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Sense and Sensibility (Penguin Classics) (Paperback)

by Jane Austen (Author), Ros Ballaster (Contributor) "The family of Dashwood had been long settled in Sussex..." (more)
Key Phrases: Colonel Brandon, Sir John, Lady Middleton (more...)
4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (47 customer reviews)
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Editorial Reviews

Review
"Excellent intro.--readable, thoughtful."--Robin Feuer Miller, Brandeis University
"A superb scholarly text with a thought-provoking introduction. This is the finest text available. Attractively presented, the price is right and the introduction is genuinely useful for students. Excellent scholarly apparatus: incisive but not cumbersome."--Dr. A.G. Hunter, Curry College
"Excellent but not overwhelming notes, superb introductions, intelligent decisions on textual issues. I especially like the readable type and the reasonable margins for notes!"--David Holloway, Portland State University
"Doody's useful introduction . . . clarif[ies] the complexities of Austen's irony for today's readers."--Thomas A. King, Brandeis University
"Excellent intro. with a helpful bibliography. Convenient size, easy-to-read print, affordable."--Janice Cooke, University of New Orleans
"A very attractive presentation of a classical text."--Justus Rosenberg, Bard College
"An excellent value for the cost."--Ellen M. Casey, Ph.D., University of Scranton
"A most commendable publication that all undergraduates will appreciate and all graduates will esteem."--Dr. Andreas K. Poulakidas, Ball State University
"A very enlightening introductory section and an excellent selective bibliography."--Robert O'Connor, North Dakota State University
"Excellent edition."--Dr. Anne Burley, Towson State University
--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Product Description
New chronology and further reading; Tony Tanner's original introduction reinstated

Edited with an introduction by Ros Ballaster.

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Product Details

  • Paperback: 368 pages
  • Publisher: Penguin Classics (April 29, 2003)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0141439661
  • ISBN-13: 978-0141439662
  • Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.1 x 1.2 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (47 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #103,161 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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    #62 in  Books > Literature & Fiction > Women's Fiction > Sisters
    #68 in  Books > Literature & Fiction > British > Classics > Austen, Jane
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Inside This Book (learn more)
First Sentence:
The family of Dashwood had been long settled in Sussex. Read the first page
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Colonel Brandon, Sir John, Lady Middleton, Miss Dashwood, John Dashwood, Miss Steele, Miss Marianne, Miss Morton, Edward Ferrars, Combe Magna, Lucy Steele, Miss Grey, Robert Ferrars, Miss Williams, Bartlett's Buildings, Henry Dashwood, Lady Elliott, Marianne Dashwood
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Sense and Sensibility (Penguin Classics)
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Sense and Sensibility (Penguin Classics) 4.3 out of 5 stars (47)
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$4.95
Pride and Prejudice (Penguin Classics)
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Pride and Prejudice (Penguin Classics) 4.6 out of 5 stars (70)
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Persuasion
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Customer Reviews

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Average Customer Review
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68 of 72 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Introduction to Jane Austen's Works, June 23, 2004
By Debbie Lee Wesselmann (the Lehigh Valley, PA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)         
Although SENSE AND SENSIBILITY is not of one Jane Austen's best novels, it is nonetheless a major novel, with the author's then-young talent in full display. Its publication in 1811 marked Austen as a huge literary talent, and its significance reverberates even today as contemporary readers re-discover the works of this author so adept at uncovering the foibles of nineteenth century aristocracy.

The title refers to the two eldest Dashwood sisters, Elinor and Marianne, one of whom (Elinor) embraces practicality and restraint while the other (Marianne) gives her whole heart to every endeavor. When the Dashwoods - mother Mrs. Dashwood, Elinor, Marianne, and youngest sister Margaret - are sent, almost impoverished, to a small cottage in Devonshire after the death of their father and the machinations of their brother's wife, they accept their new circumstances with as much cheer as they can muster even though their brother and his wife have taken over the family estate and fortune. Their characters, albeit wildly different in their approaches to life, are impeccably honest and intelligent - and their suitors take notice. Elinor falls in love with the shy, awkward Edward, while Marianne's affections are lavished on the dashing hunter Willoughby. As in all Austen's books, love and marriage don't come easily, as affections aren't always returned and social jockeying sometimes takes precedence to true love. In an interestingly twist, the end of this novel brings into question which sister represents which part of the title.

