I’ve just finished Jane Austen’s Persuasion, a book of pining love and 19th century England at its social best. I thought I would post a few thoughts as well as a summary (I will designate the spoilers in case one of my readers wants to read the book without knowing how it turns out).
The Elliot family holds a baronage in a place called Kellidge. Let me remind you that I listened on audio-book during my commute, so I could be quite off in my spelling. The Baron is Sir Walter Elliot, and he has three daughters – Elizabeth, the eldest and most beautiful, Anne, who was persuaded not to marry Mr. Wentworth some eight years ago because he was a poor man of low station, and Mary, who married Edward Musgrave and is constantly sure that she is being ill-used by someone or other. All but Anne have a bloated sense of importance which generally is the complicating issue of most of the important scenes of the book. In the present, foolish Sir Elliot has indebted himself to the point where he must move to Bath and let Kellidge Hall to Admiral Crutch (or something like that). The wife of Admiral Crutch happens to be the sister of the Mr. Wentworth, now the wealthy and esteemed Captain Wentworth having proved himself and made a small fortune in the Napoleonic Wars. Sir Elliot and Elizabeth left for Bath, but Anne went to Upper Cross (or something like that) to take care of Mary, who proposes that she is quite ill. That is the essential set up of the story. Captain Wentworth does show up, and Anne is forced to watch him court Edward’s sister. Skip the spoiler if you don’t want to know how it turned out.
SPOILER
Obviously in the end, Anne and Captain Wentworth are reconciled and married in the end. I say obviously having finished it, but at the time I felt she could easily end up with two or three other suitors.
END OF SPOILER
The story caused some reflection on my part, especially on the matter of self portrayal and self view. Through the early parts of the book, Anne is described by Austen as a “woman seven-and-twenty who has lost her bloom.” This seems to be the way Anne feels, and the way that her vain father and sisters feel about her. Anne overhears Captain Wentworth tell another that at their re-introduction that “her countenance had changed so that he hardly recognized her.” Of course she assumes that he is referring to her loss of “bloom.” At some point in the story, however, Austen starts letting the reader (listener in my case) know some other points of view regarding Anne’s appearance. The unknown man (who turns out to be cousin William Elliot) who admires Anne in Lyme seems to also arouse Wentworth’s notice of her. Later, Austen shares a conversation between some women who wonder what all the talk is about how pretty Elizabeth is when Anne is the true beauty of the family. Indeed, the moments when Anne is not thinking about her lost bloom are the moments that people are noticing her beauty. It made me think of appearance as a reflection of inner self – not that how a person feels could change how they appear, but perhaps it could exude an attractive energy, the kind that radiates outward instead of sucking in. Like when you meet someone that you had seen in an attractive photograph, but even though they looked the same they lost their appeal in person. If any of you have read the book and have more insight or disagree with my take, I welcome your comments. I thoroughly enjoyed the book, and I would recommend it to anyone.
R.
The Elliot family holds a baronage in a place called Kellidge. Let me remind you that I listened on audio-book during my commute, so I could be quite off in my spelling. The Baron is Sir Walter Elliot, and he has three daughters – Elizabeth, the eldest and most beautiful, Anne, who was persuaded not to marry Mr. Wentworth some eight years ago because he was a poor man of low station, and Mary, who married Edward Musgrave and is constantly sure that she is being ill-used by someone or other. All but Anne have a bloated sense of importance which generally is the complicating issue of most of the important scenes of the book. In the present, foolish Sir Elliot has indebted himself to the point where he must move to Bath and let Kellidge Hall to Admiral Crutch (or something like that). The wife of Admiral Crutch happens to be the sister of the Mr. Wentworth, now the wealthy and esteemed Captain Wentworth having proved himself and made a small fortune in the Napoleonic Wars. Sir Elliot and Elizabeth left for Bath, but Anne went to Upper Cross (or something like that) to take care of Mary, who proposes that she is quite ill. That is the essential set up of the story. Captain Wentworth does show up, and Anne is forced to watch him court Edward’s sister. Skip the spoiler if you don’t want to know how it turned out.
SPOILER
Obviously in the end, Anne and Captain Wentworth are reconciled and married in the end. I say obviously having finished it, but at the time I felt she could easily end up with two or three other suitors.
END OF SPOILER
The story caused some reflection on my part, especially on the matter of self portrayal and self view. Through the early parts of the book, Anne is described by Austen as a “woman seven-and-twenty who has lost her bloom.” This seems to be the way Anne feels, and the way that her vain father and sisters feel about her. Anne overhears Captain Wentworth tell another that at their re-introduction that “her countenance had changed so that he hardly recognized her.” Of course she assumes that he is referring to her loss of “bloom.” At some point in the story, however, Austen starts letting the reader (listener in my case) know some other points of view regarding Anne’s appearance. The unknown man (who turns out to be cousin William Elliot) who admires Anne in Lyme seems to also arouse Wentworth’s notice of her. Later, Austen shares a conversation between some women who wonder what all the talk is about how pretty Elizabeth is when Anne is the true beauty of the family. Indeed, the moments when Anne is not thinking about her lost bloom are the moments that people are noticing her beauty. It made me think of appearance as a reflection of inner self – not that how a person feels could change how they appear, but perhaps it could exude an attractive energy, the kind that radiates outward instead of sucking in. Like when you meet someone that you had seen in an attractive photograph, but even though they looked the same they lost their appeal in person. If any of you have read the book and have more insight or disagree with my take, I welcome your comments. I thoroughly enjoyed the book, and I would recommend it to anyone.
R.
1 comment:
I don't believe you can go wrong with Austen. I'm glad you enjoyed it, and I enjoyed reading your insight.
E.
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