SparkNotes: Sense and Sensibility: Overall Analysis and Themes Overall Analysis and Themes Chapters 46-50 Questions for Study The dichotomy between "sense" and "sensibility" is one of the lenses through which this novel is most commonly analyzed. The distinction is most clearly symbolized by the psychological contrast between the novel's two chief characters, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood. According to this understanding, Elinor, the older sister, represents qualities of "sense": reason, restraint, social responsibility, and a clear-headed concern for the welfare of others. In contrast, Marianne, her younger sister, represents qualities of "sensibility": emotion, spontaneity, impulsiveness, and rapturous devotion. Whereas Elinor conceals her regard for Edward Ferrars, Marianne openly and unashamedly proclaims her passion for John Willoughby. Their different attitudes toward the men they love, and how to express that love, reflect their opposite temperaments. This dichotomy between "sense" and "sensibility" has cultural and historical resonances as well.

Austen wrote this novel around the turn of the eighteenth century, on the cusp between two cultural movements: Classicism and Romanticism. Elinor represents the characteristics associated with eighteenth-century neo-classicism, including rationality, insight, judgment, moderation, and balance. She never loses sight of propriety, economic practicalities, and perspective, as when she reminds Marianne that their mother would not be able to afford a pet horse or that it is indecorous for her to go alone with Willoughby to Allenham. It was during the Classical period and its accompanying cultural Enlightenment that the novel first developed as a literary genre: thus, with the character of Elinor, Austen gestures toward her predecessors and acknowledges the influence of their legacy on her generation. In contrast, Marianne represents the qualities associated with the emerging "cult of sensibility," embracing romance, imagination, idealism, excess, and a dedication to the beauty of nature: Marianne weeps dramatically when her family must depart from "dear, dear Norland" and willingly offers a lock of her hair to her lover.

Austen's characterization of Marianne reminds us that she was the contemporary of Wordsworth, Coleridge, and Walter Scott, the luminaries of the English Romantic literary scene. Austen's depiction of Elinor and Marianne thus reflects the changing literary landscape that served as a backdrop for her life as a writer. However, this novel cannot simply be understood as a straightforward study in contrast. Elinor, though representing sense, does not lack passion, and Marianne, though representing sensibility, is not always foolish and headstrong. Austen's antitheses do not represent epigrammatic conclusions but a starting- point for dialogue. Although Austen is famous for satirizing the "cult of sensibility," in this novel she seems to argue not for the dismissal of sensibility but for the creation of a balance between reason and passion. Fanny Dashwood's violent outbreak of feeling towards the end of the novel reveals that too little feeling is as dangerous as too much. Both Elinor and Marianne achieve happiness at the end of the novel, but they do so only by learning from one another: together they discover how to feel and express their sentiments fully while also retaining their dignity and self-control.

The novel's success is not a result of the triumph of sense over sensibility or of their division; rather, we remember Sense and Sensibility as a conjunction of terms that serve together as the compound subject of Austen's novel. More Help Sense and sensibility in sense and sensibility Sense and sensibility in sense and sensibility Published: Last Edited: 23rd March, 2015 This essay has been submitted by a student. This is not an example of the work written by our professional essay writers. In Jane Austens novel Sense and Sensibility, she portrays sense and sensibility through Elinor and Marianne Dashwood. Elinor Dashwood represents sense, in contrast her sister Marianne Dashwood represents sensibility. Throughout the novel, the actions, thoughts and conversations help the reader realize not only how different the characters are, but how each truly embodies one of the title characteristics. Elinor Dashwood, age nineteen, represents sense. She has the ability to govern and control her feelings. She shows reason and restraint. Elinor also tries to help anyone that she can help. Although Elinor is the epitome of sense, she is still passionate.

"Elinor, this eldest daughter whose advice was so effectual, possessed a strength of understanding and coolness of judgment which qualified her, though only nineteen, to be the counsellor of her mother, and enabled her frequently to counteract, to the advantage of them all, that eagerness of mind in Mrs. Dashwood which must generally have led to imprudence. She had an excellent heart; her disposition was affectionate, and her feelings were strong, but she knew how to govern them. It was a knowledge which her mother had yet to learn, and which one of her sisters had resolved never to be taught." (Austen, 8.) This quote is the first time you can actually see Elinor's portrayal of sense. Elinor meets Edward Ferrars, Fanny's brother, when he visits Norland. Edward is shy and not very handsome, but he is very affectionate. She falls in love with him, but she denies it. She only admits that she likes him. This is one example of how she portrays sense. "Edward Ferrars was not recommended to their good opinion by any peculiar graces of person or address. He was not handsome, and his manners required intimacy to make them pleasing.

He was too diffident to do justice to himself; but when his natural shyness was overcome, his behaviour gave every indication of an open, affectionate heart. His understanding was good, and his education had given it solid improvement. But he was neither fitted by abilities nor disposition to answer the wishes of his mother and sister, who longed to see him distinguished as-they hardly knew what. They wanted him to make a fine figure in the world in some manner or other." (Austen, 17.) This quote shows how Edward Ferrars, like Elinor, portrays sense. Marianne Dashwood, Elinor's younger sister, represents sensibility. She is spontaneous, impulsive, and very emotional. Marianne is also very devoted to what she loves. Although, Marianne is not always foolish and headstrong. She wants a handsome man, with grace and spirit. ""Perhaps," said Marianne, "I may consider it with some surprise. Edward is very amiable, and I love him tenderly.

But yet, he is not the kind of young man; 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. His eyes want all that spirit, that fire, which at once announce virtue and intelligence. And besides all this, I am afraid, mamma, he has no real taste. Music seems scarcely to attract him; and though he admires Elinor's drawings very much, it is not the admiration of a person who can understand their worth. It is evident, in spite of his frequent attention to her while she draws, that, in fact, he knows nothing of the matter. He admires as a lover, not as a connoisseur. To satisfy me, those characters must be united. 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 bothâ€¦" (Austen, 19.) This quote explains exactly what Marianne is looking for in a man, the complete opposite of her sister.

