Themes of Sense and Sensibility

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Sense and Sensibility is a novel by Jane Austen, and was her first published work when it appeared in 1811 under the pseudonym "A Lady". A work of romantic fiction, better known as a comedy of manners, Sense and Sensibility is set in southwest England, London and Kent between 1792 and 1797,[1] and portrays the life and loves of the Dashwood sisters, Elinor and Marianne.

1. Themes of Sense and Sensibility Hitesh Galthariya Roll No :- 08 M.A. Sem :- 2 Year :- 2015-16 Paper :- 05 The Romantic Literature Submitted to : Smt.S.B . Gardi Department of English M.K.Bhav.University

2. Theme in ‘ Sense and Sensibility ’ by jane Austen

3. About story and Setting The setting of the novel mainly takes place in the English Country side. It is in southern England. Here Austen Fictional estate Called NORLAND and CLEVELAND on the way between. The time is about 1800-1810.Neraly all of the Action involves the lives of the lesser gentry and wealthy people.

4. Sense and sensibility novel about a girl that must leave their family home and beautiful Norland park. when her father died ,she and her mother Mrs.Dashwood , and her sister, Elinor and Margret , must move to a small cottage in Devon. The girl falls in love with the has Elinor misses Edward Ferrars .This book is cool because it has an interesting story.

5. Sense / Sensibility Sense : Deals with common understanding. Sensibility: Deals with emotions and attitudes. Elinor Marianne The theme of the novel is very simple. In those novel Austen drawn to on the cusp between two cultural movements: Classicism and Romanticism.  The distinction is most clearly symbolized by the psychological contrast between the novel's two chief characters, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood . 

6. Main Theme of S.&S.

7. Main Theme of S.&S.

8. Sir Walter Scott writes about Jane Austen that ,   “That young lady had a talent for describing the involvements, feelings and characters of ordinary life...”

9. he principal theme of her novels is her matrimony. Generally the heroin after few false starts, meets the right man, and a series of misunderstandings and frustration occurs to delay but never to prevent their union. For Marianne and Elinor , marriage is not a choice, but a necessity; and their need to marry expediently and well is a pressing concern in the novel, as they look for suitors . Young men are more free to chose a life partner for marriage, for example Mr. Colonel Brandon   reach at the age of 35 and still unmarried. F or women who have money, marriage is necessary to secure their social positions and ensure financial stability for the future. Marriage

10. Elinor Colonel Edward Lucy Marianne Willoughby Marianne Eliza Willoughby Robert Lucy Edward

11. Elinor especially is a model of self-sacrifice, At first she left Edward for the sake of her mother and sisters and started living at Barton Park. “I will be calm. I will be mistress of myself.”  “But remember that the pain of parting from friends will be felt by everybody at times, whatever be their education or state. Know your own happiness. You want nothing but patience; or give it a more fascinating name: call it hope.”  Then she deciding to go to London for her sister's happiness, and trying her best to be civil to everyone to make up for Marianne's uncivil behavior. Self-sacrifice and selfishness

12. Self-sacrifice and selfishness Elinor Marianne

13. Marianne is the opposite, caring only for herself and her feelings; she needs Elinor's help and goodwill to get by, but needs to learn how to be giving toward others in order to become her own, independent person .

14. Moderation Marianne must learn moderation of her emotions if she is to become independent of Elinor and become an adult; her trials serve to teach her about her excesses, and luckily, she does come to improve herself and become a much better, more caring person toward others . “ That is what I like; that is what a young man ought to be. Whatever be his pursuits, his eagerness in them should know no moderation, and leave him no sense of fatigue.”

15. Judgment In interactions with other people, judgment is always at work; a person must determine who a person really is and what they want, in order to avoid those who could potentially be hurtful. These judgments can be flighty and unjust, as Marianne's appraisals of most of her acquaintance are, or blinded by kindness, as  Mrs. Jennings ’ judgment of Lucy Steele is.

16. Jealousy Relates mostly to Lucy Steele, and is the prime determinant of her behavior toward Elinor . Willoughby also becomes jealous of Colonel Brandon marrying Marianne, and other, petty jealousies become evident in characters. Indicates insecurity, or poor character.

17. Appearance vs. reality Pertains to character especially, as many characters in the novel present themselves as one thing, and end up being another. John Willoughby is the best example of this, as he seems romantic, open, and genuine, but ends up exposing himself as vain, idle, and cruel. "Tell me, Willoughby- for Heaven's sake, tell me, what is the Truth?" Marianne to Willoughby. Also pertains to Lucy Steel, who ends up conniving, despite her innocent appearance. at first she engaged with Edward and then she come to know that Robert is the inherent of property, she engaged with him and left Edward.

18. Expectations vs. reality This is an especially important theme with regard to Marianne and her mother, whose romantic characters lead them to expect greater drama or trauma than actually appears. “To wish was to hope, and to hope was to expect” But reality always tends to subvert expectations, whether in life or in art, as accidents and unexpected twists and turns happen to everyone.

19. Secrecy Usually an indication of wrongdoing on someone's part, as is especially evident in Willoughby; his sudden unwillingness to share information with Marianne and the Dashwoods indicates mistakes made on his part. On the other hand, as with Edward, secrecy can be a sign of discretion, though when his secret is revealed it is damaging as Willoughby's is.

20. Hypocrisy A vast number of characters in the novel embody this trait to varying degrees; John and Fanny(to him his father asked to look after his three sisters ) "Indeed, to say the truth, I am convinced within myself, that your father had no idea of your giving them any money at all." Fanny Dashwood to her husband Lady Middleton(Sir Middleton is good fellow who gave resort to Mrs.Dashwood). The Steele girls(who tries to keep secret of their love from each other, and tried to be more rich than their reality). Mrs. Ferrars (as she disinherited Edward from her property only because he engaged secretly).

21. Robert, among others(as he got engaged with same lady with whom once his elder brother engaged). tend toward hypocritical displays of self-serving flattery, vanity, and professing opinions they do not believe in for self-gain or to get ahead with others. Unfortunately, none of these characters is taught any better in the course of the novel, as hypocrisy is an unavoidable part of human nature, and almost a part of polite society as well.

22. Money/Inheritance Laws surrounding inheritance are what put the Dashwoods women in critical situation at the beginning of the novel. Their lack of money, compounded with their inability to work, means that they cannot come out from their situation, except through marrying well, and marrying with rich guy is the only way. Money also dictates the eligibility of Elinor and Marianne, as women with larger dowries are of course seen as better prospects for marriage.