#lady russell

[gifshistorical]

REGENCY LADIES + pink

#bridgertonedit #bridgerton #pride and prejudice #pride and prejudice 1995 #sanditon #sanditonedit #persuasion #persuasion 2022 #persuasionedit #mr malcolm's list #mr malcolms list #emma 2022 #emmaedit #edwina sharma #elizabeth bennet #georgiana lambe #lady russell #julia thistlewaite #jane fairfax #charithra chandran #jennifer ehle #crystal clarke #nikki amuka-bird #zawe ashton #amber anderson #perioddramaedit #perioddramasource #weloveperioddrama #usercharithra #mine

[bethanydelleman]

Jane Austen in Chapter 1 of Persuasion: We are all well aware of why a widow with a good fortune would never want to marry again. I’m not even going to explain its so obvious.

Now a MAN deciding not to remarry, that requires a full paragraph of explanation...

#jane austen #persuasion #lady russell #sir walter #I get the impression that being a rich widow is peak woman life in the early 1800s #no man to tie you down #no poverty to make you sad #no one sneering about your virginity

[nasty-bog-boy]

not to post about persuasion again but i have so much to say.

one thing i really love about persuasion and that makes it feel so very true to life is Wentworth's bitterness towards Anne and his subsequent forgiveness. he's a flawed guy!!!

Wentworth loved someone, proposed to her and then found that she was not confident in her love for him and so rejected him out of fear and weakness. he put himself on the line for her and was essentially told by the woman he loved he isn't good enough.

of course I love Anne Elliot. she was vulnerable and pursued by someone older and wiser who she looked up to. and honestly Lady Russell isn't completely wrong. Wentworth was in the navy and just as likely to die and leave Anne a penniless widow as become a rich and respected captain.

but Wentworth's resentment towards Anne just serves to make him an equally flawed yet admirable character. his character arc involves him learning to forgive Anne for her actions when she was younger and allow himself to love her again, both for who she was when they were young but also for the older woman she is now. he has to recognise the changes in her and her new strength of character and resolve.

both Anne and Wentworth must admit to themselves where their faults are and change over the course of the novel, because if they don't they won't be able to confess their feelings to each other again.

Wentworth has to be a bigger person and let go of his very justified anger. he loved Anne and she broke his heart, but she's different now and he must admit to himself how he never truly stopped loving her and comparing all other women to her. he has to acknowledge the pain her mistakes caused her and forgive her, as otherwise he would never be able to get her back.

there's just something so beautiful about persuasion featuring two leads who carry very complicated feelings towards each other from their pasts having to reckon with that. they have to forgive each other and move past the very real hurt that was caused in order to have another chance at happiness

its something we can do! its a lesson! we can resolve to act as Anne and do and seek to improve ourselves, to move through the world with grace and forgiveness!

#persuasion #persuasion novel #jane austen #jane austen books #anne elliot #captain wentworth #anne and wentworth #i just have a lot of thoughts #i will not be silenced #lady russell #jane austen persuasion

[violaobanion]

LADY RUSSELL’S OUTFITS in Persuasion (2022), requested by anonymous

#persuasion #persuasion 2022 #persuasionedit #perioddramaedit #perioddramagifs #userperioddrama #weloveperioddrama #perioddrama #lady russell #nikki amuka-bird #carrie cracknell #movies #edits

[oldshrewsburyian]

living for your persuasion thoughts! can you recommend any criticism?