After moving to Barton Cottage, Marianne and Margaret, their thirteen year old sister, decide to explore the hills of Barton. It begins pouring raining out of nowhere and the girls run down the hill in a hurry to get home. While running down the hill, Marianne falls and twists her ankle. John Willoughby, a handsome young man, sees Marianne and Margaret, and helps Marianne get home. Willoughby visits Marianne almost every day after that. She finds that they have a lot in common and begins to like him. Marianne openly proclaims her love for John Willoughby, unlike her sister hiding her love for Edward Ferrars. Although, Willoughby eventually stops going to see Marianne. Willoughby and Marianne end up getting married to other people. Willoughby, like Marianne, represents sensibility. "Marianne's abilities were, in many respects, quite equal to Elinor's. She was sensible and clever, but eager in everything: her sorrows, her joys, could have no moderation. She was generous, amiable, interesting; she was everything but prudent." (Austen, 8.) This quote is the first time the reader sees how Marianne embodies sensibility.

After Mr. Dashwood and Henry die, Marianne portrays her sensibility through excessive mourning. Elinor shows her sense, because she does not show her emotions as openly as Marianne. Elinor's emotions are more repressed. Marianne and Elinor are both depressed about leaving Norland, also. Marianne is very dramatic about it, while Elinor's depression is not that noticeable. "Both Elinor and Marianne fall in love, then appear to have been betrayed by their lovers, and the novel vividly dramatizes their widely differing responses, with the primary heroine (Elinor) guided by sense and the desire to control her grief, while Marianne cultivates and intensifies her suffering, regardless of the consequences to herself and to her family. What happens to each sister matters less than how each deals with her disappointment." (Sternlicht) This quote shows how Marianne's emotions are over dramatic and Elinor's emotions are more suppressed. Elinor eventually finds out that Edward is also engaged to Lucy Steele. When Elinor finds this out, she is very rational about it. She believes that Lucy and Edward's engagement is youthful infatuation.

Eventually, Marianne marries Colonel Brandon. Like Marianne, Brandon represents sensibility. "Brandon was always willing to make personal sacrifices for the good of others. He is inherently a man of sensibility and highly developed moral sense, whether by eighteen th-century or modem standards." (Ray) Marianne basically says that she wants a man that is just like her, which makes it weird for these two to get married. Many characters in the book, besides Marianne, show sensibility. A few of these characters are Mrs. Dashwood, Margaret, and John Willoughby. The only person that represents sense throughout the book is Elinor, that is why she is the epitome of sense in this novel. Marianne is the only character that really takes it to the extreme, though. "Marianne is young, intolerant, an absolutist of sensibility. "I could not be happy with a man whose taste did not in every point coincide with my own," she observes at the outset of the novel, and imagines that she has found such a man in Willoughby. Emotion must be intense, or it is unreal.

There can be no doubt of the reality of Marianne's grief when she finally acknowledges Willoughby's treachery - it nearly kills her." (Sternlicht) This book reflects Jane Austen's life. She represents sense and her sister represents sensibility. Many of the things that happen in this book, happened in Jane Austen's personal life. "Austen's situation as a young woman mirrored that of the Dashwood sisters at the outset of the novel: after her father's death, Austen, along with her mother and sister, was forced to rely on the benevolence of relatives (in Austen's case, her brothers) for financial support. Although the novel is not autobiographical, Austen understood the position of women who were deprived of the means to earn an income but needed to maintain their social standing. Much critical commentary on Sense and Sensibility deals with the terms referred to in the title-"sense" versus "sensibility." Some have concluded that Austen advocated a woman's possessing "sense," not "sensibility."" (Explanation of: 'Sense and Sensibility') This book had a lot to do with what was going on around her too. She wrote this book in the eighteenth century between two cultural movements.

This could be why she chooses to go with the "sense" vs. "sensibility" theme. In conclusion, this book was written in the eighteenth century between two cultural movements. Most of the events that take place in this book reflect Jane Austen's life. She portrays sense, like Elinor Dashwood. Although sense and sensibility can go hand in hand, these two characters are completely different. Elinor Dashwood is the epitome of sense, while her sister Marianne is the exact opposite. Elinor has the ability to govern and control her feelings. She shows reason and restraint. Elinor also tries to help anyone that she can help. Elinor is more suppressed than her sister. She is very quiet with her love life and she tries to hide it from everybody. Elinor feels like an outcast in her family, because both of her sisters and her mom portray sensibility, so she is the oddball of the family. On the other hand, Marianne Dashwood represents sensibility. She is spontaneous, impulsive, and very emotional. She is also very devoted to what she loves. Marianne is very passionate about everything she does. Marianne is the epitome of sensibility.

She takes it to the extreme and is one of the most dramatic characters in this novel. Although Marianne portrays sensibility, she is still very headstrong and she is not foolish. She falls deeply in love and she is not afraid to show it. Many characters in this book also show signs of sensibility. These include: Margaret Dashwood, Mrs. Dashwood, and John Willoughby. Marianne falls in love with John Willoughby, but he ends up leaving her. Marianne eventually gets married to Colonel Brandon. Elinor gets married to Edward Ferrars. But, while they are married he gets engaged to Lucy Steele. There are many ups and downs in this book. Elinor and Marianne become depressed when their father, Mr. Dashwood, and Henry die. They are also depressed when they have to move from Norland to Barton Cottage. Elinor and Marianne have very different ways of showing their depression, though. Elinor's depression is rather repressed and Marianne's depression is very known and dramatic. Marianne grieves through excessive mourning, while Elinor is rational about everything. Marianne and Elinor Dashwood are very strong characters in this novel.

Although one is more open about it than the other, Marianne and Elinor both fall in love and get hurt. They are both very upset, but Elinor is rational about it while Marianne is very dramatic. These characters portray sense and sensibility through their words and their actions. Many people today portray these characteristics. It may not be as noticeable now, but it is still there. There is a little bit of Marianne Dashwoood or Elinor Dashwood in everybody. A Marriage in Mind: Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility Submissions Statement of Purpose META is an interdisciplinary journal devoted to publishing critical and creative collegiate work in a variety of subjects. META embraces a wide variety of disciplines and approaches to history, literature, cultural studies, and divergent art forms. META publishes contributions from college scholars at all levels. META celebrates the interdisciplinary quest for knowledge and the power of creative expression. META believes these to be both positive and transformative—in the liberal arts and sciences as well as fine arts. META was founded to emphasize the St. Petersburg College Honors Colleges’ commitment to humanistic scholarship and to provide such scholarship with an expansive forum. META celebrates the importance of interdisciplinarity (the transcendence of boundaries).

