Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

Oh hey, what's up? Just reading some more Jane Austen, this time it's her very first book. Let's be frank: it's good, it's not as good as Pride and Prejudice, but when Mr Darcy isn't in it, is that really a huge surprise? No, but I really did like the book. Except for the parts where Mr Dashwood was involved, because I'd see the 'Mr' and the 'Da...' and immediately be like Fitzwilliam!?? Uh, (ahem). Let's see, let me summarize: There are two sisters, Elinor and Marianne, who are the main characters (You know how Pride and Prejudice is essentially 'Mr Darcy and Elizabeth'? Yeah) who fall in love and have heartbreak and weirdly parallel my senior year of high school. I guess the best description is that of Emma's: the inverse Pride and Prejudice. (Look, if all this mentioning of P&P is bothering you, just be glad that I haven't mentioned a certain Sebastian Melmoth at all yet for the first time in at least ten posts.)

Okay let's go then. First of all, this an Oxford edition, which means there are notes pertaining to Jane Austen's other books in the introduction and afterwards, because all the books were meant to be sold together in one collection. In this case, the introductory note closes on things changed between editions of Austen's books. For example, the change between the penny and twopenny post (pence?) and one sentence on page sixty-six of Mansfield Park that was deleted completely. My God, how interesting! So. Interested. Another thing about this being the Oxford edition, it means that when you take the jacket off it looks like a really well-preserved antique book. You know, like those Reader's Digests Condensed books that look like they're old leatherbounds in fantastic condition until you take a closer look and it's like I HATE YOU SO MUCH READER'S DIGEST GURGHHHH. Like that? Yeah. Hate that.

Due to economic problems early on, the sisters must leave their old home Norland to a cottage. Quoth Marianne (to Norland): "'Oh! happy house, could you know what I suffer in now viewing you from this spot, from whence perhaps I may view you no more!--And you, ye well-known trees!--but you will continue the same.--No leaf will decay because we are removed, nor any branch become motionless although we can observe you no longer!--No; you will continue the same; unconscious of the pleasure or the regret you occasion, and insensible of any change in those who walk under your shade!--But who will remain to enjoy you?'" (27). How Romantic of you! You know, Romanticism... All that love of nature, writings about men's mortality and lack of... effectiveness on nature... Maybe? Romanticism? Sounds like it could be, even though it might not be the right era for that sort of thing... Guys, I'm tired, okay? Also, kudos to Jane for using the word 'ye', even if it was more common back then.

Willoughby, a love interest of the book is first described as having "manly beauty" (43). Excuse me while I laugh my head off for about a million years...

"Marianne began now to perceive that the desperation which had seized her at sixteen and a half, of ever seeing a man who could satisfy her ideas of perfection, had been rash and unjustifiable" (49). This one seems... eh... a little bitter. Writing from experience, Jane? (Perhaps Sense and Sensibility was the story they should have chosen for Becoming Jane, eh, Emma?)

Willoughby... Oh, heck. I'm still mad at him, even if he partially redeems himself later on. Major spoilers following, then. Willoughby and Marianne appear to be tailor-made for each other. They're flirting, they spend all their time together... It's suspected that they're secretly engaged. Willoughby cuts a lock of hair... and also puts it in his pocket-book. Look, I know man-purses were socially acceptable back then, but that doesn't make it any less funny! Anyway, my spoiler is that Willoughby turns out to be a complete gufgggrgffffffghkfgh. Willoughby leaves for a few months and has an affair (which impregnates the poor girl involved) and when he and Marianne see each other at a ball, it turns out he's hitting up a young lady who gets 50,000 a year, because she had the g and Marianne did not. He also is very rude to Marianne, speaks to her maybe four lines and excuses himself to continue hitting on this young lady. Marianne, of course is heartbroken. Mr Darcy is horrified by Willoughby's ungentlemanly and completely disgusting behavior and is about to kick his ass.

Look at that angry scowl. He's going to beat the ever loving God out of you. Can't touch you because you're rich? I don't think so, Willoughby. I gave him permission. And you're even worse than Wickham was. You're done.

"'Shyness is only the effect of a sense of inferiority in some way or other'" (94).

"'Sir John is as stupid as the weather'" (111). Not only is that a great insult, Sir John is being insulted in such a manner because he doesn't have a billiard room. Sir John, watch out. You're tempting Fitzwilliam, now.

Nothing really important here, but Jane Austen uses the adjective 'monstrous' for practically everything. It's kind of hilarious, even if it wasn't intended to be. It's a great adjective.

"'A man who has nothing to do with his own time has no conscience in his intrusion on that of others'" (204).

Willoughby has a confession and semi-redeeming speech, directed toward Elinor with the request that she pass it along to Marianne. I won't go into details, but it builds a small amount of sympathy, since he pretty much realizes that sure, he got the dolla billz (poundz?) but his life is going to be miserable because his wife is pretty much a shrew. There's more, but that's probably the most important point. It made me feel bad enough to revoke my certificate to Mr Darcy to beat him up, at least. Lucky for Willoughby--I've seen that guy break jaws.

Willoughby also confesses to watching them leave their house all the time--"'You would be surprised to hear how often I watched you'" (326). Jane Austen's first and only horror novel?

"'If I could but know his heart, everything would become easy'" (347). Oh really? Perhaps you and I should buy some cats together, because clearly both of us are out of luck (oh wait except you're not).

Ummm. Sorry this is a little sparse. Like I said, I enjoyed the book. It wasn't her best, but it's her first. Give her some credit! Heck, I think even Emma would enjoy this. The ending is satisfying, moreso with Elinor, but things work out for Marianne too. And the villain gets his, too. Like I said, the lack of Fitzwilliam is a little disheartening, but since apparently I can summon him whenever I want to beat people up that's not such a problem. (Darcy--meet me in drawing room. Leave your cravat on.)

Fun fact regarding the book: Because of receipt left in the book for the last 40+ years, I know that this edition was bought in 1978 on the day before my birthday! Cool, huh? I thought it was cool. Don't judge me!

My attempt at MLA citation: Austen, Jane. Sense and Sensibilty. Great Britain: University Press, 1978. Print.

Answer to last post's cryptic song lyrics for Emma: Little Sister by Queens of the Stone Age

This post's cryptic song lyrics for Emma: Loving your illusion, staring at a crooked crown--You always let me down

PS. Always remember to act gentlemanly, or you're going to get your butt kicked by a certain British nobleman.

Don't think for a second this guy couldn't kill you. Look at that scowl. He's already mad that he's not allowed to beat up Willoughby. (Rule #6: No suit coat, no cravat.)