Sense and Sensibility Chapter 43 Summary

Summary

Marianne rises but remains feverish and weak; she cannot read or keep up her usual activities and soon returns to bed. An apothecary, Mr. Harris, is summoned and though he tentatively promises a short recovery, he uses alarming terms—"putrid tendency" and "infection"—which prompt Mrs. Palmer and Mrs. Jennings to take precautions and Mrs. Palmer to leave Cleveland with her infant. Mrs. Jennings, however, refuses to abandon Marianne and stays to nurse her; Elinor likewise cares for her sister steadily.

Marianne’s condition fluctuates over several days: Mr. Harris alternately predicts recovery and then is dismayed by relapse. Colonel Brandon is anxious and considers going to fetch Mrs. Dashwood; Mrs. Jennings persuades him to remain, but when Marianne’s delirium increases and she talks wildly of "mama," Elinor sends Brandon off at once to bring their mother from Barton. A long, tortuous night follows with fever, delirium, and intense worry; Mr. Harris is late but prescribes further treatment and then reports real improvement. Marianne slowly revives through the afternoon and seems out of danger. As evening comes and all wait for the mother’s arrival, Elinor hears a carriage and hurries downstairs—only to find Willoughby waiting in the drawing-room.

Key events

1. Marianne’s fever persists; apothecary Mr. Harris diagnoses a worrying tendency to putrid infection.
2. Mrs. Palmer departs for safety with her baby; Mrs. Jennings stays to nurse Marianne.
3. Marianne relapses into fever and delirium, speaking obsessively of her mother.
4. Colonel Brandon rides off to fetch Mrs. Dashwood from Barton at Elinor’s request.
5. A long night of suffering and anxiety; Mr. Harris delays but then reports improvement.
6. Marianne recovers sufficiently by late afternoon; Elinor waits for her mother’s arrival and discovers Willoughby in the drawing-room.

Analysis

This chapter intensifies the novel’s focus on the interplay between feeling and restraint by placing Marianne’s passionate constitution in the crucible of serious illness. Marianne’s physical vulnerability exposes the limits of sensation when confronted with danger: her emotional excess becomes literalized as bodily collapse. Elinor’s composed, self-sacrificing attention contrasts with Mrs. Jennings’s theatrical anxiety and Mr. Harris’s uncertain medical authority, showcasing different modes of response—practical, sentimental, and professional—to crisis. Colonel Brandon’s promptness and deliberation further highlight his steady loyalty, while his temporary absence (riding to fetch the mother) creates structural suspense. The recurrence of fear and relief—false recoveries, relapses, and delayed medical visits—creates a rhythmic tension that propels the plot forward and underscores themes of duty, familial bonds, and the social networks that manage illness.

Narratively, the chapter uses close third-person focalization through Elinor to render the emotional stakes with controlled language: her internal anxieties and ethical deliberations structure readers’ sympathies. Illness here functions symbolically: Marianne’s fever reveals the consequences of unchecked sensibility and isolates characters’ temperaments under pressure. The late arrival of the mother, the stormy night, and the unexpected appearance of Willoughby at the end all serve as foreshadowing devices and scene-setting elements that sharpen suspense without resolving the broader emotional conflicts.

Important quotes

““Is mama coming?””

Marianne DashwoodSpoken in feverish delirium as Marianne fixates on the idea of her mother arriving, prompting immediate alarm and action.

“She rushed to the drawing-room,—she entered it,—and saw only Willoughby.”

NarratorThe chapter’s final surprise: Elinor expects her mother but instead encounters Willoughby, creating immediate tension and questions.

Characters in Chapter 43

• Marianne Dashwood
• Elinor Dashwood
• Colonel Brandon
• Mrs. Jennings
• Mrs. Palmer
• Mr. Palmer
• Mr. Harris
• Mrs. Dashwood
• Willoughby
• Charlotte