sense & sensibility (edited by J.V Starfield)

Jane Austen’s
Narrative:
Layers of
Communication
SENSE & SENSIBILITY (1811 & 1813)
Lecture 4: Narrative Innovations
1

Austen introduces several innovations into
the Novel Form:
She creates unprecedented access to the
interior life of one of the protagonists (Elinor).
She does not use the Letter form to do this.
2
The author chooses the
Point(s) of View from which
the story is told.

The narrative techniques that nineteenth-century authors
use to relate their novels develop and change:
Which Point of View is used in S & S ?
There is an unnamed third-person narrator, a story-telling
device the author constructs to represent the characters,
description and dialogue, plot, action and setting.
Is this the only narrative point of view Austen uses?
Third-person
(Omniscient)
Narrator: e.g.
Jude the
Obscure
First-Person
(Unreliable)
Narrator: e.g.
The Catcher in
the Rye
3

4
THE MAJOR NARRATIVE TECHNIQUES
THIRD-PERSON
NARRATION
(DIEGESIS)
MIMETIC DIALOGUE
FOCALISATION
THE USE OF IRONY

5
―[…] we identify, and identify with Elinor rather than
Marianne as the heroine of Sense and Sensibility because we
see much more of the action from Elinor‘s point of view,
because we have more access to her private thoughts and
because there is much greater consonance between the
narrator‘s language and the language of Elinor‘s
consciousness.‖
– David Lodge, After Bakhtin: Essays on fiction and
criticism, 1990: 126–127.

THE NARRATOR‟S COMMENTS MAY
BE „NEUTRAL,‟ OR
INTRUSIVE MORAL JUDGEMENTS.
THE NARRATOR CONVEYS:
THEME, PLOT
CHARACTERS
(FOCALISATION)
SETTING (Time, Place)
IMAGERY, SYMBOL

7
A Combination of Dialogue (Mimesis) and Third-Person
Narration (Diegesis) from Vol. II, Chapter IX
―Good heavens!‖ cried Elinor, ―could it be—could
Willoughby!‖—
―The first news that reached me of her,‖ he continued, ―came in a
letter from herself, last October. It was forwarded to me from
Delaford, and I received it on the very morning of our intended
party to Whitwell; and this was the reason of my leaving
Barton so suddenly, which I am sure must at the time have
appeared strange to every body, and which I believe gave
offence to some. Little did Mr. Willoughby imagine, I suppose,
when his looks censured me for incivility in breaking up the
party, that I was called away to the relief of one whom he had
made poor and miserable; but had he known it, what would it
have availed?

8
Would he have been less gay or less happy in the smiles of your
sister? No, he had already done that, which no man who can feel
for another would do. He had left the girl whose youth and
innocence he had seduced, in a situation of the utmost distress,
with no creditable home, no help, no friends, ignorant of his
address! He had left her, promising to return; he neither returned,
nor wrote, nor relieved her.‖
―This is beyond every thing!‖ exclaimed Elinor.
―His character is now before you; expensive, dissipated, and worse
than both. Knowing all this, as I have now known it many
weeks, guess what I must have felt on seeing your sister as fond
of him as ever, and on being assured that she was to marry him:
guess what I must have felt for all your sakes.

9
When I came to you last week and found you alone, I came
determined to know the truth; though irresolute what to do when
it was known. My behaviour must have seemed strange to you
then; but now you will comprehend it. To suffer you all to be so
deceived; to see your sister—but what could I do? I had no hope
of interfering with success; and sometimes I thought your sister‘s
influence might yet reclaim him. But now, after such
dishonourable usage, who can tell what were his designs on her.
Whatever they may have been, however, she may now, and
hereafter doubtless will turn with gratitude towards her own
condition, when she compares it with that of my poor Eliza,
when she considers the wretched and hopeless situation of this
poor girl, and pictures her to herself, with an affection for him so
strong, still as strong as her own, and with a mind tormented by
self-reproach, which must attend her through life.

10
Surely this comparison must have its use with her. She will feel
her own sufferings to be nothing. […] Use your own
discretion, however, in communicating to her what I have told
you. You must know best what will be its effect; but had I not
seriously, and from my heart believed it might be of service,
might lessen her regrets, I would not have suffered myself to
trouble you with this account of my family afflictions, with a
recital which may seem to have been intended to raise myself
at the expense of others.‖
Elinor‘s thanks followed this speech with grateful earnestness;
attended too with the assurance of her expecting material
advantage to Marianne, from the communication of what had
passed.