Thank you! I presume you're alluding to the fact that I mentioned scholarly criticism concerning Lady Russell's opinions about Captain Wentworth and his unsuitability for Anne. @kungfunurse also asked for "more on the subject of Lady R’s blind spot re: Wentworth’s sexuality." So! allow me to introduce this magnificently titled academic article:

Heydt-Stevenson maintains that Jane Austen’s dirty jokes are not “odd moments” in her novels, but rather “pleasurable and unabashed inscriptions of a sexuality that is foundational rather than incidental or anomalous.” Indeed! The fact that it still can feel weird to write the phrase “Jane Austen’s dirty jokes” has a lot to do with how her authorial reputation was managed, first by her family members and then by others, in order to accommodate Victorian sensibilities. This arguably did much to ensure Austen’s posthumous reputation and respectability. But it also means that her slyness, satirical savagery, and indeed, her dirty jokes, have been more often acknowledged by admiring critics than by her (much, much) wider audience. Forgive me if I’m preaching to the choir here.

More specifically, Heydt-Stevenson argues (based on close reading of the discussion of Wentworth’s career and other passages) that part of what Lady R. finds objectionable and “not to her taste” in Frederick Wentworth’s manners is his assertive masculinity. It’s been a while since I read Austenian scholarship more broadly, but my vague sense is that this article is far from an outlier. Heydt-Stevenson also brings up the passage -- still to come in my reread -- where Lady Russell and Anne cross paths with Wentworth in Bath. Anne, of course, notices him immediately. There follows then a passage in which Anne assumes that he must hold “fascination” for Lady Russell, who is looking straight at him, indeed “intently observing him,” but who then claims not to have seen him at all! And why does Lady R. say that she has not noticed him? She has been looking, she says, for a pair of curtains, “the handsomest and best hung of any in Bath.”

So either Lady Russell has absolutely been fascinated by Captain Wentworth and his “personal graces” as alluded to above, and is coming up with a bad excuse -- curtains to veil her thoughts from those who would see them! -- or Austen is literalizing her blind spot where Wentworth and his character are concerned, and simultaneously making a joke about Wentworth being the handsomest and best hung [man] of any in Bath. Either way... bless Jane Austen and her brilliant, filthy mind, forever and ever, amen.

#persuasion #persuasion reread #jane austen #will not let us REST #asks and answers #i am living for the spite fueled persuasion revival on here #lady russell

[appleinducedsleep]

Lady Russell says like she didn’t put the persuasion in Persuasion

#persuasion #jane austen #apple liveblogs books #books #booklr #book community #lady russell #jane austen memes

[shenanigans-and-imagines]

🔥 + Persuasion - specifically, Lady Russell?

Persuasion is my favorite Jane Austen novel.

If we want to talk about Lady Russell specifically? I do believe she genuinely cares for Anne and is one of the few adult figures in her life who have her best interest well and true at heart. However, her own classist prejudices blind her to what would make Anne happy. I don’t hate her though.

Send Me a 🔥+ a Topic, and I’ll Tell You My Honest Opinion About It

#persuasion #jane austen #lady russell #honest opinion

[kajaono]

Lady Russell: I hope, one day, to see you do get married

Anne, already engaged with Captain Wentworth: I hope so too

Biggest power move of her

#anne elliot #persuasion #persuasion 1995 #jane austen #lady russell

[fuckyeahcostumedramas]

Nikki Amuka-Bird as Lady Russell in ‘Persuasion’ (Film, 2022).

#nikki amuka bird #lady russell #persuasion #perioddramaedit #fashion #brown hair #brown eyes #19th Century #marianne agertoft

[teawitch]

Jane Austen Fans: We love "Persuasion" and a faithful adaptation of it would be dear to our hearts.

Netflix: My dears, I feel obliged to persuade you otherwise. Anne Elliot is too thoughtful and cautious to make you happy. Put the book aside. What you desire in a movie is a manic pixie dream girl romcom. Surely our years of subscription friendship should allow us some consideration in making this recommendations.

#persuasion #jane austen #netflix #anne elliot #lady russell #teawitch'

[neverscreens]

— PERSUASION.

