But when I read the novel some years later, knew I was really more like Elinor. I realized how Marianne, who made no secret of thinking feelings are the most important thing in life, was so brazen with her sister's, and was irritated with her passionate antics.
Now I'm not so irritated, but I do wonder at her feelings for Willoughby. Was she like Catherine Morland, playing the part of a heroine?
Her romance with Willoughby certainly sounds like a novel: He rescues her when she sprains her ankle, asks for a lock of her hair, reads her poetry, spends as much time as he can in her company. Was she swept up in the romantic aspects or did she truly love him? I think it was the former. Which explains why she marries the Colonel, finding a deeper, steadier love. What do you think?
5 comments:
Oh, I totally agree that she was swept up in the romance...I went searching for this kind of romance before I found my husband, who is THANKFULLY more like the Colonel, loving me for who I am and not what I can do for him. This book was very true-to-life in the characterization of Willoughby, and I'll just say that a Willoughby will never satisfy those deeper longings to be LOVED, not merely romanced. He's in it for himself!
I think it was more the superficial infatuation of a rather self-centered and immature teenager, who read too much romantic poetry and spent too much time day-dreaming about what her Prince Charming would be like. It was only when she was brought down to Earth by Willoughby's cruel rejection at the Ball and his subsequent return of her letters that her eyes were opened to the terrible mistakes of judgment she had made, and the callous indifference she had shown toward Elinor's feelings. She then became capable of recognizing Colonel Brandon's real love for her and was able to open her heart to him and reciprocate his love.
I've always had problems with how she suddenly went with Col Brandon; of all the couples in Sense and Sensibility, I wondered why Elinor and Col Brandon didn't end up together, because they seemed the most suited for one another. Alas, Col Brandon fell in love with Marianne, and she broke his heart - even though he married her in the end, I always wondered if Marianne didn't secretly always wonder what if with Willoughby. I think she loved him, and I think she recognized security with Brandon. I have often wondered if she grew to recognize how worthy Col Brandon was to be loved. Sense and Sensibility has always been a book that bothered me because of the different emotions flying around, because there are alot of betrayals in this book that the characters forgive - Elinor over her secret love (sorry I forget his name at the moment), I mean he was engaged! and yet he never told her. Willoughby never saying he was engaged....this book reads like a cautionary tale for women, but it doesn't have the light touch that Emma and Persuasion or P&P do. It's the one I like least, which I guess you can tell from my comments!
Willoughby was particularly hard to resist--though she later denies it, Mrs Dashwood was as swept away as Marianne, and even Elinor found him very appealing. They were all ready to accept him into their family until he went away.
I think Marianne loved him with all her heart and he broke it and his by his rakeish behavior.
I like Marianne more everytime I re-read S&S. I think Willoughby was extremely charismatic - as the above commenter says - even Elinor was not immune to his charms and Marianne extremely young and vulnerable. Haven't we all fell hopelessly in unrequited love?
Thought-provoking post!
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