The Annotated Sense and Sensibility

by Jane Austen

  54. Here Elinor does give way more completely to unpleasant feelings, though they are simply mentioned rather than fully presented.

  VOLUME II, CHAPTER I

  1. answerable to: sufficient for.

  2. Even in this, the greatest emotional trial she has faced, Elinor still rationally accepts the facts.

  3. She had noticed his uncertain and fluctuating behavior both at Norland and at Barton.

  4. He treated her badly by indicating his affection toward her even though he was engaged elsewhere. This would be especially serious because of the tremendous social and economic importance of marriage for a woman and because a young lady’s marital eligibility lasted a limited time. If she wasted much of the time by pining for a man she could never have, she might lose her chance permanently.

  5. Their having been engaged four years increases the possibility that their mutual affection, or at least his affection for her, could have declined. Its endurance also suggests that at least one of them has not been especially eager to overcome the barriers in their way.

  6. Edward’s behavior supports this conclusion. His vacillation toward her would have been a natural product of the conflict between his attraction to her and his knowledge that he needed to draw back and avoid intimacy. Thus when he visited the Dashwoods he felt bound to leave despite the admitted enjoyment he experienced there; he had spoken of his duty, without explaining what it was, and Elinor had struggled to find a good explanation for his departure. Even his hesitation to choose a profession might result in part from his reluctance to take a step that, by providing him with a more regular income, would advance the day of his marriage to Lucy.

  7. Elinor is not simply relying on her own feelings, but supplementing them with other people’s perceptions and opinions.

  8. To the degree that Elinor’s softening results from being flattered by his love, this would indicate her susceptibility to normal weaknesses, something not often seen over the course of the novel.

  9. It is a sign of her love for him and her genuine goodness that even after learning of the wrong he has committed toward her, and of the probability she will never marry him, a good deal of her thoughts center around his welfare rather than her own.

  10. well-informed: educated, enlightened.

  11. illiterate: uneducated.

  12. artful: cunning, deceitful.

  13. Meaning her outward pleasantness and affability.

  14. The Steeles’ behavior and speech consistently indicate their lower social origins and the lack of polish and education among those they have been living with.

  15. interesting: fascinating, engaging.

  16. connections: family connections or relations. This was very important in this society.

  17. No wealth is ever ascribed to the Steeles, and Jane Austen is usually very specific about her characters’ fortunes. Moreover, the eagerness with which they accepted the Middletons’ invitation and their unceasing flattery of their hostess suggest people in difficult circumstances, willing to do anything to live among more affluent people and strengthen their ties with them.

  18. If he does not wish to marry her, he might be happy that her poor background and circumstances rule out marriage at present.

  19. Her poise contrasts sharply with Marianne’s behavior after Willoughby’s departure.

  20. The wording suggests that Marianne still manifests outward signs of distress, even as she retains hope and faith within.

  21. Carriages made a fair amount of noise, and the wording implies that Marianne may look out the window whenever she hears one to see if it contains Willoughby.

  22. This again contrasts with Marianne, who receives tremendous support and succor from Elinor over the course of the novel. That Elinor believes that communicating her secret to Mrs. Dashwood and Marianne would only add to her distress reveals their flaws as a mother and a sister.

  23. Elinor’s self-command, by allowing her to speak calmly to Lucy, will help her gain valuable information.

  24. This suggests a less than ideal pride in Elinor. She presumably felt that Lucy had gotten the better of her in their earlier conversation because of Elinor’s shock at the news, and she would like to reverse that, from a wish to look better in Lucy’s eyes and perhaps in her own eyes as well.

  25. Since Elinor could divulge the secret, the only justification for the risk would be to prevent the even greater danger of a firmer attachment between Edward and Elinor.

  26. intelligence: information (about Edward’s affection).

  27. confidence: confiding in Elinor.

  28. Private conversation is often difficult in Jane Austen’s novels, for there is a great emphasis on general sociability.

  29. particular discourse: separate or private conversation.

  30. consequences: a game in which a group of people tell collectively the story of a romance between a hypothetical gentleman and lady, from its beginning to its ultimate consequences, by having each person contribute a piece of information to the story without knowing what the others have contributed. Such a game, in which a great deal of confusion and laughable or absurd stories could easily result, would naturally appeal to the taste of Sir John.

  A hot water jug and a creamer from the time.

  [From MacIver Percival, Old English Furniture and Its Surroundings (New York, 1920), pp. 176 and 177]

  [List of Illustrations]

  31. Clubs and associations were a basic part of English life at this time. They had been steadily growing in number for more than a century and by this point there were more than a thousand in England. Originally they had existed mostly for drinking and socializing, but as time went on many clubs dedicated to various political, religious, charitable, educational, scientific, or cultural purposes had sprouted, with some developing a national organization as well. At the same time many remained primarily local drinking clubs, and Sir John seems most likely to be a member of one like this. The only more specialized type he might gravitate toward would be a sporting club; such clubs played an increasing role in organizing and managing sporting events like foxhunts. The great majority of clubs was exclusively male, and often valued for the chance they provided for socializing solely with one’s own sex. They also were overwhelmingly centered in towns and cities, though ones in relatively small towns like Exeter would draw heavily on people from nearby rural areas. Sir John’s club was probably dominated by landed gentlemen like himself, with a possible mixture of wealthier professionals and merchants—while clubs tended to replicate the existing social structure, they usually did not enforce rigid class divisions, and Sir John seems like someone happy to mix with a variety of people.