File size: 131MB. Like or reblog the post of it was useful. Your interaction shows me that I should keep making screencaps. And if you want me to post some in separate posts, tell me! ♡

#packs #yeahps #persuasion #dakota johnson #persuasion netflix #cosmo jarvis #anne elliot #wentworth #mary musgrave #mr elliot #henry golding #screencaps #movies #screencaps of movies #movies screencaps #lady russell #mia mckenna bruce #pack of screencaps #screencaps packs #screencaps pack #packs screencaps #packs for download #completeresources #coral #2022 #netflix #netflix 2022

[redwolf17]

Liveread: Persuasion, Chapter 2

Mr Shepherd, a civil, cautious lawyer, who, whatever might be his hold or his views on Sir Walter, would rather have the  disagreeable prompted by anybody else, excused himself from offering the slightest hint, and only begged leave to recommend an implicit reference to the excellent judgement of Lady Russell, from whose known good sense he fully expected to have just such resolute measures advised as he meant to see finally adopted.

So our first impression of Mr. Shepherd is that he is NOT down to have any hard conversations. Nope, no thanks, he'll just drop hints (not even outright statements, HINTS) and let Lady Russell handle it. Also, impressively bad judgment call by Mr. Shepherd, who apparently thinks Lady Russell can work miracles with Sir Walter. Uh... about that...

Lady Russell was most anxiously zealous on the subject, and gave it much serious consideration. She was a woman rather of sound than of quick abilities, whose difficulties in coming to any decision in this instance were great, from the opposition of two leading principles. She was of strict integrity herself, with a delicate sense of honour; but she was as desirous of saving Sir Walter’s feelings, as solicitous for the credit of the family, as aristocratic in her ideas of what was due to them, as anybody of sense and honesty could well be.

Lady Russell is reasonably smart, but not a good head in a crisis. Really needs time to think. And she's torn between integrity/honor (Sir Walter must pay the debts) and snobbery (preserve Sir Walter's delicate ego, he is a baronet, after all).

She was a benevolent, charitable, good woman, and capable of strong attachments, most correct in her conduct, strict in her notions of decorum, and with manners that were held a standard of good-breeding. She had a cultivated mind, and was, generally speaking, rational and consistent—but she had prejudices on the side of ancestry; she had a value for rank and consequence, which blinded her a little to the faults of those who possessed them.

While Lady Russell is a snob, she's a "nice" snob, and that undermines her usual good sense. She's quite different from Sir Walter and Elizabeth, who care only for themselves, but she shares their obsession with rank.

Herself the widow of only a knight, she gave the dignity of a baronet all its due; and Sir Walter, independent of his claims as an old acquaintance, an attentive neighbour, an obliging landlord, the husband of her very dear friend, the father of Anne and her sisters, was, as being Sir Walter, in her apprehension, entitled to a great deal of compassion and consideration under his present difficulties.

Ok, so I missed this entirely on my first read. I did not pick up on Lady Russell being "only" the widow of a knight, and thus below Sir Walter in the pecking order, and I also did not notice that Sir Walter was an "attentive neighbor" and an "obliging landlord" to her. Again, while Sir Walter is a massive tool, this is a hint of chiaroscuro that shifts him from irredeemable demon to petty jackass. Weirdly, I'm getting vague Darcy vibes, or rather the distorted version of Darcy presented by Wickham:

... Mr. Darcy can please where he chooses. He does not want abilities. He can be a conversible companion if he thinks it worth his while. Among those who are at all his equals in consequence, he is a very different man from what he is to the less prosperous. His pride never deserts him; but with the rich he is liberal-minded, just, sincere, rational, honourable, and perhaps agreeable—allowing something for fortune and figure.”

At any rate, Lady Russell is determined that Sir Walter cut back his spending (retrench is such an odd word) and sets herself to making it happen.

[Lady Russell] drew up plans of economy, she made exact calculations, and she did what nobody else thought of doing: she consulted Anne, who never seemed considered by the others as having any interest in the question. She consulted, and in a degree was influenced by her in marking out the scheme of retrenchment which was at last submitted to Sir Walter. Every emendation of Anne’s had been on the side of honesty against importance. She wanted more vigorous measures, a more complete reformation, a quicker release from debt, a much higher tone of indifference for everything but justice and equity.

