An Understanding of Sense and Sensibility: Sir John Middleton

If you have read my previous posts in this series on understanding Sense and Sensibility, we can now examine Sir John, Lady Middleton, and Mrs. Jennings’s treatment of the Dashwood ladies. Many readers dismiss these three as nothing more than fools for comic relief, or see them as meddlesome, rude, or obnoxious characters. However, there is much more to them than that. I want to discuss their treatment of the Dashwood ladies—treatment that was far above what was necessary—and how it shows that they were not meant to be regarded as vulgar busybodies, but as truly kind-hearted and caring people (though this may be debatable with Lady Middleton).

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Sir John Middleton took on the role of ‘guardian and protector’ of the Dashwood ladies, a responsibility their brother refused to fulfill. I know that such ideas might irk many women today, but we must remember that the times were different, and so were societal expectations for women. Many readers either misunderstand or overlook the fact that Sir John could have simply offered them the cottage at a normal rent. He could have let them live there without further assistance, leaving them to fend for themselves. Worse, as the man who had taken them into his care, he could have abused or exploited them, as was accepted and allowed in those days. He could have sold them off as playthings to other men, forced them into service, or married them off to the highest bidder. Yet he did none of that. Instead, Sir John went out of his way to care for them, treating them as much closer family than they actually were, and never once looked down on them or treated them poorly despite their drop in social status.

Not only did Sir John offer the Dashwood ladies a “comfortable” cottage that “had not been built many years and was in good repair,” but he also took on the expense of preparing it for them. The day after their arrival, Sir John visited “to offer them every accommodation from his own house and garden in which theirs might at present be deficient… he said much of his earnest desire of their living in the most sociable terms with his family, and pressed them so cordially to dine at Barton Park every day till they were better settled at home…” Many readers interpret these offers as attempts to intrude on the Dashwoods’ lives or to use them as entertainment. But those assumptions are based on how Elinor and Marianne perceived the actions, rather than what they actually were. If you read Sheryl Craig’s article that I referenced in my first post, “The Background,” you’ll already have some idea of where this is headed.

Sir John’s invitations to dine and his offer to provide anything the Dashwoods needed from his house and garden were ways of easing their financial burden. The Dashwoods were now living on the interest of their £10,000—a meager allowance. Sir John’s “kindness was not confined to words; for within an hour after he left them, a large basket full of garden stuff and fruit arrived from the park, which was followed before the end of the day by a present of game.” His immediate delivery of food was not meant to offend or go beyond civility; rather, it proved that his offer of help was genuine. “He insisted, moreover, on conveying all their letters to and from the post for them, and would not be denied the satisfaction of sending them his newspaper every day.” (Ch. 6) Marianne saw this as an attempt to gather gossip, but it’s more likely that Sir John was simply trying to reduce another expense for the Dashwoods. The cost of sending letters was significant, and he may have assumed they had left many friends behind when they moved to Devonshire.

“The friendliness of [Sir John Middleton’s] disposition made him happy in accommodating those, whose situation might be considered, in comparison with the past, as unfortunate. In showing kindness to his cousins therefore he had the real satisfaction of a good heart…” (Ch. 7) If there was any ulterior motive, it may have been to ensure there was nothing inappropriate (such as secret correspondence with gentlemen) that could lead to slander or gossip, which might harm both their reputation and his own. However, given Sir John’s overall character, it seems unlikely that he would even suspect such a thing. He appears to be one of those truly good-natured people who cannot imagine the despicable things others might do because he would never engage in such behavior himself.

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Note: This post was originally published on Jane Austen's Literary Lasagna on October 6th, 2024. I am now migrating my content to this blog, but this remains my original work. Minor edits may have been made for clarity or formatting.