I recently read Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen for a study of England we are doing as part of our homeschool.

Jane Austen lived in England from December 16, 1775 to July 18, 1817. She never married and lived with her family until her early death. She was the seventh of eight children. She had one older sister, Cassandra and six brothers. Her father was the rector of the parish in Steventon for about 40 years. She wrote several other works including, Pride and Prejudice and Emma. All of her works, published in her lifetime, were done so anonymously. The author of the books was known as “a Lady”. Sense and Sensibility was Miss Austen’s first published book.

Miss Austen first started writing Sense and Sensibility around 1795 when she was around 20 years of age. It was then called “Elinor and Marianne”. It was later revised and published in the year 1811 as Sense and Sensibility. The original book, and some copies today, were written in three volumes bound into one book. The first volume contained 22 chapters while the last two volumes each contained 24. Most publications of this book now are printed as one volume with 70 chapters. The Sense and Sensibility I read was an Oxford Illustrated. It was published as close as possible to the original publication in 1811. It even has the old fashioned spelling in it! :) In place of the word “stopped”, the word “stopt” was used.

Sense and Sensibility is about the Dashwood family: Elinor, Marianne, Margaret and their mother. Mr. Dashwood has just recently died. Although he was wealthy he was forced to leave his entire fortune to the girls’ half brother John, leaving them very poor. The family moves to a cottage on the property of Sir John Middleton, a cousin of Mrs. Dashwood. A majority of the book focuses on the two oldest sisters Elinor and Marianne. Elinor is the eldest and is 19 years of age in the beginning of the book. Marianne is nearly 17. The book shows the reactions the two sisters when they each find a man they love and then lose him. Elinor hides her feelings, thereby saving herself and those around her from unhappiness, while Marianne openly shows her feelings, even when it makes everyone including herself miserable. The ending is a very happy one.

One aspect of the book that I really enjoyed was the variety of personalities portrayed in it. Miss Austen did very well in developing her characters in my opinion. My favorite part of the book is the very end. :)

I would highly recommend this book.

Rebekah ~ The Lord’s Daughter