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Illness in Sense and Sensibility Class and gender difference made judgment, jealousy, appearance, gossip, and success all that mattered to the people living in that time period. Women could not own property, were expected to stay in the home, be polite and perform only the acceptable roles and behaviors which society would allow. Nothing could change or ease that situation, unless they married well. The novel Sense and Sensibility is a very admirable example of the situation in which the societies went through in the 19 th century, it explores into the nature of illness that penetrated the society at large. While showing the trouble the girls went through trying to cope with the excessive restrictions, the book also has many examples of the narrow-minded wealthy and a lot of snobbery. Old Mr.
Dashwood is the owner of a large estate in Sussex called Norland Park. When Mr. Dashwood is dying, gender limitations prevent his wife and girls from inheriting both the estate and the money. Since Old Mr. Dashwood has no sons, his estate is bequeathed to his nephew, Henry Dashwood. Henry, in turn, leaves the estate to his eldest son, John.
Trying to find a way to make sure the women are taken care of, he makes his son promise to care for his stepmother and three half-sisters. In the 19 th century, women did not have control of what happened to them unless they could find someone to marry who had money. Getting a job was not an option for the women at that time; therefore they would have to rely on marriage. Marriage would be very difficult for the girls because they had no money. Wealth was almost as important to the men as it was for the women in wedding. Since they had no money, they would have to rely on love and luck.
Fanny's brother, Edward Ferrars, visits Norland for several weeks and develops a strong attachment to Elinor Dashwood. Edward is the eldest son of a man who died very rich; now his entire fate depends upon his mother's will. As the women are trying their hardest to find a place to live, Edward and Elinor spend the days with each other. Elinor tells no one of her feelings. It is just assumed that they are meant for each other.
Six months after Fanny claims herself mistress at Norland, Mrs. Dashwood receives a letter from her cousin Sir John Middleton, telling her that she and the girls are invited to stay at the Barton Cottage on his property in Devonshire. Marianne falls and twists her ankle. Fortunately, a dashing gentleman comes along and carries Marianne home.
When they reach Barton Cottage, he tells all the women that his name is Willoughby and that he hails from Allenham, about a mile and a half away. Sir John informs the women that Willoughby is an amiable young man and is likely to inherit the fortune of an elderly female relative, which he lives with at Allenham Court. Marianne thinks it is love at first site and that they are meant to be. As Elinor and Marianne try not to think of their troubles, Sir John announces that he has some guests and invites them over for dinner. They found themselves unfortunately unable to decline his invitation to dinner with his new guests, the Palmers. Mrs.
Charlotte Palmer was a lively woman, expecting a child, and her husband was rather dry just sitting and reading the newspaper throughout the entire visit. When the Palmers were leaving, they tried to persuade the girls to go to Cleveland, but they declined. Sir John Middleton invites Anne and Lucy Steele, two young ladies from Exeter, to visit them at Barton. Marianne and Elinor were very annoyed by these two girls who only talked about gentlemen and where to find them, but had to be friendly because they were also guests. Brandon arrives to speak with Elinor, fearing that the rumor he heard in town about Willoughby's engagement to Miss Grey might be true, and Elinor confirms his fears. The next day, he visits once again to share with Elinor the sad story of his own romantic history, in the interest of shedding light on Marianne's predicament: he explains that he was once deeply in love with a woman named Eliza, but she was married against his inclination to his brother so as to ensure her fortune for the family.
Brandon's brother treated her very unkindly, and she deceived him; ultimately, the couple divorced, and she disappeared. Colonel Brandon, formerly her lover and then her brother-in-law, at last found her dying of consumption in a sponging house in London. He cared for her until her death and promised to take care of her three-year-old daughter. Willoughby placed the young girl in school, and she visited him periodically.
Elinor learns from Miss Anne Steele that Edward has refused to break off his engagement with Lucy. Before the sisters leave, Colonel Brandon asks Elinor to tell Edward that he is welcome to stay at his estate since he is going to have no place or money. This puts Elinor in an uncomfortable position, but she has to go and talk to Fanny and the whole family. Marianne becomes very sick while they are staying in Cleveland at the Palmers. She became so sick that she was delirious, and talking to no one at night. Finally, Marianne became well again and a carriage arrived at the Palmers house.
John Willoughby stepped out and wanted to talk to Elinor. He explained that he did love Marianne but he could not afford to marry her. He requested her forgiveness and left. After they all returned back to the cottage, news came to Elinor that Lucy Steele had married Mr. Ferrars. Elinor and Marianne were both very distraught by this news, but just as Elinor became upset, Edward came riding up to the cottage on horseback.
The women asked him what had happened to his engagement, and he told them that they had been mistaken, that Lucy had married his brother. Elinor then ran out of the room, upset and joyful at the same time not being able to control her tears of joy. Edward ran after her and proposed to her then and there. Marianne and Colonel Brandon became engaged shortly after, and everything was good again. Marriage was very important to everyone in the 19 th century; in fact, it was one of the most prioritized things in everyone's life. Money and wealth cannot buy happiness, but most people seemed to think so.
Love and status did not go together, people did not marry based on happiness and love. Wealth seemed to be the only thing that mattered to the majority of people. Snobbery and status was everything, and the only way to have high status was to marry for money, and there was no way to get rid of this society's illness. Words Count: 1, 151. Bibliography: Austen, Jane. Sense and Sensibility.
New York: Harper Collins, 1991. Brown, Ivor, Jane Austen and Her World. New York: Random House, 1986. Handley, Graham, Criticism in Focus: Jane Austen. Bristol: Classical Press, 1992.
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Research essay sample on Illness In Sense And Sensibility