SENSE AND SENSIBILITY only hints at the social skewering Austen would use to such great effect in her later novels, and the humor here is only occasional and slight, as this novel adopts a generally serious tone. Parody is largely limited to the gossipy Mrs. Jenkins, who jumps to wild conclusions about situations she knows nothing about. Though arranged marriage and true love figure prominently in all of Austen's novels, this novel focuses almost exclusivity on the prospects of the two main characters, making it less complex than the novels that followed. Reserved Elinor and exuberant Marianne are expertly drawn, with Edward, Willoughby, and Colonel Brandon (whose lovesick hopes for Marianne are dashed again and again) also engaging creations. Except for the first page or two where the circumstances of the Dashwoods are set up through a series of deaths and relations, possibly causing some confusion, this novel is exceedingly easy to follow for contemporary readers.

This novel is an excellent introduction to Jane Austen's works because of its relative simplicity (though readers should not dismiss it as simple) and the use of typical themes and social situations. Book clubs and students might want to explore the influence of money on nineteenth century British society as well as the meaning of the title as it applies to both the sisters and the other characters. It is also interesting to note both the helplessness and the extraordinary power of women in different circumstances.

Just because this is not Austen's best novel, I could not take away a single star because it is such a delightful book. I highly recommend this novel for all readers.

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19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars The epitome of a perfect novel, August 15, 2004
By K. Huff (New York, NY) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)      
Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility was a wonderful debut from the author who gave us Pride and Prejudice. Here we follow the adventures of the Dashwood sisters as they find love in an class-conscious Regency England.

The Dashwoods, impoverished when their father dies, are forced to live in a small house in the coutry on 500 pounds a year. With such unfortunate pospects as those, it will be difficult for the elder two, Elinor and Marianne, to find good marriage prospects. Marianne finds herself falling in love with the dashing Willoughby, who ends up being not all that he appears. Elinor, the more sensible of the two, falls for Edward Ferras, a match that seems much more suitable. But again, things are not what they seem, in this delicious tale of love. The young women must use their sense to see what is really there, and their sensibility to see what will be (unfortunately, Marianne uses neither, much to the detriment of the family). Colonel Brandon is the unassuming, unlikely hero who falls in love with Marianne and saves her from death.

Having read this book several times, I can safely say that it gets better and better with every reading. I also recommend the 1995 film starring Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet, Hugh Grant, and others.
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars "She Can Never Be More Lost to You than She is Now...", November 11, 2005
By R. M. Fisher "Raye" (New Zealand = Middle Earth!) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   
One thing needs to be made clear before reading this book; the words "sense" and "sensibility" do not mean the same things today as they did in Jane Austen's time. Though `sense' referred to intelligence and the ability to judge situations well, `sensibility' had connotations to having appropriate sensitivity toward moral and artistic issues, linked with the superiority of a person's aesthetical `senses'. As such, there is room for debate over which sister represents which trait, something seemingly obvious from the outset of the book, but which dramatically changes by its conclusion (which amusingly mirrors the ongoing debate over which traits Elizabeth Bennett and Mr Darcy embody in the title of their story "Pride and Prejudice").

"Sense and Sensibility" was Austen's first novel, and as such is considered her weakest by the critics, though this also means it is also the most accessible and easy-to-read novel. First novels are almost always the most amateurish, and as such it is a much simpler work, from the storyline to the sentence structure, which leads to an easier reading experience than her more complex novels ("Emma" and the aforementioned "Pride and Prejudice"). Anyone new to the world of Austen is best to start here as the easiest book with which to ease into her range of novels.

The sisters Elinor and Marianne Dashwood are extreme opposites; oldest sibling Elinor uses her head, whilst the younger Marianne follows her heart; but for all of this, the two are very close. After the death of their father, Elinor and Marianne - along with their mother and younger sister - are forced to give up their comfortable estate to their stepbrother (the product of their father's first marriage) and sister-in-law due to the inheritance law. But before relocating to Barton Cottage, Elinor forms an attachment with Fanny Dashwood's brother Edward Ferrars, a shy and awkward, but good-hearted man. Hoping that her feelings are returned, but unable to make any advances, Elinor travels to Barton Cottage in the hopes that he will return to her there in the near future.

