Sense and Sensibility

Sense and Sensibility is a novel by Jane Austen, published in 1811. It was published anonymously; By A Lady appears on the cover page where the author's name might have been. It tells the story of the Dashwood sisters, Elinor and Marianne, both of age to marry. The title of the book refers to the character of each sister, though the words sense and sensibility held different meanings in early 19th century England. 'Sense' referred to intelligence and 'Sensibility' to the emotions, and though each sister embodies one of these characteristics, Austen is artistically vague about which belongs to whom. The novel follows the young women to their new home with their widowed mother, a meagre cottage on the property of a distant relative, where they experience love, romance and heartbreak. The novel is set in southwest England, London and Sussex between 1792 and 1797. The novel sold out its first print run of 750 copies in the middle of 1813, marking a success for its author, who then had a second print run later that year. The novel continued in publication throughout the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries. Jane Austen (1775-1817) is one of the best known and widely read English novelists out there, and her 1811 book Sense and Sensibility, which she signed anonymously "A Lady," was the book that kicked off her career. It focuses on Elinor and Marianne, sisters who are left impoverished after their father Mr. Dashwood dies, whose estate goes to his son. They move to a cottage on a relative's property where there are boys in the mix: the shy Edward and the dashing Willougby. Romance and heartbreak ensue.