Who does Elinor Dashwood marry?

Elinor marries Edward Ferrars, a kind and quiet man who becomes a clergyman. They live at the parsonage in Delaford.

How old is Elinor Dashwood?

The book says Elinor is nineteen when the story begins. Her good judgment makes her the adviser of her mother.

Why does Elinor keep Lucy’s secret?

Lucy makes Elinor promise to tell no one about her engagement to Edward. Elinor keeps her word, even though it hurts her and makes her seem calm when she is not.

From Sense and Sensibility

Elinor Dashwood

Wise and sensible sister

The eldest Dashwood sister thinks carefully before she acts and always keeps her promises. When the family loses its home, calm and patient Elinor holds everyone together.

Who is Elinor Dashwood?

Elinor is the eldest Dashwood sister, nineteen, calm and sensible. When her family has to leave their home, she becomes the steady one everybody leans on. Elinor thinks carefully before she acts and keeps her promises, and she often hides her own sadness so her mother and sisters won’t worry.

Elinor Dashwood is a character in Sense and Sensibility, the 1811 novel by Jane Austen, retold for ages 6–9 by Sean Lee.

What is Elinor Dashwood like?

sensible
patient
loving

Elinor Dashwood’s story

When Mr. Dashwood dies, his house goes to his son John, and Elinor, her mother and her sisters must find a smaller home. Elinor handles the practical work of the move and the money, while Marianne and Mrs. Dashwood are lost in grief. At Norland she has grown close to Edward Ferrars, but he seems held back by something he will not explain.

At Barton Cottage Elinor learns the secret. Lucy Steele tells her that she has been secretly engaged to Edward for four years. Elinor is heartbroken, yet she keeps the news private, even from Marianne, and stays polite and kind to Lucy. In London she also supports Marianne through the sorrow of being dropped by Willoughby, and later she nurses her sister through a dangerous illness at Cleveland.

In the end Edward is free of his engagement, because Lucy marries his brother Robert instead. He comes to Barton and Elinor, who has been calm through everything, finally cries from happiness when he asks her to marry him. They settle in a small parsonage at Delaford, near Marianne and Colonel Brandon, and enjoy a modest but happy life.

“her feelings were strong; but she knew how to govern them”

Jane Austen, the narrator, describing Elinor’s character. From the original 1811 novel by Jane Austen.

A moment to remember

When Marianne falls very ill, Elinor stays by her bedside all night, cooling her forehead and holding her hand until the fever finally breaks.

Marianne Dashwood: her younger sister
Edward Ferrars: the man she marries
Lucy Steele: trusts Elinor with a secret
Colonel Brandon: her brother-in-law and friend
Mrs. Dashwood: her mother

Talk about it

Elinor kept her sad feelings to herself so others wouldn’t worry. Is it better to share our feelings or keep them in? Why?

Questions about Elinor Dashwood

Who does Elinor Dashwood marry?: Elinor marries Edward Ferrars, a kind and quiet man who becomes a clergyman. They live at the parsonage in Delaford.
How old is Elinor Dashwood?: The book says Elinor is nineteen when the story begins. Her good judgment makes her the adviser of her mother.
Why does Elinor keep Lucy’s secret?: Lucy makes Elinor promise to tell no one about her engagement to Edward. Elinor keeps her word, even though it hurts her and makes her seem calm when she is not.