessness with the weakest arguments possible, he easily clears his conscience of all subsequent responsibility. Unlike contemporary novelists, Jane Austen never describes cruelty explicitly. Instead, she uses what critic Mark Schorer calls "verbal brutalities" to shock the reader into seeing the cruelty that underlies social pride. Fanny Dashwood, in this chapter, coolly urges her husband to be incredibly callous and selfish toward his stepmother and half-sisters. Although she never says so in plain words, she obviously delights in the prospect of near-penury for the Dashwoods and even begrudges her mother-in-law the china, linen, and plate that have been left to her by her husband.

CHAPTER 3 Summary The Dashwoods remained at Norland Park for several months. In that time, Mrs. Dashwood got to know Fanny better, and her former impression, reasonably negative, was confirmed. She was anxious to establish her own household, and having been informed of John's deathbed promise, was quite cheerful in her search for a house. Only Elinor's good sense prevented her mother from taking one which was too large for their means. Mrs. Dashwood became reconciled to a longer stay at Norland Park after it became evident that Edward Ferrars, Fanny's brother, was very attracted to Elinor. She returned his affection, finding him a "gentlemanlike and pleasing young man." Recommending him to her mother, Elinor noted that part of his worth was that he was so different from his sister. The eldest son of a man who died very rich, Edward was dependent upon the favor of his mother. She and Fanny "wanted him to make a fine figure in the world." But "all his wishes centre in domestic comfort and the quiet of private life." Marianne could not understand how Elinor could be attracted to Edward, who was not handsome or outstanding. "Edward is very amiable," she said, "But . . . there is a something wanting, his figure is not striking--it has none of that grace which I should expect in the man who could seriously attach my sister." The man she herself would marry "must have all Edward's virtues, and his person and manners must ornament his goodness with every possible charm." Their tastes must perfectly coincide if any hope of domestic bliss was to be expected. Commentary In this chapter, the difference between Elinor's "sense" and the exaggerated "sensibility" of her mother and Marianne is pointed up with Jane Austen's characteristic humor. Note the caution with which Elinor merely tells her mother, "I think you will like him, when you know more of him." And compare it with Mrs. Dashwood's gushing reply: "Like him! I can feel no sentiment of approbation inferior to love." Mrs. Dashwood's devotion to her daughter is noted in the effort she makes, ultimately successful, to love and respect Edward.


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www.cliffs.com Marianne's excessive sensibility is shown in the formidable list of what she requires in a suitor: "I could not be happy with a man whose taste did not in every point coincide with my own. He must enter into all my feelings; the same books, the same music must charm us both." Austen's youthful writings were often parodies of the sentimental novels in vogue in her day. In her presentation of Marianne, she seems to be parodying the romantic heroine of such novels, although later in the novel she treats Marianne's character more seriously. Marianne's preference for the writings of Cowper reflect the author's own tastes; Crabbe, Cowper, and Scott were Austen's favorite poets. Note the contrast, which will be developed later, between the two widows, Mrs. Ferrars and Mrs. Dashwood. The latter thinks only of her daughters and their happiness, while the former seems to care nothing for her son's desires and thinks mainly of his appearance in the world.

CHAPTER 4 Summary Discussing Edward with Marianne, Elinor spoke more warmly of him than she thought prudent. Realizing that her mother and Marianne were apt to leap to conclusions, she tried to explain "the real state of the case." She admitted that she was by no means sure of Edward's regard for her and pointed out that he was "very far from independent." The fact was that Elinor really wasn't assured of Edward's feelings. At times he appeared quite distant and troubled, and led her to wonder whether his feelings towards her were not just friendly. But she attributed this coolness to pressures from his mother, which made life difficult for him at home and forbade a life outside of it which didn't coincide with her wishes. Fanny Dashwood, noticing an attachment forming between the two, took the first opportunity of talking to Mrs. Dashwood about Edward's "great expectations, of Mrs. Ferrars' resolution that both her sons should marry well, and of the danger attending any young woman who attempted to draw him in." Deeply offended by these insinuations, Mrs. Dashwood determined to leave Norland Park as soon as possible to spare Elinor from any possible pain. While in this state of mind, she received a letter from a distant relative, Sir John Middleton, "a gentleman of consequence and property in Devonshire," who offered her a cottage on his estate. It was a warm and friendly offer, and she at once wrote an acceptance. Elinor considered the move a prudent one; the rent of the cottage was within their means, and although her true inclinations were not for a move, she felt it would be wise for them to live at some distance from Norland Park. So she agreed that her mother should send her "letter of acquiescence" immediately. Commentary Austen's standards of behavior, reflected in her use of such terms as "civility" and "taste," were more absolute than those of today. While the modern novelist sees life and literature in terms of individual experience, Austen presents all her characters in terms of their relation to a fixed code of values. Elinor, in this chapter, does not seem to assess Edward as an individual; she lists a number of qualities admired at the time: ". . . his mind is well informed, his enjoyment of books exceeding great, his imagination lively, his observation just and correct, and his taste delicate and pure." Therefore, it is proper that she should admire him. To the modern reader, Edward, living on his mother's money and with no profession, might seem to be a sponger and a waster. But in the reign of George III, young gentlemen with "expectations" did not work. If they took up a profession, it was usually for reasons of prestige. Some entered the Church, but more often for social reasons than for any deep interest in religion.


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CHAPTERS 5 & 6 Summary With much pleasure, Mrs. Dashwood broke the news of their departure to John and Fanny. She still expected her stepson to fulfil his promise to provide for them but "began shortly to give over every hope of the kind." By continual references to his increasing expenses, John made it plain "that his assistance extended no further than their maintenance for six months at Norland." Mrs. Dashwood coolly invited Fanny and John to visit them at Barton, but it was with great satisfaction and warmth that she extended this invitation to Edward, in complete defiance of the wishes of his wretched sister. After tearful farewells and a melancholy journey, the Dashwoods were cheered by the sight of Barton Valley. They soon reached Barton Cottage, their new abode, with which Mrs. Dashwood "was upon the whole well satisfied." Though she talked of making many necessary additions and improvements, many far exceeding their limited means, "they were wise enough to be contented with the house as it was" and settled down with their possessions. The next day, Sir John Middleton called on them: "His countenance was thoroughly good-humoured; and his manners were as friendly as the style of his letter. Their arrival seemed to afford him real satisfaction, and their comfort to be an object of real solicitude to him." However, his eagerness often lacked subtlety and his perseverance, discrimination. Lady Middleton and her eldest son, aged six, called the following day. Her elegance impressed the Dashwoods favorably, but she had none of her husband's frankness and warmth; "though perfectly wellbred, she was reserved, cold, and had nothing to say for herself beyond the most common-place inquiry or remark." Commentary To the modern reader, the Dashwoods may seem to appear self-pitying when they describe themselves as "poor." They can afford to keep three servants, and the three daughters do no work outside their home. But they were actually poor according to the standards of their social class at that time. The daughters of "gentlemen," like Elinor and Marianne, did not go out to work unless they were actually impoverished. And then the only position acceptable to young women of their class was that of governess. The author's own love for the well-ordered beauty of the English countryside is shown in this chapter in the description of Barton Valley and the location of the Dashwoods' cottage: ". . . a view of Barton Valley as they entered it gave them cheerfulness. It was a pleasant, fertile spot, well wooded and rich in Pasture. . . . The situation of the house was good. High hills rose immediately behind it, and at no great distance on each side; some of which were open downs, the others cultivated and woody. The village of Barton was chiefly on one of these hills, and formed a pleasant view from the cottage windows." Characteristic of Austen's style is her habit of making asides, usually ironic or slyly humorous. "On every formal visit," she observes, "a child ought to be of the party, by way of provision for discourse. In the present case it took up ten minutes to determine whether the boy were most like his father or mother." She thus gives us the impression that the conversation among the newly found relations didn't flow very quickly.


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CHAPTERS 7 & 8 Summary On the following day, the Dashwoods dined at Barton Park. There they met Mrs. Jennings, Lady Middleton's mother, and Colonel Brandon, a friend of Sir John. Sir John apologized for not having a larger circle of people to greet them. Lacking interests of their own, the Middletons were used to entertaining profusely, with multitudes of people and much noise. During the evening, Marianne entertained at the piano and was "highly applauded," although Sir John and Lady Middleton actually paid no attention to her performance. Colonel Brandon listened quietly, "and she felt a respect for him on the occasion which the others had reasonably forfeited by their shameless want of taste." Mrs. Jennings liked nothing better than to matchmake, and she teased the girls about the suitors she imagined them to have had at Norland Park. She persisted in saying that Colonel Brandon was "very much in love with Marianne Dashwood." But Marianne was horrified at the idea. To her mother's and Elinor's amusement, she saw the colonel as "an old bachelor," long past romance. He was thirty-five. Marianne was actually concerned with the progress of her sister's romance. To her mother, she admitted that she was afraid Edward Ferrars must be ill; otherwise he would have come to visit Elinor in the two weeks since they had left. Mrs. Dashwood replied that she did not expect Edward so soon: "If I have felt any anxiety at all on the subject, it has been in recollecting my invitation, when I talked of his coming to Barton." But Marianne cannot understand the strange behavior of either member of the pair. Edward had seemed to show no desire to be alone with Elinor before they left, and Elinor showed none of the traditional signs of lovesickness: "When is she dejected or melancholy? When does she try to avoid society, or appear restless in it?" Commentary Marianne's sensibility shows up amusingly in these chapters. She respects Colonel Brandon because he listens to her performance while the others show "horrible insensibility." But she finds him wanting because his pleasure in music does not amount to "that ecstatic delight which alone could sympathize with her own." Because he speaks of flannel waistcoats, she sees him as old and rheumatic, and feels that any woman interested in someone his age could only expect occupation as a nurse. Elinor is rightly amused by this, observing, "Had he been only in a violent fever, you would not have despised him half so much. Confess, Marianne, is not there something interesting to you in the flushed cheek, hollow eye, and quick pulse of a fever?" This refers to the standard description of a man in love.

CHAPTER 9 Summary The Dashwoods soon settled at Barton "with tolerable comfort to themselves." The lack of a carriage prevented them from visiting the neighborhood families, but the girls enjoyed many walks in the beautiful countryside. They were particularly fond of the valley of Allenham, where there was an old mansion which reminded them of their former home. It was owned by "an elderly lady of very good character . . . unfortunately too infirm to mix with the world." One day Marianne and Margaret were caught in a downpour. Running downhill, Marianne stumbled and fell; however, a young gentleman going uphill picked her up, carried her home, "and quitted not his hold till he had seated her in a chair in the parlour."


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www.cliffs.com Mrs. Dashwood was greatly impressed by the young man's "youth, beauty and elegance." She learned that his name was Willoughby "and that his present home was at Allenham, from whence he hoped she would allow him the honour of calling tomorrow to inquire after Miss Dashwood." After he had taken his leave, Marianne joined with her mother and Elinor in admiring Willoughby's "manly beauty and more than common gracefulness." Marianne believed that his "person and air were equal to what her fancy had ever drawn for the hero of a favourite story. . . . Every circumstance belonging to him was interesting." When Sir John called the next day, the ladies discovered from him that "Mr. Willoughby had no property of his own in the country; that he resided there only while he was visiting the old lady at Allenham Court, to whom he was related, and whose possessions he was to inherit." In his usual hearty manner, Sir John began to tease Marianne about her rescuer: "I see how it will be. You will be setting your cap at him now, and never think of poor Brandon." Marianne reproved him warmly for using such expressions. Sir John, not understanding, only laughed and continued his bantering. Commentary Willoughby seems to answer all of Marianne's romantic notions. He is handsome, gallant, and is to inherit a lovely estate that reminds the girls of their own Norland Park. He is indefatigable in his exuberance, able to dance from eight until four "without once sitting down." The way in which they meet is out of a chivalric romance--he rescues her from danger and goes out again to brave it alone. Notice that although Marianne is highly critical, her criticism is aimed at those whose sensibilities do not accord with hers. We will see, in Marianne's later attitude towards Willoughby, how incapable she is of any real objectivity. Sir John, like Mrs. Jennings, represents a good-natured but crude individual. Although he means no harm, his insensitivity to other people often causes pain. In this chapter, his humor is aimed at Marianne, who reproves him warmly for his crassness. But crude as they are, many of his observations have an aura of unpleasant truth which we cannot ignore as the novel progresses.

