Sense and Sensibility – Part One
At first I have to admit I didn’t think this book was as good as “Pride and Prejudice.” Maybe that was due to my having had to reread the first couple chapters over (twice) just to figure out who everyone was. I shared this with a regular customer at work and she said she had the same issue (I was happy to feel less dumb). For those of you who haven’t read the book, we are given a crash course on the multiple female Dashwoods and their male counterparts. I’ll give you the Coles notes version; here goes:
Mr Dashwood owned a fancy house in Norland Park. He was old and single and after his roomie / sister dies he invites his nephew (Mr. Henry Dashwood) and family to live with him. His nephew (Mr. Henry Dashwood) has a son (Mr. John Dashwood) from a first wife and three daughters (the three Miss Dashwoods) from his current wife (Mrs. Dashwood). When Mr. Dashwood passes away, he leaves his estate to the son of Mr. John Dashwood and this leaves the three Miss Dashwoods with nothing. Mr. Henry Dashwood passes away a year later but makes his son (Mr. John Dashwood) promise to provide the three Miss Dashwoods with one thousand pounds a piece upon his death, but after Mr Henry Dashwoods death, Mrs. John Dashwood convinces Mr. John Dashwood to give the three Miss Dashwoods nothing but the odd gift every now and then. Did I mention that after the first Mr. Dashwood passes away Mr. Henry Dashwood becomes referred to as Mr. Dashwood which makes it all the more confusing.
As I read on I started to compare “Sense” with “Pride and Prejudice” and was beginning to think of “Pride” as the better story. I loved the “Bennets” right from the start, whereas I didn’t know how I felt about the Dashwoods until I was almost through the first volume of the book. I am happy to say that I am now as hooked as I was before. Marianne’s behavior at being snubbed by Mr. Willoughby makes me chuckle and I love how Austen describes the heights of her raptures and the depths of her melancholy.
I am now about halfway through and I have a dilemma: I cannot decide whether I am an Elinor or a Marianne! I’d like to think I have Elinor’s sense, but in my head I totally relate to Marianne. It’s like when “Sex and the City” fans all want to be “Carries” but they’re “Charlottes” or “Mirandas” instead.
Only two days left before the book needs to be returned and I have lots to read still! Later….
