Persuasion (novel)
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Persuasion is Jane Austen's last completed novel. It was first published posthumously, in 1818. Jane Austen began Persuasion soon after she had finished Emma, and completed it in August, 1816. Persuasion is connected with Northanger Abbey not only by the fact that the two books were originally bound up in one volume and published together two years later, but also because both stories are laid partly in Bath, a health resort with which Jane Austen was well acquainted, as she lived there from 1801 till 1805.
Plot introduction
Eight years ago, Anne Elliot fell in love with a poor but ambitious young naval officer, Captain Frederick Wentworth. The Elliot family was dissatisfied with Anne's choice, and her older friend and mentor, Lady Russell, persuaded her to break off the match. Now 27 and on the verge of spinsterhood, Anne re-encounters Frederick Wentworth as he courts her spirited young neighbor, Louisa Musgrove. The self-interested machinations of Anne's older sister Elizabeth, her friend Mrs. Clay, and Anne's father's heir, William Elliot, constitute an important subplot.Explanation of the novel's title
The title refers to the persuasion to which the heroine, Anne Elliot, has given in, to her later regret. The title of the novel was not chosen by Austen and some critics believe she had intended to name it "The Elliots".
Plot summary
Anne Elliot is the overlooked middle daughter of the vain and spendthift Sir Walter Elliot, a baronet who is all too conscious of his good looks and rank. The eldest daughter, Elizabeth, resembles her father in temperament and delights in lording over their small rural neighborhood. The youngest daughter, Mary, is married to Charles Musgrove, the heir of a respected local squire. Anne, still single at 27, is considered to be a spinster.
Eight years earlier, Anne had been persuaded by her mother's great friend and her own trusted confidante, the widow Lady Russell, to break her engagement to commander Frederick Wentworth RN, though she loved him deeply in spite of their short acquaintance. Both Sir Walter and Lady Russell questioned the wisdom of Anne marrying a poor naval officer whose prospects were so uncertain.
Wentworth re-enters Anne's life when Sir Walter is forced by financial difficulties to lease the family estate to Wentworth's brother-in-law, Admiral Croft. Wentworth's successes in the Napoleonic Wars resulted in his promotion to commander and enabled him to amass the considerable fortune of £25,000 (from prize money awarded for capturing enemy vessels). The Musgroves, including Mary, Charles and Charles's younger sisters Henrietta and Louisa, are delighted to welcome the Crofts and Wentworth to the neighborhood. Both Musgrove girls are attracted to Wentworth, though Henrietta is informally engaged to a clergyman cousin. Charles, Mary, and the Crofts, continually speculate as to which one Wentworth might marry.
Captain Wentworth's visit to a close friend in nearby Lyme Regis results in a day-long outing being organized by those eager to see the resort. While there, Louisa Musgrove sustains a concussion in a fall brought about by her own impetuous behaviour. This highlights the difference between the headstrong Louisa and the more sensible Anne. While onlookers exclaim that Louisa is dead and her companions stand around dumbfounded, Anne administers first aid and summons assistance. Wentworth's admiration for Anne grows as a result. Louisa's recovery is slow and her self-confidence is severely shaken. Her newfound timidity elicits the kind attention and reassurance of Wentworth's friend Captain Benwick, who had been mourning the recent death of his fiancee. The couple find their personalities to be now more in sympathy and they become engaged.
Meanwhile, Sir Walter, Elizabeth, and Elizabeth's scheming friend Mrs. Clay, the widowed daughter of Sir Walter's lawyer, have settled in Bath. There they hope to live as befits a baronet and his family with the least possible expense. Sir Walter's cousin and heir, William Elliot, who long ago slighted the baronet, now seeks his notice and courts his friendship. Elizabeth assumes that he wishes to pay court to her, while Lady Russell more correctly suspects that he actually admires Anne. Anne distrusts her cousin, though she likes him in many respects; she finds his character distressingly opaque. Eventually she learns very discreditable things about him from an old schoolfriend. This helps her to understand more fully the dangers of persuasion (Lady Russell wished her to accept Elliot's likely offer of marriage) and helps her to develop more confidence in her own judgment.
Ultimately, the Musgroves visit Bath to purchase wedding clothes for their daughters Louisa and Henrietta (who has become engaged to a cousin). Captain Wentworth and his friend Captain Harville accompany them. Wentworth and Anne reconcile and become engaged again. The match is now more palatable to Anne's family -- their waning fortunes and Wentworth's waxing ones have made a considerable difference. Also, ever overvaluing good looks, Sir Walter is favorably impressed with his future son-in-law's appearance.
Principal Characters
Sir Walter Elliot, Bt. -- A vain and self-satisfied baronet, Sir Walter's profligacy since the death of his prudent wife 13 years before has put his family in financial difficulties. These are severe enough to force him to lease his estate, Kellynch Hall to Admiral Croft and take up more economical residence in Bath.
Elizabeth Elliot -- The eldest daughter of Sir Walter, who encourages her father's imprudent spending and extravagance. She and her father routinely put their interests ahead of Anne's, regarding her as inconsequential.
Anne Elliot -- The second daughter of Sir Walter is unmarried. Some years ago, she fell in love with Captain Wentworth, but was persuaded (the persuasion of the title) by Lady Russell to reject his proposal, because of his poverty and uncertain future.