Oh, quite a lot going on in only a few sentences here. We get a reiteration of the fact that Sir Walter and Elizabeth don't give a damn for Anne's insights, even though she lives with them and is intimately affected by the economic crisis bearing down on the family. We also get a little more characterization of Anne via her changes to Lady Russell's budget proposals. Unlike Lady Russell, Anne puts much less importance on rank and consequence; she cares about "honesty against importance." Whatever snobbery exists in the Elliot-Russell group, Anne has less of it; paying off their debts quickly and properly matters more than anything else.

“If we can persuade your father to all this,” said Lady Russell, looking over her paper, “much may be done. If he will adopt these regulations, in seven years he will be clear; and I hope we may be able to convince him and Elizabeth, that Kellynch Hall has a respectability in itself which cannot be affected by these reductions; and that the true dignity of Sir Walter Elliot will be very far from lessened in the eyes of sensible people, by acting like a man of principle. What will he be doing, in fact, but what very many of our first families have done, or ought to do? There will be nothing singular in his case; and it is singularity which often makes the worst part of our suffering, as it always does of our conduct. I have great hope of prevailing. We must be serious and decided; for after all, the person who has contracted debts must pay them; and though a great deal is due to the feelings of the gentleman, and the head of a house, like your father, there is still more due to the character of an honest man.”

Again, holy crap, how much debt is Sir Walter in? SEVEN years to pay everything off? It really, really sucks to be the tradespeople trying to scrape by while the baronet is making payments on an installment plan.

Next up, another line I missed- Lady Russell notes "many of our first families" have similarly faced money problems. Lady Russell is quite sympathetic or neutral, but I suspect the narrator/Jane Austen is far less sanguine about the nobility running up debts by living way beyond their means. Also love the idea that "singularity" matters when it comes to suffering, feeling like an isolated failure versus simply yet another person facing a common problem.

Last thing I want to point out is the emphasis on Lady Russell being firm about how honesty > pride. I'm a tad hesitant how to read this, however, given that while she rightly says more is due to "the character of an honest man" than to the "feelings of the gentleman"... I don't recall if that really holds up with her later treatment of Captain Wentworth and William Elliot.

This was the principle on which Anne wanted her father to be proceeding, his friends to be urging him. She considered it as an act of indispensable duty to clear away the claims of creditors with all the expedition which the most comprehensive retrenchments could secure, and saw no dignity in anything short of it. She wanted it to be prescribed, and felt as a duty. She rated Lady Russell’s influence highly; and as to the severe degree of self-denial which her own conscience prompted, she believed there might be little more difficulty in persuading them to a complete, than to half a reformation. Her knowledge of her father and Elizabeth inclined her to think that the sacrifice of one pair of horses would be hardly less painful than of both, and so on, through the whole list of Lady Russell’s too gentle reductions.

Oh, sweet summer child. Anne mistakenly thinks Lady Russell's level of influence on herself is indicative of her level of influence over Sir Walter and Elizabeth. And Anne wants to just rip the band-aid off, thinking that since Sir Walter and Elizabeth will pitch a fit regardless, they might as well lose everything, not just half of everything, whereas Lady Russell is being very gentle and generous. Uhm... about that...

How Anne’s more rigid requisitions might have been taken is of little consequence. Lady Russell’s had no success at all: could not be put up with, were not to be borne. “What! every comfort of life knocked off! Journeys, London, servants, horses, table—contractions and restrictions every where! To live no longer with the decencies even of a private gentleman! No, he would sooner quit Kellynch Hall at once, than remain in it on such disgraceful terms.”

God forbid Sir Walter suffer the least reduction in his status and luxury. Real prize, that one.

“Quit Kellynch Hall.” The hint was immediately taken up by Mr Shepherd, whose interest was involved in the reality of Sir Walter’s retrenching, and who was perfectly persuaded that nothing would be done without a change of abode.

