Sense and Sensibility

Jane Austen

Transatlantic Press, Jan 31, 2012 - Books and reading - 400 pages

Jane Austen's first published novel was titled Elinor and Marianne in the early drafts. It was changed to reflect the dichotomy between rational thought and emotionalism, as embodied in her two female protagonists. Elinor Dashwood's cool reason, and her sister Marianne's more demonstrative nature, are revealed when their father Henry dies and they find themselves uprooted from the family home. The property has passed to Henry Dashwood's son by his first marriage, and neither he nor his grasping wife is inclined to accommodate the sisters and their mother. Austen faced a similarly uncertain future after her own father's death in 1805. A beneficent brother rescued that situation; for Elinor and Marianne, salvation lies in making a suitable match. Elinor strikes up an attachment with Edward Ferrars, who harbours a secret that constrains his commitment, while Marianne falls for a penniless charmer who throws her over for a rich heiress. Austen's finely woven story is driven by a question that occupied many of the great thinkers of the 18th century: whether individuals are best served by having their actions ruled by heart or head. -- from publisher.

About the author

Jane Austen's life is striking for the contrast between the great works she wrote in secret and the outward appearance of being quite dull and ordinary. Austen was born in the small English town of Steventon in Hampshire, and educated at home by her clergyman father. She was deeply devoted to her family. For a short time, the Austens lived in the resort city of Bath, but when her father died, they returned to Steventon, where Austen lived until her death at the age of 41. Austen was drawn to literature early, she began writing novels that satirized both the writers and the manners of the 1790's. Her sharp sense of humor and keen eye for the ridiculous in human behavior gave her works lasting appeal. She is at her best in such books as Pride and Prejudice (1813), Mansfield Park (1814), and Emma (1816), in which she examines and often ridicules the behavior of small groups of middle-class characters. Austen relies heavily on conversations among her characters to reveal their personalities, and at times her novels read almost like plays. Several of them have, in fact, been made into films. She is considered to be one of the most beloved British authors.

Bibliographic information

• Title: Sense and Sensibility; TAP classics; Transatlantic Classics Series
• Author: Jane Austen
• Publisher: Transatlantic Press, 2012
• ISBN: 1908533072, 9781908533074
• Length: 400 pages