The theme of Sense and Sensibility

Name: Baraiya Bhavna P.

Poll No: 3

Subject: Romantic Literature

Topic: The theme of Sense and Sensibility

Sem: 2

Year: 2012-13









                                            The theme of
                            Sense and Sensibility







About novelist :-

                           The novel sense and sensibility written by female writer Jane Austin . She is a realist who draws her materials from actual life, as she sees it. There is nothing fantastic or fanciful as far she depicts the social life of her time.
                            Jane Austen, the daughter of a Hampshire clergyman, was born at Steventon. She was educated at home; her father was a man of good taste in the choice of reading material , and Jane’s education was conducted on sound lines. Her life was unexciting , being little more than a series of pilgrimages to different places of residence , including the fashionable resort of Bath (1801) . On the death of the rector his wife and two daughters removed to the neighbourhood of Southampton, where the majority of Jane Austen’s novels were written. Her first published works were issued anonymously, and she died in middle age, before her merits had received anything like adequate recognition. 


Matrimony 

                    ( her principal theme)
                    The 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.

                        The theme of the novel is very simple. the Dashwood lives in Norland Park, occupied by Mrs. Dashwood and her three daughters. John Dashwood, is stepson of Mrs. Dashwood and he has in heritages her properties. While dying he requests him to look after his stepmother and stepsister. But Fanny, wife of John , insults her stepmother - in - law so that they shift to Norland Park to Burden Cottage. During Dashwood shift there Elinor the eldest daughter of Dashwood family falls in love with Edward. 


                     The Marianne - second daughter fall in love with willoughby. Willoughby leaves her for London. But both sisters go to London to search him and they live at house of Mrs. Jenning’s home - mother -in-law of Willoughby. But then Marianne become unhappy as she comes to that Willoughby is married to Mrs. Grey. Then Elinor also comes to know that Edward is engaged to Lucy. Now both the sisters leaves for Barton Cottage. The Dashwood an unexpected news that Lucy is married to Robert Ferrars - elder brother of Edward Ferrars. Edward himself goes to Barton Cottage to propose Elinor. She gladly accept offers of him. Marianne married to Brandon. Thus novel ended happily and we can see here poetic justice in the end of the novel Sense and Sensibility.

Money/Inheritance

                      Laws surrounding inheritance are what put the Dashwood women in limbo at the beginning of the novel; and their lack of money, compounded with their inability to work, means that they cannot ease their situation, except through marrying well. Money also dictates the eligibility of Elinor and Marianne, as women with larger dowries are of course seen as better prospects for marriage.

Gender

                          There are very definite gender limitations involved in the society Austen describes; women cannot own property, are expected to stay in the home, marry, and be polite and good company. Men can decide whether or not to pursue a career if they have enough money, and have more latitude within society in regards to their behavior and life choices. Gender dictates acceptable roles and behavior, and even in the world of the novel, there is little room to deviate.

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. But reality always tends to subvert expectations, whether in life or in art, as accidents and unexpected twists and turns happen to everyone.

Discretion

                   Of the utmost importance in polite society, where it is not to one's advantage to let people know all that you think and feel. Marianne's lack of discretion leads to a great deal of gossip and a very public snubbing by Willoughby; lack of discretion in many others indicates poor manners and a lack of refinement.

Appearance vs. reality

                    Pertains to character especially, as many characters in the novel present themselves as one thing, and end up being another. Willoughby is the prime example of this, as he seems romantic, open, and genuine, but ends up exposing himself as vain, idle, and cruel. Also pertains to Lucy Steele, who ends up conniving, despite her innocent appearance.

Expectation and disappointment
                        
                           Throughout the novel, many characters develop expectations based on sparse evidence or faulty perceptions; this, of course, leads to disappointment as reality proves very different. Joyful expectations are often dashed by harsher turns of events, as Marianne is extremely disappointed by her expectation of being married to Willoughby, and is pushed away.

Self-sacrifice and selfishness

                        Elinor especially is a model of self-sacrifice, 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. 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.

Hypocrisy
                         A vast number of characters in the novel embody this trait to varying degrees; John and Fanny, Lady Middleton, the Steele girls, Mrs. Ferrars, and Robert, among others, 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.