Money

"Wealth has much to do with happiness" Elinor states at one point. "Elinor, for shame!"says Marianne. "Money can only give happiness where there is nothing else to give it." What is the relationship between love and money in Sense and Sensibility? Is it different for different characters? Has the relationship between love and money changed in today's world?

I think that most people back then saw them as one and the same because they had no other options but to marry into money. I think that today there are still a lot of people that see money as everything and would still marry someone for that more than for love but I don't think its the majority. I could be wrong.
I think its natural for people to want to make more money and be able to have everything they desire but the problem really does come when people think that they would be happy "if only" they had more money. Less stressed- yes probably, More active- maybe, Better dressed- sure, more entertained- maybe, More educated- sometimes (but hey, look at the Paris and Britney's of the world to know money doesn't always buy that!) but more happy- not if you can't be happy with what you have, in my opinion. I guess I agree with Marianne. If you've got a crappy outlook on life then 20, 000 dollars more a year would probably just give you a crappy outlook on a nicer couch.
That being said, I think it is always admirable to be willing and desirous of wanting to work hard and look for opportunities to keep yourself and your family financially secure and to reach goals or "have" more. I know that I am very blessed to be married to a man who is willing to work his hiney off and do things he doesn't always want to do so that we can try to better our situation in that way and so that I can be home with our girl. Money is not a bad thing. It is a great thing. It is the attitude that can either make it bad or good.
-Annegirl

Money meant security and social position...and lack of it meant being looked down upon as socially inferior. Today we can still see it (ie:country clubs, military (ie: Officer and Enlisted as I know), political and social arenas,etc. but it is not the same. At least one can make a life for themselves in whatever station they are in. Back in those days in England women were totally dependent on family position, wealth, and marriage. Because Mrs. Dashwood was a second wife and had only daughters, the estate went to the first son. Mr. Dashwood pleaded with John before he died to take care of his wife and daughters because the law prevented him from leaving them anything. But John, not a true man and keeper of his word, was beguiled by his Fanny to not give anything to the family. She was a very selfish and cruel woman who did not want anything to go to others...and in turn would look down on them as inferior. How hard for Mrs. Dashwood and her daughters to give up their home means of support. Marianne wanted wealth and good looks and thought she had found it in Willoughby. Later she found that that doesn't always bring happiness. Elinor wanted most to have a secure life with a good man that she loved and who loved her!
-Bookworm