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Sense and Sensibility

By Jane Austen

(880)

| Others | 9781847490469

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Book Description

Famously characterized as the story of two Dashwood sisters who embody the
conflict between the oppressive nature of "civilized" society and the human ...

Critics

Book Review: Sense and Sensibility: The Bath/ Palazzo Bicentenary Edition by Jane Austen, Niroot Puttapipat (Illustrator) Share

Is a book just a story, or a physical object as well? This is a question I discussed once over several editions published by William Morris’ Kelmscott Press. Morris was a late Victorian writer, designer, and socialist, famous for publishing gorgeous ... (read full critics)

blogcritics published on Wed, 21 Dec 2011

"The Cookbook Collector": "Sense and Sensibility" for the digital age

Looking for a delicious read? Allegra Goodman has whipped up a delectable mix of intelligence, relevance, wit, romance, moral complexity, bibliophilia, dot-com start-ups and family secrets in her luscious fourth novel, "The Cookbook Collector." Serio ... (read full critics)

salon published on Wed, 15 Sep 2010

16 Reviews

11 people find this helpful

"I cannot, I cannot," cried Marianne; "leave me, leave me, if I distress you; leave me, hate me, forget me! but do not torture me so. Oh! how easy for those, who have no sorrow of their own to talk of exertion! Happy, happy Elinor, you cannot have an idea of what I suffer."

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Claire N. said on Dec 12, 2009 about the Paperback edition | 2 feedbacks

2 people find this helpful

A Matter of Head and Heart

Meet the Dashwood sisters. Elinor, the eldest of all three daughters, is considerate, reserved and very sensible, while Marianne, the second daughter of the Dashwoods, carries a set of characteristics completely opposite of those of her older sister. She is wildly romantic, outspoken and emotional. ... (continue)

Meet the Dashwood sisters. Elinor, the eldest of all three daughters, is considerate, reserved and very sensible, while Marianne, the second daughter of the Dashwoods, carries a set of characteristics completely opposite of those of her older sister. She is wildly romantic, outspoken and emotional. In the pursuit of love, neither sister was successful at finding happiness by solely relying on their natural instinct, be it Elinor’s sensible reasoning or Marianne’s uninhibited passion. Marianne falls head-over-heels in love with deceitful Willoughby who, in the end, confesses that he’s never had the intention of returning her affection. At the same time, Elinor finds out that the man that she has become attached to, Edward Ferrars, was already engaged to someone else.
Early on in the story, Jane Austen established the parallel progression of both sisters’ love lives. The obvious contrast between Marianne’s and Elinor’s different ways of dealing with the pain caused by every turn of event allows readers to identify and compare the mental capacity and behaviors produced by each disposition – sense and sensibility. Austen has chosen Elinor as the person who delivers most of the important scenes in the story. It is not hard to detect that Austen favors the cool-headed and thoughtful Elinor over the romantic Marianne who is still too young and stubborn to compromise her emotions outburst for the consideration for others and circumstances. The main contrast between Elinor and Marianne codes of conduct lies in Marianne’s romantic insistence that desires be spoken, whereas Elinor requires that they be silenced. When Marianne learns that Elinor has silently suffered just as much as she has, if not more, she is ashamed by comparison with the virtues of her sister Elinor.
If we define Elinor and Marianne’s temperament with our modern-day psychology jargons, Elinor would certainly be labeled as someone with a high EQ, whereas Marrianne a not so high one. The ability of reserving one’s emotions and thoughts and directing them to an appropriate outlet at an appropriate time is a derivate action of delayed gratification which is the most important sign for high EQ. Elinor possesses exactly this ability. It is unfortunate that women in Jane Austen’s time could only bestow this power in tasks that are no more impressive than the task of searching for a good husband. However, when Elinor put her high emotional quotient to use in the matter of love, she failed miserably. Her cautiousness and emphasis on form have delayed her from getting to the truth that would have made her suffer much less by lessening her attachment to Edward Ferrars.
While reading texts from the beginning part of the book where the sisters are excitedly speculating of the verity of affection from their prospective lovers, I fondly reminded of the scenes from movie “He is just not that into you”. Throughout time, women have waited by either their window or their phone for their lovers to call. It is undeniable that women have disposed to be emotional, and they have been in the passive and submissive position during courtship for as long as time. What Jane Austen is trying to tell us with Sense and Sensibility is that neither being highly sensible and logical nor being crazily romantic and emotional guarantees the success of love. Sometimes, women have to love with their heart, just as much as with their head.

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Sandy said on May 14, 2010 about the Paperback edition | 1 feedback

2 people find this helpful

The protagonists are two young sisters living in the south of England with their family. They do not work nor study, the very dream of my life: they just spend time reading books, painting, playing piano, meeting with friends and falling in love with gentlemen.
Anyway their path is not wanting ... (continue)

The protagonists are two young sisters living in the south of England with their family. They do not work nor study, the very dream of my life: they just spend time reading books, painting, playing piano, meeting with friends and falling in love with gentlemen.
Anyway their path is not wanting in difficulties for, since their father’s death, they find themselves dealing with mean relatives and lack of money. The way to love shows itself no less troubled, and in misfortune they only find the comfort, not always discreet and suitable, of their understanding mother and some good friends.
So they often have to grow up by themselves through these obstacles, showing two different characters: Elinor is more rational and reserved, Marianne is passionate and impulsive.
The cautious, balanced approach to life turns out to be the safest guide to happiness. It has been said that this feature belongs to the character of the author. Nevertheless maybe that both sides reflect two opposing aspects of her personality and it seems to me that, at the end of the story, the passionate one appears a bit entrapped and sacrificed to convenience and an acceptable serenity.
As usual however Jane Austen never disappoints, and the final is as good to read as the preceding psychological introspection of characters, leading to success a bit sweetened, but optimistic view of life, in which elegance and propriety triumph over selfishness and calculation.
To sum up: 19th century men were no more reliable than two hundred years later ones; mothers, though sympathetic, were no less intrusive than now; good principles and well managing of emotions and impulses are always helpful in leading a happy life.

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Cheerflower said on Dec 13, 2008 about the Paperback edition | Add your feedback

My first Jane Austen novel in original language makes me want to re-read all the others that I have read in translation: the English is just delightful!

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Marie Antoinette said on May 25, 2012 | Add your feedback

Jane Austen succeeds in giving a marvellous portrait of the two sisters and their prominent features, without letting any of them prevail over the novel. The reasons of the heart and of common sense appear in the end to be complementary.

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Caris87 said on Feb 26, 2011 | Add your feedback

quite nice a book! love the bookworm series, coz they make the long story short which really saves my time.

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Christy said on Jun 20, 2010 about the Paperback edition | Add your feedback