Does Sir Walter also owe Mr. Shepherd money? Is that what that means?

“Since the idea had been started in the very quarter which ought to dictate, he had no scruple,” he said, “in confessing his judgement to be entirely on that side. It did not appear to him that Sir Walter could materially alter his style of living in a house which had such a character of hospitality and ancient dignity to support."

Ha, Mr. Shepherd just IMMEDIATELY latched onto the idea, with the excuse of "oh, you brought it up, not me, I'm just agreeing with YOU, my good sir."

"In any other place Sir Walter might judge for himself; and would be looked up to, as regulating the modes of life in whatever way he might choose to model his household.”

The appeal to the ego is, of course, the one that succeeds. In another town, Sir Walter can live more modestly without anyone knowing how he used to live; versus all his neighbors noticing if the Kellynch Hall way of life is suddenly an iota less extravagant. Except... presumably, all the tradespeople in town are already pretty well aware of his debts, and fleeing town is gonna be noticed.

Sir Walter would quit Kellynch Hall; and after a very few days more of doubt and indecision, the great question of whither he should go was settled, and the first outline of this important change made out. There had been three alternatives, London, Bath, or another house in the country. All Anne’s wishes had been for the latter. A small house in their own neighbourhood, where they might still have Lady Russell’s society, still be near Mary, and still have the pleasure of sometimes seeing the lawns and groves of Kellynch, was the object of her ambition. But the usual fate of Anne attended her, in having something very opposite from her inclination fixed on. She disliked Bath, and did not think it agreed with her; and Bath was to be her home.

Anne's ego is wayyyyy less than that of Sir Walter and Elizabeth. She wants to stay in her neighborhood, with her social circle (small as it is) regardless of the "shame" of being seen to downsize from Kellynch Hall to some other house. But of course, Sir Walter and Elizabeth won't have it, and don't care for her opinion on the matter.

Sir Walter had at first thought more of London; but Mr Shepherd felt that he could not be trusted in London, and had been skilful enough to dissuade him from it, and make Bath preferred. It was a much safer place for a gentleman in his predicament: he might there be important at comparatively little expense. Two material advantages of Bath over London had of course been given all their weight: its more convenient distance from Kellynch, only fifty miles, and Lady Russell’s spending some part of every winter there; and to the very great satisfaction of Lady Russell, whose first views on the projected change had been for Bath, Sir Walter and Elizabeth were induced to believe that they should lose neither consequence nor enjoyment by settling there.

LOL. London has high society, clubs and gambling and luxuries everywhere, and there's no way Sir Walter would be able to resist. Mr. Shepherd may be a bit of a chicken, but he's not an idiot.

Now, wait a minute, though- Lady Russell's first choice was Bath? But I thought she cared about Anne's happiness?

Lady Russell felt obliged to oppose her dear Anne’s known wishes. It would be too much to expect Sir Walter to descend into a small house in his own neighbourhood. Anne herself would have found the mortifications of it more than she foresaw, and to Sir Walter’s feelings they must have been dreadful.

Oh, okay, so Lady Russell loves Anne, but not enough to put her first, huh. I'm curious whether we're supposed to agree that Anne would end up disliking the "mortifications" more than she anticipates. Given how much misery she endures already in the family, I suspect living in a smaller house wouldn't crush her, not compared to the ongoing family bullshit.

And with regard to Anne’s dislike of Bath, she considered it as a prejudice and mistake arising, first, from the circumstance of her having been three years at school there, after her mother’s death; and secondly, from her happening to be not in perfectly good spirits the only winter which she had afterwards spent there with herself.

Oh, screw you, those are perfectly good reasons to hate Bath! Associating it with the death of her mother is really painful! And as to that second bit, I'm side-eyeing it extremely. What winter was that, the one right after Lady Russell forced her to give up Frederick Wentworth? 🤔 Because yeah, being in Bath after her mom's death and again after being persuaded to give up her betrothed is a nasty, nasty combo. I'd hate Bath too!

