Persuasion

(1817)

Persuasion begins seven years after the heroine, Anne Elliot, has jilted her lover, Fredrick Wentworth, upon the request of a most beloved mother figure. Although at the time of the refusal the man seems an inadequate match, the tables are now turned: as in most Austen novels--the girl is poor, the boy is rich. To add insult to injury, Anne’s father is going bankrupt and must rent his house to none other than Fredrick’s sister and brother-in-law, bringing Anne and Fredrick in contact again. Through twists and turns of jealousy, romance, poetry, rumors and a serious head injury, Anne and Fredrick always find themselves in uncomfortable situations that brew up old feelings (that were probably never lost). As Jane Austen’s last completed novel, some critics dismiss it as her darkest; however, others see it as her most honest and universal. Whatever your opinion, the whole novel is worth reading just for the letter (correspondence) in chapter twenty-three: it will make you melt.--Submitted by Amber Bradshaw

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Emma reference?

Near the end of chapter 12, it says that Anne would have attended on Louisa zealously for Captain Wentworth's sake, "Without emulating the feelings of an Emma towards her Henry." Is this a reference to Emma, and if so what is it supposed to mean? I've never read Emma, so just curious.

Posted By ntropyincarnate at Sun 2 Mar 2008, 5:53 PM in Persuasion || 1 Reply

Film: Persuasion - with Sally Hawkins - 2007 version

Last night, Masterpiece Theatre began a 3 months presentation of the works of Jane Austen on film. Last night was a new version of Persuasion with Sally Hawkins - dated November 2007. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0844330/ I read Persuasion 8 years ago, so I did not remember the plot. However, I read Pride and Prejudice twice last year and spent over 30 hours watching several film versions, so I am familiar with Jane Austen's style and the time period in which she places her stories. Unfortunately, shortly after the beginning of the film, our heroine, Anne, writes in her diary that she is sure that Captain Wentworth has not forgiven her. I say unfortunately because the naughty Austen did not catch me unawares of her tricks. I knew most certainly from that point on that he had indeed forgiven her and so the rest of the film was less intriguing for me. My overall impression of the film is that we kept racing from place to place, never stopping long enough to get to know anybody. I did like Sally Hawkins' acting. I found Captain Wentworth quite handsome and likable. The overall plot was good, and the script was probably well-written for what it was, but as seen with Pride and Prejudice, it is incredibly difficult to cram a Jane Austen story into 2 hours, or 93 minutes, as in this case. While I acknowledge it is a typical innocuous Jane Austen story, I can't help but believe the film did her no justice at all. Based on the film, I would never be tempted to read the book. And though I cried at the happy ending, I have no desire to see the film again. I can't help but feel the film had no depth. An analogy escapes me. I guess maybe it was like reading the Cliff Notes. We just got a basic overview of the story without being invited to know the characters. I suppose if I knew the book intimately, I would have enjoyed the film more because my memory would have filled in the gaps that were lacking.

