Formosa Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (FJMR)

Vol.1, No.4, 2022: 1099-1112

Dynamics of Characters Elinor and Marianne in Austen’s Sense

and Sensibility
Nur Sapta Riskiawati1*, Muh Fauzi Razak2
Universitas Handayani Makassar
Corresponding Author: Nur Sapta Riskiawati, [email protected]

ARTICLEINFO ABSTRACT
Keywords: Dynamic, Structuralis In the author‟s works, some of their work are mostly
m, Biography inspired by the environment around them. In this resea
rch, the writer focuses to search the dynamic character
in the novel Sense and Sensibility and comparing the
situation from Austen‟s experiences and the characters
Received : 10 August
Revised : 13 August from the novel. The writer uses dynamic structuralism
Accepted: 28 August approach to analyze the intrinsic elements of the novel
and biography approach to analyze the background of
©2022 Riskiawati, Razak : This is an author‟s life. Based on the results of this analysis, Jane
open-access article distributed under the Austen created the dynamic of the character become so
terms of the Creative Commons Atribusi real and live. In this novel, the characters Elinor and
4.0 Internasional. Mariane have important role in the novel and have
similarity with the writer4. The writer sums up that
Sense and Sensibility is one of the famous novels that
has good literary values. The reader can learn much
about life, moral, love and loyality from this novel.

DOI prefik: 10.55927 1099

( ISSN-E: 2829-8896
https://journal.formosapublisher.org/index.php/fjmr
Riskiawati, Razak

INTRODUCTION

In literature, the authors‟ works are mostly inspired by the environment

around them. The atmosphere and the situation also become important aspects
in creating their masterpiece. Thus, when an author writes the novel, he or she
writes his or her experiences, or what the author had gone through in his or her
life, or the condition of his environment.
A literature in any form is an author creation, which uses language as it
is principal means of expression. In other words, readers will see and know
about the world through literaty work. Literary works cover the whole aspect
of life. Literature is like a window of the world. Everything from every part of
the world may be revealed in literature. The existence of literature in society has
an important role. Literature expresses everything about the author‟s life with
his/her problems. Since literature is an expression of society, it depicts some
aspects of social reality. Studying literaty works will help readers to have better
understanding of life, environment and culture. One literary work is a novel,
which is created from either one‟s natural experiences or imaginative thoughts.
Literary work and human life are difficult to be seperated. Literaty work tells
about life, and life is an inspiration for an author to produce a literaty work.
Literature is divided into three parts: poetry, prose, and drama; they all are
product society. They are developed according to the development of their
respective society and they even become a part of society.
literature is an expression of society...If it assumes that literature, at any
given time, mirrors the current social situation „correctly‟ it is false: it is
commomplace, write and vogue if it means only that literature mirrors or
expresses life is even more ambigous. A writer inevitable expresses his
experience and total conception of life; but it would manifestly untrue to say
that he expresses the whole life or even life of given time completely and
exhaustively. (Wellek and Warren, 1989:20)
From the statement above, it can be understood that literary works
potray human activities which include social life. Jane austen is the writer if
sense and sensibility who considers her society as an object of her works. She
was seven of the eight children of George and Cassandra Austen. Although she
was from sizable family, Jane was closest to her sister Cassandra. Her story has
remained somewhat of a mystery and the clues to capture the essence of Jane
Austen‟s life in the main characters of the novels and the society to which she
belonged.
Jane Austen herself lived in romantic period, which generally dated
around 1780-1830. Romantic writers are concerned with certain elements, which
include nature, imagination and emotion. Austen concerns with balancing the
needs of society with needs of the individual and she casts a critical eye on the
extremism of a movement known as the sentimentalist, which has much in
common with the Romantics.
Sense and Sensibility involved with complexities of finding true love. This
story focuses on strong and capable women, and it canters in two heroines, two
sisters, who are opposite in nature. Elinor, the eldest sister, represent “sense”
and good judgment. She is a practical woman who feels deeply, but is vigilant

