The Obstacles Of Dating In Sense And Sensibility, By Jane Austen

Jane Austen’s, Sense and Sensibility, follows the journey of two young women as they search for a suitable husband. Elinor and Marianne Dashwood have many obstacles in their way as they try to develop relationships, and many of these obstacles come from society. During the Regency Era in England, there were many rules placed by society that affected courtship and dating. Society deemed what was the proper way to date and who was proper to date. Looking at the society’s expectations of dating in the Regency Era of England provides a better understanding of the plot, the intentions of the characters, and interactions of the characters.
Dances and parties were the popular way to meet potential husbands, and Elinor and Marianne attend many parties
She makes her decisions based on fact rather than emotion. In the novel, Elinor claims that wealth considerably affects happiness (Austen). Her sister Marianne is much more emotional and cannot understand Elinor’s perspective; a perspective that looks at survival reality as opposed to emotion. This is consistent with the times because at this time in history people had become obsessed with gaining wealth (“Historical Context of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen”). Along with society’s values, the author’s style shaped Elinor's character. The author, Jane Austen, wrote in neoclassic style as opposed to a romantic style (Appleman). This explains why Elinor would believe that money is happiness. Elinor is not a hopeless romantic like her sister, and her decisions are not clouded by emotion. The wealthier man that she can marry, then the better her marriage would be considered by society. She looks at happiness as having comfort and wealth because that’s what society said was important, and these societal norms of the Regency Era dictate Elinor’s character. Along with shaping the characters of the novel, the societal pressures and rules of courtship also control the relationships that characters