John Willoughby
John Willoughby is one of the love interests of Marianne Dashwood, one of the two main characters of Jane Austen's first published novel Sense and Sensibility.[1][2]
Marianne is the younger, 16 year old sister, deeply romantic, and quite vulnerable to a handsome, dashing man.[1][2] Their first encounter occurs when he rescues her from a sprained ankle. When he returns, the next day, he seems to be perfectly in synch with her likes and opinions.
Marianne and her family anticipate Willoughby will ask Marianne to marry him -- until he disappears, and breaks her heart.[1][2] She pines away, she is caught in a downpour, and becomes deathly ill. It is only then she learns that, during the time he was paying her all that attention, he had impregnated and abandoned another young girl.
Willoughby does, eventually, marry a wealthy heiress.[1][2]
References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Should we be wary of Willoughby when we meet him? Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility novel analysis". YouTube. Dr Octavia Cox. 2026-07-03. Retrieved 2026-07-04.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3
"Regency Seduction, Eliza Williams & Sense and Sensibility". Ellie Dashwood. 2026-04-17. Retrieved 2026-07-04 – via YouTube.
Have you ever wondered if Willoughby in Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility is a terrible guy or just misunderstood?