Sense and Sensibility - Week 2 > Likes and Comments

The Dashwoods have settled into the cottage and appear to be quite busy both with their own amusements and plenty of social gatherings. Maryanne and Margaret go out for a walk but are driven towards home due to poor weather. Maryanne falls and twists her ankle. Willoby sees her, and carries her home. He becomes a regular at the cottage.before long a very obvious affection appears between Willoby and Maryanne. In fact, they somewhat flaunt the affection which is atypical of the social norms.

Colonel Branford is also attracted to Maryanne. Elinor is a bit bereft of companionship but does spend some time with the colonel. It seems he’s the only intellectual conversation Elinor enjoys.

1. Which do you think is a better match for Maryanne? For Elinor?

2. Why is Mrs. Dashwood so willing to overlook the social faux pas on the parts of Maryanne and Willoby?

3, what do these chapters tell you about the society?

Taking your question 3 first, I think Austen is showing us that the society of the time was greatly concerned with the people of both sexes making suitable marriages (much as we saw in Pride and Prejudice). Question 2, regarding Mrs. Dashwood's willingness to overlook the inappropriateness of Marianne and Willoughby's conduct speaks to the idea that she not only likes him but believes that her daughter has found a very suitable mate and will certainly marry the man. Despite the strict rules governing behavior and courtship, she can turn a blind eye because she sees a successful match ahead (although I suspect that some complications will arise very soon). As for Question 1, I think the Colonel is possibly a good match for Elinor as far as intellect goes, but she doesn't seem to be falling in love, and he seems to still be fixed on Marianne. Again, I'm sure complications will ensue.

In chapter 10 I noticed that Marianne is leading the “get-acquainted” conversation with Willoughby and he is simply reading her cues and agreeing with her, rather than Willoughby expressing opinions that she agrees with. Kind of a warning sign. And later in the same chapter, he is exercising his wit at the expense of others in a way that’s pretty cruel. When Elinor takes him to task for his lack of candour (in those days, “candour” meant seeing the best in people, not as it does today being frank), he jokes with her to deflect instead of accepting the criticism. Austen seems to be making it pretty clear that the whole-family crush on Willoughby (with the partial exception of Elinor) is quite risky, maybe misguided.

Colonel Brandon comes across as mature and self-possessed, but also quite a romantic. The whole conversation with Elinor about youthful ardor is interesting. Is he being too lenient toward Marianne’s behavior, or is Elinor being too strict and prim?

Compared to Austen’s later works, I find the wit in S&S quite harsh and a little clumsy at times. Take this as an example: speaking of the Middletons, she says, “however dissimilar in temper and outward behaviour, they strongly resembled each other in that total want of talent and taste which confined their employments, unconnected with such as society produced, within a very narrow compass.”

This infatuation with Willoughby reminds me of the infatuation with Wickham in P&P. Also the approval of the strong display of affection by Mrs. Dashwood reminds me of Mrs. Bennet letting her youngest daughters run around the soldiers. It displays a certain inability of the mothers to caution with the hope of a marriage. In this case Willoughby seems to be a good (possibly rich) match, though we have not heard the details of his wealth yet. I am now just speculating, but might it be dependent on an inheritance/ the favour of a relative?
Elinor is at least more cautious - maybe she wants to avoid any possible heartbreak for her sister, which she herself feels a bit right now not having heard from Edward.
In these chapters you get the feeling that Elinor might be a match for Colonel Brandon as they both seem to enjoy each other's company and conversations. However, Colonel Brandon is too
fascinated with the innocent, passionate youth of Marianne.

I think it is interesting that Margaret, the 3rd daughter, is the observer in all this and also instigating the gossips. She has a very passive role, is hardly mentioned, but she spreads the word and farther than anyone would find prudent, especially Elinor. Again I am wondering whether Mrs. Dashwood is strong enough to set social boundaries for this daughter. Or her view on all these potential marriages is already set, as Mrs. Bennet was already spreading the word of an engagement between Jane and Mr Bingham that did not exist at the time.

We also learn more about Sir John, Lady Middleton and her mother Mrs. Jennings. What do you think of them?
Margaret might like Mrs. Jennings as she is excited by all kinds of gossip and also trying to find good husbands / matches for them from the start.

Abigail wrote: "... that Marianne is leading the “get-acquainted” conversation with Willoughby and he is simply reading her cues and agreeing with her,rather than Willoughby expressing opinions that she agrees with. Kind of a warning sign...."

That is a great observation. He let's her do the talking and then just responses in the way she would like it. He must have been a good reader or actor though, as Marianne was so disappointed in Edward's reading if I remember correctly. So he must be a bit passionate about that to impress Marianne.

In Austen there is often a "bad" boyfriend lke Willoughby- Wickham in P&P, Frank Churchill in Emma, a Mr. Eliot in Persuasion, Henry Crawford in Mansfield Park. The heroine is briefly taken in by him, since he is charming and attentive. (except maybe in Mansfield Park, where Fanny is never really tempted.)

Maryanne and Willoughby make disparaging comments about those around them. Is this from malice or self-centeredness

Deborah wrote: "Maryanne and Willoughby make disparaging comments about those around them. Is this from malice or self-centeredness"

Austen leaves enough signals in her texts to mark the "bad" suitors as such. It is not always easy to spot them from our perspective. This is certainly one.