At Barton Cottage, the girls make many new acquaintances, in particular the loud and bustling matriarch Mrs Jennings who is determined to marry the girls off as quickly as can be, and the quiet and gentlemanly Colonel Brandon. As for the romantic and dreamy Marianne, she's fallen hopelessly in love with the dashing John Willoughby after he rescues her from a rainy day and a twisted ankle whilst out walking in the countryside - much to the dismay of the smitten Colonel Brandon. Already concerned at Marianne's overly romantic disillusions, Elinor is concerned at her rather wanton behaviour in the presence of her new beau, but is then has her attention drastically diverted on being introduced to a Miss Lucy Steele who has a secret to share about Edward Ferrars...

The story winds its way through the girls' negotiations with the society they live in, the restrictions held upon them and the individuals which hold power over them - not with the same deftness that Austen displays in later novels, but still with much thought-provoking commentary. The family's plight in being reduced to guests in their own home at Norland, at the mercy of their somewhat dim-witted brother is particularly revealing as to the social injustices of the time, and though the frustrations of the girls' status is never explicitly stated, it is readily evident for anyone willing to read between the lines. At the end of the day, all they have is each other and the fervent hope that they will find both happiness and security in marriage. Their trials in love are perhaps the most heart-rending experiences of any other Austen heroines, (where romances are either touched by irony or poignancy) in the fact that a happy ending is not guaranteed for the sisters and that their future happiness depends on a good match - it particular it is hard not to feel your heart break for Marianne, whose unswerving belief in her own feelings and the raptures of her heart are so cruelly put to the test.

The characters of Elinor and Marianne are utterly irresistible. Elinor is the sort of person you would desperately wish for in your life in order to benefit from her good sense and protective nature, whilst Marianne is utterly charming in her romantic flights of fancy (in fact she's so winsome and dreamy that it's almost a shame when she gains some `sense' at the novel's end - one would have been contented to have her indulge in her dreaming forever). Though the novel is told almost solely through Elinor's eyes, in several ways Marianne is the main protagonist, who goes through the most trials and changes. Whatever your own opinions, the two provide an excellent foil for each other, and at all times the sisterly bond between them is apparent.

There have been so many adaptations of Jane Austen novels throughout the years, though to my mind none is better than Ang Lee's "Sense and Sensibility" starring Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet. As I was reading the novel, I often found myself switching on the DVD in order to compare the two. It is a beautiful film, loyal to the themes, storyline and characters of the novel and in some cases improve upon it, and so comes very highly recommended as a companion piece to Austen's first novel.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars No Nonsense, Sense & Sensibility
First time I read this book was in high school & I fell in love with Jane Austen's writings... then went on to read all of her books. Read more
Published 9 days ago by Judy, Judy, Judy

5.0 out of 5 stars A classic...
I loved this book. I really did.

But it was so SLOW!

Jane Austen's first novel was very slow-paced. It was a wonderful book, but very slow.
Published 21 days ago by Rachel

5.0 out of 5 stars First and Splendid
Many critics tell us that Austen's first novel, Sense and Sensibility, is not her best. So what? I don't compare Austen's books. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Author D. B. Pacini

5.0 out of 5 stars I love the writings of Jane Austen!
I have seen several productions of Sense and Sensibility on DVD which were all good. I decided I wanted to read the book to get the real version. I was not disappointed. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Nell Hanson

5.0 out of 5 stars This is not a review...
...It is a suggestion in the way that you read this book. I suggest attacking this piece of literary masterpiece in a three-pronged maneuver - through reading the book, listening... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Kimberly Wallis

5.0 out of 5 stars ONE OF MY ALL TIME FAVORITES
I thought that after all these years I might as well pitch in and give my two cents worth in regard to one of my favorite authors. Read more
Published 5 months ago by D. Blankenship

5.0 out of 5 stars Irrisistable Restrained Prose (As Always) By Austen
Austen's "Sense and Sensibility" concentrates upon life in the Dashwood family and the relationship of two sisters, particularly in reference to the amorous events in their lives... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Scott Forbes

5.0 out of 5 stars "Sense and Sensibility" - a must-read
One of the best things you can do for yourself is to read or reread one of Jane Austen's books. Any one will do, if it's for the first time or the 25th. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Kirstine Aaen

5.0 out of 5 stars Loving Tension and a Fine Balance
Jane Austen's comforting classic is based on the dichotomous relationship between reason (Elinor) and emotion (Marianne). Read more
Published 11 months ago by John Sollami

4.0 out of 5 stars Elinor and Marianne....What great sisters!
The dual natures of these sisters is what truly makes this novel special. Their natural differences and their abilities in the end to overcome their inborn instincts demonstrate... Read more
Published 12 months ago by HardyBoy64

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