Sense & Sensibility

And

Pride & Prejudice:

A Comparative Study

Introduction:

Jane Austen was belonged to the age of transition, from 1775 to 1817 i.e. of Sense & Sensibility. The period of 1747-98 in the history of English Literature, belongs to the precursors of the Romantic Movement. Jane Austen had, completed ‘Sense and Sensibility’, ‘Pride and Prejudice’ and ‘Northanger Abby’ in 1798. She is more akin to the eighteenth century neo-classicist in her approach. In the novels, her moral outlook and prose style favoured traditionalism. The comparison between these two works, Sense & Sensibility, Pride & Prejudice, confront us with social and political background, her style, theme as well as the place of spinsters in the society.

Her novels are specially based o love and marriage. Lets now have a brief on the comparison of the novels. 

Theme of Love & Marriage:

“It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.”

           This opening statements strike the keynote of Jane Austen’s theme in the novel-marriage in a society governed by economic considerations; as indicated by the word ‘fortune’. Jane Austen’s usual theme is love and marriage. In all her novels, there are beautiful girls waiting for really eligible bachelors to get married to them.

 In Sense and Sensibility there are love stories of:

A)   Elinor- Edward                     D) Marianne- Willoughby

B)    Edward- Lucy                       E) Willoughby- Eliza

C)    Lucy – Robert                         F) Marianne- Colonel Brandon

While in Pride and Prejudice;

a.      Elizabeth – Darcy

b.      Jane- Bingley

c.      Lydia- Wickham

d.      Charlotte Lucas – Mr. Collins

The love stories are related to the chief characters of the novel. Other stories are co-related to them. These love stories provide interest to the readers. They reveal the characters’ mind-set, their understanding, faithfulness and spirit. realism and psychological aspects are woven with them. Lovers are tested and rewarded. They fail and succeed but they become instrument to give us a second background of the time.

In Sense and Sensibility there is a little misunderstanding and delay in Elinor and Edward’s marriage. The same happens with Elizabeth and Darcy in Pride and Prejudice. Edward was believed in the love with Lucy when Lucy declared that she is going to marry with Mr.Ferrars. Elinor was shocked by believing that she(Lucy) is going to marry Edward Ferrars. But actually she married to Robert Ferrars as she gradually falls in love with him after knowing that Edward doesn't love her. Edward truly loves Elinor and the same thing he has confessed to Lucy when she proposed him.

Elizabeth has once refused the proposal of Darcy as his attitude is that he is offering a prize which no woman can refuse this show his pride. Al, other characters of Pride and Prejudice believed that Elizabeth is lucky as having him as a partner. Thus, Elizabeth and Darcy begin with prejudice and gradually move toward understanding. Elizabeth helps him to shed his pride and be the gentleman. These develops love and feelings between them and then they got married.

Marriane, younger sister of Elinor falls in love with Willoughby. Willoughby was a showy and flirty kinds of a person. He flirts with Marianne. Both wondered everywhere as a couple. But Willoughby married to Sophia for her wealth. On the other hand Colonel Branden loves Marianne. For her, marriage of Willoughby proved a great shock and medium to realize reality. Finally, she marries to Colonel.

Lydia also elop with Wickham. Their marriage is a very complex affair. Compatibility and understandings are absent. She is affected towards Wickham’s personality nad chivalary. She misunderstood her affection as love. Wickham has no mfeeling for her. He was gambler with heavy debt. He thinks to marry other lady withwealth to make his fortune. But as they elop, he has to marry with Lydia. She is serious about their marriage. He married Ludia for unavoidable temptation of instant financial help.

John and Bingly are the most understanding and compatible couple among all the other love marriage of the characters of both the novels. Both loves each other sincerely. Both of them are sweet and gentle, easy going, unsuspecting, understanding and willing to forgive reality. It seem through them Austen define the best marriage, she imagine for others too. But their understanding their marriage are fragile but they are happy because Bigly is too good to offend conciously and Jane is to good to  not to forgive even some offence is caused.

Character Maps:

1. Of Pride & Prejudice:

2. Of   Sense & Sensibility:

However, Jane Austen’s characters are unaware of the contemporary events. The motto of Austen is to provide handsome husband to girls. They do not have any deep spiritual, insight or religious attitude. Marriage & love is the central theme of these both the novels.

Style of Austen:

        It seems that Jane Austen is aware about her potential and on the depiction on what come to her range, creatively.

“I would no more write a serious romance than an epic poem. I could not sit seriously down to write a serious romance under any other motive than to save my life... …I am sure I should be hung before I had finished the first chapter. NO, I must keep to my own style and go on my own way.”

-Jane Austen

(About her Writing)

She adhered to her range devotedly. Her range is extremely narrow. She worked on very small canvas. The political changes and upheavals are absent from her writings. Subject of science and philosophy also absent in the work.

