Jane Austen discussion

Why?

Analyze Col. Brandon as a romantic character?

Colonel Brandon put Marianne on a pedestal and kept her there through out the entire book. He remained true, even though Marianne publicly gave her heart to another.

He knows that Marianne is a great deal younger than he, and does not pressure her to marry for money or social position.

When things do not work out between Marianne and Willoughby, he does not quickly rush in and insist on her being his, he gives her the time she needs and in the end, after they have married and she realizes that she truly loves him, he is rewarded for his patience.

He is so romantic.

The match between Marinanne and Colonel Brandon kinda bothered me. Brandon, of course is a wonderful character as well as Marianne. But it saddened me that their love was a bit one-sided. Marianne grew to love him, it's true, but I couldn't shake the feeling that Colonel Brandon deserved true passion and love. Marianne gave hers to Willoughby. At the time though, I guess any love at all in a marriage was wonderful and rare. So in the end, both benefited.

I couldn't help wondering why Brandon wouldn't want someone with a little more sense.

I really love Colonel Brandon but I think alot of his love of Marianne is the love of a memory (of the girl he lost). I think he sees his marriage as an opportunity to set things right- may be a good thing that Marianne isn't as passionate in the relationship because if she REALLY loved him so much, it would be a bitter pill to think he was seeing his lost love in her.

I agree with Annette. Why wouldn't Brandon want someone with a little more sense? Col. Brandon is older and more experienced in the ways of the world, why marry someone who is inexperienced and easy to give her heart (to another originally)with little sensesibility?

On the other side, I can see how a 'young love' would be refreshing in a way for Col Brandon. Especially after losing his first love.

I must say, I didn't feel any romance between these two characters. While I think Marianne got the better deal in the relationship, I don't really understand the appeal of it. I'd feel better about it if Brandon saw her for who she was, rather than as the woman he lost. (That's the way I saw it, anyway.) As for Marianne, Brandon seemed to be an afterthought. I don't recall any hint that she had any romantic feelings for him, but she did choose a sensible match for herself in him. I suppose this shows how her character changed, but I would've appreciated more of a romance between them. Maybe I'm missing something, but this is how I felt when reading the book.

One thing that I just thought of after reading Jamie's comments was that of course Marianne made a sensible match. Did she get the better deal? In that sense yes because marriage in the Regency period was about making good matches and improving your (and your family's) financial situation.

But the romantic in me says Col. Brandon did because he finally was married to the woman that he loved. And in the sense of the match...Marianne was a "good" catch for being young and beautiful. She just didn't have any wealth to her family name. But Col. Brandon didn't need to marry for money so he was able to marry for love. Could Marianne say the same thing? Even though she said she would only marry for love, she needed to also marry for money.

Do I have a final answer? No, I just seem to be taking both sides of the discussion! :)

I think the question of who got the better deal is all wrong. In a great relationship there should be an equality in the benefit for both. I think Austen establishes this. Col. Brandon appears in the book to be very reserved, but I read his reservation as guarded. In his youth he was identical to Marianne. He can trully be her soul mate because they have so much in common. He was a good man without sense in his youth who suffered for his rashness. He wanted to save Marianne from this pain, but in the end could only suffer with her.

Marianne could not have understood or appreciated Col. Brandon's love before she too, came to know her own foibles. It is this self knowledge that brings Marianne to understand that there can be deep love even after first love is lost.

We are given a reserved look at their love precisely because they have learned to be guarded. But both are extremely passionate people and will have a profound relationship. This is one of my favorite examples of Austen genius.

I echo Amy's thoughts and she said it beautifully! :-)

(PS I hesitate to mention this, but at one point in the story I almost wondered if Elinor and Brandon would get together. They both are sensible (yet with keen emotions deep down), disappointed in previous loves, and seemed to have a true friendship for one another. Did anyone else wonder about this???)

Kathryn,

I thought Elinor and Brandon could've made a good match, too.

The thought crossed my mind, too, Kathryn!

I think you make great points Amy! I kind of feel that both Brandon and Marianne benefit from the other. That Brandon brings out a more sensible side to Marianne, and Marianne brings out a more youthful, happy side to Brandon. I don't know if that's right, that's just kind of how I took it. I would like to think though that both loved the other.
The new (BBC) version of "S&S" took an interest approach, I thought, where it seemed as though Brandon *was* everything Marianne had always wanted in a husband, but she just hadn't recognized it. She realizes that he is the romantic, deep-feeling, passionate person that she *thought* Willoughby was. I don't know - if anyone has seen it and would like to comment, please do. I'm not sure that I *totally* agree with that take, but I do think there's some validity to it.

Yes, I got that from the BBC version, too. Not sure if I got that from the book--it's been a few years... But, it's an interesting interpretation and I think I would have liked it better if the BBC Brandon actor had been any good! In theory, it's nice, though.

Col. Brandon is certainly very faithful and sweet, but honestly I didn't think he seemed very sexy, attractive, or romantic. I wish Marianne could have ended up with someone who could have been more of the romantic hero she had dreamed of. Yes, I know the book is partly about her giving up that part of herself, but she still has that imaginative, pashionate side that I just cannot see COl. Brandon fulfilling.
I think Marianne is more than worthy of him. She had been immature, etc. through the whole book, but by the end she's changed, so I can only see her being a very sweet,loving wife for him.

Amy, you said it! Brandon and Marianne, like Romeo and Juliet, who knows with whom people would fall in love if not for the experiences that drew them together??

I think the only person who can really determined how Marianne and Brandon's relationship had turned out was Jane Austen. Otherwise, I feel the rest of us are simply guilty of projecting our own prejudices and desires on the relationship.

Don’t men always get the better deal in marriage? :-D

Drush76 wrote: "I think the only person who can really determined how Marianne and Brandon's relationship had turned out was Jane Austen. Otherwise, I feel the rest of us are simply guilty of projecting our own pr..."

Well said. The story is apparently very Georgian and reflects the morals of the time. None of us can never fully understand the sense vs. sensibility debate the way Jane Austen intended it. The point of the story is to have a moderation of both sense and sensibility. A lot of that comes with age and experience though.

What Jane did so well was create three-dimensional, memorable characters that we can relate to and want to root for. Of course we want Marianne to have a romantic relationship and I think she finds true contentment with Col. Brandon at the end.

If Elinor had married Brandon, she would have been unhappy. She would "esteem" him and "like" him and he would feel the same way about her but their relationship would be boring and passionless. Marianne has spunk and spark and will engage with him, debate with him and take over the running of the estate. I think Elinor would merely be grateful and never challenge him in any way.

That’s an excellent point, QNPoohBear - Elinor and Colonel Brandon’s marriage would have been more like a contented friendship. Marianne and Colonel Brandon’s personalities would bring a balance to the relationship. Austen tells us herself that Marianne loved her husband so I don’t understand when people say they wouldn’t have had a happy marriage. The age difference wasn’t an issue back then like it would be today. And as for Marianne’s sensibility, her heartbreak and near death caused her to mature from that overly passionate and rude young girl that she used to be.