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

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