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Sense and Sensibility

Introduction
Sense and Sensibility is a novel by Jane Austen. It was her first novel, published in
1811 under a pseudonym a Lady. The first version of Sense and Sensibility was
probably written in 1795 as an epistolary novel entitled Elinor and Marianne.
Although critics didnt favor it, it sold well. First 750 copies were sold by 1783, when
second edition was announced. The second edition was published in October of 1783,
also under a pseudonym a Lady, only this time writer of Pride and Prejudice was
added. The novel is set in Southwest England, in London and Devonshire, between
1792 and 1797. It portraits the lives of two Dashwood sisters, Elinor and Marianne.
They are young and pretty, and want to love and be loved. The takeaway from this
novel is intentionally left unclear. The reader must decide if sense or sensibility won.

Characters
Elinor Dashwood is the sensible eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Dashwood. She is
practical and pragmatic, but what she has in sense, she lacks in sensibility. In her love
towards brother-in-law of her older half-brother, Edward Ferrars, she seems cold and
unattached. She places her familys interests above her own.
Marianne Dashwood is the seventeen years old, second daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
Dashwood. She is the exact opposite of her older sister. Her life is directed by emotions.
When she realizes that she is admired by two men, she falls for the younger and the one
more handsome, neglecting all of his numerous flaws.
Edward Ferrars is the older brother of Robert Ferrars. While visiting his sister Fanny
in Norland, he emotionally attaches to Elinor, whom he later marries, after he gets freed
from his engagement to Lucy Steele. He is left with no inheritance as he gets disowned
by his mother.
John Willoughby is an attractive young man who charms and steals Mariannes heart.
He later abandons her in favor of wealthy Miss Sophia Gray.
Colonel Brandon is a thirty-five year old retired officer. He falls in love with
Marianne on the first sight. He is honorable and kind. After Edward loses his
inheritance he gives him a house to live in.
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Henry Dashwood is Elinor and Mariannes father. He dies at the beginning of the
novel and all of his wealth and property is inherited by his son from his first marriage,
John Dashwood.
John Dashwood is sisters half-brother. He means well, but he is not very clever, and
therefore is controlled by his wife, Fanny.
Fanny Dashwood is Johns wife. She is mean and selfish, and not very fond of Johns
family. She persuades John not to fulfill the promise he had given to his father on his
deathbed and secure his sisters financially.
Summary
Mr. and Mrs. Dashwood live with three daughters on Norland Park. After Mr.
Dashwood dies, Mrs. Dashwood and her daughters have to move from Norland Park,
since its inheritor is John Dashwood, Mr. Dashwoods son from his first marriage. And
so, Elinor, Marianne and Margaret, accompanied by their mother, move to their distant
relatives, the Middletons, at Barton Park. However, before they move Elinor falls in
love with her sister-in-law`s brother, Edward Ferrars. Once in Barton, girls meet a lot of
new people, including kind and honorable Colonel Brandon and young gallant and
handsome John Willoughby. Soon, it becomes apparent that both men admire Marianne.
While Marianne is not pleased with Colonel Brandon, since he is in his mid-thirties, she
falls for Willoughby. Willoughby doesnt hide his affections, and his attentions become
so overt that Elinor and Mrs. Dashwood begin to think that the couple is secretly
engaged. One day, Willoughby, unexpectedly, informs Dashwoods that he is being sent
to London for business. After his departure, Marianne feels lovesick and miserable, and
abandons herself in sorrow. In the meantime, Edward Ferrars pays Dashwoods a visit in
Barton Park. He behaves oddly and Elinor assumes he doesnt have feelings for her
anymore. Soon after Edward returns to Norland, Lady Middletons cousins, Lucy and
Ann Steele arrive. Lucy explains to Elinor that herself and Edward have been engaged
for four years. Elinor now realizes why Edward was behaving so strangely and forgives
him for breaking her heart. More than that, she even pities him for having to merry a
girl he doesnt love. Seeing both girls unhappy, Mrs. Jennings, mother of Lady
Middleton, invites them to join her in her trip to London. Marianne immediately accepts
her invitation, since that way she will be able to continue her relationship with
Willoughby. Upon arriving, Marianne writes many letters to Willoughby, but they go
unanswered. When the couple finally meets, Willoughby acts coldly and unpleasantly.
The next day, Marianne receives letter in which Willoughby denies he had ever had any
feelings for her. Mariannes heart is broken. The same day, Colonel Brandon arrives
and reveals to Elinor that Marianne is not the first girl that Willoughby seduced and
then abandoned. Same has happened to his 15-years-old wand that Willoughby got
pregnant. On top of all that, Mrs. Jennings announces Willoughbys engagement to
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wealthy Miss Grey. In the meantime, Lucy and Ann Steele are enjoying their time as
guests of John and Fenny Dashwood in London. Neither of them realizes that they have
been invited to London in order to provoke Elinor, rather than personal compliment.
During their visit, Ann unintentionally reveals that Lucy and Edward are secretly
engaged. Upon hearing this, Edwards and Fannys mother, Mrs. Ferrars, demands from
Edward to break this engagement. Edward honorably refuses, and he gets disinherited in
favor of his brother. Meanwhile, Dashwood sisters visit family friends at Cleveland.
Exhausted and broken-hearted, Marianne becomes dangerously ill. Upon hearing that
Mariannes life is in danger, Willoughby comes to see Elinor to beg for forgiveness and
swear that his love was genuine. He explains that he had to marry for money rather than
love. Elinor pities him and shares this story with Marianne, who finally realizes that she
could never been happy with Willoughby. Mrs. Dashwood and Colonel Brendon arrive
at Cleveland to learn that Mariannes health has drastically improved. Sisters return to
Barton Park, where Elinor gets visited by Edward who explains that Lucy decided to
marry his brother who got his inheritance, and that Edward is now free from his
engagement. Thus, he can finally propose to Elinor, and the couple soon gets married.
Not long after this, Marianne realizes that she loves Brandon, and they become engaged
as well. Since Edward and Elinor have no money or property, Marianne and Brandon
invite them to live on their estate, the Delaford Park.