Sense and Sensibility is a novel written by Jane Austen and first published in 1811.

The
novel tells the story of two sisters, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their journey through
life and love. Throughout the novel, the reader is exposed to the two very different
temperaments of the two sisters. Elinor is the eldest and is characterized by her sense, while
Marianne is the youngest and is characterized by her sensibility.

Elinor and Marianne represent two different extremes of the spectrum of human emotion.
Elinor is portrayed as being extremely sensible and rational in her decisions and actions.
She is able to keep her emotions in check and to think through her decisions logically. She is
often the voice of reason in the novel and serves as a moral compass for her family. On the
other hand, Marianne is portrayed as being overly emotional and impulsive in her decisions
and actions. She often acts before thinking and lets her emotions dictate her actions.

The novel serves to illustrate the importance of balance in life. Both Elinor and Marianne
have strengths and weaknesses, and neither is perfect. Through their interactions with one
another and their respective romantic interests, the reader is able to witness the importance
of balance between sense and sensibility. Elinor is able to show Marianne the importance of
making decisions with more consideration, while Marianne is able to show Elinor the
importance of allowing oneself to feel emotion.

At the same time, the novel also serves as a critique of nineteenth-century society. Many of
Austen's characters represent the different social classes and their respective values. For
example, Elinor and Marianne's mother, Mrs. Dashwood, is portrayed as a woman of great
sensibility and emotion, and is often seen as being too sentimental for the society she lives
in. This serves as a critique of the social norms of the time, which valued sense over
sensibility.

Overall, Sense and Sensibility is an engaging and insightful novel that offers a thought-
provoking critique of nineteenth-century society. The novel illustrates the importance of
balance in life and society, and offers an interesting perspective on the different values of the
social classes of the time. Through Elinor and Marianne's respective temperaments, Austen
is able to show the importance of both sense and sensibility and how they can be used in
combination to create a more balanced and fulfilled life.