11
NARRATION OF MARIANNE’S ILLNESS
In Vol. III, chps. VII & VIII, the novel‘s first climax occurs
when Marianne nearly dies.
Although it is she who is so ill, this episode is narrated from
Elinor’s point of view, which is focalised.
Is this:
Because Marianne is feverish, delirious and confused?
Because the narrator wishes to show Elinor‘s sense and
maturity as she takes adult decisions while caring for her
younger sister?
Does the narrator want to show how Elinor‘s calmness
may, in turn, have a calming effect on Marianne?

12
But the day did not close so auspiciously as it began.— Towards
the evening Marianne became ill again, growing more heavy,
restless, and uncomfortable than before. Her sister, however, still
sanguine [hopeful], was willing to attribute the change to nothing
more than the fatigue [tiredness] of having set up [sat up] to have
her bed made; and carefully administering the cordials [medicines]
prescribed, saw her, with satisfaction, sink at last into a slumber,
from which she expected the most beneficial effects. Her sleep,
though not so quiet as Elinor wished to see it, lasted a considerable
time; and anxious to observe the result of it herself, she resolved to
sit with her during the whole of it. Mrs. Jennings, knowing nothing
of any change in the patient, went unusually early to bed; […], and
Elinor remained alone with Marianne.
From whose point of view is the underlined sentence narrated?
At what stage does the point of view shift to Elinor?

13
During the passage, Elinor initially takes care of her sister
(giving her ―cordials‖ – prescribed medicines).
The phrase ―with satisfaction‖ suggests that she is pleased
with Marianne‘s progress.
M. seems much better, so why does Elinor not leave her and
go to her own room to rest?
The sentence ―Her sleep, though not so quiet as Elinor
wished to see it […]‖ shows how carefully Elinor is
observing her.
If Elinor were to speak her thoughts to Mrs. J, she might say
―I am anxious to see the effect that this rest has on Marianne.‖
Elinor‘s preference for keeping her thoughts to herself
shows her maturity and good sense.
Who is the one character in whom she confides?

14
Elinor perceived with alarm that she was not quite herself, and, while
attempting to soothe her, eagerly felt her pulse. […] To consult with
Colonel Brandon on the best means of effecting the latter, was a
thought which immediately followed the resolution of its
performance, […].
It was no time for hesitation. Her fears and her difficulties were
immediately before him. Her fears, he had no courage, no confidence
to attempt the removal of:—he listened to them in silent
despondence;—but her difficulties were instantly obviated, for with a
readiness that seemed to speak the occasion, and the service pre-
arranged in his mind, he offered himself as the messenger who should
fetch Mrs. Dashwood. Elinor made no resistance that was not easily
overcome. She thanked him with brief, though fervent gratitude, and
while he went to hurry off his servant with a message to Mr. Harris
[the apothecary], and an order for post-horses [horses from local Inn]
directly, she wrote a few lines to her mother.
 Where is Elinor‘s point of view focalised?
 How is reported speech used in Parag. 2?

15
The comfort of such a friend at that moment as Colonel Brandon—or
such a companion for her mother,—how gratefully was it felt!—a
companion whose judgment would guide, whose attendance must
relieve, and whose friendship might soothe her!—as far as the shock
of such a summons could be lessened to her, his presence, his
manners, his assistance, would lessen it.
In this paragraph, Elinor‘s feelings are again focalised.
The narrator use dashes to convey how one feeling after
another moves through Elinor‘s mind.
Which words in this passage carry Elinor‘s emotions?
How is repetition used in the passage to convey her
feelings?

Focalisation adds another layer to the narrative:
The third-person narrator conveys what a character thinks and
feels: mostly Elinor, but also Brandon, Edward & Marianne
Indeed, the narrator seems to angle the story through Elinor‘s
point of view.
Does this make her Elinor more important than Marianne?
Does this give more importance to ―sense‖, which Elinor
embodies, than to ―sensibility‖? 16

17
How Austen narrates a character’s inner thoughts:
The narrator can include letters from one character to
another. Letters may:
1. Communicate the inner thoughts, unspoken emotions and
desires of those who write them in the first person.
2. Be very formal and deny those feelings (Willoughby).
3. May mask the true intentions of the letter writer (Lucy)
The third-person narrator may focalise a character (tell the
story from this character’s point of view):
1. This provides access to the character‘s thoughts and
feelings.
2. This allows access to the largely silent (taciturn)
characters‘ motivation and also observations of others.

18
THE FOCALISER
(OR FOCUS OF CHARACTER)
AND HOW IT GIVES THE READER ACCESS
TO ELINOR’S THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS.
AS SHE IS A VERY SILENT,
DISCREET CHARACTER,
HOW ELSE WOULD WE KNOW
HER THOUGHTS AND EMOTIONS?