META invites scholarship and creative work for the peer review process. META reaches out to students, faculty, subscribers, readers, contributors, and reviewers in the academic community—breaking new scholarly ground, promoting collegiality and community, and providing unique educational opportunities and resources. META is a publication of the Honors College of St. Petersburg College in partnership with the Silverberg Foundation Browse: Home / A Marriage in Mind: Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility A Marriage in Mind: Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility March 26, 2013 · by Cameron Mott · in Transformations Commencing with false commitment and ending in profound love, Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility doesn’t simply make arguments over marriage. It proposes one. The Dashwood girls’ story begins with the closing of their step-father’s life along with their residency at Norland Park. Corresponding to their time, marriage was less about love and more about money. It was a covenant between families, a symbol of status, and a means of security. Women in the position of the Dashwood girls’ were not likely to find the security of a wealthy bachelor in marriage, much less love.

Nonetheless, Sense and Sensibility revolves around the two Dashwood sisters’ pursuit of love as it illuminates the conflictive relationship between reason and romanticism. Jane Austen proposes a marriage of the two in the hearts of her readers in Sense and Sensibility. The novel’s strongest neoclassical character is by far Mrs. Dashwood’s eldest daughter, Elinor. Elinor Dashwood is the keeper of a heart that has been humbled by reason, and for the most part always keeps to mind over matter. In her pursuit of love, she finds Edward Ferrars most admirable, but is forced to weather the coldness of his mother and sister, Mrs. Ferrars and Fanny. The two along with a Miss Lucy Steele form the thorn in Elinor’s love for Edward. This, she keeps in secrecy. Fanny makes it clear early on that her mother did not see any woman without a fortune as a formidable bride for her son (Austen 16). Although this strictly business view of marriage was common, Edward Ferrars has a separate desire entirely as the perfect match for Elinor. His impeccable sense of civility genuinely matches Elinor.

He demonstrates this at every opportunity by letting Marianne have her room, returning Margaret’s atlas, and even by keeping his word in his engagement to Miss Lucy Steele despite his personal desires. Furthermore, the Neoclassical ethos was supported by the intellectuals of the middle class. Their reason made it all the more unbearable for them to be ruled by buffoons—like Louis XV on the continent (Matthews 486). Even so (like Elinor), the same intellectuals would not always contravene civility for what they saw fit, and duly suffered emotional repression. Marianne respects Elinor’s civility, which she considers her greatest ability. However, more expressive characters like Mrs. Jennings blindly thwart it with intrusive manners by meddlesome inquiries about her personal life at the dinner table (Austen 41). In the spirit of reason, Jeremy Bentham’s battle cry became “the greatest happiness for the greatest numbers” (Correspondence.). This, too, is represented in Elinor’s civility (Matthews 482).

Pertaining to the intellectualism of the Age of Reason is also Elinor’s measured critique of her sister’s openness to Willoughby, especially after such brief acquaintance. Voltaire once said, “The secret of being a bore is to tell everything” (The Complete Works of Voltaire). Elinor’s time with Edward at Norland Park prompts her sister’s romanticism to inquisition. However, Marianne is not pleased with her sister’s seemingly shy and reserved replies. She rebukes her by exclaiming, “Esteem him! Like him! Cold-hearted Elinor! Oh! worse than cold-hearted! Ashamed of being otherwise” (Austen 15). Marianne’s criticism is parallel to Elinor’s resistance to sharing her own feelings in full light, and duly, Elinor much despairs under her own veil of civility so as not to disturb those around her. However, Elinor’s reason does enable her to identify the faults in relationships that her sister believes to be faultless. Contrastingly, Marianne is the epitome of Romanticism in Sense and Sensibility.

Absolutely attracted to Rousseau’s preference for being guided by emotion and intuition, she holds almost nothing back (Matthews 524). Opposed to Elinor’s civility and reason, Marianne does whatever she can to heighten her dominant emotions by spreading sadness with music or crying profusely as she does after leaving Norland Park. Marianne is also quick to exclaim her distaste with rather blunt critique. Although Marianne respects Elinor’s reason, she is still lavishly influenced by the Romantics of the Revolution. She voices her rejection of the Neoclassical as she declares Elinor’s heart to be cold as she’s ashamed to show any emotion (Austen 15). In her response to Marianne’s criticism of her shyness, Elinor says, “But there are other points to be considered besides his inclination” (Austen 15). This point Elinor makes to her sister regarding her own affairs would have helped young Marianne a great deal with hers had she heeded it sometime between that point and their time at Barton Cottage. Always eager to experience the natural beauty of the outdoors, Marianne often stops at nothing to explore.

Her romantic view of the dark clouds ahead denies her any sense in turning back. She would rather give way to the rain’s cold and possible plague. In fact, her idealism seems to render her incapable of detecting storms as she falsely declares that, “the day would be lastingly fair, and that every threatening cloud would be drawn off from their hills” (Austen 23). Consequently, she twice finds herself caught in a storm. The first time, Marianne is saved by a tempestuous figure soon to turn blacker than his spring-like appearance leads her to think. This storm is of course Willoughby. Her indulgence in pure romanticism is strongest in her relationship with Sir Willoughby in Devonshire. His own Byronic romanticism seems to surpass hers. Willoughby offers a horse named Queen Mab to Marianne. In his essay, Jane Austen’s Use of Measure for Measure in Sense and Sensibility, Stephen Derry points out that this was likely intended ironically. He notes that, as Mercutio says of Queen Mab in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, She gallops night by night Through lovers’ brains, and then they dream of love.

(Act I, scene iv, line 51) Mercutio illuminates Willoughby’s true identity; he is no more than a dream of love in which Marianne becomes trapped (Derry). When Willoughby mocks Colonel Brandon’s subtlety by referring to him as “the kind of man whom everybody speaks well of and nobody cares about; whom all are delighted to see and nobody remembers to talk to,” he encourages Marianne’s emotions, and drives her further from the security in marriage offered by Brandon and toward the audacity of himself (Austen 34). Thus, “dreamers often lie” (Romeo and Juliet, Act I, scene iv, line 51). Finally, the sisters’ opposition runs its course. A decision both reasonable and sensible is made in compromise. While Elinor knows whom to love, Marianne knows how to love, and soon the two sisters find that they cannot have one without the other. All the while, Colonel Brandon’s eyes are fixed on Marianne. He generously notices only what is amiable in her actions (Austen 165). Colonel Brandon’s attraction to Marianne is based upon his experience.

