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Do you think that JA was a little in love with Willoughby herself?


 Posted by Barbara on August 18, 1998 at 15:21:46:


Back to the Sense and Sensibility boardWhile looking around online for some things to add to my Literary Companion page, I came across this article: Introduction to Sense and Sensibility
 
 by Reginald Brimley Johnson
 
Published by J. M. Dent & Sons, 1922 
It talks about all of JA's novels actually, but several times Johnson makes statements that make it seem as though JA favoured Willoughy above all her other so-called villains. For example:
--he writes that Willoughby seems to have a lot more natural charm than even heroes such as Mr. Darcy and Mr. Knightley
--in general, JA treats mercenary marriages and those who make them with contempt, but does not seem to have this attitude toward Willoughby
--He writes:
Though she had a strong natural distaste for pictures of guilt and misery, she has drawn us some villains who
     wear sheep's clothing for a considerable period, and seriously interfere with the course of true love. Wickham
     belongs to a somewhat commonplace type, being cool, selfish, and calculating, pleasing in his address and a
     skilful liar. Willoughby's unaffected sensibility is a more original conception, which is well sustained. 
Do you think that JA could have written such a character as Willoughby (and a character who can inspire endless debate!) without being a little in love with him herself?  Her contempt for characters she does NOT like is always evident...





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