CHAPTER 10 Summary Willoughby called early next day, and he and Marianne had a long, lively conversation during which they discovered, to Marianne's rapture, that "their taste was strikingly alike." Marianne was soon captivated by Willoughby, who came to visit every day: "His society became gradually her most exquisite enjoyment. They read, they talked, they sang together." Mrs. Dashwood found Willoughby "faultless." Elinor saw little to disapprove of in him except "a propensity in which he strongly resembled and peculiarly delighted her sister, of saying too much what he thought on every occasion." In the meantime, Elinor began to notice Colonel Brandon's partiality for Marianne and was sorry for the older man. Hearing hints from Sir John about the colonel's "past injuries and disappointments," she regarded him "with respect and compassion." She saw that shielded by a mask of reserve was a strength of character that didn't deserve the censure that Willoughby and Marianne insisted on giving him. Elinor rebuked them, declaring him to be "a sensible man, well-bred, well-informed, of gentle address . . . possessing an amiable heart." But they took her reproof lightly and continued to see the colonel as a subject for jesting. Commentary In this chapter, Willoughby is presented with quiet humor as "exactly formed to engage Marianne's heart." However, despite his apparent attributes, we are held back from liking him too much by the subtle


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www.cliffs.com censure of the author. He says too much, gives his opinion of other people "hastily," and displays "a want of caution" which the eager Marianne enters into almost too willingly. Their criticism of Colonel Brandon is cruel, especially on Marianne's part since she has been given some indication of his favor towards her. It seems as if the couple is confusing what they believe to be their sincerity for what is actually flippancy. Elinor appears more and more to be the voice of the author. She is rarely satirized, in contrast to the constant parody of the others, and seems to possess a maturity which can serve as a guide for the behavior of all.

CHAPTERS 11 & 12 Summary As soon as Marianne's leg healed, the private balls began at Barton Hall. Willoughby and Marianne "were partners for half the time; and when obliged to separate for a couple of dances, were careful to stand together, and scarcely spoke a word to anyone else." Marianne was ecstatically happy, but Elinor was lonely, finding no one congenial in the company. Mrs. Jennings was too voluble, and Lady Middleton insipid: "In Colonel Brandon alone, of all her new acquaintances, did Elinor find a person who could in any degree claim the respect of abilities, excite the interest of friendship, or give pleasure as a companion." One day the colonel asked Elinor about Marianne's dislike for "second attachments." The colonel began to talk about a young lady who greatly resembled Marianne "in temper and mind." However, he broke off suddenly, leaving Elinor under the impression that he was referring to a tragic experience in his past. On the following day, during a walk, Marianne told Elinor that Willoughby was giving her a horse. Elinor, pained at Marianne's impropriety, told her sister they could not afford to keep a horse or a man to look after it. She also doubted the correctness of receiving such a gift from a man whom Marianne scarcely knew. Marianne replied warmly that she knew Willoughby better than "any other creature in the world" except her mother and Elinor. However, she finally yielded to Elinor's good judgment and explained to Willoughby that she could not accept the horse. Elinor, overhearing their conversation, inferred that the two were engaged. This feeling was confirmed by Margaret's seeing Marianne give Willoughby a lock of her hair. One evening at Barton Park, when Mrs. Jennings tried to find out "who was Elinor's particular favorite," Margaret tactlessly told the company, "there was such a man once, and his name begins with an F." Elinor, embarrassed, was grateful to Lady Middleton, who changed the subject. That evening a parry was formed for an excursion the next day to an estate belonging to a brother-in-law of Colonel Brandon. Commentary Marianne and Willoughby seem to be overstepping social rules to a dangerous degree. In the eighteenth century, it was not seen as correct for two people to spend so much time together without being engaged. Marianne's acceptance of the horse, as well as her giving away a lock of her hair--a very intimate item in those times--would be considered promiscuous behavior unless the couple were actually engaged. Also, in Austen's day, courtesy required that young ladies be addressed as "Miss," followed by their Christian name. Thus even the thirteen-year-old Margaret is addressed as "Miss Margaret" by Mrs. Jennings. Elinor, the eldest daughter in the family, is correctly addressed as "Miss Dashwood." Thus when Elinor heard Willoughby address Marianne by her Christian name, she justifiably concluded that they must be engaged.


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CHAPTERS 13 & 14 Summary While the party breakfasted at Barton Hall, a letter came for Colonel Brandon. He "took it, looked at the direction, changed colour, and immediately left the room." He soon returned, saying that he was obliged to leave for London and regretting that the party would nor be able to go to Whitwell without him. Mrs. Jennings intimated that she knew who the letter was from, and after Brandon left told the group about a Miss Williams, the colonel's natural daughter. Sir John arranged for the party to drive in the country. Marianne and Willoughby dashed off in the first carriage and returned after the last one, telling no one where they had been. However, during a dance that evening, Mrs. Jennings told Marianne that she had found out where they had been. Having questioned the groom, she learned that Willoughby had taken Marianne to Allenham and shown her over the house. Despite Marianne's embarrassment, Mrs. Jennings continued to banter the girl on how the house would one day be hers. Elinor reproved her sister for her impropriety in going alone with Willoughby to Allenham. Marianne, at first annoyed, later conceded her error. But her enthusiasm about the place, apparently prompted by dreams of future ownership, superseded any regrets. While Mrs. Jennings conjectured about Colonel Brandon's business in London, Elinor wondered about "the extraordinary silence of her sister and Willoughby" about whether or not they were engaged. Willoughby was a constant visitor, and he and Marianne seemed to have reached a tacit agreement, which, however, needed verbalization. One day he begged Mrs. Dashwood, "Tell me that not only your house will remain the same, but that I shall ever find you and yours unchanged as your dwelling." Mrs. Dashwood graciously accorded, and an engagement was made for dinner the next day. Commentary The absence of commercial entertainment in Austen's day compelled provincial people to seek relaxation in their own homes and the homes of others. So we find the characters in Sense and Sensibility constantly involved in all sorts of social occasions. Only one novel (Emma) features picnics, but one is planned in Sense and Sensibility. As the month was October, and late for picnics, Elinor was right in preparing to be "fatigued, wet through, and frightened." Only Sir John would have thought of such an idea to entertain his guests. Notice Austen's use of irony in representing Willoughby's sentimental attachment to Barton Cottage. No change was needed, although the kitchen smoked and the staircase was dark and narrow. Contrast this with Elinor's commonsensible perspective on her home.

CHAPTER 15 Summary When the Dashwoods went to call on Lady Middleton the next day, Marianne stayed behind "under some trifling pretext of employment." On their return, Marianne emerged from the parlor "apparently in violent affliction." Willoughby, looking upset, announced that his rich relative, Mrs. Smith, was sending him to London on business. He told them that he had "no idea of returning into Devonshire immediately" and was evasive when Mrs. Dashwood assured him that he would always be welcome at Barton Cottage.


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www.cliffs.com After he left, Mrs. Dashwood and Elinor discussed the probable reasons for his departure. Mrs. Dashwood was convinced that Willoughby was sincere. She conjectured that Mrs. Smith suspected Willoughby's interest in Marianne and thus invented the business "as an excuse to dismiss him." Elinor, however, questioned Willoughby's taciturnity. She spoke of her concern over the secrecy maintained by the young couple regarding their engagement but expressed the hope that her mother might be right in her conjecture. When Marianne came down to dinner, she "avoided the looks of them all, could neither eat nor speak, and after some time . . . burst into tears and left the room." Commentary Willoughby, who has been indignantly outspoken in his feelings and opinions heretofore, seems strangely silent now. Some explanation of his departure is required in this situation--and although he may have accomplished this with Marianne, her family, who has been witness to their affair, deserves to know the truth. Therefore, Elinor is justified in doubting Willoughby's intentions. The pair have flaunted their feelings for each other, which would be considered indiscreet were no public engagement forthcoming. His leaving without making this avowal is as good as a renunciation, although the naive Mrs. Dashwood refuses to see this.

CHAPTERS 16 & 17 Summary Marianne continued to grieve. No letter came from Willoughby and she did not seem to expect one. "Why do you not ask Marianne at once whether she is or is not engaged to Willoughby?" Elinor asked her mother. But Mrs. Dashwood's "romantic delicacy" forbade such a thing. One morning when the three sisters were out walking, a man appeared on horseback. Marianne started running toward him, certain it was Willoughby. It was, however, Edward Ferrars. He "was welcomed by them all with great cordiality." Mrs. Dashwood "was surprised only for a moment at seeing him; for his coming to Barton was, in her opinion, of all things the most natural." Edward was overcome by the warmth of her welcome, but throughout his visit, he appeared depressed. When Marianne told him he was reserved, Edward was startled and upset. He seemed to take the remark much more seriously than it was meant. Commentary Marianne's romantic sensibility demands that she suffer acutely because of Willoughby's departure. All the typical symptoms of romantic melancholy are hers--sleepless nights, listless days, loss of appetite, headaches, and periods of weeping and despair. She is, however, unconcerned about the misery she inflicts on her family. Edward acts rather strangely. He seems depressed and grave, giving Elinor cause for concern.

CHAPTER 18 Summary Edward's reticence became more noticeable as his visit continued. On one occasion Marianne attempted to leave the couple alone together and met with the speedy withdrawal of Edward from the room where she had left them. One day when the sisters and Edward were having breakfast, Marianne noticed "a ring, with a plait of hair in the centre," on one of Edward's fingers. She asked him if it was Fanny's, and Edward answered in the affirmative. Elinor and Marianne, however, believed it was Elinor's, although while Marianne thought it


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www.cliffs.com was freely given, Elinor was "conscious it must have been procured by some theft or contrivance unknown to herself." At noon, Sir John and Mrs. Jennings arrived, curious about the guest at the cottage. Realizing that he was the mysterious man with a name beginning with "F," Sir John insisted that they must "drink tea" at Barton Park that night and dine there the following day. Commentary Notice Edward's raillery of Marianne's sentimental view of the landscape. While he admires it for its utility and beauty, he is aware that Marianne's appreciation of it is for its romantic attributes. He is warmly sarcastic in his delineation of the differences between their points of view. He says, "I shall call hills steep, which ought to be bold; surfaces strange and uncouth, which ought to be irregular and rugged. . . . I know nothing of the picturesque."

CHAPTER 19 Summary Edward began to enjoy his stay but insisted he had to leave at the end of the week, although it was evident he had no special place to go. Mrs. Dashwood tried to cheer him by assuring him that, in time, his mother would make him independent. But Edward only replied, "I think that I may defy many months to produce any good to me." After his departure, Elinor was bewildered and upset but "busily employed herself the whole day," for she didn't want to disturb her family or increase her own grief. Marianne could not understand her sister's calmness; she believed that if Elinor really cared for Edward, she could not be so controlled. Under her cool exterior, however, Elinor thought about Edward a lot. One morning she was roused from her thoughts by Sir John's knock at the window. He brought his wife, Mrs. Jennings, and the latter's youngest daughter and husband. Mrs. Palmer, "several years younger than Lady Middleton and totally unlike her in every respect," chattered and laughed incessantly while her husband ignored her and read the newspaper. Sir John insisted that Elinor and Marianne spend the next day at Barton Park, and for fear of being rude they were forced to accept. After his departure, Marianne complained about having to see so much of the Middletons, but Elinor reminded her that a few weeks ago she felt differently: "The alteration is not in them, if their parties are grown tedious and dull. We must look for the change elsewhere." Commentary In this chapter, there is considerable emphasis on the dullness and banality of social visits. Marianne resents being invited so often to Barton Park. "The rent of this cottage is said to be low," she says, "but we have it on very hard terms, if we are to dine at the Park whenever any one is staying either with them or with us." The contrast between the two sisters can be markedly noticed in their respective reactions to two similar situations--the enigmatic departures of their suitors. While Marianne cares little for the feelings of her family and wishes only to indulge her own romantic sensibilities, Elinor, not wishing to cause pain to those around her, affects a calm demeanor. However, she is affected greatly by Edward's strange behavior, and one of the only consolations to his departure is the ring he wears, which she believes contains a lock of her hair.