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in keeping her emotion in check. She understands that the needs of the
individual cannot run roughshod over the needs of society. Marianne, on the
other hand, has an “excess sensibility”, fully embodies the romantic soul. She
feels that to repress any emotion is damaging to the self. We can see that the
figure of Jane Austen was reflected in her main charaters in her novel Sense and
Sensibility.
In this research, the researcher uses dynamic structuralism approach to
analyze the intrinsic elements of the novel and biography approach to analyze
the background of author‟s life. Structuralism views that to observe literary
works objectively should be based on literary text itself. Literature works in
turn identical with biographies, statements author regarded as a truth,
biography represents work. Therefore, the biographic approach indeed is part
of historical writing as a historiography.
There are several studies that feature Jane Austen‟s Sense and Sensibility
in its analysis as its object. Mutmainnah (2003) wrote a thesis entitled Reflection
of 18th century society in the main characters of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility.
Her thesis uses literature review, theoretical approach, and structural devices of
a novel. Based on her writing to explain about social and cultural background,
and women appreciation and marriage in the eighteenth century in England.
Febri Nugrahayu (2003) wrote a thesis entitled Tema dalam novel Sense and
Sensibility karya Jane Austen. Her thesis uses structuralism approach based on
her writing to describe the theme of the novel. As result, her thesis explains
about the condition in english society that is influenced the characters Elinor
and Marriane Dashwood.
One of the approaches that will be used in order to analyze the Sense and
Sensibility is a dynamic structuralism approach. In the study of modern
literature, we identify a number of terms that stick closely to the word
"structural", classical structuralism, formal structuralism, genetic structuralism,
and dynamic structuralism. Dynamic structuralism is a view that grew as a
result of a relatively lengthy process, an understanding of the historical
background becomes important.
Structuralism views that to observe literary works objectively should be
based on literary text itself. Research on them let directed at those parts in
supporting literary as a whole, and conversely that the whole comprises the
parts. This view is a reaction to a romantic and “mimisis” view that literary
works is an artificial objects on its outside, and therefore, the assessment
emphasizes in expressive aspect, namely to consider the author's biography and
birth history of a literary work. Then in Russia appears pragmatism that
emphasizes content and function of a literary work in its social life
relationships.
Structuralism is a method to own views and high flexibility, to adapt
flexibility to share that happened to him later reaction, which has produced the
so-called dynamic structuralism, or within the framework of semiotic
structuralism, the attention to works of literature as a sign system (Pradopo,
2003: 125 ).

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The study of literary works based on dynamic structuralism is the study of the
semiotic frame. That is, literature works is considered as a system of signs. As a
sign, literary works have two functions. The first is autonomous, is not pointing
beyond itself; informational a second nature, that convey thoughts, feelings,
ideas. Grasping each other's second nature, as a structure, literature works are
always dynamic.
In conclusion, if applied dynamic structuralism in literary studies, the
researcher needs to explain the relationship between author, realness, works of
literature, and readers. It is important to see the author through his words as
carriers of meaning in the structure through his words as carriers of meaning
into the literary structure. On the part of the reader is as interpreter for the
meanings. Always second-sourced at a convention that was held cultural
conventions and occurs as conceived in reality.
The intent of the writer to use the author's biographical approach is to
find the relationship between the author and his work. In this case writer will
also explain a little about the biography of the author to reveal how far the
background of the author‟s life reflected in his novel.
Biographical approach is a systematic study of the process of creativity.
Creator‟s subjects considered as the origin of the literary work, meaning of a
literary therefore relatively similar to the purpose, intent, message, and even
some purposes the author. The study needs a biography of author, the
important of author documents, the pictures and author‟s writing. The
statement of author is a real biography. Therefore, biography‟s author is a part
of history‟s writing as biography analysis. According to Rene Wellek and
Austen Warren:
Biography can be judged in relation to the light it throws on the actual
production of poetry but we can, of course, defend it and justify it as a study of
the man of genius, of his moral, intellectual, and emotional development, which
has its own intrinsic interest ; and finally, we can think of biography as
affording materials for a systematic study of the psychology of the poet and of
the poetic and process. (1989:82)
Literature works in turn identical with biographies, statements author
regarded as a truth, biography represents work. Therefore, the biographic
approach indeed is part of historical writing as a historiography.
Author itself is more successfully to characterize the communities in which they
live, living within his own experience. Therefore, the creative activity relations
to the authors distinguish three kinds:

1. Author based on direct experience.

2. Author who has written based on the skill in regrouping elements of

storytelling.

