Austen Inspired (Part 3): Sense and Sensibility

This is the last of my Austen-inspired posts. The first two were:

1. Austen Inspired (Part 1): Letters and Love

2. Austen Inspired (Part 2): The Dancing Man

This isn't a tribute to one prominent aspect of Jane Austen's writing (like letters or dancing). This is a tribute to her novel, Sense and Sensibility. Even though Pride and Prejudice has always topped the popularity charts, I have my own doubts about it's position there. It is of my opinion that Sense and Sensibility is the most brilliant piece of fiction by Jane Austen. It is through this post that I attempt to justify my opinion and share with you what the novel taught me.

1. I like how Austen lets the relationship between the two sisters- Marianne and Elanor- occupy a central position, as opposed to other novels in which all relations apart from courtship are usually peripheral. I think it is interesting how the two sisters learn from each other- borrowing from each other's world of sense and sensibility. I have often been told by my best friend that I am not grounded in reality (quite like Marianne), while I know that she is. I think we, like the two sisters, have learnt from each other.
   
   
2. Personally, I feel thankful to Austen for not letting sense win over sensibility. It would have been truly sad had that happened. There is a definite balance between the romanticized world view of Marianne (which I believe to be inherently irrational) and the proper and rational world view of Elanor. Both extremes fail and that's how the balance kicks in. I like the Shakespearean touch of romanticism in the world of propriety that Austen lived in.
   
   
3. One word- WILLOUGHBY. Boy, I can't wait to meet a man like him (except the betrayal part). He is everything I want in a man. He's the epitome of romance, more so than Romeo. With him there is passion and poetry, song and dance, rain and sun. Even if it's a short-lived romance, I feel that everyone needs a Willoughby in their lives, just to feel alive. That is what the point of romance is- to feel alive. Actually, my current boyfriend was just like him- it was like a knight in shining armour swept me off my feet- alas, we live in the “real” world where the romance declines considerably after the first year.
   
   
4. At the end, Marianne marries Colonel Brandon. While this may be an unsatisfactory ending for many, I was quite happy. One, it made me realize the value of dedication and undying love. Even though Marianne is busy romancing Willoughby, Brandon's love for her stays where it was. I don't like Brandon for being “Edward-like” (Forgive the twilight reference) and not trying with passion and energy, but sometimes you need a man like that too. A man who will make the effort of reading out poetry to you and stay with you- through thick and thin.
   
   
5. My final (and biggest) reason for such favouritism is the character of Marianne Dashwood. She is frank and outright. It is she who taught me that feelings should be expressed- It doesn't matter whether they're happy or sad, acceptable or unacceptable. Anything that is felt should be expressed even if it makes you feel like a fool at time. Ergo, if you feel like crying, just cry!
   
   
   She made herself vulnerable by leaving the world of propriety behind for love and even though she failed, she got back up gracefully and found love again. That is the biggest lesson I learnt- Failing once in love doesn't mean that you should give up. Sure, it hurts- but love will find a way back into your heart.
   
   
   My impressionistic self is at peak when I read of her and the things she says.
6. 
   
   “The more I know of the world, the more I am convinced that I shall never see a man whom I can really love. I require so much!”
   To hear those beautiful lines which have frequently almost driven me wild pronounced with such impenetrable calmness, such dreadful indifference!"