Correspondingly, he impresses as an older, wiser man who has seen more of the world and whose views are therefore insightful and understanding. Surprisingly, Willoughby himself comes to repent before Elinor on behalf of his dreadful and neglectful treatment of Marianne. He says of her affection, “It was all insufficient to outweigh that dread of poverty, or get the better of those false ideas of the necessity of riches, which I was naturally inclined to feel, and expensive society had increased” (Austen 224). The time inclined one to look towards marriage as a sort of financial investment giving a false sense of security, but as Willoughby sorrowfully finds (after rejecting Marianne for better financial prospects) marriage is really for love. After being consumed by a love that grew faster and roared louder than any flame she could have imagined, Marianne resembles the last tree standing following a forest fire. She finally becomes aware of Willoughby’s relation to Miss Grey in Sussex. Her sensibility is doused with neglect. At this point, Marianne’s eyes are still fixated upon Willoughby as she mourns. Yet, Colonel Brandon remains calm at the center of this storm.

Ever-so understanding of Marianne, he says of her feelings for Willoughby to Elinor, “You know her disposition, and may believe how eagerly she would still justify him if she could” (Austen 139). Marianne comes to realize the necessity of changing her romantic taste to her sister’s reason in a sort of marriage. Marianne gradually grows in the strong, nurturing presence of Colonel Brandon who had patiently waited for her while admiring her from a distance, as a gentleman does. Also learning, Elinor’s civility is somewhat breached by the blind and provocative pull of Marianne’s inquiries and criticisms along with her own taxing discretion in heart break. Her seemingly impenetrable wall of emotional stability is exposed as she declares, “If you can think me capable of ever feeling—surely you may suppose that I have suffered NOW” (Austen 183). However, Elinor’s civility does not completely break down as her discretion towards Edward remains until he goes to her with the news of Miss Steele’s new attraction to his brother.

This time, to be sure, not a soul could doubt Elinor’s vast love for Edward; just as Elinor’s sense could not doubt the need to express that love through a little romance. Conclusively, neither Elinor nor Marianne would find love without first learning from each other. A sort of marriage in mind became essential to forming the true sort of marriage they sought. The sisters never lost respect for each other, and gradually accepted one another after having felt the pains of experience. In Lettres Philosophiques, Voltaire notes that “what we find in books is like the fire in our hearts. We fetch it from our neighbor’s, we kindle it at home, we communicate it to others, and it becomes the property of all” (Lettre XII). This is certainly true given the reputation and influence of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility. The novel begins with the pursuit of marriage, continues with the interest of love, and ends not only in a synthesis of the two, but also in a loving marriage between sense and sensibility.

References Plot and Theme in Sense and Sensibility Plot and Theme in Sense and Sensibility Bookmark this page Manage My Reading List 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 out 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. 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. ENGLISH 306 ~~~ JANE AUSTEN: The Meaning Behind the Title; Sense and Sensibility The Meaning Behind the Title; Sense and Sensibility 'Cut off a long lock of her hair' C.E. Brock While reading Sense and Sensibility, one of the main things I noticed was the different ways in which the title of the book could be interpreted. From the footnotes of the novel, we learn the definitions of the two words; Sense – possessing judgment and intelligence (303). Sensibility – capacity for refined emotional response to feelings and experiences, involving delicate sensitivity to moral and aesthetic issues (303). From one perspective, the character of Elinor could be considered as having ‘Sense,’ while Marianne would be acting out of ‘Sensibility.’ Austen begins the novel by describing her two main characters and how they appear in comparison to each other.

“Elinor… possessed a strength of understanding, and coolness of judgment, which qualified her, though only nineteen, to be the counsellor of her mother, and enabled her frequently to counteract, to the advantage of them all, that eagerness of mind in Mrs. Dashwood which must generally have led to imprudence. She had an excellent heart; – her disposition was affectionate, and her feelings were strong: but she knew how to govern them” (6). “Marianne’s abilities were, in many respects, quite equal to Elinor’s. She was sensible and clever; but eager in everything; her sorrows, her joys, could have no moderation. She was generous, amiable, interesting: she was everything but prudent” (6). This description of her characters sets up the basic personalities of the sisters for the rest of the story, and is important in showing their growth. Later in the story, we start to see the traits blend together as the sisters develop and mature. When Elinor finds out that Lucy married Robert and not Edward, she acts more like you might think Marianne would respond. “Elinor could sit no longer.

She almost ran out of the room, and as soon as the door was closed, burst into tears of joy, which at first she thought would never cease” (273). Marianne also grows and begins to reflect on her behavior, such as Elinor might do. “My illness has made me think… I considered the past; I saw in my own behaviour since the beginning of our acquaintance with [Willoughby] last autumn, nothing but a series of imprudence towards myself, and want of kindness to others. …My illness, I well knew, had been entirely brought on by myself, by such negligence of my own health” (262). Another possible interpretation of the title appears in the first footnote, which explains that it is unknown whether Austen had decided upon the name after reading an allegory in Lady’s Monthly Museum, in which Sense (male) rescues Sensibility (female) from Susceptibility (male). With these in mind, how would you interpret the title of Sense and Sensibility? In what other ways could it be viewed? How do you think the other characters in the novel portray these behaviors, and how does this affect the story?

Posted by SparkNotes: Sense and Sensibility: Characters Sense and Sensibility Summary Chapters 1-5 Colonel Brandon - A retired officer and friend of Sir John Middleton who falls in love with Marianne Dashwood and acts kindly, honorably, and graciously towards the Dashwoods throughout the novel Mrs. Dashwood - The kind and loving mother of Elinor, Marianne, and Margaret and second wife to Henry Dashwood. She has inherited no fortune of her own but wants the best for her daughters and shares Marianne's romantic sensibilities. Elinor Dashwood - The nineteen-year-old eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Dashwood and the heroine of Austen's novel. Elinor is composed but affectionate, both when she falls in love with Edward Ferrars and when she comforts and supports her younger sister Marianne. Henry Dashwood - The father of John Dashwood and, by a second marriage, of Elinor, Marianne, and Margaret Dashwood. He dies in the opening chapter of the novel and bequeaths his estate at Norland to his son, leaving his wife and daughters impoverished.