Irony is often be part of the point of view Austen‘s narrator
uses. Irony exposes misrepresentation or concealment of the
truth.
What is said differs from what is intended; reality differs
from the appearance. There are three types of Irony in S & S:
Verbal
Irony:
Affects the way
the narrator or
the characters
use words.
Dramatic Irony:
Affects the
relationship
between Reader,
Author and one or
more characters.
Structural Irony
The Speaker is
placed in Ironic
situations that may
undercut his or her
earlier views.20

21
Verbal Irony: ―is a statement in which the meaning that
a speaker implies differs sharply from the meaning that is
expressed.‖ (Abrams 2009: 165).
Structural Irony: ―depends on the ironic intention of
the author, which is shared by the reader but not is not
the intention of the fictional speaker‖ (Abrams 2009:
185). A character may hold an opinion at one time, but
later circumstances force him/her to re-think it.
Dramatic Irony: ―involves a situation in a … narrative
in which the … reader shares with the author knowledge
of present or future circumstances of which a character is
ignorant‖ (Abrams 2009: 143).

Austen uses these three types of Irony to expose and
undercut
the simplistic codes of conduct and
the literary and cultural stereotypes of the period
Austen uses Irony to make readers stand back from:
a statement uttered or emotion expressed
and re-evaluate it;
particularly exaggerated emotions, such as
Marianne, Willoughby, Lucy and Fanny express.
Thus, Irony involves a reversal of the existing order: the way
characters understand their world and the relations of power.
22

23
VERBAL IRONY: “Engage” may mean several things:
―Keep busy‖, as when Lucy and Elinor keep busy fixing
little Annamaria‘s basket while discussing Edward:
―Lucy made room for her with ready attention, and the two fair rivals
were thus seated side by side at the same table, and, with the utmost
harmony, engaged in forwarding the same work.‖ (104)
Lucy‘s ―four years‘ engagement‖ (105) to Edward implies
they have an understanding of future married.
―Four years‖ tells us that they met as very young people and
– as Edward‘s attraction to Elinor suggests – his feelings for
Lucy may belong in the past. But do they?
Why does Lucy keep begging Elinor for advice? Does Lucy
perhaps know what Edward feels for Elinor? (107).

24
An engagement may just mean an appointment, such as
those Mrs Jennings has to fulfill in the evenings (118).
“Engagement”: Marianne is thought to be betrothed to
Willoughby. Even Brandon thinks so: ―‗to your sister I wish
all imaginable happiness; to Willoughby that he may
endeavour to deserve her‖ (123). Elinor is unsure, but
Marianne is extremely secretive.
After Willoughby coldly dismisses M. at the party, any idea
of a romantic tie between Marianne & Willoughby is in
doubt:
―That some kind of engagement had subsisted between Willoughby and
Marianne she could not doubt, and that Willoughby was weary of it,
seemed equally clear; for however Marianne might still feed her own
wishes, she could not attribute such behaviour to mistake or
misapprehension of any kind.‖ (126)

25
Verbal Irony soon becomes Structural irony:
Who know what about whom?
Lucy knows that Elinor and Edward have feelings for each
other but does not want to acknowledge this publicly.
Edward thinks his engagement to Lucy is still secret.
Elinor knows about the engagement (but only Lucy knows
she knows) and wants to protect Marianne from the distress
of thinking that Edward has broken her (Elinor‘s) trust.
In Vol. II, xiii, just before Edward enters an awkward meeting
between Elinor and Lucy, Elinor wonders whether Mrs. F.
would make life difficult for anyone Edward married.
Who will Edward eventually marry?
Structural Irony: it is Elinor.

26
Elinor‘s curiosity to see Mrs. Ferrars was satisfied.— She had found in
her every thing that could tend to make a farther connection between
the families, undesirable.—She had seen enough of her pride, her
meanness, and her determined prejudice against herself, to
comprehend all the difficulties that must have perplexed the
engagement, and retarded the marriage, of Edward and herself, had he
been otherwise free;—and she had seen almost enough to be thankful
for her own sake, that one greater obstacle preserved her from
suffering under any other of Mrs. Ferrars‘s creation, preserved her
from all dependence upon her caprice, or any solicitude for her good
opinion. Or at least, if she did not bring herself quite to rejoice in
Edward‘s being fettered to Lucy, she determined, that had Lucy been
more amiable, she ought to have rejoiced. […]. p. 168.
Of whose “engagement” is Elinor thinking?
Does Lucy think she has met with Mrs. Ferrars’s approval?
Will Lucy keep to her engagement with Edward?

