What Is The Dichotomy Between Elinor And Burney

Topic 3: Patriarchy at its Finest The novels of Jane Austen and Francis Burney take on the patriarchal system in Sense and Sensibility and Evelina. Each has their own style of not living within the patriarchal society, but challenge it in their own way. Austen places her characters in the private space and Burney in the public, each takes on the burden of growing feminism during the 18th century, each with their own characteristics (Elinor – Sense Evelina – Sensibility) and deal with marriage based on money in different ways. In both Evelina and Sense and Sensibility, Elinor and Evelina deal with the rising issue of feminism in 18th century England. The patriarchal system challenges these characters understanding of free will in the space …show more content…
The private space is a hallmark of most of Austen’s novels which makes sense because women are more conformable during this time in the private space. However Burney isn’t afraid to go into the public space, challenging Evelina as the story goes on. The issue of Evelina’s sensibility comes into focus and that’s a good trait to have if you want to get a husband that is rich, but not so helpful when you are walking the streets of England without the knowledge of the benefits and dangers of the public space. I think it’s a mix of Evelina’s sensibility and innocent that makes her so different from Elinor because Evelina is more trusting of the people around her, all be it not comfortable. Evelina’s friends have to be constantly on guard when out in the public because of this ongoing issue of maintaining her innocent. If a man is not in Evelina’s reach then her innocent is put in danger just like the Dark walks did. However, Elinor use of sense can blind her at times, but works out pretty good when trying to weed out men that pray on women that know no better. Alas the issue of sense and sensibility comes to a head. Both Evelina and Elinor are strong on their own merits, but having some sense and sensibility is what makes a woman or even a man strong. Too much of one trait over the other results in side effects that end up being the downfall of the character at one point or another. What each author gives us is two vastly different views of society in England from these two characters. Each character, despite their differences in interacting with public and private spaces or vice versa, is able to setup in their spheres and highlight the issue of the 18th century patriarchy which looms over