Sense And Sensibility (Jane Austen)

Description

Sense and Sensibility is the first published novel by Jane Austen. Originally published under the pseudonym “A Lady,” Sense and Sensibility tells the story of the Dashwood sisters, Elinor and Marianne, who, upon the death of their father, are left in reduced circumstances to live on the country estate of a distant relative. At Barton Park, the Dashwood sisters engage in romances with the reserved Edward Ferrars, the dashing yet fickle Mr. Willoughby, and the gentlemanly Colonel Brandon, and eventually find the fulfillment of their romantic yearnings.

Elinor and Marianne Dashwood are sisters with opposing temperaments – Elinor is prudent, rational and responsible; Marianne is passionate, excitable and emotional. When Marianne is abandoned by an unscrupulous suitor, she is disconsolate, driving herself to a serious illness. Elinor, meanwhile, is dealing with her own betrayal but is stoic, refusing to reveal her emotions to even those closest to her. The sisters must navigate the misery of heartbreak in a society where status and money determine the outcomes of love and marriage. And to find happiness, they must learn to accept that both sense and sensibility are intertwined.