Mrs. Dashwood and her three daughters are forced to leave their home of Norland Park after their father dies and their half-brother John inherits the estate. John had promised to financially support his step-mother and half-sisters, but his wife convinces him to provide less support than promised. Sir John Middleton offers Mrs. Dashwood and her daughters use of a small cottage on his property, allowing them to have a new home.
2. Chapter I
Old Gentlemen, owner of Norland Park, invites his nephew and
family after his sister's death.
Mr. Henry Dashwood is the legal inheritor of the Norland estate.
He has one son by a former marriage and three daughters with a
present wife.
His son, John Dashwood, was already rich and had no need of
inheriting Norland, unlike his three half-sisters.
When the Old Gentlemen dies, his will indicates that all his
inheritance goes to John Dashwood.
3. Henry Dashwood becomes disappointed and ill after this
decision and asks his son to make a promise.
Since he can't help his current family, he wants John to help his
daughters and his wife financially, to which he accepts paying
each one a thousand pounds a-piece.
After his father death Mrs. John Dashwood arrives suddenly
with their 4-year child and established herself as mistress of the
estate.
Mrs. Dashwood doesn't like her ungracious behavior and wants
to leave as soon as possible.
Her eldest daughter, Elinor, advices her mother to keep calm and
try to live for a time with this new change, as mere visitors.
4. Chapter II
Mrs. John Dashwood debates strongly with John about his
decision to help his half-sisters financially.
She is being selfish and manipulative in every form.
John argues that it was his father's promise.
Mrs. John Dashwood tells him that it was too much money they
were "taking" from there son to give to his half-sisters and that his
father wasn't thinking straight.
He is then convinced that five hundred pounds is more than
enough.
5. Mrs. John Dashwood keeps insisting to not worry about them,
since they will receive ten thousand pounds for their fathers
death.
She also tells him that paying them annually will bring them in
poverty.
John is greatly convinced that what his wife ask of him and tells
him is the right decision.
6. Chapter III
Mrs. Dashwood is preoccupied and doubts that the promise
between Henry and John will ever be made for the sake of her
daughters.
At the moment, Mrs. Dashwood is also pensive in a new and
very close relationship between Elinor and Mrs. John
Dashwood's brother, Edward Ferrars.
Mrs. Dashwood believes his not handsome and his manners
required intimacy to make them pleasing.
Edward's mother and sister expected him much more from him if
he wanted to obtain a huge inheritance.
7. Mrs. Dashwood's second daughter, Marianne, thinks that
Edward isn't complete enough for her older sister.
She becomes to debate with her mother, her main reason being
that Edward doesn't have much interest in her drawings.
Mrs. Dashwood defends Elinor in this debate.
8. Chapter IV
During the mother and daughter debate, Elinor enters defending
Edward.
Marianne keeps quiet and doesn't want to offend her sister when
she realizes Elinor is secretly in love with him.
When Marianne points out this hidden love, Elinor tries to retract
any positive comment from him.
Elinor explains she won't demonstrate Edward love for the fear
of not receiving the same.
9. Later on Mrs. Dashwood recieves a letter from Sir John
Middleton.
It was offering her and her three daughters a small cottage of their
own called Barton Cottage in his property in Devonshire.
Mrs. Dashwood didn't think twice and responded the letter with
great joy to leave Norland as soon as possible.
10. Chapter V
Mrs. Dashwood was very content when she told Mr. and Mrs.
John Dashwood about her new home.
John was the only one to be preocupied about how far they will
be.
Mrs. Daswood acknowledges that she will be leaving far from
Norland and that will seperate Edward and Elinor, which wasn't
her intention.
She also acknowledges the possibility that her daughters won't
receive the payment from their half-brother.
Marianne is lamenting hugely the fact that they will leave soon
their home.
11. Characters
Old Gentleman: First owner of Norland Park, after his sister dies
he invites Mr. Henry Dashwood and his family to live with him.
Dies ten years later than her sister.
Mr. Henry Dashwood: Had a son with a first marriage and three
daughters with his actual wife, cared allot for his family. Makes a
promise with his son before his death, to take care of them and
pay for them.
Mr. John Dashwood: cold hearted, selfish and easily manipulated
by his wife. He inherits everything from the Old Gentleman after
his death. Doesn't fulfill completely his fathers promise.
12. Mrs. Dashwood: Careful and loving mother of three daughters.
Doesn't inherit anything after her husbands death and does
everything she can to help her daughters.
Elinor: Nineteen year old daughter of Mrs. Dashwood. She was
very understanding and had a good judgement, good hearted and
had self-control. She acted as an advisor for her mother.
Marianne: Not yet seventeen, daughter of Mrs. Daswood.
Sensible, clever, eager, generous, amiable, and interesting. She
really cared for Elinor and was concerned in her relationship with
Edward.
13. Margaret: Thirteen year old daughter of Mrs. Dashwood.
Good-humored but thinks she knows much about love.
Mrs. John Dashwood: Wife of John Dashwood and sister of
Edward Ferrars. Selfish, snobbish, and manipulative, she came
to Norland Park as soon as Henry's funeral ended. She cared
more for her son than John's sisters.
Edward Ferrars: Comes to Norland Park and creates a strong
relationship with Elinor during his stay. Nsible and friendly but
greatly reserved and not so handsome.
Sir John Middleton: Relative of Mrs. Dashwood who invites
her and her's daughters to his cottage to live.