Posted By sciencefan at Mon 14 Jan 2008, 9:49 AM in Persuasion || 10 Replies

The frontier of Jane Austen's world

I find it fascinating how a new perspective can be thrown on a subject about which you thought had all been said that was possible. Jane Austen continues to surprise and fascinate. C.S. Levis in the essay – A Note on Jane Austen, compares four passages from four Austen novels, how the heroines experience and respond to 'disillusionment'. Let me illustrate with two. Pride And Prejudice - “As to his real character, had information been in her power, she had newer felt a wish of inquiring. His countenance, voice, and manner had established him at once in possession of every virtue ... She perfectly remembered everything that had passed in conversation between Wicham and herself, in their first evening at Mr. Philip's ... She was now struck with the impropriety of such communications to a stranger, and wondered that it had escaped her before. She saw the indelicacy of putting himself forward as he had done, and the inconsistency of his professions with his conduct ... She grew absolutely ashamed of herself ... “how despicable have I acted!” she cried; “I who have prided myself on my discernment ... who have often disdained the generous candour of my sister, and gratified my vanity in useless or blamable distrust. How humiliating is this discovery! Had I been in love, I could not have been more wretchedly blind. But vanity, not love, has been my folly ... I have courted prepossession and ignorance, and driven reason away ... Till this moment I newer knew myself.” Sense and Sensibility - “Oh! Elinor, you have made me hate myself forever. How barbarous Have I been to you! - you, who have been my only comfort, who have borne with me in all my misery, who have seemed to be suffering only for me!” ... Marianne's courage soon failed her, in trying to converse upon a topic which always left her more dissatisfied with herself than ever, by contrast it necessarily produced between Elinor's conduct and her own. She felt all the force of that comparison; but not as her sister had hoped, to urge her to exertion now; she felt it with all the pain of continual self-reproach, regretted most bitterly that she had never exerted herself before; but it brought only the torture of penitence, without hope of amendment. ... an apparent composure of mind which, in being the result, as she trusted, of serious reflection, must eventually lead her to contentment and cheerfulness ...”My illness has made me think, ... I considered the past: I saw in my behaviour nothing but series of imprudence toward myself, and want of kindness to others. I saw that my own feelingshad prepared my sufferings, and that my want of fortitude under them had almost led me to my grave. My illness, I well knew had been entirely brought on myself, by such negligence of my own health as I felt even at the time to be wrong. Had I died, it would have been self-destruction. I wonder ... that the very eagerness of my desire to live, to have time for atonement to my God and you all, did not kill me at once ... I cannot express my own abhorrence of myself.” Northanger Abbey's passage is almost a burlesque while the humiliation of Emma has a quality comic high tea. All four heroines experience a moral awakening from self deception. This undeception is not confined to the heroines but spans the minor characters. General Tilney realizes the mistake he made about Catherine and Mr. Bennet about Lidia. By such means Austen establishes the social bounds and moral clarity of her novelistic world. In Persuasion Austen breaks the pattern of histrionics of self disillusionment. Anne Eliot thinks the breaking of her engagement to Wentworth a mistake but she feels that she was right, guided by Lady Russel, who's advice was that of a parent. Anne commits no errors and there is no 'undeception'. Anne does not hold to the truism indirectly attributed to Austen, “it is wrong to marry for money, but it was silly to marry without it.”. Anne and Fanny of Mansfield Park are depicted as plain. They are of 'no consequence' and do not 'matter' in the family circle. They are alone, and suffer in their solitude more so than Elizabet or Marianne who have understanding sisters to turn to. C.S. Lewis judges, “for Persuasion, from first to last, is, in a sense in which the other novels are not, a love story.” Anne knows passion, though it is not of the sort for public display. Lewis finishes the essay with,”but we are then at the frontier of Jane Austen's world.”

Posted By Newcomer at Sun 5 Aug 2007, 1:40 PM in Persuasion || 0 Replies

role of women

Please help I'm doing a language study on the role of women, and need some help PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE what would you say was the role of women in persuasion

Posted By whatevermusic at Sat 28 Jul 2007, 8:14 PM in Persuasion || 0 Replies

Persuasion dvd.

Persuasion dvd, 1995 production of Roger Michell, staring Amanda Root and Ciaran Hindsin in principal roles. This is another in the recent outstanding dramatizations of Austen's novels, produced by the Brits, in this case the BBC . Peruasion is difficult to read, word order mater and the emotional meaning is transmitted in relationship of sentences and paragraphs to what preceded, what follows. In this novel, her last, she uses author's commentary and internal dialog, to describe feelings. The theme is autumnal, of loss, of regret and how it relates to the concept of duty, of propriety, perennial themes in Austen's writings. In this respect Persuasion is dense, perhaps most difficult of all Austen's novels and a challenge in translating to a visual medium. Is the translation a success? Yes, for the most part. It is more faithful to the dialog than most and the staging, interior and exterior is very good. The actors, without being beautiful, are perhaps more representative of the English 19th. century and act with comparable restrain. In the beginning scenes Anne's face is shallow, without highlights, illustrating the “early loss of bloom and spirits had been their lasting effect” and the detail is wonderfully contrasted at Lime, “She was looking remarkably well; her very regular, very pretty features, having the bloom and freshness of youth restored by the fine wind which had been blowing on her complexion” and with the scenes at Bath where Anne begins to believe in Captain Wentworth's love. Merely makeup, but a very nice attention to detail, illustrating emotion that is difficult to represent visually. The director uses natural lighting for the most part and is especially beautiful in the candlelight scenes. Austen's irony is well translated. An objection, and it is slight, is with the ending, the required modern happy ending. I would have preferred Austen's, of Anne Eliot's monologue.

