Persuasion (novel)

Lore & Background

The story begins seven years after the broken engagement of Anne Elliot to Frederick Wentworth. Having just turned nineteen years old, Anne fell in love and had accepted a proposal of marriage from Wentworth, then a young and as yet undistinguished naval officer. Wentworth was considered clever, confident and ambitious, but his low social status and lack of wealth made Anne's family — her vain father Sir Walter Elliot and her older sister Elizabeth — view him as an unsuitable match for the daughter of a baronet. Lady Russell, a distant relative whom Anne had considered a second mother since the death of her own, also saw the relationship as imprudent for one so young and persuaded Anne to break off the engagement. Several years later the Elliot family are in financial trouble on account of Sir Walter's lavish spending. Forced into action at last, they are persuaded to let Kellynch Hall, the family estate, and settle in Bath until their finances improve. Anne visits Mary and her family, where she is well-loved. As the Napoleonic Wars are over, Admiral Croft and his wife Sophia (Frederick's sister) become the new tenants of Kellynch Hall. Captain Wentworth, now wealthy from prize ships he captured in the war, visits his sister and meets the Uppercross family, where he crosses paths with Anne. Anne still loves Wentworth, so each meeting with him requires preparation for her own strong emotions. She overhears a conversation in which Louisa tells Wentworth that Charles Musgrove had first proposed to Anne, who turned him down; so he later married Mary. This news startles Wentworth, and Anne realises that he has not yet forgiven her for letting herself be persuaded to end their engagement years ago.

Reader's Guide

Persuasion is noteworthy among Austen's novels for its mature heroine, Anne Elliot, who at 27 is older than Austen's typical protagonists. As Austen's last completed work, it is accepted as her most maturely written novel, showing a refinement of literary conception indicative of a woman approaching 40 years of age. The novel was well received in the early 19th century, but its greater fame came later in the century and continued into the 20th and 21st centuries. Much scholarly debate on Austen's work has since been published. Persuasion has been the subject of several adaptations, including four made-for-television adaptations, theatre productions, radio broadcasts, and other literary works. The novel explores themes of persuasion, second chances, and constancy in love, with Anne's quiet strength and enduring affection contrasting with the more assertive characters around her.

Did You Know?

• Anne Elliot is 27 years old, making her the oldest of Austen's heroines.