Fanny Dashwood - The selfish, snobbish, and manipulative wife of John Dashwood and the sister of Edward and Robert Ferrars. John Dashwood - The weak-minded and money-grubbing heir to the Norland estate. At his wife Fanny's suggestion, he leaves his mother and sisters with very little money and remains largely unconcerned for their welfare. Margaret Dashwood - The thirteen-year-old, good-humored youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Dashwood, Margaret shares her sister Marianne's romantic tendencies. Marianne Dashwood - The seventeen-year-old second daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Dashwood. Marianne's spontaneity, excessive sensibility, and romantic idealism lead her to fall in love with the debaucherous John Willoughby, though he painfully spurns her, causing her to finally recognize her misjudgment of him. After this turn of heart, she ultimately marries her long-standing admirer, Colonel Brandon. Mrs. Ferrars - The wealthy, manipulative mother of Edward and Robert who disinherits her first son when he refuses to marry a rich heiress.

Edward Ferrars - The sensible and friendly older brother of Fanny Dashwood and Robert Ferrars. Edward develops a close relationship with Elinor while staying at Norland and ultimately marries her, after he is freed from a four-year secret engagement to Lucy Steele. Robert Ferrars - A conceited coxcomb and the younger brother of Edward and Fanny. Robert inherits his mother's fortune after she disinherits Edward. Ironically, he ultimately marries Lucy Steele, even though it was Edward's engagement to this same woman that caused his mother to disinherit him. Miss Sophia Grey - The wealthy heiress whom Willoughby marries after abandoning Marianne. Mrs. Jennings - Lady Middleton's gossipy but well-intentioned mother who invites the Dashwood sisters to stay with her in London and makes it her "project" to marry them off as soon as possible. Lady Middleton - A distant relation of the Dashwoods who lives at Barton Cottage with her husband Sir John Middleton and their four spoiled children Sir John Middleton - The jovial but vulgar distant relation of the Dashwoods who invites Mrs. Dashwood and her three daughters to stay at Barton Cottage after Mr. and Mrs. John Dashwood inherit Norland, leaving the women homeless.

Mr. Thomas Palmer - Mrs. Palmer's gruff, unemotional husband. Mrs. Charlotte Palmer - Mrs. Jennings' talkative and foolish daughter who invites the Dashwood sisters to stay at her home in Cleveland on their way from London to Barton. Anne Steele - Lucy Steele's older, unmarried sister who accidentally reveals her sister's secret engagement to Edward Ferrars. Lucy Steele - Mrs. Jennings' cousin and a sly, selfish, and insecure young woman. She has been secretly engaged to Edward Ferrars for four years but she ultimately marries his brother, Robert, once Edward is disinherited. John Willoughby - An attractive but deceitful young man who wins Marianne Dashwood's heart but then abandons her (greedily) in favor of the wealthy Miss Sophia Grey. More Help Jane Austen – Sense & Sensibility (Chap. 1) | Genius The family of Dashwood had long been settled in Sussex. Their estate was large, and their residence was at Norland Park, in the centre of their property, where, for many generations , they had lived in so respectable a manner as to engage the general good opinion of their surrounding acquaintance.

The late owner of this estate was a single man, who lived to a very advanced age, and who for many years of his life, had a constant companion and housekeeper in his sister. But her death, which happened ten years before his own, produced a great alteration in his home; for to supply her loss, he invited and received into his house the family of his nephew Mr. Henry Dashwood, the legal inheritor of the Norland estate, and the person to whom he intended to bequeath it. In the society of his nephew and niece, and their children, the old Gentleman's days were comfortably spent. His attachment to them all increased. The constant attention of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Dashwood to his wishes, which proceeded not merely from interest, but from goodness of heart, gave him every degree of solid comfort which his age could receive; and the cheerfulness of the children added a relish to his existence. By a former marriage, Mr. Henry Dashwood had one son: by his present lady, three daughters. The son, a steady respectable young man, was amply provided for by the fortune of his mother, which had been large, and half of which devolved on him on his coming of age.

By his own marriage, likewise, which happened soon afterwards, he added to his wealth. To him therefore the succession to the Norland estate was not so really important as to his sisters; for their fortune, independent of what might arise to them from their father's inheriting that property, could be but small. Their mother had nothing , and their father only seven thousand pounds in his own disposal; for the remaining moiety of his first wife's fortune was also secured to her child, and he had only a life-interest in it. The old gentleman died: his will was read, and like almost every other will, gave as much disappointment as pleasure. He was neither so unjust, nor so ungrateful, as to leave his estate from his nephew;—but he left it to him on such terms as destroyed half the value of the bequest. Mr.

Dashwood had wished for it more for the sake of his wife and daughters than for himself or his son;—but to his son, and his son's son, a child of four years old, it was secured, in such a way, as to leave to himself no power of providing for those who were most dear to him, and who most needed a provision by any charge on the estate, or by any sale of its valuable woods. The whole was tied up for the benefit of this child, who, in occasional visits with his father and mother at Norland, had so far gained on the affections of his uncle, by such attractions as are by no means unusual in children of two or three years old; an imperfect articulation, an earnest desire of having his own way, many cunning tricks, and a great deal of noise, as to outweigh all the value of all the attention which, for years, he had received from his niece and her daughters. He meant not to be unkind, however, and, as a mark of his affection for the three girls, he left them a thousand pounds a-piece. Mr.

Dashwood's disappointment was, at first, severe; but his temper was cheerful and sanguine; and he might reasonably hope to live many years, and by living economically, lay by a considerable sum from the produce of an estate already large, and capable of almost immediate improvement. But the fortune, which had been so tardy in coming, was his only one twelvemonth. He survived his uncle no longer; and ten thousand pounds, including the late legacies, was all that remained for his widow and daughters. His son was sent for as soon as his danger was known, and to him Mr. Dashwood recommended, with all the strength and urgency which illness could command, the interest of his mother-in-law and sisters. Mr. John Dashwood had not the strong feelings of the rest of the family; but he was affected by a recommendation of such a nature at such a time, and he promised to do every thing in his power to make them comfortable. His father was rendered easy by such an assurance, and Mr. John Dashwood had then leisure to consider how much there might prudently be in his power to do for them.

