Sense and Sensibility

Elinor and Marianne Dashwood are sisters with opposite temperaments. Elinor, the elder daughter, represents “sense” (reason) of the title, and Marianne represents “sensibility” (emotion). Elinor and Marianne are the daughters of Mr. Dashwood, and when he dies the family estate passes to them and their brother. Fortunately, a distant relative offers to rent the women a cottage on his property. The novel follows the Dashwood sisters to their new home, where they experience both romance and heartbreak. The book is a comedy of manners and a serious examination of a society which unfairly requires women to openly express their emotions while simultaneously maintaining strict limits of privacy. Elinor hides her feelings, Marianne displays hers, and both are thoroughly unhappy as a result. What happens afterwards is a story that is really worth reading.