In Jane Austen's time marriages were sometimes arranged to ensure the security of finances, estates, titles etc. Unless a woman was financially independent she needed to marry a man who could afford to support her and any children or face an old age of poverty. A man would sometimes marry a woman with money to help maintain his estate. This thread will discuss the relationships in Sense and Sensibility. Do you think the couples married for love or for convenience and, if it was the latter, do you think love, or at least respect, followed?

At the beginning of the book we have Mr & Mrs Dashwood just before he dies. What kind of relationship do you think they had during their married life?

We have Mr John Dashwood and his wife Fanny, Sir John and Lady Middleton. What do you think their reasons for marrying had been? Do you think they are, or have ever been, in love? What are your opinions of the marriages entered into in order to keep estates together or to provide comfort for women?

Marianne wanted to marry Willoughby for love but he needed to marry for financial reasons. If Marianne had been rich and they had married, do you think they would have been happy together?

Do you think Marianne and Brandon will be happy together? No marriage is without its problems, what do you think their challenges will be?

Now to Edward and Elinor. How well is Elinor suited to the life of a clergyman's wife? What kind of husband do you think Edward will be?

What do you think money, or the lack of it, tells us about the characters? What does it tell us about society in Jane Austen's time?

Feel free to discuss any or all of these relationships or others in the book that have not been included here. The questions raised are just a starting point for discussion, we welcome any other questions you might like to raise.

i think Marianne will be happy with Brandon, but i think a big challenge will be Willoughby, i think that as time went on that he would not leave her in peace.