Persuasion by Jane Austen | Chapter 19

Course Hero Literature Instructor Russell Jaffe provides an in-depth summary and analysis of Chapter 19 of Jane Austen's novel Persuasion.


When Anne Elliot and Captain Frederick Wentworth fall in love, family and friends persuade Anne to break the engagement because of Wentworth’s low status.

Twenty-seven year-old Anne Elliot must then cope with her family's financial difficulties, moving from place to place after her father is forced to rent out their ancestral home.

She is haunted by the specter of her failed engagement to Wentworth. As she attempts to find her place in the world, she repeatedly encounters her lost love, who may or may not be enamored of another woman.

Crossed wires and shenanigans ensue as the two figure out their feelings and intentions. The story of course ends on a romantic note, but not before some barbed commentary on male-female interaction.

Jane Austen's novel Persuasion highlights many of the themes that have made her a perennial favorite: thwarted relationships, repressive social mores, and the ability of intrepid female protagonists to overcome them.

Beloved English author Jane Austen’s Persuasion was first published in 1817. Austen began writing at the age of 12. Although her love life is a mystery, themes of love and marriage pervade her six popular novels, which offer a window into social conventions of the era. Austen’s brother published Persuasion after her death.

Persuasion contains many enduring themes, including persuasion, as Anne and Frederick must overcome a shared history of disappointment and distrust; upward mobility, as military men can improve their social status, while a woman’s depends on her marriage; and foolishness, as Mr. Elliot brings financial ruin on his family but still clings to outmoded ideas of what’s due to him. Important motifs include walks, illness, and the pursuit of marriage.


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[luanacst]

I love how the women were gossiping about anne in front of captain wentworth, making my girl sound good