27
DRAMATIC IRONY:
When Elinor meets Robert Ferrars she recognises he is
―exactly the coxcomb she had heard him described to be by Lucy‖
(176, 106).
The narrator shows Robert to be a complete contrast to his
brother, Edward (this is a novel of contrasts!).
After Lucy and Edward‘s secret has been exposed, Elinor
visits her brother in Harley Street and meets Robert there.
John leaves Elinor ―to improve her acquaintance with
Robert.‖
This is Dramatic Irony as the reader already knows that
she thinks he is a very shallow, conceited and vain man.

28
The irony becomes Structural when Robert categorically
mocks and insults Lucy.
Robert is intensely amused at the idea of his brother
becoming a clergyman and living on very little money.
The narrator focalises Elinor in her reaction to Robert:
Elinor, while she waited in silence and immovable gravity, the
conclusion of such folly, could not restrain her eyes from being
fixed on him with a look that spoke all the contempt it excited. It
was a look, however, very well bestowed, for it relieved her own
feelings, and gave no intelligence to him. He was recalled from wit
to wisdom, not by any reproof of her's, but by his own sensibility.
Robert is still very ―diverted‖ (amused) and shows a
complete lack of empathy with his brother and disdain for a
young woman who has very little money.

29
―Have you ever seen the lady?‖
―Yes; once, while she was staying in this house, I happened to drop in
for ten minutes; and I saw quite enough of her. The merest awkward
country girl, without style, or elegance, and almost without beauty.—
I remember her perfectly. Just the kind of girl I should suppose likely
to captivate poor Edward.‖
The Structural Irony really becomes apparent in Vol. III, xii,
when Edward visits the Dashwoods at Barton and they
believe he has married Lucy.
He is perplexed and finally says (254):
"Perhaps you mean—my brother—you mean Mrs.—Mrs. ROBERT
Ferrars."
"Mrs. Robert Ferrars!"—was repeated by Marianne and her mother in an
accent of the utmost amazement;—and though Elinor could not speak,
even her eyes were fixed on him with the same impatient wonder.

30
Mrs Jennings is vital to the Marriage Plot, giving rise to
several structural ironies:
1. Mrs J. guesses
whom Elinor is in love
with, and gets Margaret
to admit “his name
begins with an F” (47).
2. Mrs J. sees Brandon
loves Marianne (29, 38, 53)
& follows her indiscretions
with Willoughby (51, 73).
4. In London, Mrs J. thinks
Elinor & Brandon are in love.
Author and reader know the
truth (E. & B. are discussing
B’s gift of the living of
Delaford to Edward.)
3. Mrs J advances the
marriage plot by inviting
E & M to London:
“and if I don‟t get one of
you at least well married
before I have done with
you, it shall not be my
fault” (109).

Ironically, both girls do marry. Has
this been Mrs Jennings‟ doing?
Do they marry fashionably wealthy
young men? Ironically, NO.
Do they end up living in London?
Ironically, NO.
Are they “well married”? If “well means
“happy”, then (ironically), YES. 31

32
From Ang Lee‘s film of Sense and Sensibility: Mrs
Jennings and Elinor. Elinor‘s changing perception of
Mrs Jennings shows how she matures during this
novel of development.

Ironically, Elinor at first finds Mrs J annoying and, perhaps, not
in the same social class as the Dashwoods.
―‗My objection is this; though I think very well of Mrs Jennings‘
heart, she is not a woman whose society can afford us pleasure, or
whose protection will give us consequence‘‖ (111).
It is a structural irony that Elinor will learn to appreciate Mrs J‘s
very fine qualities: true generosity, sincerity and kindness after
Willoughby betrays Marianne, who becomes emotionally
distressed and ill, in vol.III.
At Cleveland, the girls‘ hostess, Charlotte Palmer flees with her
baby on hearing that M. is ill. The narrator comments, approvingly:
―Mrs J, however, with a kindness of heart which made E. really
love her, declared her resolution of not stirring from Cleveland as
long as M. remained ill and of endeavouring …to supply to her the
place of her mother…‖ (217).
33

THE NOVEL OF DEVELOPMENT, REVISITED
In the novel of development, the (female) hero‘s strength of
character is tested: Elinor’s greatest trial occurs when Marianne
is desperately ill. After 8 pm, E. expecting their mother, rushes
downstairs. Ironically, the new arrival is Willoughby.
This climactic encounter tests her powers of self-control (in Vol.
1, the narrator states that E‘s ―feelings were strong; but she
knew how to govern them‖ (p.8).
Willoughby‘s sudden abandonment of Marianne confirmed for
Elinor that his motives were not honourable.
The narrator treats this confrontational scene (a climactic
moment) by making her the focaliser that gives access to
Elinor‘s thoughts and feelings.
34

sense & sensibility (edited by J.V Starfield)

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