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CHAPTERS 20 & 21 Summary At Barton Park the next day, Charlotte Palmer laughed and talked as foolishly as ever, and her husband was so consistently rude that Elinor concluded that "his general abuse of everything before him . . . was the desire of appearing superior to other people." Charlotte was very friendly to the girls, however, and invited them for Christmas--which Elinor declined. The Palmers returned to their home, "and the two families at Barton were again left to entertain each other." Their isolation didn't last long, however, for during an excursion to Exeter, Sir John met two young ladies, Anne and Lucy Steele, whom Mrs. Jennings discovered to be relatives of hers. He promptly invited them to Barton Hall, where they made themselves highly agreeable to Lady Middleton by flattering her and her children excessively. Elinor and Marianne found the older Miss Steele very vulgar and free in her speech, and Lucy, the younger, lacking in "real elegance and artlessness." Elinor left the house "without any wish of knowing them better." But Sir John was "entirely on the side of the Misses Steele," who were "particularly anxious to be better acquainted" with the Dashwoods. Thus he threw the young ladies together every day. Marianne was teased about Willoughby, and Sir John hinted at a romance between Elinor and Ferrars. On hearing Edward's name, Anne Steele announced that she knew Edward "very well" but was contradicted by Lucy, who declared, "Though we have seen him once or twice at my uncle's, it is rather too much to pretend to know him very well." For once Elinor wished Mrs. Jennings or Sir John would pursue the subject so she could find out more about the uncle and Edward's connection with him. But to her dismay, the subject was dropped. Commentary Charlotte Palmer, although a foolish chatterbox, is kindly and warmhearted. Her silent, belligerent husband is a comic foil to her insouciance. But the Misses Steele seem definitely unpleasant; the older is stupidly vulgar, and the younger, although less voluble, seems sly. There is definitely something unrefined about the pair. They toady to Lady Middleton and pretend great admiration for Elinor and Marianne. And at Barton, they are considered equal to the Dashwoods by Sir John, who is easily deceived by their surface politeness, and by his wife, who is swayed by their flattery. Marianne's impropriety is different from that of the Steeles, for she is genuine. The small obligations of social life do not exist for her. When Lucy Steele exclaims, "What a sweet woman Lady Middleton is!" Marianne is silent: "It was impossible for her to say what she did not feel, however trivial the occasion." And when Miss Steele gushes that little Annamaria, slightly scratched by a pin, might have suffered "a very sad accident," Marianne answers forthrightly: "I hardly know how, unless it had been under totally different circumstances."

CHAPTER 22 Summary As Marianne refused any intimacy with the Misses Steele, they turned to Elinor. Lucy, especially, sought her out, and Elinor frequently found her clever and agreeable, but she also found her "ignorant and illiterate" through lack of education, and wanting in "delicacy, . . . rectitude, and integrity of mind."


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www.cliffs.com One day while walking with Elinor, Lucy persisted in asking her opinion of Mrs. Ferrars, Edward's mother. She hinted that she would soon be "very intimately connected" with the family, and to Elinor's amazement, she confided that she had been secretly engaged to Edward for four years: "He was four years with my uncle, who lives at Longstaple, near Plymouth. It was there our acquaintance begun." She showed Elinor a miniature of Edward which she carried in her pocket and spoke of the sufferings she had endured on his behalf: "Everything in such suspense and uncertainty, and seeing him so seldom." Elinor desperately hoped that Lucy was lying, but all hope vanished when Lucy showed her a letter from Edward and told her that she had given him a lock of her hair, set in a ring. Commentary Ironically, the vulgar Lucy becomes Elinor's rival. She is forced to listen to Lucy's confidences about him and is abashed to realize that the lock of hair in Edward's ring, which she fondly believed to be her own, is in reality Lucy's. Note how often Austen uses letters to give a turn to the plot. In an earlier chapter, Colonel Brandon "changes colour" and leaves mysteriously when he receives a letter. In this chapter, Lucy shows Elinor a letter which convinces her that Lucy is speaking the truth about her engagement to Edward.

CHAPTERS 23 & 24 Summary Reflecting on Edward's behavior towards herself, Elinor decided that "his affection was all her own." She attributed his and Lucy's engagement to a youthful infatuation and felt that he would never be satisfied with a wife like her--"illiterate, artful, and selfish." Grieving "for him more than for herself," Elinor concealed both the secret and her deep distress from her mother and Marianne. Much though the conversation with Lucy had upset her, she was eager to "hear many particulars of their engagement repeated again." She wanted to judge the sincerity of Lucy's feelings for Edward. And above all, she wanted to convince Lucy that she wasn't hurt by Lucy's revelation. So, during a visit to Barton Hall, she offered to help Lucy finish a basket which she was making for Annamaria. She and Lucy discussed Edward's dependence on his mother, and Lucy asked Elinor to use her influence with John Dashwood to persuade him to give the Norland living to Edward. Elinor coolly pointed out that since Mrs. John Dashwood was Edward's sister, "that must be recommendation enough to her husband" But Lucy reminded her that "Mrs. John Dashwood would not much approve of Edward's going into orders." Conversation between the two became very stilted when Elinor refused to give her opinion of Lucy's situation, and finally, Lucy asked Elinor if she would be staying in London that winter. She was obviously pleased by Elinor's "Certainly not." The conversation ended, and Elinor decided "that Edward was not only without affection for the person who was to be his wife, but that he had not even the chance of being tolerably happy in marriage." After that day, Elinor never mentioned the subject of Edward again. But Lucy "seldom missed an opportunity of introducing it, and was particularly careful to inform her confidante of her happiness whenever she received a letter from Edward." Commentary Elinor, in this chapter, shows herself to be of flesh and blood. She is hurt by Lucy's revelation of the engagement and wishes to assure herself that Edward could not be in love with a woman such as Lucy


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www.cliffs.com seems to be. She also doesn't want Lucy to have any advantage over her by suspecting Elinor's anguish. So, Elinor too is capable of insincerity in order to discover all she wants to know.

CHAPTERS 25 & 26 Summary When Mrs. Jennings invited Elinor and Marianne to stay with her in London, Elinor at first refused, but Marianne was so eager to go, hoping to see Willoughby, that Elinor finally assented. Their departure took place in the first week of January. During the three-day journey, Marianne "sat in silence . . . wrapt in her own meditations." However, Elinor made up for this rudeness by treating Mrs. Jennings with much solicitude, and the woman was kind and attentive to them in turn. As soon as they arrived, Elinor found Marianne writing to someone, and when she saw a large "W" on the envelope, she was sure it was to Willoughby. Elinor concluded from this that they must be engaged. When a visitor arrived, Marianne jumped up, certain it was her love. But it turned out to be Colonel Brandon, who had heard of their arrival through the Palmers. For Marianne, this "was too much of a shock to be borne with calmness," and she ran out of the room in tears, much to the Colonel's surprise. On the next day, Marianne was in high spirits again, obviously expecting a visit from Willoughby. Charlotte Palmer called and they all went out shopping. When they returned, Marianne was greatly upset to find that Willoughby had neither called nor written to her. "How very odd," she murmured. Elinor, observing her sister's behavior, was very uneasy. She determined that "if appearances continued many days longer as unpleasant as they now were she would represent in the strongest manner to her mother the necessity of some serious inquiry into the affair." Commentary Sense and Sensibility, though it is Austen's only "London" novel, does not give any insight into the life of the city at that period. The setting is purely social; the ladies shop, visit, and enjoy evening parties. Long visits were common in those days, one reason being the difficulty of travel; a visit of only a few days would not be worth the discomfort involved. Another reason was the fact that the now customary annual summer vacation did not exist. A family seldom moved from their home to rooms in an inn. Visits to the sea, or to inland watering places, were made less for enjoyment than for reasons of health. Note that in this chapter, Elinor's extremely good manners are again in strong contrast to Marianne's impoliteness. She makes herself attentive to her hostess and, during Colonel Brandon's visit, tries in every way to excuse her sister.

CHAPTERS 27 & 28 Summary One day while the ladies were out, Willoughby left his card. Marianne, highly excited, expected him to call the next day, but he did not. When a letter arrived from Lady Middleton "announcing their arrival in Conduit Street the night before, and requesting the company of her mother and cousins the following evening," Elinor had great trouble in persuading Marianne to go with them. During the party, Marianne was upset to learn that Willoughby had been invited but had refused the invitation.


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www.cliffs.com The following day Elinor wrote to her mother, urging her to "demand from Marianne an account of her real situation." She had just finished when Colonel Brandon called. He seemed disturbed and asked Elinor whether congratulations were in order for Marianne's engagement. Everyone, it seemed, believed that Marianne was engaged to Willoughby, and he himself had seen a letter by Marianne in a servant's hand, addressed to Willoughby. He seemed to want to know whether there was any hope for him, and Elinor, not wanting to lead him on, told him that Willoughby and her sister had a mutual affection. For the next four days, Marianne was "wholly dispirited." She went with Elinor to a party at Lady Middleton's and, "not in spirits for moving about," sat down with her sister. Soon Elinor perceived Willoughby "in earnest conversation with a very fashionable-looking young woman." He bowed but did not approach them. Marianne's exclamation brought him to her side, and when she asked him if he had received her messages, he seemed embarrassed but answered that he had. Then he "turned hastily away with a slight bow." Marianne, "looking dreadfully white, . . . sank into her chair." She begged Elinor to tell Willoughby that she "must speak to him instantly." Elinor waited and, seeing Willoughby leave the room, told Marianne that he was gone. Marianne then begged her sister to ask Lady Middleton to take them home. Marianne, "in a silent agony, too much oppressed even for tears," went to bed as soon as they arrived at Mrs. Jennings'. Deeply worried, Elinor pondered Willoughby's strange behavior. "Absence might have weakened his regard," she thought, "and convenience might have determined him to overcome it, but that such a regard had formerly existed she could not bring herself to doubt." Commentary In this, as in all Austen's novels, there is a great deal of gossip. Everybody is interested in everybody else, and the heroines suffer from a lack of privacy. Colonel Brandon surprises Elinor by telling her, "Your sister's engagement to Mr. Willoughby is very generally known." When Elinor replies, "It cannot be generally known, for her own family do not know it," the colonel tells her, "their marriage is universally talked of . . . by some of whom you know nothing, by others with whom you are most intimate. That Elinor desperately wants to avoid gossip about Marianne and Willoughby is seen in her attempts to calm Marianne and prevent her from demanding an explanation from Willoughby during the dance. "No, my dearest Marianne, you must wait," she says. "This is not a place for explanations. Wait only till tomorrow." Notice Elinor's reserve with her own sister. Although the two girls are close, she must write her mother to demand from Marianne an account of her behavior.

CHAPTER 29 Summary While they were breakfasting the next day, a letter was delivered to Marianne, who, "turning of a deathlike paleness, instantly ran our of the room." Following her, filled with foreboding, Elinor found her sister "stretched on the bed, almost choked by grief, one letter in her hand, and two or three others lying by her." When Marianne's spasm of weeping was over, Elinor read Willoughby's letter. In it, he said that his "esteem" for Marianne's family was "very sincere." However, it was impossible that he could have "meant more" towards Marianne because his affections had "been long engaged elsewhere." He thus returned Marianne's letters and the lock of hair she had given him.


