Second Loves and Second Sons

Jane Austen’s “Sense and Sensibility” juxtaposes many themes. The most obvious being sense and sensibility, but there are others to be examined. One such theme is that of “first” and “second”, in love and in birthright. In terms of love, first and second can also fall under the theme of sense and sensibility. First loves are driven by sensibility and generally deemed the most romantic, an opinion that was widely held in Austen’s time and one that remains today. First loves are considered the most true and affectionate, and the two people in the relationship are thought to only have eyes for one another. It is the most consuming of all loves, but often thought to be foolish and impermanent. Second loves are those that are based in the sensible and practical. They are not so intense or emotional; they may be devoid of passionate love completely.

Looking at birthright in regards to first and second, there is a traditional notion that the firstborn son is better than the second. The firstborn inherits the wealth of the family when the time comes, and he must find the most suitable match for a wife to ensure the continuance of the family’s prosperity. Less importance is placed on the second-born son. In “Sense and Sensibility”, Austen flips the traditional sense of first and second loves and first and second sons. A dichotomy is often drawn between sense and sensibility in Austen’s novel, but the way in which she tells the story of first and second loves and sons suggests that a balance between the two must be struck to find happiness, and that perhaps tradition is not the only way or the right way to find love.

Looking at the way Austen reverses the conventional perception of firstborn sons, we can see that she undermines the apparent superiority they have over second-born sons. Indeed, Elinor and Marianne both marry second sons. Though Edward Ferras is technically the firstborn son of his family, he is disinherited and his younger brother Robert “will now to all intents and purposes be considered as the eldest son” (210). While firstborn sons are generally supposed to be better than their younger brothers, we find that Austen portrays the firstborn sons in a negative way throughout the novel. This reversal illuminates that the long-established societal roles may not be what they seem, and that love and contentment can be found regardless of inheritance or “superiority.”

            All through the novel, Elinor, the eldest Dashwood sister, is the daughter that represents sense. Marianne, a few years younger, represents sensibility. Marianne craves love, passion, a true romance. Elinor is pragmatic and logical. Thus, Marianne believes the very idea of second loves to be impossible, while Elinor has no problem with second attachments and sees no reason to snub them (43). Austen plays with the dichotomy between the two sisters and so reverses the end results of the sisters’ relationships. In fact, almost every major character falls in love more than once. Marianne marries her second attachment, Colonel Brandon, who also loved another woman before Marianne. Elinor marries Edward Ferrars after his long engagement to Lucy Steele. Elinor, the sister that has no problem with second attachments, is the only character that we know of that marries her first love. Perhaps this is because she was sensible to begin with, and even her first love was not based in sensibility. Marianne we know was staunchly against second attachments, but marries the man that she grows to love after being completely smitten with Willoughby. The sisters finding love in different ways than we would expect based on their roles as sense and sensibility shows that Elinor can also be passionate, and Marianne can also be practical. The sisters find a balance that brings them happiness and love despite their expectations and despite tradition. Austen subverts our expectations and tradition in her writing. She demonstrates that contentment can be reached in ways other than those most commonly used, and that love is an unpredictable emotion that requires both sense and sensibility.

Marianne, Elinor, and Colonel Brandon

Photo: Sense and Sensibility (1995)

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