3. Author who has written based on the strength of imagination.

The process of creativity generally based on the combination in factors

above. According to Rene Wellek and Austen Warren:

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These three points of view should be carefully distinguished. For our

conception of “literary scholarship” only the first thesis, that biography
explains and illuminates the actual product of poetry, is directly relevant. The
second point of view, which advocates the intrinsic interest of biography, shifts
the center of attention of human personality. The third considers biography as
material for a science of future science, the psychology of artistic creation.
(1989:82)
Biography is sedimentation of past experiences, both personal, as
experience individually and collectively, as the inter-subjective experience at
certain times will come again.
In each of the individual elements contained different but
interconnected, that is both physical and spiritual elements, elements of intellect
and emotionality, collective individual consciousness. In practical day-to-day
life, the author has a high position. Authorship thus associated with spiritual
qualities, such as intellectual and emotionality, and spiritual moral, didactic
and ideological generally assumed as a positive characteristic. Author in this
case is considered having double functions, competency in reconstructing the
structure of language as a medium, thus propping up the stability of the social
structure.

METHODOLOGY

Method of collecting data

In applying this method, the writer uses library research method which
utilazing all the references which came in useful to encourage his thesisi,
especially the data which came from novel his self. Besides, some of theories are
taken from internet, books, article, or paper which relate with topic to support
her thesis.

Primary Data

In primary data, the writer reads the novel Sense and Sensibility and
identifies the main problem. Then the writer decides what the main problem or
problems are and formulate statement of these problems. Besides the above, the
writer also finds new words and difficult words to include in her thesis.

Secondary data

In secondary data, the writer gathers the data through the previous
analyzing relates to the title the writer chooses. The information is found from
another thesis which discusses the Dynamics of several characters and explain
the relationship between the biography of the author and the dynamic
characters in the novel.

Method of analysis data

The analysis is done by applying dynamic structuralism approach and

biographical appraoch . this is used to analyze the explain the influence of both

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individual and biography of Jane Austen main characters. This approach had
been describe in chapter two.

FINDINGS

The writer in this chapter uses the dynamic strucrturalism and

biographical approaches to answer the identification of problem that is states in
the first chapter of the thesis. First, the writer will explain the function of
biographical approach, and in this biographical approach, the writer will
compare the several characters in the novel with the author‟s biography.

The characters in Austen‟s Sense and Sensibility has close connection with the
characters and the author. The characters are called dynamic because each
character in the novel that Austen wrote is always different and changed in the
end of the story. Biography of the author which is the writer will present life
history of the author in her Era. Biography analysis has the significant roles in
applying the facts and the fiction of the story.

The biography analysis focuses on the Austen‟s life in her era and the
writer will present her biography, includes her family and the people around
her in England. The writer finds that the characters in this fiction also have
connection with the author‟s life and for this reason the writer is determined to
identify the relation between the characters in the fiction with Jane Austen‟s life.

A. Intrinsic Elements
In intrinsic Elements of the novel, the writer will only analyze two
characters, because the characters are the important elements that need to be
explained and ilustrated by the writer.
Every character in the novel has different roles, acts, habits and
behaviors. The writer only describes two characters, the symbol of the title
Elinor and Marianne. Both of the characters that describe in the novel are called
the dynamic characters which is caused by the change of condition.
Dynamic characters called dynamic because almost every character in the
story of the novel has process and change of their lives. The writer will focus on
that change process and will analyze that.

