by Jane Austen
A drawing room of the time.
[From K. Warren Clouston, The Chippendale Period in English Furniture (New York, 1897), p. 149]
[List of Illustrations]
VOLUME I, CHAPTER XV
1. The employment could refer to minor household duties: with only three servants they would have to perform some household tasks. Jane Austen, in a similar situation with her sister and her mother, had a few responsibilities, including supervision of kitchen stores. The serious work of cooking and cleaning was still left to the servants.
2. Gentlemen were often accompanied by servants. In this case, the servant may be his groom, who would take care of the curricle’s horses.
3. Women generally carried handkerchiefs then. Jane Austen’s House Museum in Chawton, England, possesses a handkerchief of Jane Austen’s sister, embroidered by Jane herself.
4. Willoughby immediately reverts to his own feelings of distress, just as his parting words below refer to not tormenting himself longer by remaining. He never speaks of Marianne’s obvious sufferings, which he has just witnessed.
5. This could mean some financial or legal business of Mrs. Smith’s; such business, even for people who lived in the country, was often conducted in London. The phrase is sufficiently vague to provide a good all-purpose rationale for leaving.
6. London would be a considerable distance to travel from Devonshire: a later journey by other characters takes more than two days (this page).
7. idea: thought.
8. “Friend” then often included relatives.
9. Presumably Mrs. Smith might be offended by his staying with the Dashwoods rather than with her.
10. The reason for Willoughby’s confusion will be revealed later (this page).
11. backwardness: reluctance, hesitation.
12. This replicates the behavior of Marianne and Mrs. Dashwood after the death of Mr. Dashwood (this page).
13. This probably means needlework, which was often called simply “work” because it was such a central task of women.
14. owned: acknowledged.
15. Elinor’s suspicion of Willoughby’s inexplicable behavior will eventually be confirmed.
16. People often had ambitious views, or expectations, for their children or heirs. This was seen earlier with the expectations of Edward by his mother and sister. In Mrs. Smith’s case, she could be hoping that Willoughby will marry a wealthy or socially prominent woman, which Marianne is not.
17. connection: engagement. The term was often used then in this way, a sign of how much marriage was seen as a linking of families.
18. Willoughby’s inability to meet his current expenses, not to mention the greater expense of supporting a wife, would require him to maintain Mrs. Smith’s favor so that she does not disinherit him.
19. apology: justification, explanation.
20. inadvertence: inattention, carelessness.
21. candid: fair, generous.
22. The prevailing rules of society, which Elinor endorses, stated that an unmarried man and woman should avoid open or effusive displays of affection in order to keep them, especially her, from dangerously committing their hearts before being certain of the other’s commitment. Once they are engaged, however, they should proclaim the fact clearly to others, ensuring that neither would be able to renounce the agreement without suffering censure or other serious social consequences.
23. Willoughby and Marianne have known each other approximately a month (see chronology, this page); hence, according to Mrs. Dashwood’s calculation, it was around the halfway point of their acquaintance that the signs of his love became unmistakable.
24. For a man to indicate, whether by word or deed, that he loved a woman was in effect to announce his engagement. Normally a man would never tell a woman explicitly of his love until the actual proposal.
25. The prevailing belief was that young people had the right to court, within certain limits, and to make their own marital choice, but parental consent was still needed before an engagement was final. This is why Elinor emphasizes that neither of them has spoken to Mrs. Dashwood. Usually the man made a formal request to the woman’s father, or mother if no father existed. Mrs. Dashwood understands the general rule, but, happy to dispense with formalities, she is willing to consider Willoughby’s prior behavior as a sufficient request.
26. should: would.
27. If they were not engaged, Willoughby’s behavior would be wretched, since he has given clear signs of intending to marry Marianne. Thus he would have been toying with both her heart and her reputation, since he has also signaled his intentions to their circle of friends.
28. A strict and universally understood rule in this society was that unmarried men and women, unless linked by family ties, could never correspond without being engaged. A critical reason was to prevent illicit love affairs, the same type of consideration that forbade prolonged personal contact away from the presence and supervision of others.
29. She speaks of an altar because by law all marriages had to be performed in an Anglican church (except for those of Quakers and Jews, which would not be pertinent here).
30. feeling: tenderness, compassion.
31. ungenerous: ignoble.
32. illiberal: narrow-minded.
33. Elinor’s hesitation to pronounce judgment contrasts with Marianne, who is quick to judge others and to condemn those with a different outlook.
34. This was an important principle in this society: people’s reputation was considered a vital clue to their character. But that principle is vitiated in this case by the lack of discernment and discriminating standards of those who are most likely to have known Willoughby long—Sir John, Lady Middleton, and Mrs. Jennings. Colonel Brandon would be a more reliable judge, but there is no indication that he had any contact with Willoughby prior to this visit to the Middletons. Moreover, Willoughby himself said he stayed at Allenham only a limited time each year, so even those resident here have not had continual opportunities to observe and evaluate him.
35. prosperously: favorably, auspiciously.