Lady Russell was fond of Bath, in short, and disposed to think it must suit them all; and as to her young friend’s health, by passing all the warm months with her at Kellynch Lodge, every danger would be avoided; and it was in fact, a change which must do both health and spirits good. Anne had been too little from home, too little seen. Her spirits were not high. A larger society would improve them. She wanted her to be more known.

My sympathy for Lady Russell is vanishing at breakneck speed. Oh, YOU like Bath, so of course Anne is going to be forced to go there, because YOU know what's best for her. Gee, why is Anne so secluded and in such low spirits? HMMMMM. And "be more known" with who, good people that would treasure Anne as she deserves, or people of rank who would just be giving her more Sir Walters and Elizabeths to endure?

I just realized I've been excerpting almost the whole chapter, so let's sum up the next couple paragraphs. Sir Walter is very sheepish about letting Kellynch Hall, too proud to, god forbid, advertise the house, and in short, is only willing to rent it out if an angel descends from the heavens to ask the honor of being his tenant. God this man is useless.

How quick come the reasons for approving what we like! Lady Russell had another excellent one at hand, for being extremely glad that Sir Walter and his family were to remove from the country. Elizabeth had been lately forming an intimacy, which she wished to see interrupted.

Lady Russell/meddling is apparently the secondary ship of this book. My opinion of her continues to sink. Maybe I'm being unfair, since she's sort of in loco parentis (god knows Sir Walter isn't doing any parenting) but still.

It was with the daughter of Mr Shepherd, who had returned, after an unprosperous marriage, to her father’s house, with the additional burden of two children. She was a clever young woman, who understood the art of pleasing—the art of pleasing, at least, at Kellynch Hall; and who had made herself so acceptable to Miss Elliot, as to have been already staying there more than once, in spite of all that Lady Russell, who thought it a friendship quite out of place, could hint of caution and reserve.

I'm slightly confused- is Mrs Clay a widow? She has to be, right? But it doesn't say so outright... huh. Weird. At any rate, Mrs Clay is apparently amazing at sucking up to Elizabeth Elliot, and Lady Russell does NOT approve of the friendship. Now, if Lady Russell is suspicious of Mrs Clay being such a suck up, that's perfectly reasonable, but if her ONLY objection is the class issue... that's a horse of a different color.

Lady Russell, indeed, had scarcely any influence with Elizabeth, and seemed to love her, rather because she would love her, than because Elizabeth deserved it. She had never received from her more than outward attention, nothing beyond the observances of complaisance; had never succeeded in any point which she wanted to carry, against previous inclination.

Okay, this is kinda funny. Lady Russell is just determined to love Elizabeth despite her being such an awful human being, and Elizabeth is giving her almost nothing in return.

She had been repeatedly very earnest in trying to get Anne included in the visit to London, sensibly open to all the injustice and all the discredit of the selfish arrangements which shut her out, and on many lesser occasions had endeavoured to give Elizabeth the advantage of her own better judgement and experience; but always in vain: Elizabeth would go her own way; and never had she pursued it in more decided opposition to Lady Russell than in this selection of Mrs Clay; turning from the society of so deserving a sister, to bestow her affection and confidence on one who ought to have been nothing to her but the object of distant civility.

Lady Russell gets a few points for trying to push Anne's cause with Elizabeth, but I can't help but notice we have no idea whether or not Anne would like to go to London. Elizabeth never takes Lady Russell's advice, no matter how good it is; she has the strength of her own (bad) convictions, whereas Anne is more malleable and willing to be persuaded. And Elizabeth is only too happy to ignore and slight her sister Anne for the sake of Mrs Clay, a neighbor.

