Flashcards for Sense and Sensibility

Colonel Brandon

Colonel Brandon is a reserved and dignified gentleman who is introduced as a friend of Sir John Middleton and a regular visitor to Barton Park.

steady, honourable admirer of Marianne

Edward Ferrars

Edward Ferrars is the oldest son of a wealthy family and the brother of Fanny Dashwood.

Fanny's brother, Elinor's love interest

Elinor Dashwood

Elinor Dashwood is the oldest of the three Dashwood sisters and, at nineteen, serves as the practical and moral anchor for her family.

eldest Dashwood sister, the novel's moral centre

Fanny Dashwood

Fanny Dashwood is John Dashwood's wife and Elinor's sister-in-law.

John Dashwood's grasping wife, Elinor's sister-in-law

John Dashwood

John Dashwood is the half-brother of Elinor, Marianne, and Margaret, and he stands to inherit Norland Park.

Elinor's half-brother, heir to Norland

John Willoughby

John Willoughby is a captivating young man, bursting with life and charm, who enters the Dashwood family's world when he helps Marianne after she twists her ankle on the nearby downs.

charming suitor who wins and then abandons Marianne

Lady Middleton

Lady Middleton is married to Sir John Middleton and is the daughter of Mrs. Jennings.

Sir John's cold, elegant wife

Lucy Steele

Lucy Steele is introduced as a young woman and a distant cousin of Sir John Middleton's wife.

secretly engaged to Edward Ferrars

Margaret Dashwood

Margaret Dashwood is the youngest of the three Dashwood sisters, just thirteen at the start of the novel.

youngest Dashwood sister

Marianne Dashwood

Her elder sister Elinor embodies sense and self-control, while Marianne embodies sensibility in its truest form: she's passionate, generous, clever, and "everything but prudent."

second Dashwood sister, romantic and passionate

Mrs. Dashwood

Mrs. Dashwood is the widowed mother of Elinor, Marianne, and Margaret, serving as the novel's central maternal figure.

widowed mother of the Dashwood sisters

Mrs. Ferrars

Mrs. Ferrars is the wealthy and overbearing mother of Edward and Robert Ferrars, as well as the mother-in-law of Fanny Dashwood.

proud, controlling mother of Edward and Robert Ferrars

Mrs. Jennings

Mrs. Jennings is Lady Middleton's mother and the mother-in-law of Sir John Middleton.

Lady Middleton's cheerful, matchmaking mother

Robert Ferrars

Robert Ferrars is the younger brother of Edward Ferrars and plays a minor yet notable role in Sense and Sensibility.

Edward's vain younger brother, who marries Lucy Steele

Sir John Middleton

Sir John Middleton is the landlord of the Dashwood women and a distant relative, known as a respected country gentleman who owns property in Devonshire.

the Dashwoods' hospitable landlord at Barton Park

“She had an excellent heart;—her disposition was affectionate, and her feelings were strong; but she knew how to govern them”

This is how the narrator introduces Elinor Dashwood in Chapter I, highlighting one of the novel's key contrasts.

Narrator · Chapter I

“This argument was irresistible. It gave to his intentions whatever of decision was wanting before”

This dry, ironic sentence wraps up the lengthy negotiation in Chapter II where Fanny Dashwood convinces her husband John to withhold meaningful financial support from his half-sisters.

Narrator · Chapter II

“It is not time or opportunity that is to determine intimacy;—it is disposition alone.”

Marianne expresses this idea in Chapter XII when Elinor raises concerns about accepting such a lavish gift—a horse—from Willoughby, a man she has barely known.

Marianne · Chapter XII

“She was stronger alone, and her own good sense so well supported her, that her firmness was as unshaken, her appearance of cheerfulness as invariable”

This observation appears in Chapter XXIII, just two hours after Lucy Steele has revealed her secret engagement to Edward Ferrars.

Narrator · Chapter XXIII

““I felt myself,” she added, “to be as solemnly engaged to him, as if the strictest legal covenant had bound us to each other.””

Marianne reveals her feelings in Chapter XXIX, reacting to Willoughby's distant and formal letter.

