Sense and Sensibility – Themes (OCR A-Level English Literature): Revision Notes
Sense and Sensibility – Themes
Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility explores several interconnected themes that illuminate the challenges facing women in early 19th-century England. The novel uses contrasting characters and relationships to examine questions about how people should navigate their emotional and social lives. Understanding these themes is essential for analysing how Austen critiques and celebrates the society she portrays.
Head and heart
The central theme of the novel is revealed in its title: the tension between sense (representing reason, logic, and restraint) and sensibility (representing emotion, passion, and desire). This theme asks a fundamental question: should people be guided primarily by their heads or their hearts?
Austen presents this tension through the contrasting personalities of the Dashwood sisters. Elinor embodies sense: she is rational, composed, and governed by propriety and social expectations. She carefully controls her emotions and considers the consequences of her actions. Marianne represents sensibility: she is passionate, open with her feelings, and guided by romantic ideals and emotional impulses.
However, Austen's treatment of this theme is more nuanced than simply declaring one approach superior to the other. The novel suggests that both extremes can be problematic:
- Elinor and Edward's adherence to reason and honour nearly costs them their genuine affection for each other. By suppressing their feelings to meet social expectations, they risk losing their chance at happiness.
- Marianne and Willoughby's unrestrained passion and rejection of social conventions lead to damaged happiness and, in Willoughby's case, harm to others.
The novel ultimately advocates for moderation and balance between these two extremes. Characters who seem initially to lean too far in one direction—such as Colonel Brandon (appearing overly logical) or Mrs Jennings (appearing overly emotional)—gradually reveal themselves to be more moderate and therefore more successful in handling life's challenges.
Exam tip: When discussing this theme, consider how various characters represent different points on the spectrum between sense and sensibility. Look for moments where characters learn from each other or adjust their approaches.
Trust and truth
The plot of Sense and Sensibility is driven by secrets, hidden histories, and misrepresented feelings. This theme explores how different levels of transparency and honesty affect interpersonal relationships.
Honourable discretion
Some characters conceal information for commendable reasons. Elinor works hard not to upset others unnecessarily and keeps secrets that have been entrusted to her. Her reluctance to express her true feelings for Edward stems from her sense of propriety—the correct and appropriate way to behave according to social norms.
However, even well-intentioned secrecy creates problems. By not admitting her feelings, Elinor appears to deny her own happiness. This raises questions about whether discretion, even when motivated by good intentions, can go too far.
Deception and betrayal
Other characters hide the truth for less admirable reasons. Willoughby's lack of transparency is rooted in his desire to escape the consequences of his past actions. He deliberately deceives Marianne, playing his part so convincingly that he fools Mrs Dashwood and even the usually perceptive Elinor.
Marianne becomes vulnerable to this deception because her heart is open, naive, and easily influenced by charm and physical attractiveness. Her willingness to trust makes her an easy target for manipulation.
The role of information
Throughout the novel, characters:
- Rely on rumours and gossip
- Make assumptions based on appearances
- Either honour or betray those who trust them
- Withhold or reveal information strategically
Colonel Brandon's revelation about Willoughby's past demonstrates how the timing and manner of truth-telling can significantly impact relationships. He has kept this information secret for what he considers good reasons, but his disclosure changes how Marianne and others view Willoughby.
A few characters, like Mr Palmer, speak their minds directly, but they are exceptions. The novel provides rich opportunities to examine how outright deception, mistaken assumptions, and even well-intentioned discretion shape relationships and drive the plot forward.
Sibling relationships
Austen uses sibling pairs to explore both contrasts and similarities in personality and values. These relationships reveal how shared family background can produce vastly different individuals, and how some qualities transcend these differences.
Contrasting siblings
Several sibling pairs display striking differences:
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Elinor and Marianne: While they differ in their adherence to sense versus sensibility, they share fundamental qualities of kindness and honesty. Their genuine goodness enables them to recognise and admire strengths in one another, ultimately allowing them to integrate head and heart.