I'm curious at the last bit, "who ought to have been nothing to her but the object of distant civility." Is that Lady Russell, or the narrator speaking? I'm getting shades of the Emma + Harriet friendship, which the narrative of Emma does not approve of, although Mr Knightley admits Emma did "improve" Harriet somewhat, but also filled her head with wild notions beyond her class/station/realistic prospects. Hrmm.

From situation, Mrs Clay was, in Lady Russell’s estimate, a very unequal, and in her character she believed a very dangerous companion; and a removal that would leave Mrs Clay behind, and bring a choice of more suitable intimates within Miss Elliot’s reach, was therefore an object of first-rate importance.

Okay, so, a little credit to Lady Russell, she's not pleased about the rank, but Mrs Clay's character is a bigger concern. Although we're not told why, beyond the fact that she's a suck up, so... the jury's still out on that one.

Overall I liked this chapter, which continues to set things up and establish several of the most important characters. No particularly impressive quips, but you can't have every line be an all time classic, so that's alright. Ditto the lack of romance thus far; I think it's important we get to know Anne somewhat before we find out about the whole Frederick Wentworth trauma.

#persuasion #persuasion liveread #Anne Elliot #lady Russell

[bethanydelleman]

The more I think about Persuasion, the more I am convinced that Wentworth never should have proposed eight years prior in the first place.

He was broke, unemployed, and staying with his brother. He had no business asking someone to be his wife! It was a rash, impulsive decision and Lady Russell was correct to advise Anne to break off the engagement (even if her motives were suspect). Because Anne should have never said yes either! I guess maybe she would have wanted a long engagement, but her affection overwhelmed her judgement. The best case scenario is that Anne lived at home waiting for Wentworth to return, either married or engaged, but otherwise she’d probably be living in small rented rooms alone in some port city, hoping that Wentworth didn’t die at sea.

We are shown through the novel what could have happened. Admiral Croft and Sohpia had a similar short time of knowing each other and rapid marriage, but he was in already in a position to support her. She speaks fondly of their first home together. Captain Benwick goes through a long engagement and has to suffer through the death of his fiance. Captain Harville is injured and now supporting a wife on disability pay. To be honest, I think Anne and Wentworth would also do well in that situation, but it’s certainly not ideal. But we also have Mrs. Smith, who is the example of what happens when you marry financial insecurity. Wentworth spent freely, Anne doesn’t know if he can save in the future or not. Mr. Smith’s reckless spending made his wife extremely vulnerable upon his death. (and yes, Mr. Elliot influenced Mr. Smith, but people tempting you into more spending will always exist.)

Charles Hayter and Henrietta Musgrove show us the prudent option, one that Wentworth even suggests himself at the end of Persuasion. Hayter has a temporary living, but some good prospects for the future. That would be very similar to Wentworth, “with a few thousand pounds, and was posted into the Laconia”. Charles and Henrietta had to wait, and go through some trials, but their love is strong enough in the end. And we know that Anne was faithful enough to wait!

All of this is to say, the blame is usually focused on Anne for breaking the engagement and Lady Russell for encouraging her to do so. I think more blame needs to be assigned to Wentworth, for proposing to a woman when he could not properly provide for her. His proposal was unfair to her, as was his anger at her rational choice to break it off.

Is this because we have trouble understanding in modern times that Anne cannot work, and even if she did, the wages are far too low to support a family? Wentworth needs to be the provider in the society in which he lives.

(I do still find his resentment very human and natural, but I’ve always had the feeling that Anne said something like, “Not now” and he heard, “Not you.”)