1. Elinor Dashwood
Elinor is the main character in Sense and Sensibility, who represents sense in
the story which is defined as understanding in the novel. Elinor always
understands others‟ problems and she always put herself after the others. She
lives in Norland Park. She is nineteen years old, and she is the eldest daughter
of the Dashwood family as it is stated in citation below:
Elinor, this eldest daughter, whose advice was so affectual, possessed a
strength of understanding, and coolness of judgment, which qualified her,
though only nineteen, to be the counsellor of her mother, and enabled her
frequently to counteract, to the advantage of them all, that eagerness of mind in
Mrs. Dashwood which must generally have led to imprudence (Austen :21)

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Although Elinor is only nineteen years old, she already looks mature than her
age. Once, Elinor finds out that her mother does not get a proper share of his
father‟s inheritance from John Dashwood who is the heir that already promised
to his father to share the inheritance with Elinor‟s mother,she gives some
advices and helps her mother to think deeply about the solution of the problem.
It is seen in this following statement:
“Elinor saw with concern, the excess of her sister‟s sensibility, they
encouraged each other now in the violence of their affliction. The agony of grief
which overpowered them at first, was voluntarily renewed, was shought for,
was created again and again. They gave themselves up wholly to their sorrow,
seeking increase of wretchedness in every reflection that could afford it, and
resolved against ever admitting consolation in future. Elinor, too was deeply
afflicted; but still she could struggle, she could exert herself. She could consult
with her brother, could receive her sister-in-law on her arrival, and treat her
with proper attention; and could strive to rouse her mother to similiar exertion,
and encourage her to similar forbearance” (Austen :22)
Elinor admires Edward, but sheholds that feeling because she thinks that
the difference of their social status is going to be a problem since Edward is in
higher social status than Elinor. As it is described in this following statement:

“I am by no means assured of his regard for me there moments when the

extent of it seems doubtful, and till this sentiments are fully known you can not
wonder at my wishing to avoid any encouragement of my own partiality.... In
my heart I feel little – scarely any doubt to be considered besides his inclination.
He is very far from being independent. What his mother really is we cannot
know; but, from fanny‟s occasional mention of her conduct and opinions, we
have never been disposed to think her amiable; and I am very much mistaken if
Edwarrd is not himself aware that there would be many difficulties in his way,
if he were to wish to marry a woman who had not either a great fortune or high
rank” (Austen :42)

Another reason that caused Elinor‟s doubt to has feeling for Edward is
the fact that his mother wants him to have an equal marriage, his mother wants
him to marry a woman from the same status.
She took the first oppurtunity of affronting her mother-in-law on the
occasion, talking to her so expressively of her brother”s great expectation of
Mrs. Ferras resolution that both son should marry well, and of the danger
attending any young woman who attempted to draw him (Austen :44)
Elinor‟s status as a daughter of the second wife of his father's prevent her
to accept a proper inheritance. Distant relative of her mother, Sir John
Middleton invited them to move to Barton cottages. Elinor, her mother and her
two sisters had to move to Barton Cottage because Mrs. Dashwood, Elinor‟s
mother is uncomfortable in his own home by John's wife, Fanny, who replace
Elinor‟s mother‟s position. Here is shown the maturity of Elinor that become the
support for her mother and Marianne. In this Barton Cottage, Elinor met Lucy
Steele. Lucy Steele, close relatives of Sir Middleton who told Elinor that she

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have been engaged with Edward covertly for four years. It hurts Elinor very
much, but she does not show her pain to her mother and Marianne. She does
not show her shocked and distressed feeling to her mother or Marianne.
Her astonishment at what she heard was at first too great for words. But
at length forcing herself to speak cautiously, she said calmness of manner which
tolerable well concealed her surprise and solicitude (Austen :198)
Elinor believes Edward chose to be engaged with Lucy was his childish
decision. She thinks that Edward was unhappy when he had the relationship
with Lucy Steele that he spend their whole time together. Elinor was confused
what made edward wanted to be Lucy as it is shown in Elinor‟s statement
bellow:

