Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Are You an Elinor or a Marianne?


I wrote this post back in Ireland, but I never posted it. Today I decided to fix it up a bit and publish it at last. Hope you like it!


Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility is a fascinating book. Like all of Austen's stories, Sense and Sensibility is smart, funny, and charming. What I like best about this one, though, is the relationship between sisters Elinor and Marianne. It's so interesting to read about their contrasting personalities and see how they cope with circumstances in different ways.

I love comparing the personalities of Elinor and Marianne Dashwood. In so many ways, they are complete opposites.


The Sense

First, we have Elinor Dashwood. 

 She had an excellent heart; her disposition was affectionate, and her feelings were strong; but she knew how to govern them: it was a knowledge which her mother had yet to learn; and which one of her sisters had resolved never to be taught.”
 
Elinor:
  • Is logical and practical
  • Is always polite
  • Is reserved: she conceals her feelings from even those closest to her
  • Is basically Elsa without ice powers


  Elinor is an admirable character. She's intelligent, level-headed, and kind. She puts others first, even when it's hard.


The Sensibility

 Then there's Marianne.

She was sensible and clever; but eager in everything; her sorrows, her joys, could have no moderation. She was generous, amiable, interesting: she was everything but prudent.

Marianne:
  • Feels deeply, and doesn't see any need to restrain her emotions
  • Is a drama queen
  • Speaks her mind (often to the point of impoliteness)
  • Doesn't consider the consequences of her reckless behaviour
  • Is passionate about her opinions
  • Is basically Princess Anna


Despite her flaws, there is a lot to be admired in Marianne, too. She's passionate, strong-willed, and ambitious.


The Dashwood sisters struggle to understand each other. To Marianne, Elinor is heartless. To Elinor, Marianne is foolish.

Interestingly, at the end of the story the two sister's seem to understand each other a little better. They even show examples of each other's personalities! Elinor breaks down into a fit of overjoyed tears (showing enough emotion to satisfy even Marianne), and it's clear that Marianne has came through her trials much wiser than she was before. Both sisters develop throughout the course of the story.


It's interesting to me to compare these two different women to myself. Personally, I'm a bit of a Marianne. Not to the same extreme level, thank goodness, but I do see myself in her. I'm often unable to keep my emotions in check, I have strong opinions about pretty much everything, and I've been labeled as overly dramatic (especially when I was younger). 


I'm curious as to see if other people can relate to one of these sisters, too. Do you see yourself in Elinor's quiet, reserved nature, or Marianne's drama? Or are completely different to either of them? Maybe you're a Emma Woodhouse or a Jane Bennet? 

Love,
Hannah

P.S. I was SO excited to see that my blog now has over 200 amazing people following it on Google Friend Connect! You guys rock. Thank you so much.

26 comments:

  1. Ah, this is fun! I think I also have a bit of Marianne Dashwood in me! Vivacious is my middle name :) Well not really, but you know...

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  2. Great post! I've always related to Elinor, since I'm a quiet person who generally keeps my feelings to myself (and even when I do want to express them, I'm not very good at it, so sometimes I wonder, why bother? Ha). Elinor Dashwood and Anne Elliot have always been the two Austen heroines I related to the most, though they're both much more selfless and kind and caring than I am.

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    1. Thank you, Kristin! I can definitely see you as an Elinor or an Anne. Such great characters.

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  3. Well, I've never read the book to know, but I think I'm more like Elinor...
    Great post though, that's a really good idea to contrast and compare two book characters. :)

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    1. Ooo, you should read the book or watch the movie - it's so good! Thanks for commenting, Jessica!

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    2. Thanks for the recommendation! Also, I just tagged you: http://jessicalg97.blogspot.com.au/2015/07/tag.html Looking forward to reading your answers! :)

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  4. Hmmmm I'm a mix of both really I have all of Elinors traits but can develop into a bit of Marianne when things provoke me shall we say :) I love this though!! I think my friends would say I'm Marianne, and hey she has to discover her Colonel Brandon .. *confers with friends via text*

    ~Evie

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    1. A mix of both is a good thing to be! Because they both have strong points, don't ya think? Brandon is such a great character (especially in Elinor and Marianne Take Barton - a S&S web series!!)

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    2. Oh yes! Very much so! and I loved Brandon in that series so much! The whole thing was done very very well!! :)

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  5. Oooook genral concenses from friends is (I got their permission to share)
    "You're Marianne dude"
    "Eli-nah you're a fan of Colonel Brandon.. I think you are Marianne"
    "Elinor traits but musical like Marianne.. invite me to the wedding :P"
    "Darl I think it's unanimous.. You can be reserved and dignified and Elinorish but when you get passionate about somthing.. the whole world knows about it.. it's a good thing. "
    "We're the musos... we're crazy.."
    "Eerrrrrrmmm haven't read it?"
    "Colonel B and Evie... I SHIP IT"
    You get the gist.. :D
    ~Evie

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    1. Haha! That's so funny :) I think you must secretly be Marianne!

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  6. Hmmm, I think that I'm more of a Marianne with my dramatic, impulsive, and emotional character, but I'm a bit more introverted like Elinor. Soooo yeah. Drama queen it is... XD And congrats on getting 200 followers! That's fabulous, and you deserve every single follower you get. (-:

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    1. That's sort of the same as me, Elizabeth! Oh, and thanks so much :) I really can't believe that so many people decided to follow my blog!

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  7. Ah a wish to be sensible like Elinor. Alas, the fate of this ginger lies more towards Marianne.
    I've tried to draw parallels between myself and multiple Jane Austen heroines, but what i always come back to is Marianne. . .Or possibly Catherine Morland.

    There are three girls in my family. I think my older sister is just Mr Darcy. The End. no heroine to describe her personality. And I'm Marianne, and my little sister is Cathy Morland.
    It gets interesting around here.
    =D
    Good post, by the way. XD

    ~Jess

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    1. Oh, that sounds like a fun family :D I love that your sister is like Mr. Darcy!! Hehe.
      Thanks, Jess!

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    2. *nods* as one of your besties I can confirm this Jess :P

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  8. Love this post!!! Really late comment, but I see myself in both sisters. ..I tend to be emotional and dramatic like M, but I'm also very cautious and a total rule follower (like E.) I also tend to be a worry wart. ....but when I'm in a good mood, I'm total crazy and often wish later that I'd controlled my emotions better.
    So, both? Is that good?

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    1. Yay, glad you liked it! And yes, both is totally good. They are both such extremes, it's good to be somewhere in between :)

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  9. What a fun idea! Gosh I love your blog <3 Not to be that person but I see myself having personality traits of both! The first born in me is more orderly like E, but I'm an enthusiastic drama queen at times as well :D :D this has just put me in a Sense & Sensibility movie night mood!

    Chloe | Curious Ramblings

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    1. Aww thanks so much, Chloe! You're so sweet. It totally makes me want to watch the movie(s) again, too. Such a good one!

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  10. I've never had the chance to read Sense and Sensibility yet... I don't even know the story or plot at all... *hides face in shame*
    But from your post I think I am most definitely a Marianne!
    Anyway... maybe I should go to the bookstore now and get a copy of this book.

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    1. Oh, Hannah you really must read/watch Sense and Sensibility! :O I think you'd really like it.

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  11. Such a fun post. And me oh my, I never considered how many parallels there are to the Frozen princesses. I am definitely a Marianne.

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    1. Thanks!! For some reason I kept coming up with Frozen/S&S comparisons. I mean, Willoughby is SO Hans. I was blowing my own mind. :D :D

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