sense and sensibility

The Novelist 1775-1817

Jane Austen’s book describe, with a quiet

but sharp sense of fun, a world she knew

well: middle–class with daughters in need

of husbands.

The perfect husband is young and

handsome, loves music and literature, and

is good at dancing. More importantly, he

has plenty of money and a fine country

house.

The wars in Europe at the time of these

stories do not enter the picture. It was a

time when women did not go out to work

but stayed home and had children.

When daughters were fifteen or sixteen, it

was time to find the right young man for

an engagement and then marriage.

Jane Austen found success with her first

book Sense and Sensibility (1811) , which

she wrote fifteen years earlier when she

was twenty.

At the age of the forty-two, Jane became

ill and died in Winchester.

The Book

The Film

A film of Sense and Sensibility was made in 1995, with Emma Thomson, Kate Winslet, Hugh

Grant and Alan Rickman

Elinor Dashwood

Colonel Brandon

Edward Ferrars

Marianne Dashwood

Mr Dashwood has died and left his house

to his son from his first marriage.

The son, John and his wife, Fanny, do not

want the second Mrs Dahswood and her

three daughters to stay in the house.

Quickly Elinor and Edward

Ferrars became friends.

Elinor loves a quiet, kind young

man, Edward Ferrars. Edward

seems to like Elinor too.

Sir John Middleton, a relative from

Devon, in the west of England. He

wanted to offer their a house no far from

his large house, Barton Park.

Mrs Dashwood still hoped for some money

from John, but he did not give them

anything.

In their new home…

Marianne and Margaret decided to climb a

high hill together, near the house. They

began to run fast down the hill. Margaret

go to the bottom, but Marianne fell and

could not get up again.

A gentleman was walking near them with

his dog. He saw the accident, and

immediately came to help them.

One day, there was a plan to visit

Whitwell, Some friends of Colonel

Brandon lived there. But during breakfast,

Colonel Brandon came in with a letter, He

went to London immediately to finish

some important business.

Willoughby was there to say goodbye

because he is going back to London.

Marianne was very unhappy.

Mrs Jennins lived in London for part of

each year, and she invited Marianne and

Elinor to visit her there .

They arrived in London. Marianne wrote a

letter to Willoughby, but there was no

reply.

Before lunch, a letter came – a reply from

Willoughby. Marianne took it to her room,

and Elinor followed.

Marianne was lying on the bed, almost

screaming in pain. Elinor took the letter

and read it: “I am sorry, but you must

understand. I am engaged, and will soon

get married.”

Edward and Lucy Steele are secretly

engaged.

Elinor: I do feel strongly for

Edward. Yes, I loved him, and it

was very painful. They have all hurt

me too.

On the other hand …

They wanted to go home very much

now, after two months in London.

Colonel Brandon was coming too.

They were in Cleveland, only one day’s journey

from Barton. There, Marianne walked through

the wet grass and far away into the wilder part

of the park. After four days, she caught a terrible

cold.

For a few days, it was just an ordinary cold.

But the Marianne got much worse. She had

a terrible headache and a fever, and began to

say strange things.

Every day now Marianne got a little better,

and at last they were able to return to her

house at Barton. Colonel Brandon opened

his heart to her and told her about his love.

They saw a man on a horse, was it the

Colonel? He was coming to visit them very

soon. But, no! - it was Edward.

He said that his brother and Miss

Lucy Steele are married now. Then,

Elinor jumped to her feet and ran out

of the room. Three hours later, she and

Edward were engaged.

Marianne soon loved Colonel Brandon with

all her heart.

Elinor and Edward had very happy

years together.

The End