Jane Austen – Sense and Sensibility

Class, society, and politics in the space, on an interpersonal level among the characters, are themes of outmost importance in the new Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen.In this short essay, we sh wholly discuss these themes in relation to the characters, as presented in the novel. Austen presents these fond conditions doneout the base, as they were superior in the society of her time.Laws surrounding inheritance, and property, friendly etiquette, and currency matters in a time were gender limitations were very apparent, signified a persons position in the accessible scale.The Dashwood women, as they appear in Sense and sensibility, unawares find themselves in a humiliating situation, when the mother, Mrs. Dashwood, becomes a widow. They were immediately ensnare into a dire situation. They were deprived of t successor estate and income when Mr. gutter Dashwood, became the legitimate heir of all of Mr. Dashwoods fortune, and decided not to support the Dashwood women pec uniaryly.Mrs. Dashwood and her three daughters, Marianne, Elinor and Margaret had no entitlement to some(prenominal) of Mr. Dashwoods wealth. Having no income resources, they depended on Johns charity for support.This was a standard practice of the eighteenth century legal system. In Victorian times, women had, by law, no rights on property.They were seen as dependent on men not only to survive, provided in wish well manner in order to keep their status and respectability.Class divisions, social status and the struggle for its gaining and maintenance are important themes in the novel. all(prenominal) characters in the story come from wealthy, focal ratio class backgrounds.They all rifle to high society and their interests and argumentations imply this. Sir John Middleton come alongs to symbolise the best of upper class society.Like the majority of upper class people, his occupation and married status defined his high position within his social circle.His occupation is hunti ng, his wealth is inherited, and his wifes only occupation is to raise children. Lady Middleton gathers all the characteristics of the elevated upper class woman she stays in the home, marries, and is very pro forma and extremely polite, perhaps to the point of irritation.Characters constantly seem to compete for financial and social index finger.Inherited wealth is presented as the trademark of high social status.The Dashwood women become deprived of both. As a result they are compulsive into hardship when they have to give up their house in Norland and all its comforts and luxuries and move to smaller, less luxurious premises in Devonshire.By using this relocation theme, Jane Austen could imply their descent from a high social position to a lower one. It seems almost as if the Dashwoods were expelled from Norlands paradise to Barton Cottages conflagration merely because of their female nature. In Austens world, being a woman in a mans world is a harsh, cruel reality.Marriage for status is an fuck of great importance in Sense and Sensibility. It was seen as a common way in order to gain status. What is more(prenominal), it was not seen as a choice, but a necessity.Men would seek status through inheritance and/or a wealthy nuptials. Edward Ferrars is a typical sheath of this type of a man in the story.Women would not only favour for handsome and educated men, but mainly for wealthy ones, like Lucy Steele. Wealthier women were too more likely to be legitimate for marriage depending on the dowries they could offer.This be sick Marianne and Elinor in immediate disadvantage to other women in the novel (i.e. the Steele ladies), and posterior pressure, in terms of their legitimacy.Their strife for successful marriages mainly stemmed from a desire for social settlement and a restoration of their loss of status.However, in Mariannes case, the main motive for marriage seems to be love (sensibility) and not money (sense), unlike Elinor. Nevertheless, she se ems to be almost pushed in a proper marriage with Colonel Brandon in the end.Men seem to have a lot more space for manoeuvering through suppressive social rules than women do in the novel. inn appears to allow them more freedom in marriage and age issues Colonel Brandon makes a good example in this case. His advanced age did not last stop him from getting married to Marianne.In Jane Austens world as presented in the novel, social integration and acceptance depends on ones status and his/her sensible, controlled behaviour. There seems to be very little room for individuality and deviance.Elinor, Edward Ferrars and the Middletons make fine examples of sensible, controlled characters. As Austen describes Elinor possessed a strength of understanding, and coolness of judgmentShe had an excellent tenderness her disposition was affectionate, and her feelings were strong but she knew how to g all overn them (p4-5).Edwards propriety and the Middletons formality as well signify their extre me level of political correctness and adherence to severe codes of conduct in order to be accepted in society. mixer etiquette, formal code of conduct, and discretion to the point of concealment of ones feelings, are also important features in the novel.Desire for social advancement is also evident. Mrs. John Dashwood, for example, was fast to install herself mistress of Norland.In the struggle for financial and social power, women appear to act within their deliver sphere of action the home. Women like Mrs. J. Dashwood and Mrs. Ferrars, use domestic and financial politics to ensure their control over situations, within and outside their home environment.Financial and domestic politics seem to be the only means women can use to have their own way in the world of the novel.Ironically enough, even though the story is set in a male-dominated society, the male characters possess little power over women like, for example, Mrs. J. Dashwood and Mrs. Smith and Ferrars.In terms of politics in the home environment, it almost seems as if under the surface of a male-dominated society, what is actually issue on is beyond what eyes can see. Austen successfully conveys this idea.