Marianne · Chapter XXIX

““Four months!—Have you known of this four months … What! while attending me in all my misery, has this been on your heart? And I have reproached you for being happy!””

In Chapter XXXVII, when Elinor finally reveals to Marianne that she has known about Edward's secret engagement to Lucy Steele for four months, Marianne's reaction is one of the most emotionally intense moments in the novel.

Chapter XXXVII

“The world had made him extravagant and vain—Extravagance and vanity had made him cold-hearted and selfish.”

This sentence is found in Chapter XLIV, when Willoughby shows up unexpectedly at Cleveland and shares his story with Elinor.

Narrator · Chapter XLIV

“My illness has made me think. It has given me leisure and calmness for serious recollection.”

Marianne shares these thoughts in Chapter XLVI while recovering at Barton Cottage after her close call with death in Cleveland.

Marianne · Chapter XLVI

“I will be calm; I will be mistress of myself.”

Elinor reflects on this in Chapter XLVIII when she realizes that the horseman approaching Barton Cottage isn’t Colonel Brandon, but Edward Ferrars.

Elinor · Chapter XLVIII

“Elinor could sit it no longer. She almost ran out of the room, and as soon as the door was closed, burst into tears of joy, which at first she thought would never cease.”

This moment in Chapter XLVIII comes right after Edward corrects Elinor’s reference to “Mrs. Edward Ferrars,” revealing that his brother Robert has married Lucy Steele.

Narrator · Chapter XLVIII

“The whole of Lucy’s behaviour in the affair, and the prosperity which crowned it, therefore, may be held forth as a most encouraging instance of what an earnest, an unceasing attention to self-interest … will do in securing every advantage of fortune, with no other sacrifice than that of time and conscience.”

This sardonic sentence wraps up the novel's portrayal of Lucy Steele's victory in Chapter L. Lucy has married Robert Ferrars, charmed Mrs. Ferrars with flattery, and secured a comfortable position—all thanks to what the narrator describes as "an earnest, an unceasing attention to self-interest," paying the only price of "time and conscience."

Narrator · Chapter L

“Marianne Dashwood was born to an extraordinary fate. She was born to discover the falsehood of her own opinions, and to counteract, by her conduct, her most favourite maxims.”

This is the narrator's final take on Marianne's journey, shared towards the end of Chapter L. At the start, Marianne was portrayed as a young woman with strong views—about love, about second chances, and about the unlikelihood of marrying a man in his mid-thirties.

Narrator · Chapter L

Barton Cottage

Barton Cottage represents the simple, constrained life the Dashwood women must adapt to after losing Norland.

Colonel Brandon's flannel waistcoat

The flannel waistcoat represents Marianne's view of everything she believes is unappealing about middle age and restrained emotions.

Elinor's self-command

Elinor's way of managing her emotions goes beyond just being a personality trait; it's a recurring theme that the novel both appreciates and questions.

Norland Park

Norland represents the security, heritage, and sense of belonging that the Dashwood sisters lose right at the beginning of the novel.

the lock of hair

The lock of hair symbolizes a hidden intimacy that reveals the difference between what characters present to the world and what they hide.

the pianoforte

The pianoforte serves as a powerful symbol of Marianne's emotional depth in the novel, showcasing her intense feelings through music.

Foil

Elinor and Marianne are portrayed as clear contrasts throughout the novel.

Irony

Austen uses irony throughout her work, often targeting characters who take pride in their supposed virtue.

Satire

The novel humorously critiques the social and economic values of its time.

Juxtaposition

The novel places contrasting characters and situations side by side to deepen its moral and emotional insights.

Foreshadowing

Details introduced early in the story foreshadow later twists.

Motif

Concealment and secrecy are key themes that tie together the novel's two main plots.

Hyperbole

Characters, particularly Marianne, often exaggerate their emotions, and the narrator sometimes employs irony through hyperbole.

Imagery

Austen employs physical and sensory imagery to express inner emotions.

