Sense and Sensibility: Neo-classicism vs Romanticism Essay Example

to Romanticism. Some writers. viz. Jane Austin. created Neo-Classic characters to stress the doctrine and compare it to Romanticism.

In Sense and esthesia. Austin uses Elinor to stand for Neo- Classic beliefs. Elinor is portrayed as the character with sense. rational judgement and the qualities that are associated with it such as self- authorities. responsibility compassion and properness. From the beginning of the fresh Elinor is described to be the mature. elegant miss who possesses ‘a strength of apprehension and imperturbability of judgement’ ( p6 ) and was a ‘counsellor of her mother’ ( p6 ) . Alternatively of knocking the Neo- Classic beliefs. Austin expresses the admirable qualities of the doctrine by apportioning Elinor as the heroine of the novel ; through the Neo authoritative qualities she possesses. As she is the heroine. Elinor is free from the narrative’s dry animadversion applied to the other characters. every bit good as having blessing in the gap chapter of the novel. Although her demeanour consists of the properties of Neo- Classicism. it is rewarded in the novel’s decision with a matrimony that promises felicity and fulfillment and common love.

In the novel. Elinor can be seen to possess a sense and apprehension of societal properness. Social properness was the proper manner to act at that clip. She adheres to the societal conventions and imposts of society to salvage herself and others from embarrassment. uncomfortableness and hurt:

“And upon Elinor therefore the whole undertaking of stating prevarications when niceness required it. ever fell” ( p104 )

Out of the two sisters. Elinor was the lone character who demonstrated a regard for societal properness. as a consequence the responsibilities of continuing the

family’s regard and name was rendered to her.

Another Neo- Classic quality is sound personal opinion. Marianne. in her Romantic demeanor. was non capable of sound opinion but approached affairs in the novel with a colored point of view. Elinor nevertheless is able to handle the novel’s events dispassionately. She is neither conformed to the conventions of society or to the bosom. but believes in the value of one’s ain opinions. This can be seen in her behavior towards Lucy Steel when she is informed of Lucy’s love for Edward ; unbiased as opposed to what her bosom desires:

“Elinor proverb. and pitied her ( Lucy steel ) for. the disregard of abilities which instruction might hold rendered so respectable ; but she saw. with less tenderness of feeling. the through privation of delicacy… and she could hold no permanent satisfaction in the company of a individual who joined falseness with ignorance” ( p108 )

Throughout sense and esthesia. Elinor is shown to be just and merely in her personal opinions. Elinor is besides distinguished for her ability to self govern her feelings. The neo classics disprove of one indulgence in feelings and believe one should alternatively hide them. enduring mutely. An illustration of this can be seen when Edward breaks Elinor’s bosom. therefore Austin topographic points Elinor and Marianne in parallel state of affairss. Marianne. the romantic. focuses entirely on her ain feelings and neglects the feelings of others.

However. Elinor follows Neo Classic moralss by staying a pillar of support for those who depend on her. She does non retreat off and contemplate her life but alternatively carries on with the responsibilities she undertook since the beginning

of the novel. She continually self forfeits her desire to the demands and benefit of those around her. demoing a greathearted concern to others while hushing her ain feelings ; covering with issues with an indifferent mentality:

” She was really far from wishing to brood on her ain feelings. or to stand for herself as enduring much. any otherwise than as the ego bid she had practised since her first cognition of Edward’s engagement… ( p220 ) ”

A major illustration of her selflessness can be seen when Elinor agrees to bear the intelligence of Colonel Brandon’s offer of a life to Edward ; even though this would enable Edward and Lucy to get married. In malice of this. she is echt in her desire for Edward’s felicity. whatever it may be. This shows Maturity in her love for Edward ; adulthood being a Neo-Classic property:

“…Whatever minor feelings less pure. less delighting. might hold a portion in that emotion. her regard for the general benevolence. and her gratitude for the peculiar friendly relationship. which together prompted Colonel Brandon to this act. were strongly felt. and heartily expressed ( p239 ) ”

The Neo Classics. although a people non concerned with the bosom. showed compassion when it was needed. The Romantics. following their bosom desires. felt no desire to make this if it went against their rules. Elinor. in her traffics with Willoughby. found him to be a unsavory adult male. and her ‘abhorred ( him ) as the most worthless of men’ ( p285 ) . nevertheless she allowed herself to see his unfortunate narrative. the events taking to his Romanticism inspired misconduct. and experience compassion towards

him:

” Willoughby. in malice of all his mistakes. excited a grade of pity for the agonies produced by them. which made her think of him as now separated for of all time from her household with a tenderness…” ( p285 )

The Neo Classics withdrew their feelings and congested them indoors. as did Elinor. As a consequence of they experience effusions in passion when they are non able to incorporate their feelings. Elinor experiences this in the decision of the narrative. when she finds out she is able to get married Edward. She is unable to command herself as it was seen to be the first clip in the fresh Elinor truly expressed her feelings. This Strength of feeling is a Neo Classic Attribute.

The Romantics was. in kernel. a rebellion against the ground infatuated Neo- Classicss.

The Romantics enjoyed the simple and emotional facets of life ; they wanted to be free. non enslaved by the societal concepts of the Neo- Classic society where they are burdened by etiquette and the demand for rational chases. They abhorred the thought of being members of a society. instead saw human existences as persons and focused on single ideas and emotions.

