Jane Austen discussion

Would you consider the ending of S&S to be a "happy ending"? Why?

Yes. Not only do the Elinor and Marianne find happiness, but Lucy Steel couldn't have been better matched.

Mrs. Dashwood was comforted by her daughters finding love. Mrs. Jennings still has Margaret to marry off.

Yes, I do believe for the most part one culd call it a happy ending. Maybe not as happy as P&P but the girls of Barton Cottege triumph in becoming married and with some comfort and love from their respective mates.

Yes I found it very happy.

""It is a great relief to me--what Elinor told me this morning--I have now heard exactly what I wished to hear."--For some moments her voice was lost; but recovering herself, she added, and with greater calmness than before--"I am now perfectly satisfied, I wish for no change. I never could have been happy with him, after knowing, as sooner or later I must have known, all this.--I should have had no confidence, no esteem. Nothing could have done it away to my feelings." ...Marianne sighed, and repeated, "I wish for no change.""

Bittersweet. Marianne wishes for no change at that time, but she does wish Willoughby had been the Willoughby as she imagined him. That is SOOOOO what first loves are all about.

Ah well... on to Brandon and comfortable respectability! LOL.

From the perspective of Marianne and Elinor (and Col. Brandon and Edward) and, by extention, Mrs. Dashwood and Margaret (who will benefit from the marriages and happiness of the girls) then YES it is a happy ending. I'm not sure how happy many of the other characters could be though they certainly got what they asked for and I wouldn't want to think of Lucy Steele or Willoughby really living "happily ever after" anyway!

I liked it but i kind of wish Willoby was killed or something to save Marianne the pain. I was glad she ended up with the Col. Brandon but still.

I think yes. I think Elinor and Edward were always supposed to be "meant for each other" so it's "happy" that they are together at the end.
Also, though it wasn't as obvious that Marianne and Brandon would end up together, I think the book was leading to that from the beginning. So yes, I think happy there, too.:)

I think JA likes double weddings.

;D Lol! Great point, Katie!

I think that Elinor and Edward were perfectly happy, I loved how she found out that he had not gotten married! At first, I thought, No! He couldn't have gotten married to Lucy Steele! And then how she found out what really happened, I was so happy!
As for Marianne I think she is completely happy, becuase I agree that if she had found out after she had married Willoughby about his actions, she would certainly have been very upset and regretful. I also think that Col. Brandon is very happy!
The only person I would say did not end up happy is Willoughby, he made terrible mistakes and lost the one he loved, he has a truly sad life. It is all his fault, though.

I suppose that makes sense, I have never considered that before. Thank you for your insight. I think that since you have experienced this, you can shed some light on this subject, whereas I have never before encountered something like this. So, I am less understanding. Sorry, I am rambling on, I apologize, I don't know why I had to say the same thing over and over again.

I believe that Marianne was happy in a better way. Because she had Elinor and her mother to support her, she was able to move on after Willoughby hurt her. She found contentment and someone who cared for her deeply.

Anne Elliot, in Persuasion, was someone who never got over her first love. But, I don't know if you've read this one yet, Hope. It's my favorite book by Austen.

And, we all ramble on at times, and we all have varying opinions, so no need to apologize! :)

Marge wrote: "I believe it was a happy ending for Elinor but not for Marianne. She nearly died for loving Willoughby and I believe she will always be haunted by him. A similar love happened to me when I was yo..."

I hope you found your happy ending with your husband and family, Marge. Life doesn't often work out so neatly as it does in books. Maybe that's why we enjoy reading so much. :)

I'm not sure "happy" is the word I would use, but certainly resolved. In a way, it felt like Marianne was settling, but she also grew up in the story and matured. She realized that Willoughby would not have made a good husband. However, there was no time for us to believe that Marianne truly "fell in love" with Colonel Brandon. It felt a little like Mansfield Park that way. Was the cousin really in love with Fanny?

Here is what Jane Austen tells us:

"...Marianne found her own happiness in forming his [Brandon:]... Marianne could never love by halves; and her whole heart became in time, as much devoted to her husband, as it had once been to Willoughby."

Sounds pretty happy to me.

Jeannette wrote: "I believe that Marianne was happy in a better way. Because she had Elinor and her mother to support her, she was able to move on after Willoughby hurt her. She found contentment and someone who c..."

I think the situations of Anne and Marianne are very different. I'm on the belief that Anne never got over Frederick because she was who rejected him, knowing perfectly that he was THE ONE for her. Marianne got dissapointed of Willoughby; she realized that the man she idealized didn't exist at all, and besides, she had Col. Brandon close to her to help her forget Willoughby. Anne wasn't so pretty as Marianne was, and didn't have another option around, which made it more difficult for her to forget Frederick.

And we have to take in account that the personalities of Anne and Marianne are opposites. Often happens that the persons that don't express their feelings are the ones that had a hard time trying to forget their lost loved ones, and that was the case of Anne. She was repressed by her father and Mrs. Russell. She forced herself to repress her feelings. That was a time bomb. On the other side, Marianne cried fair enough; she could get the pain totally out of her, and soon she was ready to start all over again.

There is a joy to be had in a man that loves you for you. At first, the wild desire that comes from falling in love won't be there. There is a great rapture that occurs when a woman is sensible and learns what love is than running in a frenzy after it. How can it be settling to have the love of a man for a lifetime who knows you, feels for you in every way, who wants you, and wants you to be you. Only a real man can do that. Willoughby was a total cad. I think that Marianne would have been settling for Willoughby - a man she would love but he would not be able to be a partner for life. Some day in the future, he wouldnot be coming to Marianne as a lover but a man who is bored. Col Brandon would loyal, devoted, generous, passionate, and sensible - what a package!!!

Sarah wrote: "There is a joy to be had in a man that loves you for you. At first, the wild desire that comes from falling in love won't be there. There is a great rapture that occurs when a woman is sensible a..."

Well put! I can't improve on that -- Marianne was a very fortunate young lady!

Jeannette wrote: "Here is what Jane Austen tells us:

"...Marianne found her own happiness in forming his [Brandon:]... Marianne could never love by halves; and her whole heart became in time, as much devoted to her..."

Agreed!

Jeannette wrote: "I believe that Marianne was happy in a better way. Because she had Elinor and her mother to support her, she was able to move on after Willoughby hurt her. She found contentment and someone who c..."

That is very true, I like how you put that. She was happy in better way.

Haha! I haven't read that one yet, but I can't wait to! I am waiting until I am able to buy it rather than get it from the library.

Persuasion is my favorite! Better find somewhere to budget (don't know what your personal weakness is lol)

Haha! I'm thinking of just reading it at the library and buying it later because the next book I'm going to buy is Emma, for the group read. It's okay! I'd rather you didn't know my personal weakness! Haha!

I was going to say Starbucks; mine is buying manga. :)

Haha! I don't know... I have a lot of trouble keeping money in my pocket when I go to a book store!