Posted By Newcomer at Sun 29 Apr 2007, 12:46 PM in Persuasion || 1 Reply

Help please

Hello! I am a new member and in need of your help. I have to do a seminar paper on Persuasion with connection to the Romantic period and feminism and I really have a writer's block in that department. Can anyone please point me in the right direction. How is the novel connected to Romanticism and feminism? Thank you so much in advance!!!!!!:idea:

Posted By gipsychick25 at Fri 16 Mar 2007, 5:38 PM in Persuasion || 0 Replies

I'm here to read this book with the Love of My Life

Hello.... I am so glad that this book was recommended. I can see why. I am looking forward to new discoveries and hopefully to discover what Persuades lovers in every respect....:bawling:

Posted By Weems at Sat 3 Mar 2007, 12:17 AM in Persuasion || 99 Replies

My thoughts

I just finished reading 'Persuasion'. The only other book I have read by Jane Austen is 'Pride and Prejudice'. The two books are quite different, I think, but equally good. 'Pride and Prejudice' is perhaps more exciting. There is a lot more drama in the latter, and I think the ending is very surprising, whereas for me, 'Persuasion' was rather predictable. I always had a feeling that Anne would end up with Captain Wentworth. What I really liked about 'Persuasion' though, was the way it examined characters in great depth, more so, I think than in 'Pride and Prejudice'. I find Austen's style of writing wonderful and I plan to read more of her books in the future.

Posted By alesha89 at Mon 12 Feb 2007, 12:56 PM in Persuasion || 1 Reply

Reflections on re-reading

Finished the re-read (more a first read - it is a very long time since I read Persuasion) and thought I'd make a couple of observations before I read the book's introduction and find out what I should be thinking. Trains - after a comment by someone, I now read all 19th century novels with an eye to transport. There are no trains - but an awful lot of talk of carriages - what a 'small' world these people live in. This transport limitation, when added to the fine distinctions of social class, makes for a most claustrophobic atmosphere - in fact it forces several of the characters to move (and marry) in circles they would otherwise not do. (Inbreeding and associated decline in genetic stock, or what?) In the 'country' - imagine being confined to a small group of equal status, with a carriage ride, on country roads, in winter. No wonder the attractions of Bath beckon - even out of season (or especially out of season). If you have to stay in one place because of a declining fortune, which place would you stay? And carriages seem to indicate status as much as modern sports cars - mines bigger than yours and look at the horse power! No wonder then that Mary measures her sister's success in terms of seniority regained AND a better carriage! The second point that struck was that this is a sequel - without a pre-quel. It's - 'What happens to the old maids, left on the shelf by an earlier disappointment?' Anne is a woman - not a girl (although treated as such because of her unmarried status). This is not a novel of adolescent to adult: This is mature consummation. Anne is no Jane Eyre. Which brings in another aspect - the world is changing in this novel - all these sailors - lower-class upstarts - new money, new ideas, direct and willing to break down, just a little, social distinctions. (They even move around vast distances - unnatural or what?) By the time Jane Eyre comes along, this revolution has spread to 'women' too! I suspect Jane would have remained a governess, if Anne had not had her little fling.

Posted By akfarrar at Mon 11 Dec 2006, 2:39 PM in Persuasion || 1 Reply

Love this book...

This is easily my favorite Jane Austen novel and my favorite romance of all time. I know many people are attracted to the liveliness and high spiritedness of Pride and Predjudice but having suffered losses in my life the almost melancholy tone of Presuasion attracts me. I think we all have regrets, just like Anne, and we all hope to find redemption someday to ease the ache of those regrets. I think my favorite thing about this book is that although the interaction between Wentworth and Anne is extremely limited you can still sense the deep love that exists between them. I have read all her books and I found the conclusion of this book the most satisfying because you really start to root for these two characters because they have suffered for so long. Ok, now I think I may be getting carried away. I just really love this book.

Posted By chloe1026 at Sun 29 Oct 2006, 1:14 AM in Persuasion || 4 Replies

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Persuasion

(1817)

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