  32. fairer: better, less obstructed.

  33. party: gathering.

  34. No new idea was uttered, nor anything novel in the choice of words or phrasing.

  35. Lucy would be too devoted to entertaining and indulging the children to concentrate on anything else.

  36. Tea would take place an hour or two after dinner. The tea things would include an urn or pot with boiling water, the tea itself, sugar, milk or cream and a creamer to serve it, utensils, cups, saucers, and plates. There would also be snack items for eating, such as breads and cakes; that would be one reason the children would have stayed for it. For a picture of tea things from the time, see the facing page, the previous page, and the following page.

  37. Card tables had been popular for at least a century prior to this novel. The top folded in half, allowing the table to be stored compactly. The top was usually covered with a material such as leather to make it less slick. For a picture of such a card table, see this page.

  38. round game: game of cards for any number of players. In contrast, whist, the most popular card game at the time, was for four people only. Round games would naturally appeal to the Middletons because they allowed large numbers to play, with no worries about how many people had been invited. Moreover, most round games were less challenging than whist, thereby requiring less menta
l effort and allowing for greater conversation.

  39. fillagree: sometimes spelled “filigree,” this referred originally to delicate jewel work, usually done in gold. Here it means work done in paper in imitation of metal filigree. This had become a popular pastime for ladies. It involved taking very thin strips of stiff paper or parchment, which had been gilded or tilted, and then rolling or folding them into elaborate shapes. They would then be glued to the surface of an object such as a box or a basket. Such decorative activities were often taught to young ladies in school.

  40. Candles, the principal form of artificial illumination at the time, were expensive. Even in wealthy homes, where more and better-quality candles were used, rooms would not be brightly lit in the evening. This could create eyestrain when performing as intricate a task as filigree.

  41. Lady Middleton’s heavy-handed irony is an attempt to reconcile her only real interests, pleasing her spoiled children and following correct etiquette—the latter would forbid openly demanding that somebody make an effort or a sacrifice for the sake of one’s child.

  42. Meaning whether Lady Middleton will have enough for her card game. Since they are playing a game in which numbers are flexible, and there are seven people here (see note 52), such a worry has little basis. But Lucy needs to make some excuse for her neglect of a task she now professes a great devotion to completing.

  43. Supper, a light meal, will come later in the evening, after they have played cards, which is why Lucy says she would wait until after supper if she were needed at cards.

  44. ring the bell: pull a cord that makes a bell ring. Large country houses had elaborate systems of bells and pulleys that caused a bell to ring in the servants’ quarters, showing in which room somebody had requested service.

  45. Candles made of wax or spermaceti (sperm whale oil) provided stronger illumination than the tallow candles most commonly used. Such better candles, especially if collected in sufficient numbers to provide strong light, cost more, but Lady Middleton is clearly happy to incur the expense for the sake of her child. Pieces of furniture where work was done that required substantial light often had fittings built into them to hold candles, ensuring the candles would be reasonably low and remain secure.

  46. infer: imply.

  47. This reminder of Lucy’s frequent insincerity forms a useful prelude to the exchange between her and Elinor that follows.

  48. In casino the players take turns laying cards down on the table, trying to match cards already played in order to win them. Varying numbers of people can play, either on their own or in partnerships.

  49. Marianne is being uncivil both in the manner of her refusal, bluntly expressing disgust for a pursuit that her hostess has proposed, and in its substance. Cards were a very popular pastime then and a basic part of social life, so most people would play some even if they did not really enjoy it.

  50. It had probably not been tuned during the years when it lay neglected by Lady Middleton, but Marianne’s devotion to music would have prompted greater attention to its proper workings, most likely out of consideration for her—since none of the family displays any real appreciation of music, they would not worry much about its being in tune for their own sake. Hence Marianne’s reference to what the Middletons have done for her stands in ironic contrast to her refusal here to oblige Lady Middleton.

  51. Elinor displays her own insincerity here—and she will display more in her exchange with Lucy—but hers comes from consideration of Lady Middleton’s feelings, and her sister’s standing among the others, rather than from concern for flattering someone whose favor she seeks.

  52. The remaining five, without Lucy and Marianne, are Lady Middleton, Mrs. Jennings, Miss Steele, Elinor, and Margaret.

  53. Rolling papers is a central part of the filigree work Lucy has undertaken (see note 39).

  54. cut in: join in (a card game). In whist, where the term was often used, cutting in would mean replacing someone else, who would then “cut out.” But in casino, where numbers were not fixed, this would not necessarily be the case.