The Romantics neglected the Neo Classic’s desire for promotions in the country of scientific discipline and positivist thought ; instead they linked themselves to the encompassing nature and considered emotional responses superior to rational 1s. They considered urban. societal being to be unreal and perverting to their liberated bosom.

Romanticism hunts for truth. and believes that impassive spiritual constructs and societal regulations diverted them from the truth. In their heads. they believed the truth could merely be found in the individual’s

bosom. experience and imaginativeness. Ultimately. the Romantics believed in ego – fulfillment as the lone existent manner to see life and populate it to one’s complete potency. The novelists of this doctrine were trying to interrupt away from the regulated subjects concerned with Neo- Classicism.

In Sense and Sensibility. Austin uses Marianne to stand for the Romantics. Like the Romantics Austin delineates. Marianne describes the esthesia spoken of in the rubric.

As with legion Romantics of Austin’s clip. Marianne expresses her esthesia through her sentimentalism for poesy and landscape. Like a true Romantic. she longs to be one with nature and frequently walks in the forests:

“The esteem of landscape scenery is become a mere slang. Everybody pretends to experience and attempts to depict with the gustatory sensation and elegance of him who foremost defined what picturesque beauty was…I detest Slang of every kind”

Romantics shun the thought of societal properness. They do non like the thought of an unofficial societal responsibility necessitating them to act a certain manner ; alternatively they prefer to show themselves nevertheless they so delight. This is typical of Marianne. She believes properness to be directed by experiencing entirely. Throughout the novel the words she speaks and her actions reflect her Romantic self-cantered attitude:

“On the contrary. nil can be a strong cogent evidence of it. Elinor ; for if there had been any existent improperness in what I did. I should hold been reasonable of it at the clip. for we ever know when we are moving incorrect. and with such a strong belief I could hold had no pleasure” ( p60 )

Marianne does non experience she requires society to command her judgements but

instead believes she is capable of directing her ain judgement through imaginativeness. illusion and feeling. This is coincident with the Romantic sense of freedom and trust in inventive potency. The romantic ideals were influenced by this trust in imaginativeness and her determinations on love and matrimony were based on unrealistic. idealistic and erroneous impressions. Bing a Romantic. she refuses to let ground to regulate her feelings and therefore she remains immature in her thought and attitudes ; particularly in the issue of love:

“The more I know of the universe. the more I am positive that I shall ne'er see a adult male who I can truly love. I require so much! He must hold all Edward’s virtuousnesss. and his individual and manners must decorate his goodness with every possible charm…” ( p15 )

Many times in the fresh Marianne. who “had ne'er much acceptance for anything similar impudence. coarseness. lower status of parts. of even difference of gustatory sensation from herself” ( p108 ) . displaces lip service by possessing the very qualities she detests ; by being revealed as erroneous. cold and reserved. Marianne nevertheless. in her natural ignorance. believes she is justified in disregarding the demands of societal behavior. She aims directly for the truth and in making so disregards to talk with tact and can be direct. In making so she ignores the conventions of societal discourse ; an property archetypal of Romantics:

“I have erred against every common topographic point impression of decorousness ; I have been unfastened and sincere where I ought to hold been reserved. spiritless. dull and deceitful…” ( p42 )

Although Jane Austin may hold simply wrote Sense and Sensibility

with the purpose of an probe into the two dominant doctrines. it is a popular sentiment among readers that Austin was knocking Romantics by portraying Marianne as narcissistic and self- interested. She depicts Marianne’s Romantic values are a mistake. non a virtuousness. Many cases in the novel can take a reader into believing the text lends itself to be biased against Romanticism.

This is apparent chiefly near the novel’s decision. when Marianne develops an unwellness through to a broken bosom ensuing in deficiency of self-control. She is reformed by this unwellness and calls into inquiry all her ideals and the attitudes displayed throughout the text. She comprehends the lip service and mistake in her old behavior. One of the chief disclosures she realizes is the load her actions have placed on her household. peculiarly Elinor:

“There are incommodiousnesss go toing such feelings as Marianne’s. which all the appeals of enthusiasm and ignorance of the universe can non expiate for” ( p49 )

As a consequence of the Illness and self- disclosure. Marianne can be seen to follow Neo- Classic rules such as a mature mentality on love. seen in her new attack to Willoughby:

“As for sorrow. I have done with that. every bit far as he is concerned. I do non intend to speak to you of what my feelings have been for him. but what they are now” ( P292 )

By the novel’s decision. Marianne appears a Reformed character ; a mixture of the superior parts of Romanticism and Neo Classicism. She maintains her feeling. avidity and verve nevertheless alternatively of concentrating on selfish aspirations of affairs of the bosom. she channels them into her newfound societal

responsibilities as married woman. female parent and patronne of Delaford.

Sense and Sensibility was used by Jane Austin to define her societal civilization of which her life consisted of. She uses both her supporters. Marianne and Elinor. to efficaciously depict the balance that must be present in order to profit from the virtuous properties of both doctrines. By lauding Elinor as the heroine of the novel. a character who is bulk Neo- Classic. the reader can see which doctrine Jane Austin considers more suited. However. though Marianne’s reformation by the novel’s decision. the reader sees that Austin besides believes the Romantic doctrine is besides needed in order to make a reasonable but more exciting life.