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www.cliffs.com Aghast at such "depravity of . . . mind," Elinor did her best to comfort her sister. Eventually Marianne admitted that she and Willoughby had never been engaged; he had never actually declared his love, only implied it. Elinor was amazed at Marianne's indiscretion, for without an engagement as sanction, her conduct (the letters and the openness of feeling) could not be excused. But Marianne cared little for public opinion and wanted to leave for home immediately. Elinor reminded her that they owed Mrs. Jennings "much more than civility" and persuaded her hysterical sister to stay another day or two. Commentary John Willoughby seems scarcely to be credible in this chapter. He first appeared in the romantic role of rescuer and completely captivated Marianne. But in London he ignores her completely, until she finally forces him to speak. He leaves her with blatant rudeness and sends her a letter which is a masterpiece of callousness. After this behavior, the reader is prepared to believe anything of him and is not surprised when later chapters reveal more of his depravity. In this chapter, Elinor's devotion to Marianne is shown in a most moving way. Without saying a word, she sits on her bed, holds Marianne's hand, and then gives way to "a burst of tears, which at first was scarcely less violent than Marianne's." Knowing that Marianne's grief must take its course, she watches by her "till this excess of suffering had somewhat spent itself." Remember that she, too, has experienced disappointment but is too concerned with the feelings of those that love her to tell them of Edward's deceit. In comparison with this unselfish behavior, Marianne is hardly likeable. She has been rude to everyone except her family and Willoughby--rudeness which is often undeserved. People like Colonel Brandon and Mrs. Jennings, who have been genuinely kind to the girl, have met with a callousness which is only equaled by Willoughby's to her. Even people like Lady Middleron and her husband, definitely not sympathetic characters, have always been cordial to the girl and yet have been treated by her with definite incivility. It is thus difficult to really feel sorry for Marianne.

CHAPTER 30 Summary When Mrs. Jennings returned from a drive, she sought Marianne and Elinor at once, telling them she had heard that Willoughby was to be married very soon. She was so genuinely grieved for Marianne that she showed her every possible kindness: "Marianne was to have the best place by the fire, was to be tempted to eat by every delicacy in the house." Sad though she felt, Elinor could not help but be amused by their hostess' "endeavours to cure a disappointment in love, by a variety of sweetmeat and olives, and a good fire." Mrs. Jennings told Elinor that Willoughby's fiancée, Miss Grey, was very rich and that her guardians "would not be sorry to have her married." Elinor ventured the hope that no one would talk about Marianne's shattered romance: "It would be unnecessary, I am sure, for you to caution Mrs. Palmer and Sir John against ever naming Mr. Willoughby, or making the slightest allusion to what has passed, before my sister." Mrs. Jennings assured her that nothing would be said and went on to hope that Marianne would turn to Colonel Brandon: "He will have her at last; aye, that he will." Later, Colonel Brandon called. He told Elinor that he had overheard two ladies talking in a shop. One of them was Mrs. Ellison, Miss Grey's guardian. She told her friend that "everything was now finally settled." Miss Grey was to marry Mr. Willoughby, and "as soon as the ceremony was over, they were to go to Coombe Magna, his seat in Somersetshire."


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www.cliffs.com Commentary Here we get more examples of Mrs. Jennings' warm, lovable nature. Although often tactless and crude, she is genuinely kind and generous to Elinor and Marianne and is sincerely upset by Marianne's unhappiness. In this chapter, her efforts to mend Marianne's broken heart with sweetmeat, olives, and wine cannot help but amuse Elinor, although they also touch her, as they do the reader. Mrs. Jennings, who likes nothing better than a romance and is of a warm and happy disposition, immediately begins to see a silver lining in the clouds. She eagerly reminds Elinor that "'tis a true saying about an ill-wind" and expects that Colonel Brandon will now be more favorably received by Marianne.

CHAPTER 31 Summary Mrs. Jennings continued her good services, all of which were unappreciated by Marianne, who felt that the woman was using her as a source of gossip. When she came to Marianne's room, glowing, with a letter which she believed would cheer the girl, Marianne assumed the correspondence was from Willoughby, and her distress was heightened when she realized it was but from her mother. What was worse, her mother spoke continually of Willoughby with the greatest confidence in his good intentions. Marianne longed to go home, but Elinor persuaded her to wait for their mother's advice. Elinor started a letter to her mother but was interrupted by the arrival of Colonel Brandon, who was very desirous of finding Elinor alone. Warning her that she would find him "a very awkward narrator," he began to tell her about Eliza, a girl who "in some measure" resembled Marianne. Eliza, an orphan and wealthy, was under the guardianship of Colonel Brandon's father, who was a close relative and grew up with him in his home. They planned to elope, but a housemaid betrayed them, and, at seventeen, against her inclination, Eliza was married to Colonel Brandon's older brother. This was done so that her large income could save the Brandon estate, which had gone to his older brother. He treated her badly, and after two years they were divorced. Eliza was then seduced by one man after another. After serving in the East Indies for three years, Colonel Brandon came home and began to search for her. He at last found her a consumptive, "so altered--so faded--worn down by acute suffering of every kind!" He did all he could for her and "was with her in her last moments." Eliza left her only child, three-year-old Eliza, in his charge. He put her in a good school, visited her whenever he could, and often had her to stay at Delaford. Twelve months ago, she had asked permission to go to Bath with a friend. There she had disappeared, and it was eight months before Colonel Brandon found what had happened to her. He received a letter--the same letter which had caused him to leave Barton Park so abruptly on the day of the planned excursion to Whitwell. She had been seduced by Mr. Willoughby, who "had left her, promising to return; he neither returned, nor wrote, nor relieved her." At present she lived in the country with the child who was the product of that event. Colonel Brandon had challenged Willoughby to a duel, but neither had been wounded, "and the meeting, therefore, never got abroad." He told Elinor to tell Marianne whatever she saw fit. "You must know best what will be its effect." Commentary In this chapter, Jane Austen makes use of one of the conventions seen commonly in the novels of that period--the inset story. The story of the young woman ruined by a ruthless young man was always popular. The seduction usually happened at a seaside resort, as here, in Bath.


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www.cliffs.com As we learn more and more about Willoughby, he appears to be a totally different person from the man who courted Marianne at Barton Park. Both men, the good and the evil Willoughby, are not convincing, for they are both extreme.

CHAPTERS 32 & 33 Summary When Elinor told Marianne about Willoughby's shocking behavior, she "felt the loss of Willoughby's character yet more heavily than she had felt the loss of his heart." But she was kinder to Colonel Brandon, "even voluntarily speaking, with a kind of compassionate respect." Mrs. Dashwood, on learning the truth from Elinor's letter, was miserable; however, she advised them not to shorten their visit to Mrs. Jennings, for the distraction would do Marianne good. Mrs. Palmer, Sir John, and Lady Middleton were all indignant about Willoughby's behavior and swore they would have nothing more to do with him, although, seeing the future Mrs. Willoughby would be a lady of fashion, Lady Middleton planned to leave her card with her. Two weeks after Marianne received Willoughby's letter, Elinor had to break the news of his marriage. At first Marianne received it "with resolute composure," but for the rest of the day was in a pitiable state. The Misses Steele arrived in town and paid a call, behaving with their usual vulgarity. Lucy insinuated that Elinor had stayed in town to see Edward, and it took all Elinor's civility to remain composed in front of the girl. One day Marianne yielded to Elinor's urging and went shopping with her and Mrs. Jennings. Mrs. Jennings left them to do some business in Gray's jewelry shop while she paid a short call on a friend. While waiting to be served, Elinor and Marianne were diverted by a foppish young man who was buying a toothpick case and calling attention to himself. Finally he decided on his purchase, and the girls were served. Just as they finished their business, a gentleman appeared at their side. It was their stepbrother, John, who promised to call on them the next day. John was punctual and, after exchanging civilities with Mrs. Jennings and Colonel Brandon, went with Elinor to call on Sir John and Lady Middleton. On the way, John questioned her about Colonel Brandon and despite her protests insisted on believing that the colonel was interested in Elinor. He mentioned a prior attachment of Elinor's, saying it was out of the question and, alluding to an engagement for Edward, told her, "It is not actually settled, but there is such a thing in agitation." Guiltily he tried to persuade his half-sister that, because of his many expenses, he was "very far . . . from being rich" and inquired about Mrs. Jennings, hinting that because of her kindness to Elinor and Marianne, they might well have "expectations" from her. Elinor protested again. He then asked, "What is the matter with Marianne? She looks very unwell, has lost her colour, and is grown quite thin." Elinor told him that Marianne was suffering from a "nervous complaint." John seemed to fear she would lose her looks and thus the chance of a good marriage. John was well pleased with his visit to Sir John and Lady Middleton and went off satisfied that he would have "a charming account to carry to Fanny." He had feared they would be low-class due to Mrs. Jennings' low connections. But he was much impressed by Lady Middleton's elegance and Sir John's amiability.


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www.cliffs.com Commentary Some of Jane Austen's most humorous writing is found in these chapters, especially in the reactions of Mrs. Palmer, Sir John, and Fanny to the news of Willoughby's faithlessness. Mrs. Palmer "was determined to drop his acquaintance immediately, and she was very thankful that she had never been acquainted with him at all." Sir John is appalled by the fact that he had ever offered Willoughby a puppy. Lady Middleton expressed her shock daily and "was able not only to see the Miss Dashwoods from the first without the smallest emotion, but very soon to see them without recollecting a word of the matter." The description of the stranger in Mr. Gray's shop is a masterpiece of satiric humor--"a person and face of strong, natural, sterling insignificance." In Austen's novels, good looks are invariably associated with good health, and a "sickly" girl has no allure for the male. John Dashwood is thus alarmed to see Marianne looking so poorly. John is anxious for his half-sisters to marry as soon and as well as possible to relieve him of the guilt he feels for not having provided for them. However, any pangs of conscience he does feel are quickly assuaged by his rationalizations concerning his own expenses, the Dashwoods' complacency at Barton, and their expectations for good marriages and a possible inheritance from someone as unlikely as Mrs. Jennings.

CHAPTER 34 Summary Mrs. Dashwood called on Lady Middleton the next day, and the two ladies took to each other at once. The Dashwoods invited the Middletons, Mrs. Jennings, the Dashwood sisters, the Steele sisters, and Colonel Brandon to dinner. Elinor was very curious to see Edward's mother, Mrs. Ferrars, who was also to be at dinner. She feared that Edward himself would be present and "hardly knew how she could bear it!" But Lucy Steele assured her that Edward had written he would not be there. "Mrs. Ferrars was a little, thin woman . . . serious, even to sourness." She made a special point of being rude to Elinor, whom she was determined to dislike, and ironically transferred her attentions to the Steele sisters. After dinner, when Fanny showed her mother some screens painted by Elinor, Mrs. Ferrars was so rude that Marianne, with her usual fervency, flew to Elinor's defence. Then she burst into tears, exclaiming "Dear, dear Elinor, don't mind them. Don't let them make you unhappy." Mrs. Jennings and Colonel Brandon tried to help. Sir John, enraged anew against Willoughby's behavior, took a seat next to Lucy Steele "and gave her, in a whisper, a brief account of the whole shocking affair." Commentary This chapter is a tableau of ironic criticism. The insipidity of the female characters juxtaposed against each other is accentuated by the fact that they like each other. Fanny finds Lady Middleton "one of the most charming women in the world! Lady Middleton was equally pleased with Mrs. Dashwood." Then the author lists the qualities which each finds in the other--selfishness, lack of compassion, and insipidity. The shallowness of their lives is expressed in their conversation, for when the men leave the room after dinner, they can talk of nothing but the relative heights of Harry Dashwood and William Middleton. Austen places a lot of stock in interesting conversation, and we can usually tell her attitude towards a character by her description of what he talks about. Thus Lady Middleton, Fanny Dashwood, and Mrs. Ferrars are all described as having little to say, while Lucy Steele, her sister, and John Middleron are all replete with inanities.


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Marianne's honesty, which has heretofore been improper, seems barely adequate in this setting, for her warmth of heart, her loyal affection for her sister's feelings, is a welcome contrast to this icy group.