He was not an ill-disposed young man, unless to be rather cold hearted and rather selfish is to be ill-disposed: but he was, in general, well respected; for he conducted himself with propriety in the discharge of his ordinary duties. Had he married a more amiable woman, he might have been made still more respectable than he was:—he might even have been made amiable himself; for he was very young when he married, and very fond of his wife. But Mrs. John Dashwood was a strong caricature of himself;—more narrow-minded and selfish. When he gave his promise to his father, he meditated within himself to increase the fortunes of his sisters by the present of a thousand pounds a-piece. He then really thought himself equal to it. The prospect of four thousand a-year, in addition to his present income, besides the remaining half of his own mother's fortune, warmed his heart, and made him feel capable of generosity.— "Yes, he would give them three thousand pounds: it would be liberal and handsome! It would be enough to make them completely easy. Three thousand pounds!

he could spare so considerable a sum with little inconvenience."— He thought of it all day long, and for many days successively , and he did not repent. No sooner was his father's funeral over, than Mrs. John Dashwood, without sending any notice of her intention to her mother-in-law, arrived with her child and their attendants. No one could dispute her right to come; the house was her husband's from the moment of his father's decease; but the indelicacy of her conduct was so much the greater, and to a woman in Mrs. Dashwood's situation, with only common feelings, must have been highly unpleasing;— but in HER mind there was a sense of honor so keen, a generosity so romantic, that any offence of the kind, by whomsoever given or received, was to her a source of immovable disgust. Mrs. John Dashwood had never been a favourite with any of her husband's family; but she had had no opportunity, till the present, of shewing them with how little attention to the comfort of other people she could act when occasion required it. So acutely did Mrs.

Dashwood feel this ungracious behaviour, and so earnestly did she despise her daughter-in-law for it, that, on the arrival of the latter, she would have quitted the house for ever, had not the entreaty of her eldest girl induced her first to reflect on the propriety of going, and her own tender love for all her three children determined her afterwards to stay, and for their sakes avoid a breach with their brother. Marianne's abilities were, in many respects, quite equal to Elinor's. She was sensible and clever; but eager in everything: her sorrows, her joys, could have no moderation. She was generous, amiable, interesting: she was everything but prudent. The resemblance between her and her mother was strikingly great. Elinor saw, with concern, the excess of her sister's sensibility; but by Mrs. Dashwood it was valued and cherished. They encouraged each other now in the violence of their affliction. The agony of grief which overpowered them at first, was voluntarily renewed, was sought for, was created again and again.

They gave themselves up wholly to their sorrow, seeking increase of wretchedness in every reflection that could afford it, and resolved against ever admitting consolation in future. Elinor, too, was deeply afflicted; but still she could struggle, she could exert herself. She could consult with her brother, could receive her sister-in-law on her arrival, and treat her with proper attention; and could strive to rouse her mother to similar exertion, and encourage her to similar forbearance. Margaret, the other sister, was a good-humored, well-disposed girl; but as she had already imbibed a good deal of Marianne's romance, without having much of her sense, she did not, at thirteen, bid fair to equal her sisters at a more advanced period of life. More on Genius About “Sense & Sensibility (Chap. 1)” Austen’s first novel, originally titled Elinor and Marianne, was revised to create Sense and Sensibility. It is generally considered one of Austen’s rougher works but is still widely loved. It tells the story of two sisters, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood who have to move to a modest cottage, where they experience love, romance, and heartbreak.

The sisters philosophical outlooks are contrasted: Romantic Marianne (sensibility) and rational Elinor (sense); but as the novel progresses, it becomes ambiguous which outlook is resolved. Date: published in 1811 with the notation “By A Lady.” Austen had begun the novel in the epistolary form in 1795, but had revised it over the decade and a half that followed. Title: Sensibility was a popular conceptual movement and philosophy that emerged in the eighteenth-century Britain. It lead to the development of the sentimental novel , in which the characters respond strongly towards objects and the emotions of others, often as an expression of the character’s refined taste. It is interesting that although Elinor and Marianne seem to be set up in contrast to one another as representing sense and sensibility respectively, the sisters show aspects of both qualities through the novel. Like the words, Elinor and Marianne appear to contrast, but also appear quite similar. The words have the same root and, confusingly, some definitions of ‘sensibility’ contain the same meaning as ‘sense’.

Anonymity: All of Austen’s subsequent novels were also published anonymously (usually with notations like “By the author of Sense and Sensibility). This was conventional for genteel ladies; it was considered to be ungenteel to be writing for the desire of money. Style: Like Austen’s other works, the novel is considered a comedy of manners . Themes: Sense, Sensibility, Marriage, Inheritance, Love, Money, Anxiety. Context: The composition of Sense and Sensibility was surrounded (and arguably influenced by) numerous major world/literary events. Historical context: The situation of the Dashwood sisters is paralleled by Austen’s own situation. In 1805, Austen’s father died suddenly. Before his death, the Austens had had an income of £900 a year. After his death, Austen, her widowed mother, and single sister were reduced to £210 a year and were forced to rely upon the charity of Austen’s brothers and family friends.

By 1809, Austen’s brother Edward provided them with Chawton Cottage and their income increased to 450-500 pounds per year (a similar income to the Dashwood sisters and their mother). Literary context: European sentimentalism arose during the Age of Enlightenment , partly as a response to sentimentalism in philosophy . In eighteenth-century England, the sentimental novel was a major literary genre, which celebrates the emotional and intellectual concepts of sentiment, sentimentalism, and sensibility. Like Austen’s Nothanger Abbey , Sense and Sensibility can be seen as a satire of a literary genre: novels of sensibility. The novel shares some similarities with Jane West’s A Gossip’s Story (1796). In West’s novel, two sisters, called Louisa and Marianne, are contrasting in their sensibility: “Louisa had so little sentiment, that she was more inclined to laugh at her sister’s apprehensions, than to pour balm into the wound”, while Marianne is “tremblingly alive to all the softer passions”. An important sentimental novel in relation to this novel is Charlotte Turner Smith ’s Celestina (1791). Austen avidly read Smith’s novels.

Sense and Sensibility can be seen as a response to Celinda. As a teenager Austen wrote parodies of heroes of sensibility, particularly those who focused on their own feelings and ignored their familial duties. Austen’s novel parallels Smith’s in its structure and setting , as well as the name of one of its heroes who is also called “Willoughby”, however, Austen is critical of this ‘hero of sensibility’. See more of the context of this novel in Ch. 9 . Related works: 1000+ images about JANE AUSTEN'S SENSE AND SENSIBILITY on Pinterest | Dan stevens, Jane austen and Fanart Hattie Morahan (Elinor Dashwood) & Wakefield (Marianne Dashwood) - Sense & Sensibility directed by John Alexander (TV Mini-Series, BBC, 2008) #janeausten #fanart See More Sense and Sensibility Summary | GradeSaver Sense and Sensibility Summary Buy Study Guide The Dashwood family is introduced; Mr. and Mrs. Dashwood and their three daughters live at Norland Park, an estate in Sussex. Unfortunately, Mr.