Mary Musgrove -- The youngest daughter of Sir Walter, married to Charles Musgrove. In modern terms, she would be described as 'high maintenance'. She often fancies herself ill and frequently tries the patience of her in-laws.
Charles Musgrove -- Husband of Mary and heir to the Musgrove estate. He had wanted to marry Anne and settled for Mary (much to the disappointment of the Musgrove family).
Lady Russell -- A friend of the Elliots, particularly Anne. She is instrumental in getting Sir Walter to face his financial crisis. Years ago, she persuaded Anne to turn down Captain Wentworth's proposal of marriage.
Mrs. Clay -- A poor widow and intimate 'friend' of Elizabeth Elliot. She aims to flatter Sir Walter into marriage, while her oblivious friend looks on.
Captain Frederick Wentworth - A naval officer who some years ago proposed to Anne. At the time, he had no fortune and uncertain prospects, but owing to much success in the Napoleonic Wars, his situation has greatly improved. One of two brothers of Sophia Croft.
Admiral Croft -- Good-natured, plainspoken tenant at Kellynch Hall and brother-in-law of Captain Wentworth.
Sophia Croft -- Sister of Captain Wentworth and wife of Admiral Croft. She offers Anne an example of a strong-minded woman who wed for love instead of money.
Louisa Musgrove -- Second sister of Charles Musgrove, aged about 19. Louisa is a high-spirited young lady who has recently returned with her sister from school. Captain Wentworth admires her for her resolve and determination, especially in contrast to Anne's prudence.
Henrietta Musgrove -- Eldest sister of Charles Musgrove, aged about 20. Henrietta is informally engaged to her cousin Charles Hayter, but is nevertheless tempted by the more dashing Captain Wentworth.
Capt. Harville -- A friend of Captain Wentworth. Severely wounded two years ago, he and his family had settled in nearby Lyme.
Capt. James Benwick -- A friend of Captain Harville. Benwick had been engaged to marry Captain Harville's sister Fanny, but she had died while Benwick was at sea. Benwick's loss has left him melancholy and a lover of poetry. His enjoyment of reading makes him one of the few characters in the story to find an intellectual connection with Anne.
Mr. William Elliot -- A relation and the heir-presumptive of Sir Walter, who became estranged from the family when he wed a woman of much lower social rank for her fortune. He had been expected to marry Elizabeth Elliot. He is now a widower. Wanting very much to inherit the title, he mends the rupture in order to keep an eye on the ambitious Mrs. Clay. If Sir Walter married her, his inheritance would be endangered. When he meets Anne by accident, his interest is piqued.
Mrs. Smith - a friend of Anne Elliot who lives in Bath. She is a widow and has suffered ill health and financial difficulties. She keeps abreast of the doings of Bath society through news she gets from her nurse, Nurse Rooke.
Lady Dalrymple -- a Viscountess, cousin to Sir Walter. She occupies an exalted position in society by virtue of wealth and rank and Sir Walter and Elizabeth are eager to be seen at Bath in the company of this great relation.
Literary significance & criticism
Persuasion is widely appreciated as a moving love story despite what has been labelled as a simple plot, and exemplifies Austen's acclaimed wit and ironic narrative style.#redirect Austen wrote Persuasion in a hurry, during the onset of the illness from which she eventually died, and the novel is both shorter and less polished than Mansfield Park and Emma, which preceded it. Yet it is strikingly original in several ways. Persuasion is the first of Austen's novels to feature a woman who is no longer in her first youth; biographer Claire Tomalin characterizes the book as Austen's "present to herself, to Miss Sharp, to Cassandra, to Martha Lloyd . . . to all women who had lost their chance in life and would never enjoy a second spring." Claire Tomalin, Jane Austen: A Life (New York: Vintage, 1997), p. 256 At the same time, the novel is also a paean to the self-made man; Captain Wentworth is just one of several naval officers in the story who has risen from humble beginnings to affluence and status on the strength of merit alone.
Allusions/references from other works
- The novel Persuasion is featured in the 2006 movie The Lake House, and provides a thematic background for the lovers.
Film, TV or theatrical adaptations
Persuasion has been the subject of several adaptations [link]:
- 1995: Persuasion, made-for-television film (which was released in US theatres by Sony Pictures Classics) starring Amanda Root as Anne and Ciarán Hinds as Captain Wentworth.
- 1971: Persuasion, BBC miniseries starring Anne Firbank as Anne and Bryan Marshall as Captain Wentworth.
- 1960: Persuasion, BBC miniseries starring Daphne Slater as Anne and Paul Daneman as Captain Wentworth.
Sources, references, external links, quotations
- Chronology/Calendar for Persuasion http://www.jimandellen.org/austen/persuasion.calendar.html
- [Free eBook: Persuasion] at Project Gutenberg
- [Persuasion] – complete book in HTML one page for each chapter.
- [Persuasion] – in easy to read HTML format.
Tomalin, Claire. Jane Austen: A Life. New York: Vintage, 1997.
| Jane Austen's novels |
| Sense and Sensibility (1811) | Pride and Prejudice (1813) | Mansfield Park (1814) | Emma (1815) | Northanger Abbey (1818) | Persuasion (1818) |
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