Paradox

The novel creates paradoxes that reveal the contradictions in how its characters understand themselves.

life-interest

A legal right to use or receive income from property only for the duration of one's lifetime; the property cannot be passed on or sold, and returns to others after death.

noun · Chapter 1

aggrandizement

The act of increasing someone's wealth, power, or social status; here, a mother's schemes to advance her son's position in society.

noun · Chapter 4

insensibility

A complete lack of feeling or emotional response; callous indifference to what others are suffering or experiencing.

noun · Chapter 7

shooting-jacket

A short, close-fitting jacket designed for men to wear when hunting with a gun; considered fashionable sporting attire in Austen's era.

noun · Chapter 9

bowling-green

A smooth, flat area of closely cut grass used for playing bowls, typically found as a formal feature in the grounds of a large country house.

noun · Chapter 13

representations

Arguments or statements made to persuade someone; here, the points a mother has put forward to influence her daughter's thinking about a situation.

noun · Chapter 15

self-mortification

The deliberate act of causing oneself discomfort or distress, often as a form of penance or self-punishment for perceived wrongdoing.

noun · Chapter 19

disinterestedness

Freedom from personal gain or selfish motive; acting purely for another's benefit without seeking advantage for oneself.

noun · Chapter 24

companionableness

The quality of being pleasant and agreeable company; a willingness to socialise and get along comfortably with others.

noun · Chapter 26

unpremeditated

Not planned or arranged in advance; spontaneous. Here it describes an impromptu dance that was acceptable in the country but considered unsuitable in London.

adjective · Chapter 27

spunging-house

A privately run house where debtors were held temporarily before being transferred to debtors' prison; a place of confinement for people who could not pay what they owed.

noun · Chapter 31

chimney-board

A decorative panel placed in front of a fireplace opening during the months when the fire is not lit, used to block draughts and hide the empty grate.

noun · Chapter 38

circumstanced

Placed in a particular set of circumstances or financial conditions; here, being in an unfortunate or difficult situation with respect to money or prospects.

adjective · Chapter 39

self-complacency

A smug, self-satisfied pleasure in oneself and one's own behaviour, without awareness of or concern for how one appears to others.

noun · Chapter 41

dressing-closet

A small private room adjoining a bedroom, used for dressing and personal grooming; a kind of early wardrobe room attached to a main bedchamber.

noun · Chapter 43

circumspection

Careful, cautious thinking that considers all possible consequences before acting; wariness about one's behaviour to avoid making a mistake.

noun · Chapter 44

superannuated

Retired from service on account of old age; here referring to elderly servants kept on and paid a pension under the terms of a will.

adjective · Chapter 2

disapprobation

Strong moral disapproval or the expression of a negative judgment about someone's conduct or choices.

noun · Chapter 5

incautiousness

A lack of proper care or prudence; the quality of acting rashly or without thinking about the consequences, especially regarding one's reputation.

noun · Chapter 15

particularity

Noticeable special attention or marked distinction paid to one person; here, singling Marianne out in a way that would draw others' notice to her situation.

noun · Chapter 16

ill-breeding

Bad manners resulting from a poor upbringing; rude or ungentlemanly behaviour that reveals a lack of proper social education.

noun · Chapter 20

connoisseurship

Expert knowledge and refined judgment in matters of art, music, or taste; the ability to assess quality in the fine arts with authority.

noun · Chapter 34

misconstruction

A mistaken interpretation of someone's words, actions, or whereabouts; drawing the wrong conclusion from incomplete information.

noun · Chapter 36

perturbation

A state of mental anxiety, agitation, or emotional disturbance that makes it hard to remain calm or composed.

noun · Chapter 25

turnpike-road

A main road maintained by a trust that charged travellers a toll at a gate; the principal improved highway of Austen's era, as opposed to country lanes.

noun · Chapter 30

constitutional

Relating to or beneficial to a person's physical constitution or health; here used ironically about a flannel waistcoat worn to guard against illness.

adjective · Chapter 50

disproportion

A large and awkward difference or imbalance between two things; here the gap in age between a thirty-six-year-old man and a seventeen-year-old girl.

noun · Chapter 49