Kathy Hamilton Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen, first published in 1811, is still a fan favourite. But what does sensibility mean and what was Jane Austen trying to convey when she used it in the title of her first book?
When she chose the title for her first novel, Jane Austen set a naming style in motion. One that she reused three times! You see, Jane Austen loved a title that encouraged debate, and the way she does so is to present polarized qualities for consideration.
The most famous example of this naming style is “Pride and Prejudice” and perhaps the least well-known example is “Persuasion“. With titles like these, Jane Austen encourages her readers to think about the contrasts. For example, is pride a worse flaw in a person than prejudice? Or, is it worse to persuade someone to do something you want them to do, or to let yourself be persuaded?
In this article, we’ll be looking at the first novel to feature this naming style, “Sense and Sensibility”.
Sense and Sensibility: What’s In a Name?
The title “Sense and Sensibility” encourages us to think about two opposites “Sense” vs “Sensibility”. However, unlike the two other novels with this naming convention, for modern readers, the term “Sensibility” can sometimes need a little more explaining. That’s because since she wrote the book, the phrase has seriously declined in popular use as it went out of fashion.
It’s also important to remember that sensibility is a term that can have various meanings depending on the context. So, what Jane Austen meant in 1811 and the meaning we associate with the word sensibility might be different at first glance. With that being said, what does sensibility even mean, and why is it a key to understanding Jane Austen’s overarching meaning in her first novel?
What Does Sensibility Mean?
As we established above, the title “Sense and Sensibility” is all about opposites, like two sides of a coin. In essence, it refers to reason vs feeling. Head vs heart. With sense on one hand and sensibility on the other. Here sense represents restraint, rationality and the ability to manage your emotions. Sensibility represents the opposite of this. It’s like when you know that reading a Jane Austen book would be good for you but you feel like watching the film instead!
In Jane Austen’s time, sensibility referred to a person’s heightened emotional response. It involved being deeply in tune with your feelings and empathy and was characterised by its intensity. Here, it is your feelings that are a guide to the truth rather than your logic or reason.
As sensibility was closely connected to emotions and the expression of intense feelings it also became associated with a deep connection to nature, the sublime, the expression of sorrow and grief, and the capacity for empathy towards others.
What is The Cult of Sensibility?
It’s no wonder then that, in the late Eighteenth Century, writers, poets and artists began to identify with sensibility. Creating what is often called “The Cult of Sensibility” today. This movement emerged as a reaction to the “Age of Enlightenment” which had defined the previous 17th and 18th Centuries. particularly in Britain and Europe. Along with the rationality and intellectualism that characterised it.
In this literary and cultural context, sensibility was associated with the ability to appreciate and respond deeply to beauty, art, and the natural world. No wonder literature became the natural home for these concepts!
Sentimental and later Romantic poets and writers often explored themes of sensibility in their works. Celebrating the emotional and intuitive aspects of human experience. These works aimed to evoke empathy and emotional responses in readers. Encouraging them to engage with their own sensibilities and cultivate their emotional lives.
The Rise and Fall of Sensibility
It’s easy to see why sensibility was a desirable trait, initially at least. Those who subscribed to this philosophy believed that a person’s ability to feel deeply and respond emotionally was an important indicator of their virtue and morality. Crucially, it also felt modern and fresh. It set followers apart from the previous philosophical approaches and encouraged new ways to think, and feel.
However, by the time Jane Austen finished Sense and Sensibility in 1811, the popularity of sensibility was declining. Critics began to question whether this excess of emotional response could ever be truly authentic. They suggested that followers of sensibility wallowed in misery and were self-indulgent or even volatile. It had even become largely gendered; with sensibility becoming associated with feminity and by association weakness. Something we would consider deeply sexist today.
Elinor and Marianne: Two Sisters, Both Alike in Dignity?