36. distance: distance in time.
37. representations: explanations, arguments.
38. The careful parallel construction of this sentence, in which each of the three clauses has a succession of the same basic parts of speech, strongly echoes the language of one of Jane Austen’s favorite writers, Samuel Johnson. There are a number of such examples in this novel, more than in almost any other; one reason may be that this is probably her most didactic novel, and much of Johnson’s corpus consists of moral essays in which he enunciates general principles of conduct, including many with a strong affinity to Elinor’s.
VOLUME I, CHAPTER XVI
1. Romantic doctrines emphasized the importance of experiencing all passions to the full, and the affliction following misfortune in love would be one of the most natural and powerful of all. Moreover, lack of sorrow would indicate lack of real love, leading in turn to an indictment of insincerity and a failure to experience the most exalted and vital of all human passions.
2. Thus she is hurting others as well as herself.
3. chief: greater part.
4. air: musical air or melody.
5. Writing out music was a common practice then among those skilled enough to do it; Jane Austen wrote out many pieces of music. An important reason was the expense of printed music. As a substitute people would copy music owned by others: Willoughby, who has more disposable income than Marianne and has frequently been in London, where it would be easy to procure printed music, has presumably copied for Marianne some of his pieces. This indicates some dedication to her, for copying music, in the admission even of dedicated musicians, was time-consuming and tedious, though it is not clear how much music he has copied; the statement that she gazed on every line written out might suggest that the lines were not many.
A woman walking outdoors; upper-class ladies would often wear such fancy attire when taking a walk.
[From Sir
Walter Armstrong, Lawrence (London, 1913), p. 46]
[List of Illustrations]
6. Sir John would notice Willoughby’s name on the outside of any letter sent by Marianne and might recognize Willoughby’s handwriting on any letter to her (he would not learn anything from a return address, for those were not placed on letters then). He would certainly not hesitate to tell everyone what he saw.
7. eligible: suitable, proper.
8. If Marianne is engaged, she would be caught painfully between two obligations, that of keeping the engagement secret and that of obeying her mother. Mrs. Dashwood’s words suggest an expectation that Marianne would comply with her mother’s command, but that, by behaving more as an authority figure than a friend, Mrs. Dashwood would be forfeiting her right to have Marianne confide in her.
9. revealment: disclosure.
10. Elinor refers to a basic principle of treating people differently according to age, something seen in every aspect of this society. Greater youth means less ability to judge rationally, and thus greater justification for interference in that person’s affairs.
11. nice: scrupulous, sensitive.
12. They would have been reading it aloud together, perhaps with different people speaking various parts. Another play of Shakespeare is read aloud in Mansfield Park. Hamlet would be a logical choice for them, especially for Marianne, since she is the most passionate about literature and her enthusiasms were already shown to guide Willoughby. In addition to long being one of Shakespeare’s most popular plays, Hamlet exercised a particular appeal to advocates of Romanticism, who identified strongly with the central character’s melancholy, tendency toward brooding reflectiveness, isolation from others, and disgust with the corrupt world around him. It is also probable that Marianne, who almost never jokes or laughs, would prefer tragedy to comedy; an earlier incident suggested the family, or at least she and Willoughby, were possibly reading Romeo and Juliet (note 16).
13. The pursuit of solitude, often to the point of completely abandoning society, is a theme found in many Romantic writings.
14. directly: immediately.
15. As mentioned before, the lanes were below the downs. This clause forms the complement to the next one, suggesting that whether they went high or low, she went the other way.
16. The valley was described initially as well wooded, so a less wild and more open area probably means farmed fields. Its openness would give them the extensive view mentioned next.
17. prospect: scene.
18. Elinor also enjoys the beauties of nature, even if she speaks of them less enthusiastically than Marianne. Jane Austen shows a definite appreciation of natural beauty in her own letters.
19. Since carriages were usually employed for long-distance travel, this suggests that he has not traveled from a great distance.
20. He might be distinguished as a gentleman by his clothing, which differed greatly between classes. The most distinctive marks of a gentleman to be seen from a distance would be his stiff top hat and his tailored coat (or, if cold enough, his very long outer greatcoat), none of which would be worn by a laboring man. It also turns out he is accompanied by a servant, something common for gentlemen traveling.
21. air: outward character or demeanor.
22. particularity: peculiarity.
23. The servant could both take care of his horses and serve as his valet, one who took care of his master’s possessions, especially his clothes, and helped him dress. The functions were often combined.
24. The reason for Edward’s dejection will be revealed later (this page).
25. brother elect: chosen or selected brother, or, in this case, brother-in-law.
26. Plymouth is at the western edge of Devonshire. This is why he has been able to come on horseback, though such a journey would still take many hours. His dejected mood, which turns out to be a product of his experience in Plymouth, may have made him happy for the opportunity for a long ride.
27. transporting: overwhelming, ecstatic.
28. Marianne’s speech, with its succession of short, emphatic sentences and frequent exclamation marks, gives a sense of her excitable character. It contrasts with Elinor’s more sober choice of words and tendency toward longer, more intricate sentences.
