Mrs. Dashwood in Sense and Sensibility

Major character

The widowed mother of Elinor, Marianne, and Margaret, devoted to her daughters' comfort and eager to secure their future.

Who is Mrs. Dashwood?

Mrs. Dashwood is the recently widowed matriarch who must adjust to reduced means while protecting and providing for her three daughters. She wants security, domestic comfort, and the emotional well‑being of Elinor, Marianne, and Margaret; she repeatedly makes decisions aimed at keeping the family together and preserving their dignity. Early on she accepts the pain of leaving Norland but chooses Barton Cottage to remove the family from uncomfortable relations at Norland Park. She welcomes and encourages suitable acquaintances—embracing Edward Ferrars, praising Willoughby, and later supporting Colonel Brandon—responding with maternal sympathy to Marianne’s sorrows and Elinor’s quieter suffering. Mrs. Dashwood writes anxious letters, travels to London when summoned, and actively participates in arranging her daughters’ prospects. Though sometimes optimistic about remedies (change of scene, social introductions), she shows practical sense in downsizing the household and accepting offers of help. Across the narrative she functions as a steady, feeling centre who seeks consolation in family and kinder judgments of others.

Personality

Maternal
She rushes to Marianne’s side when the girl falls ill and travels to be with her in the crisis (Ch. 43–45).
Sanguine
She imagines improvements and a new drawing room at Barton even as the narration notes the improbability given their finances (Ch. 6).
Trusting
She readily accepts Edward’s attentions and believes in his sincerity, contrasting him favorably with Mrs. John Dashwood (Ch. 3).
Indulgent
She encourages Marianne’s attachment to Willoughby and indulges their intimacy when he visits frequently (Ch. 10–11).
Practical
She arranges the move from Norland, sells horses and carriage, reduces servants, and quickly settles the household at Barton Cottage (Ch. 5).

Character arc

Mrs. Dashwood begins as a recently bereaved wife who is emotionally vulnerable but determined to keep her daughters safe and comfortable. In the immediate aftermath of Mr. Dashwood’s death she is liable to be overwhelmed by sorrow yet retains a preference for remaining where memory comforts her (Ch. 1–2). Practical concerns and social friction with Mrs. John Dashwood prompt her to accept Sir John Middleton’s offer and move the family to Barton, where her optimism helps the household adapt (Ch. 4–6). At Barton she alternates between indulgence—encouraging Marianne’s romance with Willoughby—and sensible management of domestic affairs (Ch. 10–12). Her maternal instincts lead her to sympathize with both Marianne’s passionate grief and Elinor’s quieter pain, and she acts decisively in moments of crisis, traveling to tend to Marianne’s illness (Ch. 43–45). Over time she shifts from hopeful trust in suitors to a more measured endorsement of Colonel Brandon once his constancy is revealed, championing a stable match for Marianne (Ch. 45–47). By the end she is actively involved in securing her daughters’ futures and presides over reconciliations and marriages, having moved from mourning and anxiety to engaged, prudent support of her family’s long‑term wellbeing (Ch. 48–50).

Relationships

  • Elinor Eldest daughter; Mrs. Dashwood relies on Elinor’s practical counsel and shares mutual affection and concern.
  • Marianne Younger daughter; she is deeply sympathetic to Marianne’s sensibility and rushes to comfort her in illness and sorrow.
  • Margaret Youngest daughter; Mrs. Dashwood encourages her improvement and includes her in family moves and plans.
  • Mrs. John Dashwood Daughter‑in‑law at Norland whose selfishness and indelicacy strain relations and help motivate Mrs. Dashwood’s removal.
  • Edward Family friend whose apparent regard for Elinor she welcomes and whose changing fortunes she follows with interest and hope.
  • Colonel Brandon A gentleman she respects and ultimately endorses as a steady, suitable match for Marianne.

Quotes by Mrs. Dashwood

“An annuity is a very serious business; it comes over and over every year, and there is no getting rid of it.”

Chapter 2Fanny's argument against committing to yearly payments, emphasizing her fear of long-term financial drains.

“Something very melancholy must be the matter, I am sure,”

Chapter 14Mrs. Jennings expresses her conviction that Colonel Brandon’s sudden departure signals serious trouble, illustrating her tendency to dramatize neighbors' affairs.

““I am so glad to see you!””

Chapter 20Mrs. Palmer greets the Miss Dashwoods enthusiastically on their arrival and begins pressing them with invitations.

““He is always out of humour.””

Chapter 20Mrs. Palmer whispers this to Elinor to explain Mr. Palmer’s frequent sullenness and to make light of his ill temper.

““I know why you inquire about him, very well; your sister is to marry him.”

Chapter 20Mrs. Palmer gives gossipy assurance that Marianne is going to marry Willoughby, claiming she heard it from Colonel Brandon.

“I am sure your mother can spare you very well, and I do beg you will favour me with your company, for I’ve quite set my heart upon it.”

Chapter 25Mrs. Jennings insists the Dashwood sisters accompany her to London, pressing the invitation with warmth and persistence.

Why Mrs. Dashwood matters

Mrs. Dashwood embodies the novel’s concern with family duty, maternal love, and the practical burdens placed on women after bereavement. Her balance of feeling and prudence illustrates how affectionate sympathy and household management must coexist when finances and social position shift. Through her decisions—moving the family, entertaining society, comforting Marianne, and supporting prudent marriages—she advances themes of security versus sensibility, the need for steady domestic arrangements, and the moral value of compassionate judgment over romantic excess.

Chapters with Mrs. Dashwood

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