Thursday, January 9, 2020

Persuasion by Jane Austen


The only Austen I have read so far is Sense and Sensibility - and I disliked it! So, it took me quite long to have a heart to take another. And following Ruth's suggestion, I finally picked Persuasion. Now I'm glad I've done it. Though still not my favorite, I can at least say I've finally found an Austen to like, LOL!

I have read the book many months ago, so I won't go into much detail now (which I've forgotten anyway). The main theme is love and marriage, and of course, the unwise act of persuasion in delicate matters, such as love and marriage. Our heroine, Anne Elliot, was engaged to a Captain Wentworth when she was 19 years old. However, her pretentious family saw it as unsuitable, as Wentworth did not fit, socially and financially, to the Elliots. Lady Russel, an aunt, who acted as a mother (who died earlier), and was very attached to Anne, persuaded Anne to broke the engagement, which she complied, despite of the couple's love for each other.

Seven years later, Anne was much more matured, and regretted that she ever complied with Lady Russel's persuasion against marrying a man she truly loved. Since the break up, Anne never found another man equal to her refined mind and principle. She also noticed how shallow, pretentious, and hypocritical the society she lived in, that she often felt out of place. Being an intelligent and introverted woman in 19th century, I can imagine how difficult it was to find a companion with whom she could have a fulfilling relationship. With the women, she would find them shallow; with the men, why, she couldn't be too free to avoid causing unnecessary rumors, and most of them didn't like to talk with "too intelligent" woman anyway. I can relate to Anne very well, as I, too, often experience similar condition, though not as acutely as Anne's.

This (seemingly) simple story opens layer upon layer of how complicated the 19th century society have treated marriage. Why two young people who loved each other could not decide their own faith, always perplex me. It seems that people were sure they knew what make others' happy, and felt obliged to decide and act upon it by themselves. What a nuisance!

Persuasion gives us a glimpse of this, so well crafted by Jane Austen. Anne Elliot is the embodiment of how a woman could be strong without being rebellious. She persevered in her love for Captain Wentworth, but at the same time she also regulated her action so as not hurting others' feeling - letting them learn their own mistakes. She fought (bad) persuasion by giving (good) example. There must have been many girls at that time who felt grateful with Austen's powerful lesson!

My rate: 4/5


12 comments:

  1. This is my favorite Austen novel. :)

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    1. So, I have picked the right book to begin, then.. ;)

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  2. This is kind of my favorite Austen novel, so glad you liked it! Though some days I might say Emma was.

    But after reading this and your earlier review of Sense and Sensibility, I wonder if you might like Mansfield Park even better. It has the same marriage plot, but it also has more political interest. I think a lot of people don't like it for that reason, but you might very well like it better. Anyway, it's the one that's not like the others!... ;-)

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    1. I have to agree with Reese. Mansfield Park might be your Austen.

      (Mine is Sense & Sensibility -- oops!) :P

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    2. Hi Reese... Hmm... I've been wondering, what next should I pick. I might follow your advise, and pick Mansfield Park for my next Classics Club list. :)

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    3. Hi Jillian, nice to see you again :)
      I think S&S is because you can relate with the character well. I kinda like The Portrait of a Lady for the same reason - though I dislike the rest of Henry James' (so far). :D

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  3. Yay! You did it. Would you be interested in watching the film? I thought the 1995 edition was well done. Anyway, it may enhance your feelings for it, possibly. It did for me, although I think my second reading really cemented it, too.

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    1. Yes, because of you! :)
      Thanks for the movie recommendation, will certainly look for it!

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  4. I struggled with Jane Austen as well. I mean, I only tried Pride & Prejudice, but I bailed after 100 pages. I'm not sure if it was Austen's style (above my head) or the fact that I knew the story from the film, I just couldn't keep reading. But I have given up on books before and finished reading them on the 2nd attempt (Anna Karenina), so I will begin again at some point.

    I have always thought of starting with another Jane Austen novel, that I am not familiar with, and Mansfield Park has been the one I have thought of as the next one to start, which seems to have been suggested in the comments a few times as well.

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    1. Hi Pete, thanks for stopping by...
      So glad that I'm not the only one struggle with Jane Austen. :))
      I might pick Mansfield Park too, next.

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  5. My favourite Austen. And she gets better with each reread. I’ve probably read Persuasion 6 or 7 times so far this lifetime.

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    1. Wow, 7 times! I have never reread any book as much as that. But Persuasion is indeed a comfy book, so... no wonder!

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What do you think?