What had he look forward to? Could he ever be tolerable happy with
steele? Could he were his affection for herself out of the question, with
integrity, his delicacy, and well-informed mind, be satisfied with a wife like her
– illiterate, artful and selfish (Austen : 207)
Elinor is a really patient, to hear all Lucy engagement story, but Elinor
always controls her emotion and remain calm to face all Lucy‟s bad habits and
behaviour upor her.
One time, there is a servant who hears the rumors that Mr. Ferras is
married to Lucy Steele. However, Elinor still can keep emotional feeling in
hearing that news. But, Edward suddenly comes to her and tells her the truth of
that rumour that he actually does not love Lucy and the only woman that he
ever loves is Elinor. He comes to Elinor and tells her that Lucy is not married to
him, but Lucy is married to his young brother, Robert. Elinor is happy to hear
about that.

“Perhaps you do not know you may not have heard that my brother is lately
married to-to the younges-to Miss Lucy Steele” (Austen :519)

Edward asking Elinor to marry him, and Elinor agrees. Finally, she is
married to Edward, a man was her first love. Elinor, then, lives with Edward at
coloner Brandon‟s estate. Although, at first, his mother against his decision to
marry Elinor, she agrees and give him a thousand pounds in the end. The
money that Edward‟s mother gave is much more than what Edward and Elinor
expected.
His Errand at Barton, in fact, was a simple one. It was only to ask Elinor to
marry him; and considering that he was not altogether inexperienced in such a
question, it might be strange that he should feel so uncomfortable in the present
case as he really did, so much in need of encouragement and fresh air (Austen
:521)

2. Marianne Dashwood

Marianne is also a main character in the novel. She is described as a sensitive

woman. She is sixteen years old. She is very beautiful and interesting woman.
She has dark eyes and brown skin.

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Miss Dashwood had delicate complexion, regular feature; and remarkably

pretty figure, Marianne was still handsomer, her form thought not so correct as
her sister‟s in having the advantaged of height, was more strinkinng, and her
face was so lovely, that when in common cant praise, as she was called a
beautiful girl, her skin was very brown, but from its transparency, her features
were all good, her smile was sweet and attractive; and in her eyes which were
very dark, there was life, spirit and eargeness, which could hardly be seen
without delight (Austen :76)

She is interested in music and novel. When Colonel Brandon falls in love
with her, she tells him that Colonel Brandon is too old for her. She also thinks
that colonel Brandon is not a romantic man.

“You cannot deny the absurdity of the accusation, though you may not
think it intentionally ill-natured. Colonel Brandon is certainly younger
than Mrs. Jennings, but he is old enough to be my father; and if he were
ever animated enough to be in love, must have long outlived every
sensation of the kind. It is to ridiculous! When is a man to be safe from
such wit, if age and infirmity will not protect him?” (Austen :64)

It is rain and Marianne meets John Willoughby on her way. He helps

Marianne when she falls and hurts her ankle. John Willoughby the next owner
of Allenham Court, is handsome, elegant and interesting. Marriane is very
interested to him. Marianne is soon capativated by Willoughby, who comes to
Borton Cottage everyday. Marianne and Willoughby are findly in love to each
other. Marianne wants to know about him and they have the similarity in taste
music, dance, and novel.
“It is evident, in spite of his frequent attention to her while she draws,
that in fact he knows nothing of the matter. He admires as a lover, not as a
connoisseur. To satisfy me, those characters mu be united. I could not be happy
with a man who taste did not in my every point coincidence in my own. He
must enter into all my feelings; the same books; the same music must charm us
both” (Austen :37)
Sometimes Marianne is very impulsive, and itbecomes her weakness
when Willoughby goes to London without saying anything to her before,she
really suffers when she feels the absence of willoughby ruins her life and give
rise to some problems in her life. Her family has guessed that they have
engaged, but Marianne hides the truth from her family.
Marianne would have though herself very inexcusable and she has been
able to sleep at all at the first night after parting from Willoughby, she
was awake the whole night and she wept the greatest part of it, and
unwilling to take any nourishment; giving pain every moment to her
mother and sisters and forbiding them all attempt to consolation from
either. Her sensibility was potent enough (Austen :130)

The time goes on and the Willoughby‟s letter does not come to her. Mrs.
Jennings invites her to spend her time in London. Marianne is eager to go,

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because she expects to see her lover, Willoughby, there she always send the
letter to him but he never replies it, and it makes her disappointed.