  55. rubber: a set of card games, usually three and sometimes five. The goal would be to win the most over the course of the rubber, so one would not wish for someone to join the game in the middle of a rubber.

  56. take your chance: seize your opportunity (to join the card game now).

  57. address: dexterity, adroitness.

  58. The sentence suggests what will continue to be the relationship of Elinor and Lucy, an outward show of great friendship and concord combined with animosity and conflict beneath the surface, especially on Lucy’s part.

  A young woman receiving a letter.

  [From The Repository of arts, literature, fashions, manufactures, &c, Vol. X (1813), p. 300]

  [List of Illustrations]

  VOLUME II, CHAPTER II

  1. Elinor’s language here is rather formal, even for her. Such language may be intended to help control her emotions during the conversation, a difficult but vitally important task. It also serves to point up the contrast between her and Lucy, who will continue to speak less formally and elaborately, to use bad grammar at times, and to employ colloquial expressions—such as “breaking the ice” in her next line—that Elinor would not use.

  2. Elinor’s words are strictly speaking true, for she is determined to avoid appearing to Lucy as if she were offended, or affected in any way, by her revelation about Edward. This is why she spoke “with the truest sincerity.” But they are also misleading, for they suggest affection and concern for Lucy as her motive. Throughout this conversation Elinor will resort to subtle forms of insincerity, as she tries to combat and vanquish someone who frequently employs the most flagrant forms of it.

  3. Her trust would be honorable and flattering because it would signify Lucy’s strong confidence in Elinor’s discretion and scrupulousness—yet both women know that Lucy did indeed have another motive.

  4. Elinor, here and later, calls Edward “Mr. Ferrars,” though she uses his first name when speaking to her sister (who uses his first name in speaking to anyone about him). She will also use this more formal designation when speaking of him to Mrs. Jennings. She may think that, since her family relationship to him is not that close, it would be presumptuous to use his first name to a person outside the family.

  5. This statement, which will eventually prove to be the exact opposite of the truth, constitutes an automatic sign of Lucy’s falsity, for even good, nonmercenary characters in Jane Austen make no pretense of complete indifference to money.

  6. Mrs. Ferrars is later revealed to have an estate worth a thousand a year, as well as other substantial sums of money. If Edward were deprived of that, he, and any bride of his, would be suffering a great loss.

  7. While convention dictated that a man should not break an engagement, he still could. The worst he could suffer, in addition to social disapproval, would be a legal suit for breach of promise, which would cause him embarrassment and, if he lost, force him to pay a fine. Since this could be less painful than a long engagement or disinheritance, a woman would have grounds for worrying about a man’s continued fidelity, if she did not trust his honor.

  8. A pointed remark for Lucy, for while Elinor speaks as if there is no reason to doubt the persistence of their reciprocal attachment, she and Lucy both know that Edward’s attachment for Lucy has wavered because of his interest in Elinor. If that were not the case, Lucy would never have made her communication in the first place.

  9. This statement, like her looking up at Elinor after the latter’s words, signifies that Lucy fully understands Elinor’s meaning. To refute it she begins with her strongest argument, Edward’s willingness to persist for years in the engagement. But, presumably feeling this is insufficient, she is forced to conclude with a patent lie about having never felt alarm.

  10. Her smile would be at the absurdity of the statement, and her sigh presumably at what it shows about Lucy’s character, and thus Edward’s potential fate.


  11. being so much more in the world: circulating so much more among people, and among elite society in particular.

  12. This assertion is contradicted not only by Lucy’s decision to warn off Elinor, but also by her own words in their previous exchange, for she had made a point of mentioning Edward’s acute despondency during his last visit at Longstaple. Her resort to such a clear falsehood shows how much Elinor’s last remark has stung her, as does the lengthy and repetitive nature of these two consecutive statements—taken together, since Elinor has said nothing in between, they constitute Lucy’s longest speech of this conversation. Moreover, she is unable to adduce any specific act of Edward’s that constitutes proof of his continued affection for her.

  13. impose upon: deceive.

  14. The silence indicates a shift in the conversation toward Elinor’s advantage. Lucy was presumably hoping for Elinor to reply, but the latter felt no reason to respond to words whose falseness she had clearly perceived. Since Lucy does not have any further arguments to make to impress her listener, Elinor is able to turn to posing questions, including ones that might even give her valuable information about Edward.

  15. views: expectations; plans.

  16. suspense: uncertainty, delay.

  17. owning: confessing.

  18. Mrs. Ferrars could bequeath all her fortune and property to Robert. That this is the sole reason Lucy gives for the lengthy delay in their engagement shows that this is uppermost in her mind, and that such financial considerations overshadow the hardships of long waiting that Elinor has just evoked.

  19. Lucy’s silence is a further indication that Elinor is getting the better of her, in this case by pointing out the contradiction between Lucy’s pose of thinking solely of Edward and her evident concern for her own financial interest.