CHAPTERS 35 & 36 Summary The following morning, Lucy Steele called to see Elinor and asked her, "Could anything be so flattering as Mrs. Ferrars' way of treating me yesterday?" When Elinor suggested that Lucy's anticipation of favor should wait until Mrs. Ferrars' awareness of the nature of Lucy's connection to Edward, Lucy insinuated that Elinor was jealous and said that shouldn't change things at all. An awkward situation arose when a servant suddenly announced the arrival of Edward Ferrars. Everybody felt very foolish, but Elinor welcomed him so kindly that "he had courage enough to sit down." On pretext of finding Marianne, Elinor left Edward and Lucy together. When the sisters came back, Marianne greeted Edward with profuse affection. Not knowing of the secret engagement, she behaved as if Edward were in love with Elinor, much to everyone's discomfort. Edward left very soon, "and Lucy, who would have outstayed him had his visit lasted two hours, soon afterwards went away. A few days later, Charlotte Palmer's baby was born. As Mrs. Jennings spent much time with her daughter, Elinor and Marianne were invited daily to Lady Middleton's. They were also invited to parties by people who believed them to be staying with their sister-in-law. At one musical parry, Elinor noticed the young man whom they had seen in Mr. Gray's jewelry shop. John Dashwood introduced him as Mr. Robert Ferrars, and Elinor found him "exactly the coxcomb she had heard him described to be by Lucy." John Dashwood suggested to his wife that he might invite his sisters to stay with them, but Fanny persuaded him that they could do that another year. Instead, she invited the Misses Steele, leading Lucy to believe that Mrs. Dashwood approved of a possible marriage between herself and Edward. Commentary When dealing with characters who are not sensible, Austen almost invariably uses direct speech, and the characters reveal themselves the more clearly because of it. We learn a lot about Robert Ferrars when he talks so insincerely to Elinor about the advantages of living in a cottage. Lucy Steele's speech is equally self-revealing. Not only her lack of education but her innate vulgarity is exposed. She makes such mistakes in grammar as "She had quite took a fancy to me." Her short, simple sentences seem to reflect her emptiness of mind. Robert Ferrars seems the opposite of his brother. Robert attributes his own superiority to an education in the "public" schools (private schools in England), which reinforced all his natural tendency towards snobbery.

CHAPTER 37 Commentary While visiting her daughter Charlotte, Mrs. Jennings learned from Doctor Donovan that he had just left Mrs. John Dashwood, who was suffering from hysterics. Anne Steele had innocently revealed the news of Lucy Steele's engagement to Edward, and Fanny, aghast, had ordered Lucy out of her house.


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www.cliffs.com Elinor realized that she must tell Marianne about the whole affair before Marianne heard it from Mrs. Jennings. Her sister was heartbroken. "What!" she said. "While attending me in all my misery, has this been on your heart?" Elinor, taking advantage of her sister's recriminations, made Marianne promise to show discretion when hearing or talking about the affair. On the following day, the sisters again heard the story, this time from John Dashwood. He told them that Fanny had told her mother about the engagement, and Mrs. Ferrars had sent for Edward, who refused to break it. He left the house in spite of his mother's declaration that she would disinherit him. Mrs. Ferrars' latest plan was to give Edward's inheritance to his brother Robert, immediately. Commentary Mrs. Jennings continues to reveal herself as the kindly and sensible creature she is. Her tactless curiosity and gossip began by offending Elinor and Marianne, but the sisters have by now learned that she has a big heart, which is what really matters. She energetically sides with Lucy against the wealth and family connections of the Dashwoods and the Ferrarses. "I declare I have no patience with your sister," she says, indignant because Fanny Dashwood has thrown Lucy out of her house, "and I hope, with all my heart, it will be a match in spite of her. . . . I have no notion of people's making such a to-do about money and greatness." Ironically, her simple heart can see no contrivance in the devious Lucy.

CHAPTER 38 Summary Marianne continued to grieve over her dear sister's pain and over her own lack of control in the face of Elinor's fortitude. For several days, nothing more was heard about Edward and Lucy. The third day was "so fine, so beautiful a Sunday as to draw many to Kensington Gardens." There Elinor met Anne Steele, who by eavesdropping on their conversation was able to tell her that Edward finally came to see Lucy and offered to release her from their engagement: "But, to be sure, Lucy would not give ear to such kind of talking." Edward had decided to enter the Church and could not marry until he found a living. Elinor related this to Mrs. Jennings, who said, "Wait for a living! aye, we all know how that will end; they will wait for a twelvemonth, and finding no good comes of it, will set down upon a curacy of fifty pounds a year." Later, Elinor received a letter from Lucy confirming this information and hinting that she would appreciate any assistance people would give her. Commentary This chapter affords an excellent example of the author's skill in depicting character and personality through dialogue. All of Anne Steele's vulgarity, lack of education, and weakness of character are revealed in her lengthy monologue. She is coy about "the doctor's" preference for her, which seems to exist wholly in her mind. She is completely mercenary in her constant talk of money and Edward's lack of it. She is wholly without reticence, even explaining how she listened at the door when Edward and Lucy were talking together in the drawing room. In complete contrast, Elinor, in her brief and discreet replies, shows her good breeding. She is naturally curious to know what has gone on between Edward and Lucy, but she does not ply Anne with questions, and she is genuinely horrified at hearing of Anne's eavesdropping: "I certainly would nor have suffered you to give me particulars of a conversation which you ought not to have known yourself."

CHAPTER 39 Summary When Mrs. Jennings planned to go to Cleveland, home of the Palmers, she invited Elinor and Marianne to go with her. Marianne at first declined violently since the house was in Somersetshire where the


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www.cliffs.com Willoughbys lived. But when Elinor wisely pointed out that they could get home more quickly by that route and more quickly see their dear mother, she agreed. Before they left, Colonel Brandon informed Elinor that the living at Delaford, near his estate, was vacant, and that Edward might have it. He did not think, however, that it could "do . . . more than make Mr. Ferrars comfortable as a bachelor." Mrs. Jennings, who overheard part of the conversation, misunderstood what the colonel was saying and believed that he was proposing to Elinor. Commentary Most of the journeys in Sense and Sensibility take place in winter and are tedious and uncomfortable. Wealthy people like Mrs. Jennings usually traveled in their own carriages and took the journey in easy stages. From London to Somerset was a two-day journey. From Cleveland, which was a few miles from Bristol, it took a day to get to Barton. Propriety demanded that young ladies should be accompanied; thus Elinor points out that "their mother's servant might easily come there to attend them down." Austen uses "low comedy" in this chapter to gently burlesque the warm, yet loquacious, Mrs. Jennings. The woman hears only a few lines of what the couple is saying but interprets them to fit what she wishes it to be--a proposal of marriage.

CHAPTERS 40 & 41 Summary Mrs. Jennings questioned Elinor about her talk with Colonel Brandon, and the two women were soon at cross purposes. Mrs. Jennings was left with the impression that Elinor and the colonel wanted Edward to perform their wedding ceremony. Before she learned the truth, Edward called and was greatly surprised to learn from Elinor of the colonel's offer of the Delaford living. He was most grateful, naturally concluding that Elinor had played some part in the offer. When he left to go and thank the colonel, Mrs. Jennings returned. During a talk with Elinor, they both realized her misunderstanding about the engagement and were much amused. Edward thanked the colonel and proceeded to tell Lucy his news. She was "able to reassure Mrs. Jennings, who called on her again the next day with her congratulations, that she had never seen him in such spirits before in her life." Elinor, out of courtesy, went to call on her sister-in-law and found her half-brother at home. He told her that she would be pleased to know that Mrs. Ferrars would have even preferred Elinor to Lucy Steele. When Elinor made no comment, John again alluded to a match between her and Colonel Brandon. While Elinor was still there, Robert Ferrars turned up, and his patronizing and unfeeling attitude towards Edward confirmed "her most unfavourable opinion of his head and heart." Commentary Country squires like Colonel Brandon, who had the power to bestow livings, often accepted money from those who wished to be given a living on the death of the incumbent. As John Dashwood said, they sometimes received as much as fourteen hundred pounds. Sometimes parents or guardians bought a living for a young man, and a clergyman was employed temporarily until the youth was grown up and ordained. Elinor again shows her strength of character by visiting the "ailing" Mrs. Dashwood, who has treated her so badly. Robert is confirmed as the shallow fop he appeared to be on their first meeting at Gray's. He has no sympathy for his brother, finding Edward's sad situation a source of laughter and contempt.


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CHAPTERS 42 & 43 Summary A few days after their arrival at Cleveland, Marianne took ill with a violent cold. As she did not improve, Mrs. Jennings sent for the apothecary, who pronounced her disorder to be of an infectious variety. Mrs. Palmer, fearing for her baby, departed with him to a relative's home in the neighborhood, but Mrs. Jennings insisted on staying to help nurse Marianne. After a few days, Marianne seemed to get better, but suddenly she had a relapse, and Elinor decided to send for their mother. Colonel Brandon offered to go for her "with a readiness that seemed to speak the occasion and the service pre-arranged in his mind." Things seemed very bad and Mrs. Jennings was convinced Marianne would not survive. But as suddenly as she was stricken, Marianne began to get better and was declared out of danger. On that day, Elinor heard a carriage approaching and hurried down, thinking it must be Colonel Brandon and her mother. To her surprise, it was Willoughby. Commentary The gentry of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries were keenly interested in planning their gardens. Ruins of Grecian temples were often placed in the grounds to add a romantic touch to the landscape. The apothecary was the man who prepared drugs, as opposed to the doctor who prescribed them. In the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, however, the apothecary had the skill and power to care for patients in the same way as the doctor. Note that Mrs. Palmer's baby was treated by a doctor in London but only an apothecary was available in the country. Much to our surprise, Mr. Palmer, in his own habitat, is almost as warm as his wife. Mrs. Jennings has truly become one of the heroines of the story, where, as a mother, she is a striking contrast to the cold, barren Mrs. Ferrars. Marianne is paying for her folly with a very tangible illness. She cannot go out in the damp, wild grass-symbolic of her own excesses of emotion--without being punished.

CHAPTER 44 Summary Arriving in a great state of agitation, Willoughby persuaded Elinor to listen to his story. He told her that, at first, he had not been serious about his involvement with Marianne and looked at it as only a boost to his ego. But he fell in love with her and decided to become engaged to her. However, the day before his intended proposal, Mrs. Smith, his relative, discovered how badly he had treated Colonel Brandon's ward and offered to forgive him if he would marry the girl. He refused and decided to marry the wealthy Sophia. He declared that he had been tortured for his wrongdoing. The letter which he had written to Marianne had been composed by his fiancée, now his wife, who had forced him to copy it after she had snatched Marianne's letter from him and read it. Sir John Middleton had met him the night before and told him of Marianne's morbid condition. Since he still loved her, he had rushed to Cleveland to exonerate himself with her before she died. He was joyous to learn this wasn't necessary, but being already there, he wanted to clear himself with Elinor.


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www.cliffs.com Commentary Elinor again shows us her generous nature by allowing the wretched Willoughby to tell her his story and afterwards by feeling genuine compassion for the man who has hurt her sister so terribly. Willoughby has been the cause of his own troubles and is forced to live with the results of his mistakes. His wife Sophia is painted by him to be selfish and evil tempered. She married Willoughby knowing he didn't care for her. Willoughby is well aware that he sacrificed any hope of domestic happiness for great wealth. Elinor understands him and pities him.

CHAPTERS 45 & 46 Summary As Elinor thought over what Willoughby had said, she pitied his condition. Her mother and Colonel Brandon arrived one half hour later, and Elinor, "waiting neither for salutation nor inquiry, instantly gave the joyful relief." Marianne continued to mend, and on the following day Mrs. Dashwood confided to Elinor that Colonel Brandon was in love with Marianne; he had told her his feelings during their journey from Barton. He thought there was no hope for him and was "too diffident of himself to believe, that with such a difference of age and disposition, he could ever attach her." But Mrs. Dashwood felt that he was perfect for Marianne and was convinced that she would one day accept him. The Dashwoods returned to Barton in Colonel Brandon's carriage, and Marianne was determined to be as cheerful as possible. Once settled, she decided on a plan of study and repose involving many hours of reading and walking. One day when she and Elinor were walking together, Elinor told her sister about the interview with Willoughby. Marianne was upset, but, with a kiss of gratitude, only murmured, "Tell Mamma." Commentary Marianne derives much of her sensibility and many of her romantic notions from her mother, whose emotions are often very much exaggerated. When Marianne is ill, Mrs. Dashwood is desperately anxious, for her habit of exaggeration persuades her that Marianne must already be dead. Thus, when she arrives at Cleveland, she has "no voice to inquire after her, no voice even for Elinor." But as Marianne recovers, so her mother becomes bright and cheerful and begins her match-making schemes all over again, for she "was led away by the exuberance of her joy to think only of what would increase it." Marianne seems to have learned from her experience. She recognizes that she was the cause of her own anguish and illness. She sees how badly she has treated people and notes how differently she and Elinor have taken their disappointments.

