(Chapters 1-8)

Elinor and Marianne are “sense” and “sensibility,” so, it is logical that the majority of these early chapters are spent detailing their character and the character of those around them. The events that set the plot of Sense and Sensibility in motion would not occur without the fulfillment of the character flaws and character strengths of our cast.

The elder Mr. Dashwood, Elinor and Marianne’s father, has died and due to some unfortunate wording of wills, almost his entire fortune is left to his son, John, the sisters’ older half-brother. This includes the only home they have ever known, Norland, as well as many of their possessions.

While on his deathbed, the elder Mr. Dashwood made John promise to care and provide for his half-sisters and Mr. Dashwood’s second wife. John is neatly talked out of this promise by his wife; although, it didn’t take much. John is described as “not an ill-disposed man, unless to be rather cold hearted, and rather selfish, is to be ill-disposed.” And his wife: “Mrs. John Dashwood was a strong caricature of himself – more narrow-minded and selfish.”

In contrast, we receive this description of Elinor: “this eldest daughter whose advice was so effectual, possessed a strength of understanding, and coolness of judgement, which qualified her…to be counsellor of her mother…She had an excellent heart – her disposition was affectionate, and her feelings were strong; but she knew how to govern them.” And of Marianne: “[her] abilities were, in many respects, quite equal to Elinor’s. She was sensible and clever; but eager in every thing; her sorrows, her joys, could have no moderation. She was generous, amiable, interesting; she was every thing but prudent.” Their mother is described as very similar to Marianne and their younger sister, Margaret, “a good-humoured, well-disposed girl,” who had “already imbibed a good deal of Marianne’s romance…”

Mr. and Mrs. John Dashwood and their young son waste no time moving into their new home. “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 showing them with how little attention to the comfort of other people she could act when occasion required it.” She cannot wait for the former mistress of the house and her daughters to leave. The elder Mrs. Dashwood is in no hurry to leave and would even prefer to remain in the neighborhood, until Mrs. John Dashwood implies Elinor is attempting to “draw in” her brother who is visiting at the time.

Edward Ferrars, Mrs. John Dashwood’s eldest brother, is described as, “…not handsome, and his manners required intimacy to make them pleasing…but when his natural shyness was overcome, his behaviour gave every indication of an open affectionate heart…Edward had no turn for great men or barouches. All his wishes centered in domestic comfort and the quiet of private life.” While set to inherit a great fortune from his late father, that fortune depends on the will of his mother, who’s high career expectations of her son do not meet his wishes or his nature.

There does seem to be a connection between Elinor and Edward. How close a connection? Close enough to worry Mrs. John Dashwood that Edward may become involved with Elinor. Both Marianne and Mrs. Dashwood expect an engagement announcement any day. However, they both tend to jump to conclusions. When Marianne attempts to get Elinor to tell her to, “love [Edward] as a brother,” Elinor can’t shut down those expectations fast enough. Although she holds Edward high in her opinion, and believes the feeling mutual, she “required greater certainty of it to make Marianne’s conviction of their attachment agreeable to her. She knew what Marianne and her mother conjectured on moment, they believed the next – that with them, to wish was to hope, and to hope was to expect.”

Marianne reacts to Elinor’s next statement – “I do not attempt to deny that I think very highly of him – that I greatly esteem, that I like him” – by calling her “cold-hearted…worse than cold-hearted! Ashamed of being otherwise.” But I empathize with Elinor. She has some attachment, but she doesn’t want to get her hopes, or the hopes of others, up. She doesn’t want to allow her affection to go any farther as there are far too many other variables that could interfere with her happiness. There are instances where she believes him to be partial, but not enough to be assured of his regard. I tend to react similarly to Elinor. It is difficult, after getting my own hopes up or being encouraged by others, when things don’t turn out. It is safer to remain reserved, protect yourself. Safer, but, perhaps, not always easier or wiser.

I do think Elinor can take some comfort from the surprise and concern Edward displays when he hears that Mrs. Dashwood and her three daughters are soon to leave Norland for Barton Cottage in, “so far from hence!”, Devonshire. The ladies depart for their new home – after Elinor has successfully talked her mother down in terms of the number of servants necessary and in selling the carriage as the money would serve them better in their new location.

A whole new cast of characters are introduced when our heroines arrive at Barton Cottage. Sir John Middleton, the owner of the cottage being rented to the Dashwoods. He was “good-humoured” and with friendly manners, whose “kindness was not confined to words, for within an hour after he left them, a large basket full of garden stuff and fruit arrived from the park, which was followed before the end of the day by a present of game.” Lady Middleton has more elegance of manner than her husband, but lacks his frankness and warmth. Mrs. Jennings, Lady Middleton’s mother, was “good-humoured, merry, fat, elderly…who talked a great deal, seemed very happy, and rather vulgar. She was full of jokes and laugher, and before dinner was over had said many witty things on the subject of lovers and husbands; hoped they had not left their hearts behind them in Sussex, and pretended to see them blush whether they did or not.” Finally, Colonel Brandon, a friend of Sir John who was “silent and grave.” His appearance was “not unpleasing, in spite of his being in the opinion of Marianne and Margaret an absolute old bachelor, for he was on the wrong side of five and thirty…his countenance was sensible, and his address was particularly gentlemanlike.”

Marianne sends everyone into raptures when she plays the pianoforte after dinner. Everyone, except for Colonel Brandon. Which, Marianne is able to respect him for as she feels the rest of the party behaved insensibly. Yet, in the same thought, “ecstatic delight” is used to describe the only pleasure in music that could sympathize with her own. I find this interesting, as already we have witnessed Marianne feeling big feelings, acting on these feelings, and chastising her sister for not feeling more. It seems that Marianne alone can determine what the appropriate amount of emoting is in any given situation.

In the final chapter of this section, Mrs. Jennings decides that Colonel Brandon and Marianne would be an excellent match – because of his appreciation of her pianoforte performance and the fact that “he was rich and she was handsome.” She teases Colonel Brandon at Barton Park (the Middleton’s home) and Marianne when at Barton Cottage. Marianne, of course, feels the suggestion is absurd. He is old enough to be her father! He is infirm! On the wrong side of five and thirty! He talks of flannel waistcoats! (My knee hurts, I’ve been complaining loudly about the cold, and I’m about to be on the wrong side of five and thirty… I suppose I should start looking for a good infirmary to check in to.) Elinor and Mrs. Dashwood laugh at Marianne’s such visceral reactions and poke gentle fun in the absence of Mrs. Jennings to the dismay of Marianne. Yet, when Elinor leaves the room, Marianne returns to her concern of the attachment between Elinor and Edward, despite her sister’s protestations.

I appreciate the detailing of the characters in this early section, I’m looking forward to next week’s more plot-heavy section. We have a vastly different cast as a whole, and two, it would seem, very different sisters. Yet, despite their differences in “sense” and “sensibility,” they both only want what is best for their family. They can tease and laugh. They both feel deeply, this feeling just manifests in different ways. We all like to think that our way is best. And sometimes it is. But sometimes it isn’t. Elinor’s reserve and Marianne’s openness will cause each of them both pain and pleasure.