Editor's Choice
What is the narrator's point of view in Sense and Sensibility?
Quick answer:
The narrator's point of view in Sense and Sensibility is third-person omniscient, allowing insight into the thoughts and emotions of all characters. However, the focus is primarily on Elinor, who represents "sense," making her the central figure through whose perspective much of the story unfolds. This limited omniscience creates dramatic tension by revealing information as Elinor discovers it.
In Sense and Sensibility, Jane Austen uses what's called a third-person omniscient point of view. This is where the narrator sees all and knows all. Such a point of view gives us privileged access to the interior life of each character—their thoughts, their emotions, and their hopes and aspirations.
However, just because the narrator can tell us what's going on inside each character's head, it doesn't mean that she should give them all equal consideration. In that sense, the point of view of this novel is limited. The main focus of the narration is Elinor (who represents the "sense" mentioned in the title). This means that we come to know her far better than anyone else in the story—certainly better than the more emotional Marianne. Besides, Austen is much too good of a writer to tell us everything that's going on inside her characters' minds; there does need to...
Unlock This Answer Now
Start your 48-hour free trial and get ahead in class. Boost your grades with access to expert answers and top-tier study guides. Thousands of students are already mastering their assignments—don't miss out. Cancel anytime.
Already a member? Log in here.
be an appropriate level of ambiguity and subtlety to keep us interested.
The point of view of the narrator in Sense and Sensibility refers to the perspective under which the narrative is told depending on the events that surround the plot. In this case, the point of view comes directly from the perspective of Elinor, who is the heroine and main character of the story.
Although Sense and Sensibility conveys the experiences of many other characters including Elinor's younger sister, Marianne, we do not get as many particular introspective details about her such as thoughts or emotions. We do get those from Elinor, who is constantly analyzing situations throughout the story.
To illustrate, think how much easier it would have been for us, as readers, to predict Willoughby's actions if only we had had a chance to see what was going inside Marianne's head. We only know that she was in love, that she had hoped for an engagement, and that she was heartbroken after he left her. It was not until much later that we find out, through Elinor's inquiry, that Willoughby had never proposed to Marianne and that maybe Marianne had taken Willoughby much more seriously than she should have.
Contrastingly, we know everything that goes on in Elinor's mind, and we can certainly appreciate her feelings for Edward through all the obstacles that come in between them.
This being said, Elinor Dashwood is the main character of the novel, the heroine, and the character through which the narrator exposes the point of view of the story.
Is the narrator omniscient in Sense and Sensibility?
The narrator of this text is of the third person omniscient variety. This means that the narrator is not a participant in the events that take place in the story (this is the "third person" part), but he or she can tell us the thoughts and feelings of all the characters (this is the "omniscient" part). In the first paragraph of chapter 1, for example, the narrator speaks of the "old Gentleman," Mr. Henry Dashwood's, feelings and wishes regarding his family, his comfort, and his old age. Shortly thereafter, Mr. John Dashwood's feelings and character are described, as are those of his wife. Likewise, the narrator soon comes to discuss Elinor Dashwood's personality and disposition, her emotions and her character, as well as her younger sister's Marianne's. This goes on, so on and so forth, and, in short, the narrator is not a participant in the story's plot, but he or she can tell us how all of the characters think and feel.
In writing, we can find two different types of third-person narratives: omniscient and limited. An omniscient narrator is all-knowing, meaning that they are able to share the thoughts and actions of any character within the book, as well as any other information that may be relevant. A limited narrator is exactly what it sounds like—limited. They do not know what is going on in the mind of every character and are only able to reveal the thoughts of one or two characters.
The narrator of Jane Austen's classic novel Sense and Sensibility falls under the category of third-person omniscient. While a good deal of the focus is on main character Elinor's perspective, the narrator allows the reader to see pieces of the story from the perspective of several different characters. This helps to develop the world of Sense and Sensibility, making it more complex and whole.