It is in this context that Jane Austen released her novel. Posing her philosophical conundrum, is it better to have “sense” or “sensibility”? It may come as no surprise that Jane’s opinion is not clear-cut.
“Sense and Sensibility” centres on the lives and experiences of two sisters, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood. One is calm, steady and careful, the other impetuous, impassioned and direct. In short, Elinor has sense and Marianne has sensibility. It is these guiding principles that dictate the way each sister navigates the world.
– Marianne Dashwood: All Sensibility and No Sense?
Marianne, following her emotions, expresses her passions openly and seeks a romantic and idealistic notion of love. Her sensibility is depicted through her intense reactions to art, music, and nature, as well as her willingness to follow her heart rather than conform to societal expectations.
However, it is her impulsiveness and naivety to the real ways of the world that almost destroy Marianne. When her dedication to emotion over reason leads her to experience heartbreak and turmoil she is almost ruined in her social sphere.
– Elinor Dashwood: All Sense and No Sensibility?
In contrast to Marianne, Elinor Dashwood embodies sense, demonstrating composure, practicality, and an ability to manage her emotions. Elinor’s rationality counterbalances Marianne’s emotionality, allowing her to navigate complicated social situations and make more reasoned decisions.
However, these traits also mean she constantly suppresses her own emotions and prioritises the needs of others. So much so that, when heartbroken, she is unable to share her feelings with those closest to her and suffers alone.
Sense and Sensibility: What Do The Critics Say?
Almost since the day “Sense and Sensibility” was published over 200 years ago debate has divided critics. At the time, many favoured Elinor’s ‘discreet quiet good sense’ and claimed that Marianne’s sensibility made her miserable. However, as tastes changed in the Victorian era, some critics began to favour Marianne claiming that Elinor was ‘too good’.
Modern critics have moved the debate further. Claiming that both sisters are equally stifled by the expectations of the time. Neither are able to fully succeed in life thanks to the weight of the classist and sexist society they live in
Which Side Was Jane Austen On?
But what did Jane Austen think? Throughout the novel, it often feels as though Austen sides with Elinor. With wry quips and side glances that make readers cringe at Marianne’s behaviour and almost believe that she deserves her downfall.
However, though her treatment of Elinor is more subtle, she never the less suggests that it is Elinor’s inability to show her feelings that almost ruins her life. At heart, Jane Austen was a pragmatist. I don’t think she was under any illusions about the lot women in her position faced in life.
However, when considering her dual heroines I believe that she was realistic. She doesn’t suggest sense or sensibility are mutually exclusive or inherently superior. Instead, she shows that finding a harmonious balance between reason and emotion is essential for true happiness and fulfilment.
AND not OR: A Universal Truth
Ultimately, Jane Austen’s real opinion is hard to discern, and this might be because, during the course of writing the novel, she changed her own mind! However, there might be a clue in the title.
For me, as a reader, it is the crucial use of the word AND and not OR that reveals Jane Austen’s intentions. Her title is “Sense AND Sensibility” rather than “Sense OR Sensibility”. I don’t think that she intends us to choose one or the other. But instead, consider the merits of both.
Although she holds sense and sensibility up as counterweights, the book does not polarise the sisters. Marianne appreciates Elinor’s sense and likewise, Elinor loves Marianne’s sensibility. Balance is the key. It is only once they learn to balance the excesses of both sense and sensibility that they succeed.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, “Sense and Sensibility” by Jane Austen is a wonderful exploration of the interplay between reason and emotions. Through the contrasting characters of Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, Austen highlights the importance of finding a balance between sense and sensibility.
One of the best things about Jane Austen is that she leaves the decision-making to her readers. Her characters are nuanced and her heroines are never perfect. In them, we see all of humanity reflected back, with all of its differences. Years may pass, and tastes may change, but in books like Sense and Sensibility, the question will remain – what does it take to live a good life?
Want To Read Jane Austen?
The best way to understand the meaning of Sense and Sensibility is to read the book!
