A study on society through a film adaptation: JANE AUSTEN, SENSE AND SENSIBILITY
It is said that a picture is worth one thousand words, that’s why if there is anything more enjoyable tan a good novel is an outstanding film based on a remarkable novel. Teaching History through period films is paramount to provide the students with visual references of past times.
The life of the upper class and the role of women in class society are so perfectly depicted in Sense and Sensibility, the marvelous Ang Lee film (1995). It is a version of Jane Austen’s masterpiece, and a masterpiece itself, starred by Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet, Hugh Grant and Alan Rickman.
The activity consisted of a series of questions to guide the viewing, by focusing on the key items shown in the fragment of the film: social position determined by wealth, social mobility, the role of women, property as the main value of the upper class, marriage as a contract and so the professions that the Dashwood girls could marry to, according to their dowries. Working on vocabulary about personalities, garments or professions was also a goal of the activity.
Above all, the story of the Dashwood sisters is a love story. Will the personal qualities of Elinor and Margaret be able to overcome their economic perspectives? Will their suitors live up to their expectations? During the class period it was not possible to watch the whole film .The students have a list of scenes in Classroom provided by their History teacher, should they want to go deeper into the story.
Let’s hope that 4C students enjoy this masterpiece and get a taste for the film and the novel, too.
Worksheet
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