The evening was by no means more productive of pleasure to her than

Elinor, for it was spent in all the anxiety of expectation and she pain of
disappoinment. She sometimes endeavoured for a few minutes to readm but
the book was thrown side and she returned to the more interesting employment
of walking backwards and forwards across the room, pausing for a moment
whenever she came to the window, in hopes of distinguishing the long
expected-rap (Austen :242)

Willoughby ignores Marianne, and he says to people that he has never

proposed Marianne.Willoughby refuses to marry her and he proposes the rich
woman instead. Willoughby has the long engagement and assumes that
Marianne only for his entertainment. He plays Marianne‟s heart and feeling.

“By all the world, rather than by his own heart. I could not believe every
creature of my aquintance leagued together to ruin me in his opinion than
believe in his nature capable of such cruely. Thus woman of whom he writes –
who ever she be or any one, in short, but your own dearself, mamma, and
Edward, may have been so barbarous to believe me, beyond you three, is there
a creature in the world rather suspect of evil than Willoughby, whose heart I
know so well?” (Austen :272)

Realizing this, Marianne gets sick, it is called Pneumonia and it cause her
almost died. After she recovers, she starts to realize that she cannot be together
with Willoughby. She realizes that Willoughby never tells the truth of his
feeling to Marianne. She also realizes that people around her will be sick by this
problem and it makes her really sad. Marianne feels sad and she wants to be
like Elinor who becomes the supportes for others, and she does not really
follow his feelings to hurt people around her.

“My illnes has made me think – it had given me leisure and calmness for
seriuos recollection. Long before I was enough recovered to talk, I was perfectly
able to reflect. I consoder the past; i saw in my own behavior, since the
beginning of our aquaintance with him last autumn, nothing but a series
imprudence towards myself, and want of kindness to others. I saw that my
feelings had prepared my suffering, and that my want of fortitude under them
had almost led to the grave. Everybody seemed injuried by me” (Austen :498)

At least, she appreciate Colonel Brandon at his true worth and married
to him she feels happy because she is fully loved and her whole heart becomes
only one to be devote to her, as it has been to Willoughby.

-- In this section the writer is determined to compare the background of Jane

Austen family with the background of the characters family.
Sense and Sensibility novel tells you a very strong relationship between
Elinor and Marianne. Elinor is very close to Marianne, Marianne is a strong

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silent type and able to keep her feelings while Marianne is the opposite.
Marianne is an extrovert girl and has a strong character but selfish.
Marianne's abilities were, in many respects, quite equal to Elinor's. She was
sensible and clever; eager but in everything: her Sorrows, her joys, could have
no moderation. She was generous, amiable, interesting: she was everything but
prudent. The resemblance between her and her mother was Strikingly great
(Austen: 22)
But because of this opposing character, Elinor and Marianne was able to
complete each other. But in the end, Merriane wanted to follow Elinor‟s
character that can understand and is always concerned with the people around
her.
"They have borne more than our conduct. Do not, my dearest Elinor,
your kindness defend what I know your judgment must censure. "(Austen: 498)

Biography

In this part, the writer will try to connect the similarity between the novel
and the author‟s biography. The writer will sees elements from author‟s family,
education and love live.

1. Family

Similarly, Jane Austen is very close to Cassandra, Austen's brother.

