Sensibility and Gender

Concerning "sensibility", there's something rather fascinating that occurs in Desmond, which belies Smith's particular usage, and, indeed, its use in the time period in which she is writing. This pertains to gender, and if not necessarily the role of gender, then how it pertains particularly to Desmond's character. In the beginning of volume two, Geraldine, writing to her sister Fanny, uses sensibility twice, once in regards to herself and once in regards to Desmond. Despairing of her current predicament, her "numberless distresses", she asks herself "Is it that I set out in life with too great a share of sensibility? or is it my lot to be particularly wretched?" (159) This seems to imply that she cares too much, or is pathetically inclined (i.e. feels too much pathos in her relation to others), that she does not have full mastery over her emotions. And yet, one page later, she is describing Desmond as one who has "such generous sensibility for the feelings of others" (160). Both are described as having marked sensibilities, indeed too much sensibility -- overflowing -- and yet Desmond is the one glowing with magnanimity, not Geraldine. This could possibly be chalked up to Geraldine's bias towards Desmond and her own humility. But even Fanny's sensibility is described in less glowing terms than that of Desmond's. As Geraldine writes, "Believe me, my sister, there is nothing so injurious to that delicate sensibility which you really possess, as indulging this petulance" (191). This would appear to mean that even Fanny's sensibility is not up to snuff when it comes to other's such as Desmond's, who is portrayed as the quintessential "man of sensibility". There seems to be a perfect level that Desmond possesses, a sympathetic bond between those around him that doesn't interfere with his own emotional well-being or affect him too severely, as it does in Geraldine's case. So many other characters seem to lack this quality, and although it doesn't necessarily mean gender is to blame -- indeed, there are several male characters devoid of this attribute -- it isn't a stretch to conclude that for Smith's time, men were viewed as having better mastery over their own emotions, hence a better use of sensibility.