Persuasion

Jane Austen’s tale of Persuasion fascinates me on an entirely different level than her other novels have. The main character – Anne Elliot – is one of such beautiful strength that it leaves all her others, in my opinion, behind.

“But Anne, with an elegance of mind and sweetness of character, which must have placed her high with any people of real understanding, was nobody with either father or sister; her word had no weight, her convenience was always to give way – she was only Anne.”

How do you explain a person with enough character to always do right by everyone else? To put their happiness, their joy, their hope for a future beyond her own? How do you find words to explain someone who, while in the very depths of love itself, would leave behind the only person who has ever truly loved her back as she ought to be loved, to make others happier?

Anne Elliot is extraordinary not because she speaks her mind, or weaves words of elegance, or is the funniest, prettiest, best character to read. In fact, through much of the book, you hear very little of what she says. But her strength is the way she faces every pain and evil put upon her with grace.

She’s thought of as nothing by her family, her opinion only sought to settle debates, which she avoids so as no one will be angry with her. Her joy only thought of by a few, and even then only after everyone else’s. Everyone uses her to voice their complaints of everyone else, and then insists upon her solving their problems.

The book takes place many years after Anne’s youthful romance was cruelly ended by meddling family and friends. Her former love – Captain Wentworth – returns to the countryside near her and the grounds under which he was disapproved before have become nothing: as now he is a navy captain. Most were unaware of the attachment or didn’t care, as “after all, it is only Anne”, and hardly even remembering him at all. In fact, now he is held in the highest regards by everyone.

And so, sweet Anne, must now sit through endless conversations on his worth, his wonderful manners, his kindness, and how loved he is by everyone. Sweet Anne, who had been promised to marry him, and is not yet over the pain of the forced separation.

Things do not get better from there for our precious Anne. Indeed, they get worse. Captain Wentworth doesn’t only ignore her with icy politeness, but she overhears conversations with him to other young ladies that insinuate how weak-minded and – indeed – pathetic he found her behavior for backing out of their engagement. He makes it clear that he is only looking for a young lady who cannot be persuaded by others.

Now in close circles with him once again, as a favorite among the ladies, she watches as there is a war for his affections. With grace, she keeps her silence. With grace, she converses politely about him with everyone. And with grace, she listens as her sister and her husband make bets on which young lady will end up Captain Wentworth’s wife.

Yet, despite it all, and the years of separation, she still loves him.

I will not tell you how the book goes from there, only that there’s much more to the tale of Anne Elliot. I found this book of Miss Austen’s the most compelling of her work, the most baffling. I could not predict the next turn, and often was surprised by the newest developments. And through it all, I found myself surprised again and again by Anne’s strength of character, in a family that had little care for such things.

I think she is a beautiful example for how we should face life, yet with captivating flaws that keep her a realistic heroine.

Persuasion is, by far, my favorite classic I’ve read.