The first published novel by Jane Austen, Sense and Sensibility follows the Dashwood sisters, Elinor and Marianne, as they face financial hardship, heartbreak, and the challenges of finding love in Regency England. Elinor embodies reason, restraint, and practicality ("sense"), while Marianne represents passion, emotion, and spontaneity ("sensibility"). Through their contrasting personalities and experiences, Austen explores love, family, social expectations, and emotional maturity.