#persuasion #anne elliot #captain wentworth #lady russell #I also would advise my teenage goddaughter not to marry a penniless guy from the navy #I think we have ample evidence that Wentworth doesn't always totally think through his actions #Especially when it comes to women #it always was in no way certain that he would do well in the navy #Admiral Croft calls him very lucky #he might have just gotten hit by a canonball

[mametupa]

#Persuasion #Persuasion 2022 #Anne Elliot #Lady Russell #Mr. Elliot #Jane Austen #William Elliot

[oldshrewsburyian]

I think it was @fictionadventurer who once argued on here for a nursing-focused read of Persuasion, and the importance of health, illness, disability, and injury really does come to the fore in Bath. Sir Walter -- in keeping with his denial of mortality generally -- cannot conceive of the reality of a Mrs. Smith, close to Elizabeth’s age but also chronically ill. Anne’s confrontation with her father over her commitment to Mrs. Smith of Westgate Buildings, in turn, only comes about because Lady Dalrymple has a cold (!) so is inviting people to come to her so she won’t be bored. Guiltily, I find this hilarious. Meanwhile, Anne and Mrs. Smith (can I call her Harriet?) have a fascinating chat about Nurse Rooke and her insights. And this shows us more about the different meanings of illness. Mrs. Wallis’ confinement, in earlier chapters, has meant her sad absence from assemblies, the impossibility of making the acquaintance of a colonel’s wife. But Nurse Rooke reports that she is “a mere pretty, silly, expensive, fashionable woman,” and Harriet sees her as a good candidate for purchasing her more elaborate and expensive crafts. I support this plan; I hope Colonel Wallis finds his wife’s bedroom just... festooned with knickknacks. Incidentally, I also hope that Mary buys a lot of Harriet’s things (Mary is currently complaining about a sore throat she doesn’t even have.) The Crofts continue to embody #couplegoals, as Sophy strides around to accompany her husband in his medicinal exercise regime until she gives herself a blister. In sickness and in health, I love these two.

I think we can also count the discussion of spirits as part of the discussion of health in these chapters, given early nineteenth-century understandings of health. In analyzing Louisa’s marriage to James Benwick, Anne certainly does this. Louisa’s “health, her nerves, her courage, her character” may all be affected by her injury... and this may be no bad thing. Arguably, Louisa is here implicitly contrasted with the late Mr. Smith, who did not think seriously till it was almost too late. Louisa, whose lack of seriousness was her one serious fault, has been cured of that. And Captain Benwick, who “must love somebody,” with his affectionate heart (aww) is also improving in spirits, and thus in emotional health. It is also noteworthy, I think, that Anne is eager to make the argument, to the Admiral, that “spirit and gentleness” need not be incompatible. And this is something that I think I have perhaps been too ready to overlook in Anne’s own character. (I have wronged her!) Meanwhile, in evaluating the soundness of the impeccable Mr. Elliot, Anne reflects that “her early impressions were incurable.” Incurable!

#meanwhile there is matchmaking #lady russell #'i am no match-maker' (proceeds to match-make) #admiral croft #decides that what frederick really needs is to come to bath where he can meet nice girls #true to form the admiral is right for reasons he does not fully apprehend #frederick 'unconsciously nay unintentionally constant' wentworth everyone #perusasion #persuasion reread

[anghraine]

Hi! I'm on my Austen binge AGAIN because after 5 years of being patient I finally got my Joiner brother to build proper bookshelves, got giddy at the sight of my pretty Jane Austen copies.... and I know you're deep into P&P (which of course I love) but my favorite novel is Persuasion and I wonder if you have any opinion about it? Your Austen blogging is always fascinating so I thought I'd ask?

Thanks!

Hmm. I have opinions on specific points in Austen's other novels, but less on the novels in their entireties (esp other than P&P+MP, my personal faves). I do love Persuasion, but I don't have much in the way of free-floating opinions.

My strongest opinion is probably that Lady Russell's concerns about Wentworth were far from baseless, that he did himself no favors with her, and that Anne's defense (at the end of the novel) of her choice to break off the engagement is justified. Wentworth’s resentment through much of the novel is understandable, but fundamentally unfair and short-sighted IMO.

#pingou7 #respuestas #austen blogging #/ #// #/// #//// #///// #a #b #c #d #e #lady russell #frederick wentworth #anne elliot #wentworth critical