Between Sense and Sensibility: Feminist Agency and Economic Constraint in Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility

Author(s)	Dr. Neelam Devi
Country	India
Abstract	Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility (1811) offers a sophisticated critique of Regency-era gender inequality through the contrasting experiences of Elinor and Marianne Dashwood. This paper examines Austen's feminist perspective through the novel's exploration of primogeniture, economic dependence, and the marriage market as mechanisms of women's oppression. Austen's novels "hint at the need for equality between the sexes" despite heroines who "defy gender norms and push for more agency". Through the Dashwood sisters' different approaches to love and marriage, Austen demonstrates how women navigate "immensely important" economic realities while seeking "marriage for mutual love and esteem". The study argues that Austen presents a nuanced feminist vision recognizing both women's structural constraints and their potential for agency within patriarchal society.
Field	Sociology
Published In	Volume 8, Issue 2, March-April 2026
Published On	2026-04-03

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