29. The “sometimes” refers to Willoughby, who often proclaimed his full agreement with Marianne’s ideas. The idea of not being understood or having one’s feelings shared by the rest of the world was commonly expressed by Romantic writers.
30. This represents a particular vision of natural beauty and its effects. An opposing view celebrated the beauties of nature in part for the tranquillity they might induce, whether as a relief from the cares of existence or as a soothing proof of the harmony of creation.
31. plantations: woods of planted trees, generally established to produce timber, and thus often consisting of uniform types of trees. Marianne is distinguishing them from regular woods that have developed without such guidance.
32. bottoms: low-lying land, valleys.
33. Edward’s prosaic reply, in addition to representing his genuinely different perspective on nature (shortly explained on this page), may reflect his current gloominess, which makes him inclined to see the less pleasant aspects even of beautiful scenery. It also may be a reaction against Marianne’s fervent advocacy of her particular way of regarding the scene. The smile that accompanies his next remark suggests some irony regarding her insistent enthusiasm.
34. Her reaction reveals that Elinor can also experience strong feelings from romantic disappointment, even as her behavior shows her different way of treating those feelings.
35. As their brother’s brother-in-law he deserves courtesy regardless of any possible romantic tie with Elinor.
VOLUME I, CHAPTER XVII
1. in spirits: cheerful, happy.
2. want of liberality: lack of generosity, especially financial; or lack of broad-mindedness, possibly referring in this case to Mrs. Ferrars’s ideas on what course Edward should pursue.
3. In contrast to Willoughby and Marianne’s frequent practice, Edward will converse with the entire Dashwood family throughout his visit.
4. Mrs. Dashwood, as the head of the family, would normally initiate inquiries to a guest who has just arrived.
5. Being a good orator was an important skill for those seeking success in public life, for such a life usually involved being a member of Parliament, where eloquence in debate was invaluable for advancing a member’s reputation and influence. For a picture of a debate in Parliament, see this page.
6. Extravagance could produce a sort of distinction among sections of upper-class society; aristocratic norms celebrated qualities often associated with such expenditure, such as fine taste in possessions or generosity to friends, while regarding insolvency or serious debts as minor flaws.
7. assurance: audacity, cockiness, self-confidence. The word could be used in both a positive and a negative sense.
A London bookshop.
[From The Repository of arts, literature, fashions, manufactures, &c, Vol. I (1809), p. 251]
[List of Illustrations]
8. Greatness: high rank or social position.
9. While Jane Austen never argues that money is the main source of happiness, and criticizes those, like John and Fanny Dashwood, who are obsessed with wealth, she also consistently presents an appreciation of money as natural and a sign of good practical sense.
10. competence: sufficiency of means.
11. Marianne proclaims more exalted principles, but when applied to concrete cases, they amount to the same.
12. Less than one percent of the population at the time enjoyed this level of income.
13. Even Elinor’s one thousand a year is far above the incomes of most people, though she is calling it wealth rather than a mere competence. Both are judging by the standards of the genteel ranks of society.
14. family: household. This could include the staff of servants.
15. A family of the in
come she suggests would usually have around a dozen servants.
16. Most genteel families owned a carriage, but only very wealthy ones owned two. The costs of the carriages themselves, the taxes on them (which were higher per carriage the more one owned), the horses to pull them, and the servants needed to drive them would add up to a considerable expense.
17. hunters: horses used for hunting. This means especially horses suitable for the rapid rides and frequent jumps involved in foxhunting. The skill and strength required for this made hunters especially expensive. Willoughby has undoubtedly told Marianne of his interest in hunters.
18. Marianne, after proclaiming her disdain for wealth, an attitude found in various Romantic writers, ends up expressing very expensive desires. Possible reasons for this are her poor sense of practical matters, in which she follows her mother, her inclination to focus on her wishes and feelings without regard to external obstacles, and the influence of Willoughby, who could have inspired Marianne with his own expensive tastes.
19. She means most men of gentility. The popularity of hunting among gentlemen means that, in those terms, her statement may be true, or close to true.
20. A further contradiction of her just-proclaimed indifference to wealth.
21. London’s shops were far superior to those in the rest of England. People from the provinces, especially rural areas, would do much of their shopping in London if they had opportunities to travel there.
22. music-sellers: stores selling printed sheets of music.
23. print-shops: shops selling prints, i.e., pictures made from engravings. Prints, often derived from the works of prominent painters, were very popular then. Amateur artists like Elinor would seek them not simply, or principally, from appreciation, but because copying prints was a common activity among those who drew. For a picture of one, see this page.
24. Marianne’s love for Cowper and Scott has already appeared (this page and this page). James Thomson (1700–1748) was most noted for his long poem The Seasons, which expresses a strong love for nature. Lines from it, along with lines from Pope, Thomas Gray, and Shakespeare, are mentioned as ones that the heroine of Northanger Abbey learned as part of her literary education.