Cassandra is the fifth child while Jane Austen was the 7th child. Jane and
Cassandra are very close each other because he is the only sister of Jane Austen
whom is also not married.
he was the second daughter and seventh child in a family of eight: six boys
and two girls. Her closest companion was her elder sister, Cassandra, who also
remained unmarried. Their father was a scholar who encouraged the love of
learning in his children. His wife, Cassandra (née Leigh), was a woman of ready
wit, famed for her impromptu verses and stories. The great family amusement
was acting (Encyclopedia Britannica Micropedia vol.1 2003:709)
Sense and sensibility, Jane Austen also tells about a family whose father has
died and their lives become uncertain. This Sense and Sensibility novel was the
first Jane Austen‟s novel published in 1811. Jane Austen's father died in 1805.
Jane Austen did not directly describe her life after her father gone, the family
itself is uncertain. In 1801, Jane Austen's father retired to bath with his wife and
daughters. This is where the life of Jane Austen in trouble, family moved from
one place to others for a few years and getting worse by the time her father
died. But after novel sense and sensibility published, this novel has a positive
response from the readers and make Jane Austen stayed in the village of
chawton along with his mother.
Up to this time the tenor of life at Steventon rectory had been propitious for
Jane Austen‟s growth as a novelist. This estable environment ended in 1801,
however, when George Austen, then aged 70, retired to Bath his wife and
daughters. For eight years Jane had to put up with a succession of temporary
lodgings or visits to relatives, in Bath, London, Clifton, Waswickshire, and,
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finally, Syouthampton, where the three women lived from 1805 to 1809. In 1804
Jane began The Watson but soon abandoned it. In 1804 her dearest friend, Mrs.
Anne Lefroy, died suddenly, and in January 1805 her father died in Bath
(Encyclopedia Britannica Micropedia vol.1 2003:709)

2. Education

Here, the writer will compare the background of Jane Austen Education
with the background of the characters Education.
Marianne and Elinor are very rarely out of the house, Marianne is a smart girl.
Very smart to play the piano and just learned it at home. Similarly, Jane Austen
can be seen from her works, a smart woman but has the same habits that have
spent only a time at home. Even formal education of Marianne and Elinor also
be done at home, as well as Jane Austen is also undergoing formal education at
home.
Her formal education began in about 1782, when the sisters were sent to
be totured by a Mrs. Cawlet at oxford and in 1783 or 1784, they move to Abbey
school, reading where they remained until about 1787. Thereafter, their
education continued at home. This was no deprivation, as the household at the
rectory was unusually gifted, and it is difficult to imagine circumstance in
which Jane Austen‟s genius could have better developed (Encyclopedia
Britannica Micropedia vol.1 2003:709)
Jane Austen habit who always spends his time at home resulting in
extensive interaction with the outside world. So most of the novel is only about
a particular area. But this Sense and Sensibility novel, Jane Austen mentions
several other places, such as Barton Cottage is located in Devonshire, but
Devonshire is only a small area so not much is gained there, so the place would
just be a place to meet new characters. Jane Austen also tells the story of
London, it is because there are many references about the city that she got by a
letter from some acquaintances.
Thus, although Jane austen‟s early life was unmomentous and at a distance
from the social and political unpheavals of the time, a lively and affectionate
family circle provided a stimulating contextfor her writing. Moreover, her
experience was carried far beyond steventn rectory by an extensive network
relationships by blood and friendship. It was this world-of the minor landed
gentry and the country clergy, in the village, the neighbourhood, and the
country town, with occasional visits Bath and to London that she was to use in
the settings, characters, and subject matter of her novels (Encyclopedia
Britannica Micropedia vol.1 2003:709)

3. Love life

The writer is determined to compare the background of Jane Austen love

life with the background of the characters‟ love lives.
Jane Austen's works are famous after its female role domination as the major
character. Jane Austen's tendency to show a female character as the main
character in her novel maybe because Jane Austen is a woman, so she

