In Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility, Elinor, her sister Marianne and their mother have been discussing Mr Willoughby. Marianne does not want to label her former lover ‘selfish’, but Elinor gently insists on the word. Not only was his treatment of Marianne selfish, but even now his regrets arise from the inconveniences to himself, rather than any concern for Marianne.

Both Marianne and her mother acknowledge that not even Marianne’s sweet temper could have reconciled Willoughby to a marriage for anything but money, and Elinor is relieved. With that valuable lesson seemingly learnt, she returns to Mr Willoughby’s shortcomings, and reminds them that it was Willoughby’s caddish conduct towards Eliza Williams that set the pattern for the rest.

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