Paper 5. Significance of the title “Sense and Sensibility”, character sketch of Elinor and Marianne.

Name:  Jayti R. Thakar.

Paper No: 5 Romantic Literatures

Topic of Assignment: Significance of the title “Sense and Sensibility”, character sketch of Elinor and Marianne.

Roll No: 34.

Submitted to: Smt. S. B. Gardi Department of English

M. K. Bhavnagar University

To evaluate my assignment Click Here.

Significance of the title “Sense and Sensibility”; with the reference of two major characters “Elinor” and “Marianne”.

 Introduction:-

Sense and Sensibility (1811) by Jane Austen offers a clue to the central theme of the novel. The word “Sense” in the title means the capacity of a person to maintain his or her emotional equilibrium, while word “Sensibility” means an inability to maintain such an equilibrium and tendency to be carried away by an excess of emotions. Thus, the word “sense” interpreted as a capacity for emotional- restraint, while the word “Sensibility” may be taken to mean a lack of emotional self- restraint.

  Character sketch of Elinor Dashwood.

1.   Elinor- “the more important of the two possible heroines.”

Elinor Dashwood is undoubtedly the heroin of this novel and at any rate, the more important of the two heroines which this novel seems to possess in the opinion of several critics who even believe that the other heroine, namely Marianne Dashwood, is the more important of two. Whatever be the case, Jane Austen herself intended Elinor Dashwood as the novel’s heroine. Throughout, the novel Austen at pain to establish the greater importance of Elinor by comparison with Marianne. Though the critics are of the opinion that Austen has failed in her effort to justify and prove her intention.

2.   Elinor, an Embodiment of Sense.

Elinor, who is the eldest daughter of Mrs. Dashwood, and who is nineteen years of age when the novel opens, is described as possessing strength of understanding and coolness of judgment which qualify her to be her mother’s adviser and counselor. Elinor’s disposition is affectionate, and her capacity to keep her feelings strictly under control, she feels somewhat perturbed by the excess of Marianne’s sensibility.

3.   Mrs. John Dashwood’s opposition to Edward’s Affection towards Elinor.

Elinor becomes attached to a young man by the name of Edward Ferrars who is a brother of the wife of Elinor’s step- brother, John Dashwood. It is an act of reciprocity on Elinor’s part to feel attached to Edward Ferrars who has first given distinct signs of having become emotionally interested in her. However, this affair is prevented from developing because the hostility of John Dashwood’s wife to any attachment between her brother and her husband’s step- sister. After the removal of Mrs. Dashwood and her three daughters from Norland Park in Sussex to Barton Cottage in Devonshire, Elinor and the other members of the family expect Edward Ferrars to pay them a visit at that place; but he does not turn up. Elinor does not experience any deep grief on account of this disappointment because she knows how to keep her feeling in check. She has formed a high opinion of Edward’s merits and qualities; but, if he has not come to see her, she can endure the feeling of disappointment with great fortitude. She never feels dejected or melancholy; and her self- command is remarkable. She avoids company; and she does not appear restless or dissatisfied as a result of Edward’s failure to visit her.  

4.   Elinor’s Controlled Reaction to a shocking Discloser.

Few months later, Elinor receives a big shock when she learns that the young man, with whom she had been in love all this time, is committed to marry another girl, namely Lucy Steel. This disclosure has come to Elinor from Lucy Steel herself. She also included that the engagement between them to had taken place four years ago. This stunning disclosure certainly upsets and even grieves Elinor; but she is able to withstand even this emotional shock which could have overwhelmed and prostrated and other girl. Elinor becomes despondent and gloomy but she does not lose her interest in life and, in fact, continues to take a keen interest in all those activities in which she had previously felt interested.

5.   Elinor’s Sisterly Solicitude about Marianne’s Welfare.

As we have already noted Elinor is devoted to her whole family, and not only to her mother. In Marianne’s troubles cause no end of distress to her. Willoughby’s growing friendship with Marianne upsets Elinor a good deal because Elinor does not the real nature of this friendship. Very soon her worry becomes true when Willoughby‘s abrupt departure for London happens, this disturbs the whole Dashwood family but Elinor more particularly. And in London Willoughby’s unaccountable indifference to Marianne creates more trouble for Elinor because Marianne’s plight at that time is more pitiable. Now, Elinor, who is feeling much distressed by her sister’s predicament, tries her condition becomes almost critical, Elinor’s grief is intense. Indeed, next only to Elinor’s own affairs and difficulties, Elinor feels all the time worried, distressed, or tormented by Marianne’s misfortunes. Her solicitude and anxiety about Marianne occupy Elinor’s thoughts even more than her own emotional setback. This trait of Elinor’s character is certainly admirable.

          6 Elinor: not a Money- Minded Woman.

One other aspect of Elinor’s character is also noteworthy. She is not a money- minded person. In this respect she offers a sharp contrast to Mrs. Fenny Dashwood who is obsessed with money and who would go to any length to save every penny in orders to add to the prosperity of her family. Elinor’s husband would be having a very moderate income; and she herself does not have any fortune. She and Edward would be living at Delaford parsonage a most frugal kind of life; but Elinor has no regrets about it. Nor does she feel jealous of Marianne who has become prosperous and affluent through her marriage with Colonel Brandon. This is another admirable trait of her character.

7. Some other excellent qualities of Elinor.

Furthermore, Elinor is not a garrulous woman. Nor does she believes in ideal gossip or in spreading rumors as Mrs. Jennings is in habit of doing. Withal Elinor is neither too talkative nor a match-maker of any kind. She is a dignified, highly respectable, well- mannered, considerate, civil, and decent type of woman who would bring credit to any company, and who would certainly bring much credit to her husband, the person of Delaford.      

  The character and personality of Marianne Dashwood.

