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. At their new home, the sisters meet Sir John Middleton, Lady Middleton, Mrs Jennings, and Colonel Brandon. 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 finding out about 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.
Scumbags, or the antagonists in love, are men who would break a relationship with a woman without a reasonable explanation and only to be with another lady. Most perverts either see love as a little, unimportant game or form a relationship with someone because of a feature other than true love. John Willoughby, one of the several scumbags in the novel, broke off his smooth-going and loving relationship with Marianne without any explanation, much to the Dashwood’s surprise. Later, it is found that after going to London, Willoughby seduced Miss Eliza Williams, got her pregnant, and abandoned her. He then went to get engaged to Miss Grey for her fortune and money. Willoughby holds both of the pervert characteristics of a scumbag. Edward was mostly forced by his mother to marry a wealthy person; he was first manipulated into breaking off his relationship with Elinor because her family wasn’t rich and then scolded for making a foolish, loveless engagement with Lucy Steele, who although could help his family advance socially, had no fortune or wealth. George Wickham, in Pride and Prejudice, allured many young ladies such as Elizabeth Bennet, Georgiana Darcy, and Lydia Wickham, and only sees it like a game. The antagonists in love, especially men in earlier time periods and eras, would break a smoothly-going relationship to chase another one because of either wealth, social status, or appearance.
A big personality and behavior change can be found in most scumbags after a period of time without their lover. In most cases, scumbags are found to become extremely hostile and cold towards their past lovers after contributing to a new relationship. Three of the main perverts in Jane Austen’s novels, Willoughby, Edward, and George Wickham, act differently towards their lovers over a period of time. After leaving for London and getting engaged to Miss Grey, Willoughby acts cold towards Marianne when they see each other yet again at a social event. Before, the couple was loving and warm to each other, but later on, Willoughby only greeted Elinor and mostly ignored Marianne at the party. Meanwhile, Edward also had a great behavioral change when meeting Elinor after they moved to Barton Park. Although he gradually warmed up to the Dashwoods later on, he seemed emotionless, unhappy, and cold. Moreover, Edward Ferrars had already been in Devonshire for two weeks but only came to visit Elinor at that time. George Wickham has also shown a big behavioral change towards Elizabeth before and after getting engaged to Miss King. At first, he was charming and gentlemanly to her, but then, suddenly got engaged with no signs or farewells. In relationships, the antagonists of love will suddenly have a suspicious turn of behavior and emotion toward their past lover.
The most antagonists in love, or scumbags, only seem to contribute to a relationship for money, social status, or appearance rather than love. Many antagonists in a relationship would fall for someone only because they are wealthy, respected, and attracted. In Jane Austen’s two novels, the three main scumbags are Willoughby, Edward Ferrars, and George Wickham. Although Willoughby did love Marianne greatly, he then got engaged to Miss Grey, as she had more fortune and money than his past lover. When he suddenly had to leave Marianne for business, he was actually called on by his aunt, who found out about his relationship with a lower-classed Dashwood and was partly made to marry someone wealthier and of higher social status, as well as his own desire to get rich. Edward Ferrars was less of a scumbag than the former, as he was mostly manipulated by his mother, Mrs. Ferrars, and his sister, Fanny, who both had high expectations of women who were wealthy and of high social class. Edward not only left Elinor at first but also broke the engagement with Lucy Steele, to which both of them agreed, because they didn’t have the requirements of a wealthy wife. George Wickham only shows interest in himself and is only willing to spend his time with women for the means of fortune and money. He suddenly left Elizabeth because her family had no fortune, got engaged to Miss King for her wealth and social status, and only promised to marry Lydia because Mr. Darcy paid him money to do so. Scumbags in a relationship pay attention to a woman’s wealth, social status, reputation, and beauty, rather than her personality and sensitivity.
Sense and Sensibility explores the Dashwood sisters’ lives as they navigate through the hardships of love, heartbreak, and social expectations. Throughout the story, the Dashwoods meet three scumbags or antagonists of love: Willoughby, Edward, and George Wickham, from Pride and Prejudice. Most scumbags would unreasonably and suddenly break one relationship only to chase another woman. Willoughby left Marianne in order to marry a wealthier lady, Miss Grey; Edward left and ended communication with Elinor to get engaged to Lucy Steele. Especially when scumbags leave their past lovers for a period of time, they can be seen to have different, normally cold and hostile behaviors towards others. Moreover, many scumbags marry only for money, wealth, social reputation, or appearance, rather than one’s personality and sensitivity.
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