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understand women's issues in her time, about hopes and dreams for a husband
and wanted to get a decent life later.
Themes in her works, mostly, are about women problem who are trying to
obtain a happy marriage, the problem of finding a husband written by Jane
Austen is a woman should love the man and have proper income. Perhaps the
reason why Jane Austen is always writing a novel that every female lead role in
the story or the novel has a happy ending as marry a man who could make her
character happy, we can assume that Jane Austen wanted to make people who
read the novel that he wrote to change their views about women who can get
married or choose their own spouses. This is because at the time of Jane
Austen's life, a man who can dominate for choosing a partner than women.
Her repeated fable of a young woman's voyage to self-discovery on the
passage through love to marriage focuses upon Easily recognizable aspects of
life. It is this concentration upon character and personality and upon the
tensions between her heroines and their society her novels that relates more
closely to the modern world than to the tradition of the 18th century. It is this
modernity, together with the wit, realism, and timelessness of her prose style;
her shrews amused sympathy; and the satisfaction to be found in stories so
skillfully told, in so beautifully constructed novels, that helps to explain her
continuing appeal for readers of all kinds. Modern critics remain commanding
fascinated by the structure and organization of the novels, by the triumphs of
technique that enabled the writer to lay bare the tragicomedy of existence
roomates in stories of the events and settings are apparently so ordinary and so
circumscribed (Encyclopedia Britannica Micropedia vol.1 2003:710)
Jane Austen never married all her life, she had accepted the proposal of a man
but the next day Jane Austen cancelled the engagement. There were also some
men who touted ever closer to Jane Austen, that Jane Austen ever in love
because most of Jane Austen‟s novel are about romance.
In 1802 it seems Likely that Jane agreed to marry Harris Bigg-Wither, the
21-year-old heir of a Hampshire family; but the next morning she changed her
mind. There are also a number of mutually contradictory stories connecting her
with someone whom she fell in love but who died very soon after. Since
Austen's novels are so deeply concerned with love and Marriage, there is some
point in attempting to establish the facts of these relationships (Encyclopedia
Britannica Micropedia vol.1 2003:709)
Jane Austen herself has a charming personality and sense of humor, so
there is always element of comedy in her novel. In this novel, there are Mr. And
Mrs. Middleton, her mother's relatives, their character are cute and humorist
personality.

An attractive and witty woman, Jane Austen (Emma 1966:3)

After studying and trying to see the relationship between the

background of the author and his work, the author comes to a conclusion, as
has been discussed previously at the beginning of the conversation that author
walks of life are very influential on the development of the idea of the

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formation of character in the Sense and Sensibility novel, Jane Austen seen
placing the characters that play a role in the story according to her own view of
the outside world that she had seen so far, and also can live the life that she
describes in the character in this Sense and Sensibility novel.

CONCLUSION

By reading the novel Sense and Sensibility we can find many things about
life. The reader can learn about love, patience, marriage, and social status. Jane
Austen‟s works are full of imagination of life as people can really feel the
experience of all events she has written.
Jane Austen has presented the examples that reflect activities, and
attitudes of character like dynamics character. Particularly the woman‟s life and
her heroines. They are fully occupied with problems including marriage and
family. On the other hand, she has expose the woman‟s life in her time but in
fact, it still exist in our society at present.
After analyzing the novel Sense and Sensibility, the writer can concludes
that essentially every individual has desire and hopes in her or his life. There
are two main characters play their roles in the novel, namely, Elinor Dashwood.
Elinor is a 19 years old girl who is sensible, good judgement but she keep her
emotion from making an objective and rational decisions in her life, while
Marianne is the opposite character from her sister where she has much affection
and relies on her sense in dealing with her surroundings which she can exposed
easily. These characters reveal different manners, behavior, which then going
through its evolution by their experiences in love and life from the lovers and
people around them.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Austen, Jane. 1996. Sense and Sensibility, Sydney: The Book Company.

Encyclopedia Britannica Micropedia, vol.1. 2003. Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc

Febri Nugrahayu. 2003. Tema dalam novel Sense and Sensibility karya Jane Austen.
UNHAS: Skripsi

Mutmainnah. 2003. Reflection of 18th century society in the Main Characters of Jane
Austen‘s Sense and Sensibility. UNHAS : Skripsi.

Pradopo, Rachmad Djoko. 2003. Prinsip-Prinsip Kritik Sastra. Yogyakarta: Gajah

Mada University Press.

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