Dashwood's wife and daughters are left with very little when he dies and the estate goes to his son, John Dashwood . John and his wife Fanny (nee Ferrars) have a great deal of money, yet refuse to help his half-sisters and their mother. Elinor, one of the Dashwood girls, is entirely sensible and prudent; her sister, Marianne, is very emotional and never moderate. Margaret, the youngest sister, is young and good-natured. Mrs. Dashwood and her daughters stay at Norland for a few months, mostly because of the promising friendship developing between Elinor and Edward Ferrars , Fanny's shy, but very kind, brother. Elinor likes Edward, but is not convinced her feelings are mutual; Fanny is especially displeased by their apparent regard, as Edward's mother wants him to marry very well. A relative of Mrs. Dashwood's, Sir John Middleton , offers them a cottage at Barton Park in Devonshire; the family must accept, and are sad at leaving their home and having to separate Edward and Elinor. They find Barton Cottage and the countryside around it charming, and Sir John Middleton a very kind and obliging host.

His wife, Lady Middleton , is cold and passionless; still, they accept frequent invitations to dinners and parties at Barton Park. The Dashwoods meet Mrs. Jennings , Sir John's mother-in-law, a merry, somewhat vulgar older woman, and Colonel Brandon , a gentleman and a bachelor. The Colonel is soon taken with Marianne, but Marianne objects to Mrs. Jennings attempts to get them together, and to the "advanced" age (35) and serious demeanor of the Colonel. Marianne falls and twists her ankle while walking; she is lucky enough to be found and carried home by a dashing man named Willoughby. Marianne and Willoughby have a similar romantic temperament, and Marianne is much pleased to find that Willoughby has a passion for art, poetry, and music. Willoughby and Marianne's attachment develops steadily, though Elinor believes that they should be more restrained in showing their regard publicly. One pleasant day, the Middletons, the Dashwoods, and Willoughby are supposed to go on a picnic with the Colonel, but their plans are ditched when Colonel Brandon is forced to leave because of distressing news.

Willoughby becomes an even more attentive guest at the cottage, spending a great deal more time there than Allenham with his aunt. Willoughby openly confesses his affections for Marianne and for all of them, and hopes they will always think of him as fondly as he does of them; this leaves Mrs. Dashwood and Elinor convinced that if Marianne and Willoughby are not engaged, they soon will be. One morning, Mrs. Dashwood, Elinor, and Margaret leave the couple, hoping for a proposal; when they return, they find Marianne crying, and Willoughby saying that he must immediately go to London. Mrs. Dashwood and Elinor are completely unsettled by this hasty departure, and Elinor fears that they might have had a falling-out. Marianne is torn up by Willoughby's departure, and Elinor begins to question whether Willoughby's intentions were honorable. But, whether Willoughby and Marianne are engaged remains a mystery, as Marianne will not speak of it. Edward comes to visit them at Barton, and is welcomed very warmly as their guest.

It is soon apparent that Edward is unhappy, and doesn't show as much affection for Elinor; when they spot a ring he is wearing, with a lock of hair suspiciously similar to Elinor's, even Elinor is baffled. Edward finally forces himself to leave, still seeming distressed. Sir John and Mrs. Jennings soon introduce Mrs. Jennings' other daughter, Mrs. Palmer , and her husband to the family. Mrs. Palmer says that people in town believe that Willoughby and Marianne will soon be married, which puzzles Elinor, as she knows of no such arrangements herself. Elinor and Marianne meet the Middletons' new guests, the Miss Steeles, apparently cousins; they find Miss Steele to be nothing remarkable, while Lucy is very pretty but not much better company. However, the Miss Steeles instantly gain Lady Middleton's admiration by paying endless attention to her obnoxious children. Elinor, unfortunately, becomes the preferred companion of Lucy. Lucy inquires of Mrs. Ferrars , which prompts Elinor to ask about her acquaintance with the Ferrars family; Lucy then reveals that she is secretly engaged to Edward.

It turns out that Edward and Lucy knew each other while Edward studied with Lucy's uncle, Mr. Pratt, and have been engaged for some years. Although Elinor is first angry about Edward's secrecy, she soon sees that marrying Lucy will be punishment enough, as she is unpolished, manipulative, and jealous of Edward's high regard for Elinor. The Miss Steeles end up staying at Barton Park for two months. Mrs. Jennings invites Marianne and Elinor to spend the winter with her in London. Marianne is determined to go to see Willoughby, and Elinor decides she must go too, because Marianne needs Elinor's polite guidance. They accept the invitation, and leave in January. Once in town, they find Mrs. Jennings' house comfortable, and their company less than ideal; still, they try their best to enjoy it all. Marianne anxiously awaits Willoughby's arrival, while Elinor finds her greatest enjoyment in Colonel Brandon's daily visits. Elinor is much disturbed when Colonel Brandon tells her that the engagement between Marianne and Willoughby is widely known throughout town.

At a party, Elinor and Marianne see Willoughby; Marianne approaches him, although he avoids Marianne, and his behavior is insulting. Marianne angrily writes Willoughby, and receives a reply in which he denies having loved Marianne, and says he hopes he didn't lead her on. Marianne is deeply grieved at being deceived and dumped so coldly; Elinor feels only anger at Willoughby's unpardonable behavior. Marianne then reveals that she and Willoughby were never engaged, and Elinor observes that Marianne should have been more prudent in her affections. Apparently, Willoughby is to marry the wealthy Lady Grey due to his constant need for money. Colonel Brandon calls after hearing the news, and offers up his knowledge of Willoughby's character to Elinor. Colonel Brandon was once in love with a ward to his family, Eliza, who became a fallen woman and had an illegitimate daughter. Colonel Brandon placed the daughter, Miss Williams , in care after her mother's death. The Colonel learned on the day of the Delaford picnic that she had become pregnant, and was abandoned by Willoughby.

