Sense and Sensibility

“The whole was tied up for the benefit of this child, who, in occasional visits with his father and mother at Norland, had so far gained on the affections of his uncle, by such attractions as are by no means unusual in children of two or three years old; an imperfect articulation, an earnest desire of having his own way, many cunning tricks, and a great deal of noise, as to outweigh all the value of all the attention which, for years, he had received from his niece and her daughters. He meant not to be unkind, however, and, as a mark of his affection for the three girls, he left them a thousand pounds a-piece.”

This passage presents the unfairness of the situation which sees John and Fanny’s male toddler preferred over the three Dashwood girls. While the toddler is an occasional visitor and graces the old gentleman with no more favor than can be expected from a child, the Dashwood girls share a home with their father and give him constant attention. Austen emphasizes this in the repetition of the word “all.” The phrase “he meant not to be unkind” is an understatement and shows how by the standards of a patriarchal society, the old gentleman’s gift to the Dashwood sisters is sufficient.

“The more I know of the world, the more am I convinced that I shall never see a man whom I can really love. I require so much! He must have all Edward’s virtues, and his person and manners must ornament his goodness with every possible charm.”

Marianne’s exclamation shows her lofty, romantic ideals. She does not merely require a man of good character like her sister’s choice Edward, but someone good-looking, charming and with a decisive personality. The word “ornament” implies an addition to Marianne, but it also has connotations of a mesmerizing distraction that might distract her from the real substance of a man’s character. Her deception by charm will become evident when she falls under Willoughby’s spell. The profession of her never meeting a man who will impress her will become ironic in the course of the novel when she falls in love with Willoughby and then