1.    An Embodiment of Sensibility.

Marianne’s abilities were in many respects quite equal to Elinor’s. She was sensible and clever, but eager in everything; her sorrows and 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. Marianne is evidently meant to embody “Sensibility” or a tendency to feel too much. A person of this kind feels too happy when there is an occasion for happiness, and too sad when there is an occasion for sadness.

2.    Her assessment of the character of Edward.

Marianne has a talent for music. She can play on the piano and can sing well. While Elinor is good at drawing, Marianne is equally good at music.  It is therefore natural for Marianne to react unfavorably to Edward Ferrars who has no ear for music. Marianne‘s assessment of the character of the Edward Ferrars is widely different from that of Elinor. According to Marianne Edward is a very amiable but that there is something lacking in him. Edward’s figure she says, is not striking; it has none of that grace which she would expect in the man who has been able to win Elinor’s heart.  

3.    A woman of feelings and sentiments.

It is evident, then, Marianne is absolutely different from Elinor in her judgment of men. However, Marianne does not speak to Elinor candidly about Edward because she would not like to hurt her sister. We may also note that, while Elinor had bidden good bye to Norland Park with a feeling of perfect composure, Marianne had shed many tears at leaving a place where she had lived for a long time.

4.   The quick development of friendship between Marianne and Willoughby.

The physical appearance of Marianne certainly does her much credit. She is more handsome than Elinor, and her figure is more striking. She has a lovely face; her complexion is uncommonly brilliant; her features are all good; her smile is sweet and attractive; and in her eyes, there is life, a spirit, and eagerness which delight everybody who sees her. It is therefore natural for Willoughby to feel attract by her. After having carried the injured Marianne to her house, Willoughby becomes a daily visitor at a Barton Cottage; and friendship now begins between him and Marianne. The physical attraction between the two is strengthened by the fact that Willoughby seems to admire the same writers who are Marianne’s favorites. They also find that their enjoyment of dancing and music is mutual, that it arises from general conformity of judgment in everything which relates to both those arts. Their tests are found to be strikingly similar. The same books, and the same passages in those books, are liked both. As for Marianne herself, she begins to see bright vision of her future with Willoughby.

5.    Marianne’s distress at Willoughby’s sudden departure for London and her Illness.

Marianne’s distress is acute when Willoughby one day suddenly announces to her and to other members of Dashwood family that he is leaving for London unexpectedly at the behest of his guardian, Mrs. Smith. Marianne, with her strong sensibility now begins to experience such intense misery that her conditions become pitiable. She spends sleepless nights, and she weeps for the whole day after Willoughby has left; and in this context the author says: “Her sensibility was potent enough.” Moreover, she soon learns that Willoughby has got married to a rich heiress (Miss. Grey); and the cup of her misery is now full. We can imagine what she must have felt on this occasion because of her acute and profound sensibility. Soon afterwards Marianne falls ill. The illness is attributed to a chill but the psychological basis for this illness cannot be ignored.   

                  

6.    A Great change in her; and her marriage.

When Marianne recovers, Elinor tells her of Willoughby’s visit. Marianne comes to assess what has passed with sense rather than emotion, and sees that she could never have been happy with Willoughby’s immoral and expansive nature. She comes to value Elinor’s conduct in a similar situation and resolves to model herself after Elinor’s courage and good sense. Marianne is now a changed person. She has already expressed her sense of remorse to Elinor; and she already acknowledged her debt to her sister who had never ceased to attend upon her, to look after her, and to do everything in her power to console and comfort her despite the setback to her power to console and comfort her despite the setback to her own emotional well-being and the setback to her own love- affair. Marianne now makes up her mind to devote herself wholly to her family- her mother and her two sisters- and to think of nothing else. However, event takes a different turn. In due course she begins to like man, namely Colonel Brandon. Few years after Elinor’s wedlock with Edward, Marianne marries Colonel Brandon, having gradually fallen deeply in love with him.

7.   Her second place in the novel.

Marianne is certainly a likeable person, though we, on our part, do not feel as attracted by her as we are by Elinor. There is a basic weakness in Marianne’s character. Elinor may be suffering from a deficiency of feeling; but Marianne’s excessive capacity for feeling is by no means a sign of any moral or intellectual superiority. Excessive feeling in person is undoubtedly a weakness. To moan or to grown when overtaken by a disappointment or a in frustration of a hope; to spent sleepless night and feel miserable in the face of hurdles and obstruction- these are by no means to be regarded as virtues in human being. Some critics regard Marianne as the center of the novel and as the true heroine of the novel; but we find it impossible to agree with this view. A heroine she may be; but, as a heroine she occupies a second place, a place next to Elinor whose strength of character and whose capacity to withstand misfortunes entitle her to our respect and admiration.

8.   Social deficiencies and lapses.

In certain other respects too we find Marianne not up to the mark. She is often brusque where she should be civil and courteous. She is often indifferent where she should show some degree or friendship. She is often unsociable and inclined to shun company. Many times, what we actually find is that Marianne avoids Mrs. Jennings and is even rude to her; subsequently Mrs. Jennings has devoutly and sincerely attended upon Marianne’s critical illness. On several occasions we find Marianne leaving the room just when some visitors have arrived. She is often visible indifferent to Sir John Middleton and, of course, to her step- brother John Dashwood to whom Elinor is always polite.

  Conclusion: -

In short, Marianne is a sentimental kind of a girl and, therefore, entirely different from Elinor who can exercise full control over her feelings. And it is this basic difference between two sisters which explains the title of the novel, and which also explains the different moods and the different reactions of the two sisters on various occasions, and in dealing with various persons in the course of the story. 

To evaluate my assignment Click Here.

Works Cited

Lal, R. Sense and Sensibility. In R. Lal.