CHAPTERS 47 & 48 Summary Mrs. Dashwood and her daughters discussed Willoughby. Mrs. Dashwood "was sorry for him; she wished him happy." But she could never like him as well as she had. Elinor declared that Willoughby was basically selfish and that he never could have been happy with Marianne because of the poverty they would have certainly been reduced to. The family settled down quietly at Barton Cottage, and Elinor was impatient for news of Edward: "She had heard nothing of him since her leaving London, nothing new, of his plans, nothing certain even of his


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www.cliffs.com present abode." Then one day their man-servant returned from an errand to Exeter and said, "I suppose you know, ma'am, that Mr. Ferrars is married." He said that he had seen Lucy Steele in a chaise at the door of an inn and that Mr. Ferrars was "leaning back in it, but he did nor look up." Lucy told the man she had married and would visit the Dashwoods shortly. That evening, the family was thoughtful and silent. Mrs. Dashwood realized that she had been so engrossed with Marianne's suffering that she had forgotten "that in Elinor she might have a daughter suffering almost as much, certainly with less self-provocation, and greater fortitude." Elinor longed for more news of Edward and hoped for Colonel Brandon's arrival to give it to her. One day a man rode up to the house on horseback and all approached the door to welcome whom they believed to be the colonel. However, the visitor, looking nervous and embarrassed, was Edward. After an awkward silence, Elinor asked him of the health of Mrs. Edward Ferrars. Edward blushed and informed the company that their groom had seen his brother Robert. All were astonished and Elinor "almost ran out of the room, and as soon as the door was closed, burst into tears of joy." Edward, sensing her emotion, "fell into a reverie" and hurried out towards the village. Commentary Note the difference in grammatical usage; in modern English, "each" is regarded as singular and should be followed by a singular possessive adjective. But Austen uses the plural in the expression "each felt their own error. Elinor shows herself to be as capable of emotion as her sister. But the feelings she allows people to see are quite appropriately happy ones.

CHAPTER 49 Summary That very afternoon the couple became engaged. Edward explained to Elinor how he had happened to become engaged to Lucy Steele, and how "it was not, at the time, an unnatural or inexcusable piece of folly." He then showed her the letter that he had received from Lucy informing him that she felt he didn't really love her and that she had found someone who could in Robert. Colonel Brandon came for a short time, and letters from Mrs. Jennings and John Dashwood brought news once again of Robert's marriage to Lucy. John felt that Edward should send a letter of apology to Mrs. Ferrars, but Edward decided to go to London in person to see his sister Fanny and "personally intreat her good offices in his favour," hoping that she might be able to bring about a reconciliation with his mother. Commentary By a strange twist of fare, it is the sensible sister, Elinor, who marries her first love and is willing to share his life on the small salary of a country parson. With love, Elinor develops sensibility; her feelings when Edward at last proposes to her are as strong as any which Marianne has experienced, for "she was oppressed, she was overcome by her own felicity."

CHAPTER 50 Summary Mrs. Ferrars was finally reconciled to Edward and gave him a settlement of ten thousand pounds: "It was as much . . . as was desired, and more than was expected, by Edward and Elinor." Robert procured the


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www.cliffs.com forgiveness of his mother "by the simple expedient of asking it." Lucy, too, was clever enough to win the favor of her mother-in-law and was soon raised "to the highest state of affection and influence." Elinor and Edward married and stayed at Colonel Brandon's house until the parsonage was ready. When they were settled, her mother and sisters spent much more than half their time there, "Mrs. Dashwood . . . acting on motives of policy as well as pleasure," for she wanted to throw Marianne and Colonel Brandon together as much as possible. Eventually, Marianne married Colonel Brandon, who "was now as happy as all those who best loved him believed he deserved to be. . . . Marianne could never love by halves; and her whole heart became in time, as much devoted to her husband, as it had once been to Willoughby." Willoughby always thought of Marianne with regret. As further punishment, Mrs. Smith forgave him, and he realized that had he married Marianne he could have been both rich and happy. He cannot be said to have been totally unhappy, for he had his hunting and dogs and the occasional good humor of his wife. Mrs. Dashwood remained at Barton Cottage, for "Margaret had reached an age highly suitable for dancing, and not very ineligible for being supposed to have a lover." Commentary Mrs. Dashwood's sensibility and her concern for her daughters' happiness contrast strongly with Mrs. Ferrars' attitude towards her sons. Selfish, designing, and coldhearted, she approaches burlesque in her habit of disinheriting them. But the contrast is even greater between the warm bonds of feeling that link Elinor and her husband with Marianne and the colonel, and the coolness and jealousy that exist between Robert and Lucy and Mr. and Mrs. John Dashwood. Everyone ironically gets what they deserve. The hypocritical Lucy can be called the perfect mate for Robert and the perfect attendant for Mrs. Ferrars. Willoughby has his dogs and his money. Colonel Brandon, older and reserved, is treated to a youthful and refreshing mate--and she to a strong and protective husband. Mrs. Dashwood is left with the delightful task of marrying off another daughter. And Edward, who has narrowly escaped a lifetime of punishment for the follies of his youth, is assured a life of happiness with a woman who is as different from Lucy as he is from his brother.

CHARACTER ANALYSES ELINOR DASHWOOD

Elinor represents "sense" in this novel. Only nineteen, she is her mother's counselor, able to influence her in the direction of prudence. When Mrs. Dashwood wants to leave Norland Park, it is Elinor who prevents her from acting too hastily. She induces Marianne to look at things in a calmer, more sensible light than is natural to her, as when she makes her admit her impropriety in going alone with Willoughby to Mrs. Smith's house. Elinor is very different from Marianne when she falls in love. Though attracted to Edward, she is cautious, telling her sister, "I am by no means sure of his regard for me." She keeps her self-control when she learns that Lucy has been secretly engaged to Edward and rightly concludes that Edward felt only a youthful infatuation for the girl.


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www.cliffs.com Deeply devoted to Marianne, she goes to London because Marianne hopes to find Willoughby there, and she makes up for Marianne's rudeness to their hostess by her own unfailing courtesy. When Marianne falls ill, she nurses her tenderly. When she hears from a servant that "Mr. Ferrars is married," Elinor shows that she is not always the calm, collected girl she appears to be. Being capable of deep devotion, she is also able to love sincerely, and at the story's end her faith in Edward has been rewarded in their marriage and subsequent happiness.

MARIANNE DASHWOOD

Though probably intended as a caricature of the oversensitive heroine in the late-eighteenth-century novel, Marianne is a character in her own right: "She was sensible and clever, but eager in everything; her sorrows, her joys, could have no moderation." Marianne is amazed that Elinor could love the colorless Edward. "He is not the kind of young man--there is something wanting," she tells her mother. She looks on Colonel Brandon as an old man, past romance, although he is only thirty-five, and falls headlong in love with the shallow Willoughby: "His person and air were equal to what her fancy had ever drawn for the hero of a favorite story." Always too impulsive, Marianne goes with Willoughby to look over Mrs. Smith's house, accepts his offer of a horse, and pokes fun at Colonel Brandon to please him. Intolerant of the feelings of others, Marianne is displeased by Sir John's jests and finds Mrs. Jennings vulgar and gossipy. She treats the old lady impolitely during their trip to London but is eager to avail herself of Mrs. Jennings' hospitality. She is outspoken and honest, and cannot tell even a polite lie: "It was impossible for her to say what she did not feel, however trivial the occasion." When Willoughby deserts her, Marianne loses all self-control and eventually becomes ill. When she recovers, she realizes that she has brought her troubles on herself, and she admits to Elinor that Willoughby never actually proposed marriage to her. She realizes her faults and how often she has hurt others: "Everybody seemed injured by me. The kindness, the unceasing kindness of Mrs. Jennings, I had repaid with ungrateful contempt. To the Middletons, the Palmers, the Steeles, to every common acquaintance even, I had been insolent and unjust." At last, learning sense, she appreciates Colonel Brandon at his true worth. Married to him, she achieves happiness because she "could never love by halves; and her whole heart became in time, as much devoted to her husband, as it had once been to Willoughby."

EDWARD FERRARS

Financially dependent on his mother, Edward is privately educated although not trained for a specific profession. His mother wants him to cut a fine figure in the world, but "All his wishes centered in domestic comfort and the quiet of private life." "Gentlemanlike and pleasing," Edward is not attractive to Marianne. Elinor sees him differently: ". . . his mind is well-informed . . . his imagination lively . . . his taste delicate and pure." She praises the "expression of his eyes" and the "sweetness of his countenance." Strictly honorable, Edward keeps his promise to Lucy even though he is in love with Elinor. As a lover, he is clumsy and inarticulate; when he is finally free of Lucy, he blurts out an explanation to Elinor but does not then propose. Instead, he "fell into a reverie which no remarks, no inquiries, no affectionate address of Mrs. Dashwood could penetrate, and at last, without saying a word, quitted the room, and walked out toward the village."


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www.cliffs.com He finally proposes to Elinor, persuading her that his affection for her is "as tender, as constant, as she had ever supposed it to be." He achieves the quiet life he yearns for and shows "the ready discharge of his duties in every particular" as a country parson.

JOHN WILLOUGHBY

On his first appearance, Willoughby appears to be the romantic hero of the novel as he rescues Marianne and carries her home. "Uncommonly handsome," he has a charming voice and gallant manners. Sir John describes him as "As good a kind of fellow as ever lived. . . . A decent shot . . . there is not a bolder rider in England." Attracted to Marianne, he pays her great attention. Something of his real nature shows when he makes malicious fun of Marianne's admirer, Colonel Brandon. As time goes on, he is seen to have no strength of purpose; he leaves Marianne without explanation when Mrs. Smith discovers that he has seduced Colonel Brandon's protégé, Eliza Williams. He avoids Marianne until she begs him to speak to her at a dance. Later he sends her a cruel and curt letter, saying that he had never been seriously attracted to her. After marrying Miss Grey, a wealthy woman who makes him unhappy, he repents of his behavior to Marianne. When Sir John tells him of her serious illness, he travels to Cleveland at once to find out how she is. He tells Elinor that his fiancée dictated the letter to Marianne and made him send it. He convinces Elinor of his repentance. During their talk, "Her thoughts were silently fixed on the irreparable injury which too early an independence and its consequent habits of idleness, dissipation, and luxury, had made in the mind, the character, the happiness, of a man who, to every advantage of person and talents, united a disposition naturally open and honest, and . . . [an] affectionate temper."

LUCY STEELE

Exceptionally pretty, Lucy ensnares Edward's affection while he is her uncle's pupil. She herself has little education and no money and is glad of this opportunity to come up in the world. When Sir John invites Lucy and her sister Anne to Barton Park, the sisters are shrewd enough to bring presents for the children and to flatter their mother into thinking they dote on them. Thus they soon win her favor. Lucy is determined to become intimate with the Misses Dashwood, whom she praises as "the most beautiful, elegant and accomplished and agreeable girls." Clever and cunning, Lucy confides her secret to Elinor and watches for her reactions. Knowing that Elinor doubts her story, she shrewdly shows her a letter and picture from Edward. She acts her part well, but Elinor is not deceived, rightly seeing Lucy as "illiterate, artful and selfish." When Fanny Dashwood and Mrs. Ferrars are pleasant to her, Lucy is delighted. But her sister tells Fanny about Lucy's secret engagement, and Fanny orders her from the house. Not averse to lying, she declines Edward's offer to release her from her engagement but tells Elinor that it was she who offered to set Edward free. Then she subtly flatters Robert and beguiles him into eloping with her. She insinuates herself into the favor of old Mrs. Ferrars by flattery and false penitence, and actually becomes the old lady's favorite daughter-in-law.

