Sense and Sensibility is a novel by Jane Austen that explores the lives of the Dashwoods, mainly Elinor and Marianne. In their former home, Norland Park, Elinor is seen to be fond of Edward Ferrars, but after moving to Barton Park, the two don't see each other much anymore. The sisters meet Sir John Middleton, Lady Middleton, Mrs Jennings, and Colonel Brandon at their new home. Soon, Marriane, meets a handsome gentleman, John Willoughby, and they fall in deep love. However, Willoughby soon leaves, to Marianne's despair, for business. One day, Edwards gives Elinor a visit, but he is seen to look unhappy. Later, it is revealed that he has a secret, loveless engagement to Lucy Steele. Willoughby is then seen in a new relationship with Miss Grey, a lady with a large fortune; it is also revealed that he had seduced and abandoned Eliza Williams. Soon, after discovering his engagement with Lucy, Mrs Ferrars makes Edward break the engagement immediately. In the end, Elinor marries Edward, and Marriane, who realizes she never would've lived well with Willoughby, marries Colonel Brandon.
Social status and class are crucial, especially in the periods of Jane Austen’s novels, which could lead to many social limitations and imbalances. Social classes consist of the upper, middle, and lower classes, in which these categorizations restrict and limit most people within their own class. The characters in Sense and Sensibility are shown to be greatly concerned with money, including people and families who are already at the top of the social hierarchy, such as Fanny, John Dashwood, Mrs. Ferrars, and many more. People from the upper class were wealthy and had a high reputation in their society, while people from the lower or middle classes had to work hard to climb up and gain more social status. These people were called social climbers, who climbed the social ladder through inheritance, working hard in business, marriage, or other methods, although most people stayed in the same class as they were born. Willoughby ascended in social wealth after marrying Miss Grey, Mrs. Ferrars wanted her sons to marry Miss Morton to combine the two families’ fortunes, and John and Henry Dashwood both became wealthy through inheritance. However, some people are unfortunate enough to descend in social status, such as Edward, whom his mother disinherited after she found out about his secret engagement with Lucy Steele. People create restrictions and boundaries throughout the different social classes to maintain their status or climb the social ladder.
Marriage is the easiest method for social climbers to ascend to a higher social class and status. In the Victorian and Regency eras, normal marriages occurred within a certain social class, while abnormal marriages included people from different social classes. In society, abnormal marriages are normally more uncommon, unlike the standard, normal marriages. In Sense and Sensibility, engagements and possible marriage matches are thought of and concerned greatly. Mrs. Dashwood is always thinking about when and who her daughters will marry throughout the course of the novel. John Dashwood and Mrs. Ferrars are some of the characters in the story who don’t care about love in relationships and are only concerned about raising their families’ social status and earning money through marriage. John, after seeing Colonel Brandon talking with Elinor, makes sure that he is rich after congratulating Elinor for her good taste in men. Mrs. Ferrars doesn’t care whether Edward or Rogers marries Miss Morton; she only wants one of them to get engaged to a wealthy family’s daughter. She also neglects whether Edward likes Lucy or has feelings for Elinor; to her, neither of these marriages is tolerable, because this will only drag her reputation. Many people in the novel marry for money and status, such as Willoughby who marries Miss Grey for her fortune. However, Edward and Elinor, and Marianne and Brandon’s marriages include their love and affection for each other. Many people marry for different reasons: love, respect, wealth and money, social status, or good social reputation.
People had high expectations for women and girls alike, especially in the pre-Victorian era, where ladies' most important use was to marry a wealthy, good gentleman to raise her family’s social status. Moreover, there were limited roles and opportunities for women in society; they were restricted from having careers and completely relied on men for a comfortable future. After getting married, women were expected to be hard-working and accomplished people in society. Several girls in Sense and Sensibility are suddenly abandoned by men. Willoughby seduced and impregnated Miss Eliza Williams, and then abandoned her. Willoughby also forms a loving relationship with Marianne later on but suddenly ends their attachment to go and marry a richer, wealthier woman. However, there are many ladies in the novel who can hold power over men and their husbands, like Lucy and Fanny Dashwood. Lucy Steele can allure men like Edward and Roger Ferrars and does eventually find herself a wealthy husband, Roger after the inheritance is turned in his favor. Fanny, on the other hand, manipulates John Dashwood to do anything she wants, like not giving the Dashwood sisters any money for comfort in Norland Park. Despite that, the characters in the novel still live in a society where men are relied on and hold more power than women. Women were not only highly expected and requested to have accomplishments and good reputations, but also fully relied on men in the pre-Victorian era.
Many signs of the darkness of human nature are seen throughout money-oriented societies, such as the one in Sense and Sensibility. Human nature is seen in daily life and society and can impact the futures of many people greatly. In Sense and Sensibility, many characters are overcome with greed, are snobbish, and are untruthful. The novel starts by emphasizing and showing Fanny and John Dashwood’s snobbish behavior and greed. Although John promised his deceased father to support his half-sisters financially, he ended up from giving them three thousand pounds to giving them nothing at all, which was all mainly manipulated and persuaded by Fanny. Moreover, many wealthy people are still concerned with money and their standards of a rich and comfortable life. Mrs. Ferrars only cares about her two sons, Edward and Robert, to marry women who will help their family financially and socially, such as Miss Morton. To Mrs. Ferrars, the only acceptable marriages for her sons are wealthy ones, so that she can ascend in social status and reputation. Likely, Miss Morton doesn’t care whether she marries Robert of Edward; as long as he is the one receiving the inheritance and owns a fortune, she is willing to marry any. Willoughby also neglects his love for Marianne to go chasing after Miss Grey, because she is wealthy. However, the novel also has exceptional characters. Colonel Brandon is one of the only people who are wealthy yet selfless; he eagerly gives Edward and Lucy a living on his property after hearing about their poor situations. Marianne and Elinor both believe in a loving marriage, and both get engaged to the men that they truly love and show affection for, instead of rich people. The darkness of human nature is reflected in many parts of society and includes greed, selfishness, snobbishness, and much more.
Sense and Sensibility explores the lives of the Dashwood sisters, mainly Elinor and Marianne, as they navigate through the hardships of love, heartbreak, and social expectations. Social status is an extremely important and crucial factor in society, and can impact people’s future lives and relationships. Most marriages and relationships are connected to one’s social wealth, status, and reputation. Many people use marriage to gain social status and wealth, such as Willoughby who marries Miss Grey for her fortune, and Mrs. Ferrars who wants her son to marry Miss Morton, a woman of great wealth. The role of females and women is a common theme in Jane Austen’s novels; women are given limited opportunities and roles and have to rely on men and their husbands in order to live a comfortable life. Many signs of the dark side of human nature are seen throughout society, including people’s snobbishness, selfishness, greed, and more.
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