S02E04 Sense and Sensibility, Chapters 16 to 20

In this episode, we read Chapters 16 to 20 of Sense and Sensibility. We talk about how Marianne indulges her feelings, whether Jane Austen knew what Marianne and Willoughby talked about before he left, the clearer picture we get of Edward in these chapters, and Edward’s invisible servant.

The characters we discuss are Mr and Mrs Palmer. Ellen talks about sensibility and romanticism, which leads into a discussion of Marianne and Elinor’s different views of feelings and behaviour. Harriet talks about adaptations, including the Bollywood modernisation, Kandukondain Kandukondain, which she has finally watched. 

Things we mention:

References:

• Sheila Kaye-Smith and G.B. Stern, Talking of Jane Austen (1943) and More Talk of Jane Austen (1950)
• Hannah More, ‘Sensibility’ (1782)
• Oliver Goldsmith, The Vicar of Wakefield (1766)
• Laurence Sterne, The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman (1759) and A Sentimental Journey (1768)
• The poetry of George Crabbe (1754-1832)
• The poetry of William Blake (1757-1827) 
• Samuel Richardson, Pamela (1740) and Clarissa, or, the History of a Young Lady (1748) 
• The works of Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832) 
• The poetry of William Wordsworth (1770-1850), including ‘My Heart leaps up’ and ‘Daffodils’ 
• The poetry of Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834), including ‘Kubla Khan’ and ‘The Rime of the Ancient Mariner’ 
• The poetry of William Blake (1757-1827) 
• The poetry of William Cowper (1731-1800) 

Artworks:

• The works of William Turner (1775-1851)
• Théodore Géricault, The Raft of the Medusa (1818/1819)
• Eugène Delacroix, Liberty Leading the People (1830)

Adaptations of the book:

• BBC, Sense and Sensibility (1971) – starring Joanna David and Ciaran Madden (4 episodes)
• BBC, Sense and Sensibility (1981) – starring Irene Richard and Tracey Childs (7 episodes)
• Columbia Pictures, Sense and Sensibility (1995) – starring Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet
• BBC, Sense and Sensibility (2008) – starring Hattie Morahan and Charity Wakefield (3 episodes) 

Modernisations of the book:

• Sri Surya Films, Kandukondain Kandukondain (2000) – starring Tabu and Aishwarya Rai
• Joanna Tro