COLONEL BRANDON

To Elinor, the colonel is a faithful and helpful friend; to Mrs. Jennings, he is an eligible bachelor for whom she must find a wife; to Mrs. Dashwood, he is "a noble man" who would make an excellent husband for her daughter. To Marianne, he is elderly and unromantic.


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The colonel's behavior is always honorable. He admirably fulfils his promise to his lost love, Eliza, and brings up her child. When the young Eliza is seduced by Willoughby, the colonel challenges Willoughby to a duel. He tells Elinor about it only because he wants to prevent Willoughby from harming Marianne. During Marianne's illness, he remains devotedly in the background, helping whenever he can. He offers to fetch Mrs. Dashwood to Cleveland and on the journey back confesses his love for Marianne. "It came out quite unawares, quite undesignedly," Mrs. Dashwood tells Elinor. "I, you may well believe, could talk of nothing but my child; he could not conceal his distress." Respecting Edward and wanting to help him, the colonel generously offers him the Delaford living, tactfully transmitting his offer through Elinor. His patience, tolerance, and kindness are finally rewarded when Marianne marries him, for "her regard and her society restored his mind to animation, and his spirits to cheerfulness."

MRS. DASHWOOD

A person of exaggerated sensibility, Mrs. Dashwood is likeable, with perfect manners and "a sweetness of address" which attracts everyone. She is devoted to her daughters and very proud of them. She sympathizes with Marianne, who is so like herself in temperament. She cannot understand Elinor's calmer temperament; when Elinor, speaking of Edward, says, "I think you will like him," Mrs. Dashwood replies, "Like him! . . . I can feel no sentiment of approbation inferior to love." She is captivated by Willoughby and is certain that he means to marry Marianne. Completely honest herself, she is deeply distressed by his subsequent behavior. When Marianne is ill, she is so desperately anxious that she cannot but believe that her daughter is already dead. But, as Marianne recovers, she becomes her usual happy self. She again starts to matchmake, "led away by the exuberance of her joy to think only of what would increase it." After her daughters are married, Mrs. Dashwood is prudent enough to remain in her modest cottage, happy that her youngest daughter, Margaret, has "reached an age highly suitable for dancing, and not very ineligible for being supposed to have a lover."

MRS. JENNINGS

Vulgar, kindly, and cheerful, Mrs. Jennings is the widow of a man "who had got all his money in a low way." With both daughters married off, she likes to visit them in their country houses and enjoys the society of their young guests. She is fond of young people and has an eagle eye for their romances--even questioning a servant to find out where Marianne went with Willoughby on the day of the picnic. An inveterate gossip, she passes on scandal about Colonel Brandon even though she likes and respects him. Mrs. Jennings has much common sense and easily sees through affectation. Lady Middleton may think Fanny Dashwood a charming woman, but to Mrs. Jennings "she appeared nothing more than a little, proud-looking woman of uncordial address." And when John Dashwood blames Edward for keeping his word to Lucy, Mrs. Jennings stoutly declares that Edward has acted like an honest man and that Lucy is a good girl who deserves a worthy husband. Mrs. Jennings is kindness itself to Elinor and Marianne. She is thoughtful, generous, and solicitous for their comfort and, on the journey to London, does not even seem to notice Marianne's rudeness. When Marianne falls ill, she remains at Cleveland to help Elinor care for her.


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www.cliffs.com A devoted mother, she fusses happily over Charlotte and her first baby. When Charlotte imagines the baby to be ill, Mrs. Jennings shows her common sense, diagnosing the trouble as "nothing in the world but red-gum." All in all, as Austen says, Mrs. Jennings "was a very cheerful, agreeable woman," probably the most lovable character in the novel.

LADY MIDDLETON

Lady Middleton, in contrast to her husband, is perfectly well-bred but reserved and cold. She has few subjects of conversation and is concerned chiefly with the elegant maintenance of her household. She shares her husband's liking for entertaining, not because she enjoys society but because she wants to show off her elegance. She dotes on her four children and is attracted to anyone who praises them; Anne and Lucy Steele are soon in favor because they allow their hair to be pulled down, their sashes untied, and so forth. In London, acting as their hostess, she makes an excellent impression on John and Fanny Dashwood. Fanny, especially, is drawn to her, finding in her a kindred spirit.

ROBERT FERRARS

"Silly and a great coxcomb," Robert Ferrars is certain that his own vanity is of greater worth than Edward's modesty and self-effacement. He attributes this to his education at Westminster, a famous English public school. When Elinor notices him in Gray's, the jewelry store, making a great fuss over his choice of a toothpick case, his glance demands admiration rather than gives it. Utterly foolish in his views, he talks nonsense to Elinor on their second meeting, breaking into lavish praise of cottages: "Elinor agreed to it all, for she did not think he deserved the compliment of rational opposition." With careless good nature, he first visits Lucy to try to persuade her to break off her engagement to Edward. But Lucy, by encouraging him to talk about himself, soon wins his interest and gets him to marry her. Robert's chief traits are vanity and pride: "He was proud of his conquest, proud of tricking Edward, and very proud of marrying privately without his mother's consent." After his marriage, he easily wins his mother's forgiveness "by the simple expedient of asking for it."

SIR JOHN MIDDLETON

A fine type of country squire, Sir John is good-humored, generous, and hospitable. When Mrs. Dashwood is left a widow, he offers her Barton Cottage at a modest rental and does all he can to make the family comfortable there. He sends them fish and game, carries their letters "to and from the post," and gives them his daily newspaper. He enjoys the society of young people, especially young ladies, whom he likes to tease about their lovers. He is a boon to "the juvenile part of the neighbourhood" because he is forever forming parties to picnic in summer and dance in winter. Energetic, but with no mental interests, Sir John is a sportsman. He recommends Willoughby to the Dashwoods as a hunter, "a pleasant, good-humoured fellow" with an eye for a horse or a dog. But when Willoughby deserts Marianne, Sir John cuts him. He later tells Willoughby about Marianne's illness, and,


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www.cliffs.com as Willoughby told Elinor, "his heart was softened in seeing mine suffer; and much of his ill-will was done away with."

MRS. PALMER

Mrs. Jennings' younger daughter, Charlotte, is a foolish but cheerful young woman "strongly endowed by nature with a turn for being uniformly civil and happy." Short, plump, and pretty, she is not so elegant as her sister, Lady Middleton, but is "much more prepossessing." When she visits the Dashwoods at Barton Cottage, she likes and admires everyone and everything: "Well! What a delightful room this is! I never saw anything so charming!" Not even her husband's rudeness can disturb her: "When he scolded or abused her, she was highly pleased." One of the most entertaining characters in the novel, Charlotte prattles incessantly, often with unconscious humor. When asked if she knows Willoughby, she replies, "Oh dear, yes; I know him extremely well," and then goes on to say, "not that I ever spoke to him indeed; but I have seen him forever in town." When her baby is born, she naturally fusses over him and shows little common sense over his childish ailments. When Marianne falls ill, she persuades her husband to send her and the baby to relatives in Bath, fearing infection for her child.

MR. PALMER

"A grave-looking man . . . with an air of mote fashion and sense than his wife," Mr. Palmer acts in a consistently rude and boorish manner, probably to give himself importance. He complains because Sir John has no billiard room, declares his mother-in-law to be ill-bred, and continually insults or ignores his wife. Elinor at first thinks that his temper is soured "by finding, like many others of his sex, that through some unaccountable bias in favour of beauty, he was the husband of a very silly wife." But later she decides that he is rude because he wants to appear different from everyone else.

FANNY DASHWOOD

A most unpleasant woman, Fanny represents the spoiled and selfish woman of wealth of Austen's time. She is egoistic and believes that what is good for her or her child is the best thing for everyone. Determined to get all she can for her son, she cleverly persuades her husband to break his promise and give up any idea of providing for his stepmother and half-sisters. Neither courteous nor kindly, she does not wish to entertain Elinor and Marianne in London and is resentful when they are invited by her friends. When her husband suggests that they should invite the girls to stay with them, she persuades him to invite the Misses Steele instead--and believes that she is acting "out of the benevolence of her heart." Ironically, she discovers during their stay that Lucy is engaged to Edward. This brings on an absurd fit of hysterics. In London, she is naturally attracted to Lady Middleton, for there is "a kind of cold-heartedness on both sides," and they sympathize with each other "in an insipid propriety of demeanour, and a general want of understanding."

MRS. FERRARS

Small, thin, and sour-faced, Mrs. Ferrars is a most possessing woman. She keeps her sons dependent upon her and tries to rule their lives. A snob, she sends Edward to a tutor, rather than to school, to please her titled brother. She wants Edward to cut a fine figure in the world and marry well. When he falls in love with Elinor, she disapproves, showing her displeasure so strongly that Elinor sees "almost enough to be


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www.cliffs.com thankful for her own sake that one great obstacle preserved her from . . . any solicitude for her good opinion." A stupid woman, she is quickly deceived by Lucy's blandishments. She is no judge of character and fails to perceive Edward's good qualities, only grudgingly taking him back into her favor after his marriage. She also soon forgives Robert and is easily won over by Lucy's false charm.

ANNE STEELE

A spinster of nearly thirty, Anne is tactless and vulgar. She follows Lucy's lead in everything and is often reprimanded by her sister for her foolish chatter, which is concerned with two main topics, beaux and clothes. Though a gossip, she manages to keep Lucy's secret until the day when she imagines that Mrs. Ferrars likes Lucy and would welcome her as a daughter-in-law. Then she eagerly tells of Lucy's engagement and incurs her sister's wrath. She is curious about other people's affairs, especially their romances, and listens at doors, having no scruples about repeating what she overhears. Elinor Dashwood reproves her for this, but Anne only says, "Oh, la! there is nothing in that. I only stood at the door, and heard what I could. And I am sure Lucy would have done just the same by me."

CRITICAL ESSAYS BACKGROUND

Although Jane Austen had lived in towns like Bath and Southampton and had visited London, she never gives her novels an urban setting. In Sense and Sensibility, the action moves from one great country house to another, the main action taking place in Norland Park, Barton Park, and Cleveland. The Dashwood sisters spend a season in London; they attend balls and dances, and visit a fashionable jeweler's shop. But the author gives few characteristic details about the city itself. Landscapes are only briefly described, though there are references to grounds adorned with mock Grecian temples, and Edward and Elinor plan a "sweep," an approach to their house which will make the most of their limited grounds. All the characters lead a life of leisure. The men do little but hunt and shoot. The women entertain their friends, sing or play an instrument, play cards, and work at painting screens, making filigree baskets, and doing carpet work. Much time is spent in gossip, chatter, and the reading of poetry and romances. Austen writes about a limited universe, her own universe, which is comprised of upper-middle-class Tory gentry. Economic security is essential in order to maintain this leisurely existence. According to the English laws of primogeniture, the first-born son inherits the family estate, which includes all but what money is bequeathed directly to the rest of the family. This is usually enough to resolve his difficulties, if the estate is a good one. But if the son isn't old enough to inherit his birthright when the father dies, the estate is usually left to the mother and, in the case of Mrs. Ferrars, with "no strings attached." When she leaves the estate to Robert, she abolishes the natural order of things by ignoring the laws of primogeniture. She is thus, in many ways, an unnatural mother. The second and subsequent sons, having no estate, must make their way in the world with only what is bequeathed them in money. If they are fortunate, they marry a wealthy woman with an estate. But, more frequently, their choices are limited to the clergy or the army. If the clergy, they again must apply to luck, which often amounts to influence, to find someone to give or sell them a "living," which would provide them with a house on an estate and the Cliffs Notes on Sense and Sensibility © 1969

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www.cliffs.com money gained from the collection of tithes, or church taxes. If the estate is a wealthy one, the "living" can assure them a comfortable existence. This is not the case in Delaford, where Edward must rely on his mother's beneficence to supplement his income. A man need not be terribly spiritual in order to take a post in the clergy. The position involves guiding the social and moral life of the community as much as, if not more than, its spiritual one. Were a man to decide on the army, he would again need to use his influence, this time to find a good command, which he then must buy. In eighteenth-century England, men didn't rise from the ranks; all the officers were men of good family who had paid heavily for their ranks. We see a detailed depiction of the military society of the times in Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Women have similar economic problems, but not as many resources. If they are rich, as is Miss Grey, they can literally buy a husband--their dowry offering often being quite substantial. If, like the Misses Dashwood, they have little dowry, their problems are great. Women like Elinor and Marianne have been brought up in a certain manner. They are educated and cultured but essentially useless. They have little money to offer a man, cannot work, and yet demand a man of their own level. They must find a man who doesn't need a dowry, like Colonel Brandon, or get used to living on less, like Elinor, or like Austen herself, remain single and hope for the goodness of their more wealthy friends to include them to some degree in the social life of the community. The Misses Steele are of a lower social order, a fact which is brought out by their poor grammar and lack of real elegance. However, in this materialistic society, filled with the newly rich middle class, social mobility is much more feasible than it had been in seventeenth-century England.

