I guess I've always known that these were in the novel, but these thread we've been having make me realize just how many parallels we have in S&S!

Here's another that occurred to me after this week's reading:

--Willoughby, who had been keeping a prior involvement with another woman from Marianne, suddenly and without warning finds himself in an uncomfortable situation where both women are there with him!

Edward, who had been keeping a prior involvement with another woman from Elinor, suddenly and without warning finds himself in an uncomfortable situation where both women are there with him!

As always, the parallels point out some key differences. First of all, Marianne handled her situation as badly as she possibly could, where Elinor did everything in her power to smooth things over. Interestingly, Marianne's thought was not about her beloved but about herself in this situation. Elinor's thoughts are to try to make things easier for Edward.

On the other hand, Elinor has the upper hand in her knowledge of the engagement, whereas Marianne is taken completly by surprise. Still, Elinor did manage to keep a lid on her feelings when she received her own shock.

And, even though Elinor knows, Edward doesn't know she knows. Willoughby is able to regain his composure, make his expression more tranquil, and speak calmly. Edward is exceedingly embarassed, can hardly sit down, can barely speak, forgets the requirements of polite conversation, and mutters unintelligibly.

To me that comparison throws some light on what Colonel Brandon said when he told Elinor about Willoughby: "Little did Mr. Willoughby imagine, I suppose, when his looks censured me for incivility in breaking up the party, that I was called away to the relief of one, whom he had made poor and miserable; but had he known it, what would it have availed? Would he have been less gay or less happy in the smiles of your sister? No, he had already done that, which no man who can feel for another would do."