The society that depicts in Austen’s novels is middle class. Her work reveals the society of upper middle class and middle class. Since this class was not required to work, they are passing their time in dinner parties and dance parties. The girls of these classes were not educated but they learnt music, playing instrument like piano or violin, singing, needlework and knitting. During those days girls could not get the part of her inheritance so the only way for them to marry with financial sound guy. These qualities we can find in the leading characters of ‘Pride and Prejudice’ and ‘Sense and Sensibility’.

Jane Austen makes use of irony at different levels. She uses irony in characterization to expose her characters’ misunderstanding of others as well as their own self- depiction. But that irony is not with any bitterness, not reflected any cynicism in it. But it makes us thinking over the significant issues of life. So, the irony is neither indifferent nor irresponsible.

 In Sense and Sensibility it is ironical for the Marianne who is so feelingly, sensitive and romantic marries to Colonel Brandon who is quite and sensible. Elinor who is practical in her approach could not express her love when Edward proposed her. For Mrs John Dashwood it is quite ironical that her sister- in –law marries to her brother Edward Ferrars.

In Pride and Prejudice the Bingly in Pride and Prejudice the Bingly sisters mocks at the Bannets for their vulgarity but they themselves are vulgar. Darcy proposes Elizabeth when she is hating her; Ludia has to marry Wickham who just marries her for money just because she loves him! Elizabeth   believes that she is not among the girl who refuses the first proposal and accepts it on second proposal. 

The two virtues of ‘Sense and Sensibility’ and ‘Pride and Prejudice’ are constantly juxtaposed each other. Isn’t it ironical?

Jane Austen’s novels are hero less novels. Austen has given us very fine woman characters. Elinor, Marianne, Elizabeth, Lydia, Jane, Mrs Collins, Mrs Bannets, Mrs Dashwood, Mrs John Dashwood, and Lucy etc. her women characters are quite different though she limits herself to certain matters in the novels. Every character has its own individual nature. Austen fully draw them in very wide fledge as the individual. Marianne & Lucy both are sensible and expressive but having their own way. Similarly if we compare Elinor and Elizabeth; both have their own way to think in a sensible way. Jane also sharing some characteristics of Elinor but both are different individuals and their individuality is clearly seen, very minute details are mentioned.

These characters are not aware of any other social issues or the political issues. They are concentrated on their own problems and life events.

Her characters are revealed from compare and contrast. Edward’s relation and honesty are revealed through Willoughby’s cheating for Marianne. Lady Catherine and Mrs Bennet balance each other to their vulgarity as well as their match-making manoeuvres. Elizabeth is compared with Jane likewise their very nature.

Plot Construction:

There is no moral or philosophical distractions, no obstersive characters, no loose end or dangling ends. There is complete and knit woven plots and subplots. It holds perfect organic unity.

The main plot of  ‘ Sense and Sensibility is the love story of Elinor and Edward while in ‘Pride and Prejudice’ it is of Elizabeth and Darcy.

Elinor is the main character of the novel. Her attitude life-style, thinking, manners and behaviour relate the purpose of the novelist. Elinor love to the Edward is restrained. At Barton Park Edward’s long absence doesn’t disturbed her much. Lucy’s episode is disastrous for her. But at the end the secret revealed thet Lucy was married to Rbert the brother of Edward.

In ‘Pride and Prejudice’ main plot is Elizabeth- Darcy affair. Both met at Mr Bingley’s renting of Notherfield Park, which Darcy first time proposed to Elizabeth;  she refused it. But afterwards Elizabeth’s visit to Pemberly brings them still closer. Later their relation is getting closer in such a way that they got married.

In plot construction the linking of sub-plot, dramatic elements are very useful. Sense and Sensibility has another chief character of Marianne. The love triangle of the Colonel Brandon- Marianne-Willoughby is the subplot when Marianne is helped by Willoughby; she informed by him. He was flirt but she could not recognize him. These event are linked with Elinor’s love story in such a way that it confirms the style of contrast in the novel. Sometimes it indicates what would be happen to Elinor.

In Pride and Prejudice the growing Jane-Bingly affair brings Elizabeth also there, that Darcy gradually falls in love with her. The subplot contributes in the development of main plot. Charlotte-Collins plot brings them together at Rosings. Then the main plot leads to the climax of first half of the novel.

The characters have dramatic moves as per the plot. They are stated below.

C Marianne who is sensitive, intuitive converts into understanding and calm girl.

C Elizabeth who has the pride for her understanding of other, gradually melt down and fall in love with Darcy.

C Willoughby who seems so romantic and carefree; dumps Marianna exploit Eliza and marries to Sophia for wealth.

C Lydia who is stubborn and short tempered behaves maturely when she is serious about her relationship with Wickham.

These characters are changed through dramatic situations. Sometimes it seems natural and essential for the plot and theme. It keeps the interest into the novels.

          Thus, Jane Austen is a novelist nurture the novel very well. Although wide range of character, each character has its own individuality without covered by other characters individuality. Both the novels are worth reading.