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Mrs Palmer and Lady Middleton: Mrs Palmer is open, friendly, and generous, whilst her sister Lady Middleton is chilly, formal, and greedy. These sisters could hardly be more different in temperament and values.
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Edward and Robert Ferrars: Edward is reserved, honourable, and self-sacrificing. His brother Robert is extroverted, self-centred, and superficial. They represent opposite approaches to social life and personal responsibility.
Shared qualities
Importantly, siblings can share negative qualities as well as positive ones. The Steele sisters both display pettiness and viciousness. Unlike Elinor and Marianne, whose shared virtues help them grow and mature, the Steele sisters' shared flaws prevent their development.
Key Point to Remember:
The novel suggests that shared values and genuine goodness matter more than similar personalities. Elinor and Marianne's differences strengthen rather than weaken their bond, whilst the Steele sisters' shared meanness limits them both.
Working the system
This theme examines how women navigate a patriarchal society that offers them little autonomy (independence and self-determination) and few opportunities to control their own lives.
Women's limited options
In Austen's world, as in the real society of early 19th-century England, women of the landed gentry (the class of people who owned land but were not nobility) had almost no respectable ways to earn money independently. With rare exceptions, such as heiresses like Miss Grey, women depended entirely on fathers, brothers, sons, and husbands.
The novel shows that whilst some men upheld their obligations to the women in their care, others neglected these responsibilities:
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Sir John Middleton exemplifies responsible male guardianship. When Mrs Dashwood is widowed, he takes in his distant relatives, providing not only Barton Cottage but also a social circle where the Dashwood sisters can form connections.
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John Dashwood represents the opposite. He reneges on his deathbed promise to his father to support his half-sisters and stepmother, influenced by his wife Fanny. Later, he actively tries to arrange marriages for his half-sisters simply to remove them from his financial responsibility and clear his conscience.
Women's strategies
Denied direct power, the female characters learn to work within the system, sometimes manipulating it through the men in their lives. Different women adopt different approaches:
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Lucy Steele schemes and manipulates, providing a clear example of this strategic approach to gaining security and status.
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Fanny Dashwood and others create alliances and play people against each other, wielding influence through relationships rather than direct authority.
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Wealthy widows like Mrs Ferrars use their money to shape the behaviour of men who stand to inherit from them.
The Dashwood sisters' approach
Interestingly, neither Elinor nor Marianne sets out to work the system strategically. Marianne eventually does very well for herself, but Elinor has consistently placed happiness in love ahead of material gain. Their approach suggests an alternative to manipulation: acting with integrity whilst hoping that genuine feeling and virtue will be rewarded.
Historical context
One respectable option for generating income was writing, which increasingly became practiced by women throughout the 1700s. Austen herself is an example, alongside contemporaries such as Frances Burney, Mary Lamb, Mary Wollstonecraft, and Dorothy Wordsworth. This context reminds us that whilst Austen's characters face severe constraints, she herself found a way to achieve some financial independence through her literary work.
Exam tip: When discussing this theme, consider how it relates to the 'Women in Literature' unit theme. How does Austen critique the limited options available to women whilst also showing their intelligence and capability?
Remember!
Key Themes to Remember:
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Balance is key: Austen advocates for moderation between sense (reason) and sensibility (emotion), rather than championing one extreme over the other.
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Secrets have consequences: Whether motivated by good or bad intentions, concealing the truth affects relationships in complex ways throughout the novel.
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Character comparisons matter: Austen uses sibling relationships to explore how personalities differ even within families, and how shared values matter more than similar temperaments.
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Social constraints shape choices: Women's limited autonomy forces them to navigate the system strategically, though Austen suggests that integrity and genuine feeling offer an alternative to pure manipulation.
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Multiple perspectives: The novel presents these themes through various characters, encouraging readers to consider different viewpoints rather than accepting simple answers.