PLOT AND THEME

The main theme in this novel is the danger of excessive sensibility. Austen is concerned with the prevalence of the "sensitive" attitude in the romantic novel which, after the 1760s, turned to emphasizing the emotional and sentimental nature of people rather than, as before, their rational endowments. The influences which worked this change were many. The philosophy of Lord Shaftesbury was popular at the time, stressing man's natural beneficence. Rousseau wrote about the "noble savage," and Samuel Richardson's intense portrayals of the emotional life of women were also popular. The gothic revival was developing at the time, with its stress on the exotic and its accompanying disgust with the trivialities of everyday life. And there was a prevalence of female novelists, writing for a large female audience. The book that brought this genre into the fore was a work by Henry MacKenzie called The Man of Feeling. Tears and sighs were streaming from every chapter. To be able to show one's emotions was thus desirable, and restraint, in fact everything relating to rational control, was deemed artificial. Austen tries to discredit this trend towards sentimentality by pointing our its dangers in the example of Marianne and showing the superiority of sense, in the example of Elinor. There is a dual plot and dual heroines. Elinor and Marianne each pursues her romance according to her temperament and beliefs. Each has an unhappy love affair at the start. The parallel plots, illustrating the dual theme, are one of the weaknesses of the novel, for they occur too "conveniently" and are therefore not convincing. The theme of sensibility is illustrated in the love affair between Marianne and Willoughby. The theme of sense begins with the relationship of Elinor and Edward. The two plots are carefully interwoven. Marianne's romance is ideal until Willoughby deserts her. Elinor's is threatened from the start. Marianne's reactions are always impassioned and uncontrolled; Elinor is always sensible and restrained.


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www.cliffs.com Sense is finally justified and sensibility shown to be a weakness. Ironically, Marianne marries a prosaic older man, and for both it is a second love, something Marianne vowed she could never tolerate. Elinor's fate is more romantic; she marries her first and only love and is quite happy to settle down as the wife of a country parson. Austen, in expostulating this theme, is setting up in the process what she believes to be a fitting standard of behavior. But the issues are not so clear cut. The proponents of sensibility actually emerge as much more favorable characters than do those that stress the tenets of sense. The moral qualities of goodness and loyalty to one's family are an integral part of what Austen means by good sense. In fact, they are the most important parts of it. Thus Marianne and her mother, while immature and overly romantic, are, on the whole, good people. Sir John is much more pleasing than his wife, and Mrs. Palmer is preferable to Mr. Palmer for just those qualities of feeling that he abhors. Willoughby, John and Fanny Dashwood, and Mrs. Ferrars, the villains of this novel, all lack the necessary human sentiments. Only Elinor and Colonel Brandon remain unscathed, and both have ample portions of both sense and sensibility. Austen is mirroring the basic tension of her times in this work. Reason, the eighteenth-century symbol of all that is good, and the accompanying moral order of the times, which is exemplified in the standards of the community at large, are being challenged by the nineteenth-century romantic strain, where morality is interpreted by the individual. What was to result is literary history.

STYLE

Though Austen's style was highly individual, it is based on her close study of the eighteenth-century writers, whose simplicity, accuracy, and precision she admired and imitated. Austen picked up the technique, popularized by Fielding, of the omniscient narrator. But her particular style is more objective. While she definitely has an ironic point of view, she allows her characters freedom within this, for her implications are subtle, and in many cases reserved. A good example of this is shown in the development of the character of Mrs. Jennings. When we first meet her, we are told what to think of her: "Mrs. Jennings was a widow, with an ample jointure. She had only two daughters, both of whom she had lived to see respectably married, and she had now therefore nothing to do but to marry all the rest of the world." But for the rest of the novel the author leaves us alone, and we discover by viewing Mrs. Jennings' actions that despite her obvious faults, she is really quite an amiable character. This lack of intrusion adds a sense of reality to the characters, for they are allowed to develop before our eyes. Character is vividly conveyed through direct speech. Charlotte Palmer's foolishness, Robert Ferrars' complacence and vanity, Mrs. Jennings' blunt good humor and common sense, and Anne Steele's vulgarity and lack of education are revealed in the way they express themselves. Despite the constant satire, there is a sense of psychological immediacy which increases the verisimilitude. Austen uses the consciousness of Elinor as the means through which to narrate her story. As Elinor is rarely treated ironically, her feelings and observations have a seriousness which transcends the ironic. Colonel Brandon, too, is hardly treated comically, and even Marianne, although often seen ironically, is finally taken seriously. Contrast is used with line effect. Elinor's sense is contrasted with her sister's sensibility. Edward's loyalty to Lucy contrasts with Willoughby's betrayal of Marianne. Mrs. Jennings' good humor is in strong contrast to Mrs. Ferrars' sourness. Every page of the novel reflects Austen's own quiet temperament, her good sense, and her humor. Though she can be satirical or ironic on either a small or a grand scale, she is never malicious, and her humor never exceeds the bounds of good taste and credibility.


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www.cliffs.com It has been said that in Austen's novels "nothing ever happens." That is because she recognized her own limitations and kept within them. "What should I do with your strong, vigorous sketches, full of variety and glow?" she asked her nephew, a writer. "How could I possibly join them on to the little bits (two inches wide) of ivory on which I work with so fine a brush as produces little effect after much labor?" In her own style, she is superb. The events of her story may not be startling, but she makes ordinary happenings as interesting, and sometimes as dramatic, as the most exciting adventure story or romance. Much of the perfection of her style comes from the infinite care and patience with which she polishes her work.

IRONY

Austen uses irony as a means of moral and social satire. Her sentences, while usually simple and direct, contain within them the basic contradictions which reveal profound insights into character and theme. This is most obvious in her blunt character sketches. John Dashwood "was not an ill-disposed young man, unless to be rather coldhearted, and rather selfish, is to be ill-disposed." Note that in the first half of the sentence, she seems to be viewing his character amiably. Suddenly she changes direction, and the general impression we receive about John is far more bitingly negative than a mere statement of disapproval. Thus she contains in her statement all the elements of disapproval without directly stating that he was illdisposed. Her irony ranges from the gentle to the severe. When she speaks about Marianne, she says, "She was generous, amiable, interesting: she was everything but prudent." Austen weights the first half with pleasing commentary and gently undercuts it in the second. Compare this with her biting description of Mrs. Ferrars: "She was not a woman of many words; for, unlike people in general, she proportioned them to the number of her ideas." Austen begins innocently enough, but the conclusion of that sentence bitterly reveals to us the impression she wishes us to have. Reflection is necessary, for we must see the sentence as a whole. She seems to be contradicting herself, but this is not so. We had just taken it for granted that she would finish the sentence the way we expected it to be finished. Our expectations built in the first part of the sentence are disappointed. But the change in tone, though seemingly sudden, is a natural conclusion to the author's own train of thought. She knew that Mrs. Ferrars had nothing to say, but in the order, meticulously constructed, in which she reveals this information, lies her genius. The necessary reflection, subsequent surprise, and devastating insight create an effect which is much more persuasive than direct statement could be.

CRITICAL RECEPTION

The nineteenth century contained a hotbed of critical views about the writer. Consistently inconsistent, critics, ranging from the fiery romantics to the subtle Victorians, could not agree. Jane Austen's warmest admirers have always been men. Archbishop Whately and Macaulay both compared her with Shakespeare. Coleridge, Whewell, Tennyson, Sidney Smith, Andrew Bradley all spoke out in her favor. Sir Walter Scott, the great romantic, had this to say: "That young lady has a talent for describing the involvements and feelings and characters of ordinary life which is to me the most wonderful I ever met with. The big bow-wow strain I can do myself like any now going; but the exquisite touch which renders commonplace things and characters interesting from the truth of the description and the sentiments is denied me." Affirmative acclaims could also be heard from Robert Southey, poet laureate and friend of the great romantics: "Her novels are more true to nature, and have, for my sympathies, passages of finer feeling than any others of this age." And of the Victorians, George Henry Lewes, George Eliot's devoted friend, said: "In spite of the sense of incongruity which besets us in the word prose Shakespeare, we


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www.cliffs.com confess the greatness of Miss Austen; her marvelous dramatic power seems, more than any thing in Scott, akin to the greatest quality in Shakespeare." But adverse criticism rang as loudly as did the favorable. Because they did not rely on high-colored pictures of life, complicated plots, or supernatural terrors, the novels of Jane Austen seemed tame and commonplace to many readers of her time. Madame de Staël pronounced Austen's novels "vulgaires" (commonplace), and Charlotte Bronte said: "The passions are perfectly unknown to her. . . . Even to the feelings she vouchsafes no more than an occasional graceful but distant recognition--too frequent converse with them would ruffle the smooth elegance of her progress. Her business is not half so much with the human heart as with the human eyes, mouth, hands and feet. What sees keenly, speaks aptly, moves flexibly, it suits her to study: but what throbs fast and full, though hidden, what the blood rushes through, what is the unseen seat of life and sentient target of death--this Miss Austen ignores." Thomas Carlyle dismissed Austen's novels as mere "dish washings," and Wordsworth "used to say that though he admitted that the novels were an admirable copy of life, he could not be interested in productions of that kind; unless the truth of nature were presented to him clarified, as it were, by the light of the imagination, it had scarce any attraction in his eyes" (quoted by Sara Coleridge).

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY Arnold, M. Essays in Criticism. Tokyo: Ken Kyosha Publishers, Ltd., 1954. Austen-Leigh, J. E. A Memoir of Jane Austen. London: Richard Bentley and Sons, 1871. Cecil, Lord David. "Jane Austen" in Poets and Storytellers. New York: Barnes & Noble, Inc., 1961. Craik, W. A. Jane Austen: The Six Novels. New York: Barnes & Noble, Inc., 1965. Forster, E. M. Aspects of the Novel. New York: Harcourt, Brace and World, 1947. Gould, Jean Rosalind. Jane Austen. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1947. Jenkins, Elizabeth. Jane Austen. New York: Pellegrini, 1949. Kaye-Smith, Sheila, and C. B. Stern. More About Jane Austen. New York and London: Harper and Brothers, 1949. Kennedy, Margaret. Jane Austen. London: Arthur Baker, Ltd., 1950. Lascelles, Mary. Jane Austen and Her Art. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1939. Liddell, Robert. The Novels of Jane Austen. London: Longmans, 1963. Muir, Edwin. The Structure of the Novel. New York: Hillary House Publishers, Ltd., 1928. Sherry, Norman. Jane Austen. London: Evans Brothers, Ltd., 1966. Twain, Mark. The Mark Twain Papers. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1963. Van Ghent, Dorothy. The English Novel, Form and Function. New York: Harper & Row, 1967.


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www.cliffs.com Watt, Ian, ed. Jane Austen: A Collection of Critical Essays. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1964. Wright, Andrew Howell. Jane Austen's Novels: A Study in Structure. New York: Oxford University Press, 1953.


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Sense and Sensibility

Sense and sensibility

Sense and Sensibility