Marginalization of Male Characters in S & S

Name: Riddhi Jani

Roll No: 25

Paper: 5, The Romantic Literature

Semester: 2nd

Submitted to: Department of English

About My Topic

• “Sense and Sensibility”-Jane Austen's experimental work.

• Not stereotypical novel with powerful Hero and ONLY good looking heroine.

• On the contrary there is not any particular hero.• Female centered novel.• Women are in power position.• Male characters are very intellectually

marginalized by Austen.

Male Characters

• Edward Ferrars• Colonel Brandon• John Willoughby• Henry Dashwood• John Dashwood• Sir John

Middleton• Mr. Palmer• Robert Ferrars

Edward Ferrars• Dominated by mother and sister.• He has not voice.• Described as ‘a man of obedience’.• Poor, aimless and shy gentleman.• His mother is in ruling position.• He is in ‘YES MOM’ kind of

position.• In Edward and Elinor’s relation,

Elinor’s intelligence is given more importance.

• Edward is not independent.• Austen glorifies his feminine

aspects.

Colonel Brandon

• Colonel Brandon is stern and quite guy.

• Very less specialty in his character.• Austen intentionally highlights

boring and weak side of his character.

• Incident of abandonment of Eliza.• The responsibility of a child or

children: For a man-too difficult, For a woman-easy.

• Marianne is given more importance.

John Willoughby

• Playboy kind of young man.• Casanova like personality.• Marginalized because of

negative portrayal.• He is (mis)representation of

all males’ rudeness and ruthlessness.

• Lusty and unfaithful fellow.• Marianne is described purer

than him.

Another Marginalization

• Another marginalizations we can find in love triangle of Willoughby, Marianne and Brandon.

• In John and Fanny’s relations also we can see Fanny in power position.

• In the very beginning of the novel, the death of Henry is shown.