What Is Illustrativeness In Dashwood's Threwdness?

Though Mrs. Dashwood “instantly left the room” in response to the insult, eliciting for retreat rather a linguistic attack, her daughters favor clever responses for the drawing rooms and social settings afforded a subversive means of power for 18th century women (Sense 18). In a society dominated by men, the sisters’ only weapon for the battle of influence was through language, whether to propagate the self or disconcert the opposing party. Yet, even though language was utilized as a means of linguistic warfare, the Georgian ideals of a lady’s status in society and emphasis on manners permeate the Dashwood sisters’ manners of speech and interaction in social arenas. During Mr. Willoughby’s morning call, he contests that Marianne is “endeavoring to disarm [him] by reason, and to convince [him] against [his] will”, the militaristic terminology furthering the image of verbal warfare (71).
We remember that Lucy’s unsolicited confession to Elinor of her secret engagement to Edward is purely strategic, and at a cursory glance, Lucy seems the verbal victor. Unwittingly, Elinor has stumbled upon a linguistic land mine. At first, she reacts in “silent amazement” and her astonishment is “too great for words” (130). Elinor perceives Lucy’s underlying motive that she “might be informed . . . of Lucy’s superior claims on Edward, and be taught to avoid him in future,” and she defers (142). Lucy’s “superior claim” upon Edward makes her superior in this social