Greed, Love, and Honor

A closer look at Jane Austen’s Sense & Sensibility

Like many fans, I first discovered Jane Austen through the 1995 film adaptation of Sense & Sensibility. I was only ten at the time, but the story pulled me in and never let me go. I loved everything about it: the elegant dresses, the Devonshire countryside, the Dashwood’s quaint cottage by the sea. I could relate most to the youngest sister, Margaret, who was an imaginative tomboy who enjoyed exploring. But once I became a teenager, I turned into the passionate Marianne – a phase that lasted through my 20s. And now, I am more mindful and mature like Elinor. Essentially, I’ve been all three Dashwood sisters. Perhaps that’s the real reason why the movie has remained so dear to me.

The Dashwood ladies enjoying a picnic in front of their cottage

Sense & Sensibility is about a family of women who lose their manor house (Norland) upon the death of their father. The estate passes to their elder half-brother, who breaks a deathbed promise to assist them financially. With their drastically reduced budget, the Dashwoods must relocate to a small cottage in Devonshire, where they form new acquaintances, suffer hardships, and ultimately gain their happy endings. The story will probably resonate most deeply with female viewers, but Austen’s theme of masculine honor will appeal to men as well.

The title refers to the two heroines, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood. Elinor represents the practical ‘sense,’ whilst Marianne represents the idealistic ‘sensibility.’ Their differing opinions on romantic love and propriety causes them to clash on several occasions. Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet are superb in their roles. They portray the ups and downs of a sisterly relationship in a beautiful, poignant way. There’s a scene between them towards the end that never fails to make me cry. Sense & Sensibility might be a romance, but Elinor and Marianne’s bond is the true heart of the story.

Marianne and Elinor Dashwood as played by Kate Winslet and Emma Thompson

As for their suitors, Edward Ferrars (Hugh Grant) is the kind, but socially awkward younger brother of their snobbish sister-in-law, Fanny. Elinor forms a friendship with him during his visit to Norland. They spend their days taking leisurely walks together and going for scenic rides on the estate. During one of their conversations, Edward admits that he would prefer a career in the church, but his mother’s ambitions stand in the way of his happiness. Fanny puts an end to their brief courtship by telling Mrs. Dashwood that Edward will be disinherited unless he marries a woman of fortune. Elinor bids him goodbye a short time later, and the family departs for their new life in Devonshire.

A snapshot of Edward and Elinor’s courtship

Once there, Marianne meets the first of her suitors: the reserved, yet sensitive Colonel Brandon as played by Alan Rickman. One of my favorite scenes is when he comes upon Marianne singing. His tender, love-struck expression tells us how he feels without the need for words. Unfortunately, Marianne isn’t interested in him because of his age. The appearance of her second suitor occurs in the most dramatic way possible. John Willoughby comes to her rescue after she tumbles down a hill and sprains her ankle. Playing the dashing hero, he sweeps her up in his strong arms and carries her back home. This fated, storybook meeting secures Marianne’s affections before she even learns his name. On the following day, she discovers that Willoughby shares her passion for poetry.

The poem they recite is Shakespeare’s Sonnet #116:

Let me not to the marriage of true minds

Admit impediments. Love is not love

Which alters when it alteration finds,

Or bends with the remover to remove.

O no! it is an ever-fixed mark

That looks on tempests and is never shaken;

It is the star to every wand’ring bark,

Whose worth’s unknown, although his height be taken.

Love’s not Time’s fool, though rosy lips and cheeks

Within his bending sickle’s compass come;

Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,

But bears it out even to the edge of doom.

If this be error and upon me prov’d,

I never writ, nor no man ever lov’d.

Shakespeare speaks of true and lasting love – of weathering the storms of life together and never wavering. It shares the same sentiment of traditional marriage vows: “for better, for worse; for richer, for poorer; in sickness and in health.” This poem serves as the romantic theme for the entire film. Elinor, Edward, Colonel Brandon, and Willoughby must go through several trials to determine if their feelings are sincere.

During the next few weeks, Willoughby and Marianne embark upon a whirlwind courtship. Keepsakes are exchanged (he cuts a lock of her hair; she draws a silhouette portrait of him). They spend all of their time together, and their unsupervised carriage rides lead to scandalous gossip. Talk of this nature could ruin a young woman’s reputation, although Marianne dismisses Elinor’s concerns and continues to flout convention. The Dashwoods expect a quick engagement, but to everyone’s surprise, Willoughby departs for London without offering an explanation.

A tender moment between Marianne and Colonel Brandon

After this event takes place, several shocking secrets are revealed that lead to Elinor and Marianne’s heartbreak. While the drama and romance is certainly entertaining, Austen tackles a few heavier subjects that gives the story more depth. Major themes include greed and the breaking (and keeping) of promises. The unprincipled behavior of Mr. Dashwood and Willoughby is contrasted with the virtuous actions of Colonel Brandon and Edward Ferrars. They prove themselves to be generous, honorable, faithful, kind, and true to their word. The film begins with the hoarding of wealth, but it concludes with the sharing of it. I enjoyed the symbolic gesture of throwing the coins after a wedding ceremony. The story’s overall message is that love and happiness are worth far more than gold.

If you find classic literature daunting, the 1995 film makes Jane Austen accessible for a modern audience. Plus, the gorgeous cinematography, set design, and costumes make it a true work of art. To this day, Barton Cottage remains my ideal home. (And oddly enough, you can actually stay there! The interior of Efford House is modern, so you won’t be able to step inside the film, but oh, how I’d love to wake up to that view even once! Who knows, perhaps one day, I might make my dream come true 😉)

View of the estuary, courtesy of Flete Cottages

Do you have a favorite Jane Austen adaptation? Let me know in the comments!