An Analysis of Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility

Abstract

Sense and Sensibility written by Jane Austen in 1811 is the story of the Dashwood sisters, Elinor and Marianne whose distinctive personal characteristics are represented in the title of the novel as well. As the title shows, this novel is all about the opposites seen in the plot, the language and the themes. I will point out how dangerous it can be if either passion or reason becomes excessive, self-destructive and cruel. My thesis argues how similar the heroines are amidst the apparent differences and how their transformation through the course of the novel has made them more aware of their social position, more sympathetic and less narcissistic even if they end up feeling gloomier. By doing so, I will analyse the type of woman, Jane Austen might have approved of in late 18th century England, considering all the social constraints and expectations which would prevent women from much manoeuvre. I will also touch on the themes: money, marriage, power relations and social class from a gendered point of view. I will look at the concept of love in the sentimental culture and will raise this question if experiencing romantic love or ‘first attachments’ is reachable for the heroines. Another theme to be dealt with is the significance of demure and propriety in inhibiting and controlling overflowing emotions. I will ask how far Austen stresses restraint and self-control by dramatizing the gap between action and feeling. Can the heroines, the roving young women truly find a room of their own, a personal space to consider themselves as individuals in such a hostile society? I will also focus on the style of the novel, the language and the literary terms employed by Austen to emphasise the themes and the characters who either represent sense or sensibility in the novel. There will be an analysis of the 1995 film adaptation directed by Ang Lee based on the screenplay by Emma Thompson. How far has the film been able to demonstrate the themes and the language in the novel? What might be the strengths and limitations of the film? These are the questions; I will explore and try to find answers to as well . Keywords: sense, sensibility, sympathy, 18th-century women, love and marriage, property and money, privacy and society.