What do the literary characters Marianne, Isabella, Jane and Mary have in common?

Midget40

All are heroines in a Jane Austen novel but not the main protagonist. All but Isabella are actually sisters of the main heroine. Marianne Dashwood — the romantically inclined and eagerly expressive second daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Dashwood in Sense and Sensibility http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sense_and_Sensibility Jane Bennet is the eldest Bennet sister. Twenty-two years old when the novel begins, she is considered the most beautiful young lady in the neighbourhood. She is from Prideand prejudice http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pride_and_Prejudice There are actually three Marys: Maria Bertram is the very beautiful elder daughter of Sir Thomas and Lady Bertram; she is three years older than Fanny from Mansfield Park http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mansfield_Park_(novel) Mary Musgrove — The youngest daughter of Sir Walter, married to Charles Musgrove in Persuasion http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persuasion_(novel) Mary Bennet is the middle Bennet sister, aged around eighteen in Pride and Prejudice http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pride_and_Prejudice Isabella Thorpe: A manipulative and self-serving young woman on a quest to obtain a well-off husband. Isabella is from Northanger Abby. The heroine of this novel has no sisters but Isabella becomes her best friend. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northanger_Abbey Hope thats right after all of that LOL Apr 24 09, 1:04 AM

Datsmeharse

Great job Midge! The part about the sistership to the main protagonist was exactly what I intended; there is an Isabella who is a sister too: Isabella Knightly is the sister of Emma Woodhouse. I was going to include James as the sibling of Catherine from Northanger, but I liked the sister angle. Mary Musgrove was the intended, as Maria Bertram is not Fanny's real sister, and I omitted Mary Bennett as we already had Jane from P&P. Apr 24 09, 8:24 AM

Midget40

I forgot about Isabella Knightly! I was sure after the other three that they were supposed to be sisters but just couldn't find an Isabella to fit. At least I was on the right track. Apr 24 09, 9:20 AM