Elinor is shocked, though the Colonel sincerely hopes that this will help Marianne feel better about losing Willoughby, since he was not of solid character. The story convinces Marianne of Willoughby's guilt, though it does not ease her mind. Out of sympathy, Marianne also stops avoiding the Colonel's company and becomes more civil to him. Willoughby is soon married, which Marianne is grieved to hear; then, again unfortunately, the Miss Steeles come to stay with the Middletons. John and Fanny Dashwood arrive, and are introduced to Mrs. Jennings, and to Sir John and Lady Middleton, deeming them worthy company. John reveals to Elinor that Edward is soon to be married to Miss Morton , an orphan with a great deal of money left to her, as per the plans of his mother. At a dinner party given by John and Fanny for their new acquaintance, Mrs. Ferrars is present, along with the entire Barton party. Mrs. Ferrars turns out to be sallow, unpleasant, and uncivil; she slights Elinor, which hurts Marianne deeply, as she is Edward's mother.

The Miss Steeles are invited to stay with John and Fanny. But, Mrs. Jennings soon informs them that Miss Steele told Fanny of Lucy and Edward's engagement, and that the Ferrars family threw the Steele girls out in a rage. Marianne is much grieved to hear of the engagement, and cannot believe that Elinor has also kept her knowledge of it a secret for so long. Edward is to be disinherited if he chooses to marry Lucy; unfortunately, Edward is too honorable to reject Lucy, even if he no longer loves her. Financial obstacles to their marriage remain; he must find a position in the church that pays enough to allow them to marry. Much to Elinor's chagrin, the Colonel, although he barely knows Edward, generously offers the small parish at Delaford to him. Elinor is to convey the offer to Edward, though she regrets that it might help the marriage. Edward is surprised at the generous offer, since he hardly knows the Colonel. Edward decides to accept the position; they say goodbye, as Elinor is to leave town soon.

Much to Elinor's surprise, Robert Ferrars , Edward's selfish, vain, and rather dim brother, is now to marry Miss Morton; he has also received Edward's inheritance and money, and doesn't care about Edward's grim situation. It is April, and the Dashwood girls, the Palmers, and Mrs. Jennings, and Colonel Brandon set out for Cleveland, the Palmer's estate. Marianne is still feeling grief over Willoughby; she soon becomes ill after her walks in the rain, and gets a serious fever. The Palmers leave with her child; Mrs. Jennings, though, helps Elinor nurse Marianne, and insists that Colonel Brandon stay, since he is anxious about Marianne's health. Colonel Brandon soon sets off to get Mrs. Dashwood from Barton when Marianne's illness worsens. At last, Marianne's state improves, right in time for her mother and the Colonel's arrival; but Willoughby makes an unexpected visit. Elinor is horrified at seeing him; he has come to inquire after Marianne's health and to explain his past actions.

Willoughby says he led Marianne on at first out of vanity; he finally began to love her as well, and would have proposed to her, if not for the money. By saying that he also has no regard for his wife, and still loves Marianne, he attempts to gain Elinor's compassion; Elinor's opinion of him is somewhat improved in being assured of his regard for Marianne. Elinor cannot think him a total blackguard since he has been punished for his mistakes, and tells him so; Willoughby leaves with this assurance, lamenting that Marianne is lost to him forever. Mrs. Dashwood finally arrives, and Elinor assures her that Marianne is out of danger; both Mrs. Dashwood and the Colonel are relieved. Mrs. Dashwood tells Elinor that the Colonel had confessed his love for Marianne during the journey from Barton; Mrs. Dashwood wishes the Colonel and Marianne to be married. Elinor wishes the Colonel well in securing Marianne's affections, but is more pessimistic regarding Marianne's ability to accept the Colonel after disliking him for so long. Marianne makes a quick recovery, thanking Colonel Brandon for his help and acting friendly toward him.

Marianne finally seems calm and happy as they leave for Barton, which Elinor believes to signal Marianne's recovery from Willoughby. She is also far more mature, keeping herself busy and refusing to let herself languish in her grief. When Marianne decides to talk about Willoughby, Elinor takes the opportunity to tell her what Willoughby had said at Cleveland, and Marianne takes this very well. Marianne also laments her selfishness toward Elinor, and her lack of civility toward most of their acquaintance. Marianne finally says that she could not have been happy with Willoughby, after hearing of his cruelty toward Miss Williams, and no longer regrets him. The family is stunned when one of their servants returns with news that Edward is married to Lucy, as he just saw them in the village. Elinor knows now that Edward is lost to her forever. Mrs. Dashwood sees how upset Elinor is, and realizes that Elinor felt more for Edward than she ever revealed. One afternoon, Elinor is convinced that the Colonel has arrived at the cottage, but is surprised to find that it is Edward instead.

Their meeting is awkward at best; he soon informs them that it is his brother who has been married to Lucy, and not him. Elinor immediately runs from the room, crying out of joy; Edward then senses Elinor's regard for him, and proposes to her that afternoon. Elinor accepts and he gains Mrs. Dashwood's consent to the match. Edward admits that any regard he had for Lucy was formed out of idleness and lack of knowledge; he came to regret the engagement soon after it was formed. After leaving London, Edward received a letter from Lucy saying that she had married his brother Robert, and has not seen her since; thus, he was honorably relieved of the engagement. After receiving the letter, he set out for Barton immediately to see Elinor. Edward will still accept the position at Delaford, although he and Elinor again will not have enough money to live on comfortably. The Colonel visits Barton, and he and Edward become good friends. Edward then becomes reconciled with his family, although he does not regain his inheritance from Robert.

His mother even gives her consent for his marriage to Elinor, however much she is displeased by it; she gives them ten thousand pounds, the interest of which will allow them to live comfortably. Edward and Elinor are married at Barton that fall. Mrs. Dashwood and her two remaining daughters spend most of their time at Delaford, both to be near Elinor, and out of the hope that Marianne might accept the Colonel. In the two years that have passed, Marianne has become more mature and more grounded; and she does finally change her mind about the Colonel, and accepts his offer of marriage. The Colonel becomes far more cheerful, and soon Marianne grows to love him as much as she ever loved Willoughby. Mrs. Dashwood remains at Barton with Margaret, now fifteen, much to the delight of Sir John, who retains their company. And Elinor and Marianne both live together at Delaford, and remain good friends with each other and each other's husbands.

Question: What is the surname of sisters Elinor, Margaret and Marianne in Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility?
Answer: DASHWOOD