Persuasion Jane Austen

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Jane Austen wrote many of her books based on what was going on in history at that time. Specifically, her book Persuasion reflects her point of view as a woman and what it means to be living in Regency England. The protagonist, Anne Elliot, is the mouthpiece for which Austen can voice her opinion and reveal the harsh truths about society. Anne Elliot is persuaded from marrying her true love at a young age. This persuasion not only happened through the words of those advising Anne Elliot, but also through 19th century society and standards to change her perception of Captain Wentworth and her decision in marrying him. The environment which Anne was put in played a big role in influencing her. To fully understand what she was living in, one …show more content…

During the time of her publication, the landed gentry were the preeminent class in Regency England. The landed elites kept the land and money in their possession by always passing it on to their male heirs. All the land was possessed by a very small group of people. To keep it that way, they imposed strict inheritance laws. In Persuasion, Austen touches on the transition of wealth from the aristocratic class to the new, rising professional classes. The early 1800’s saw just the beginning of industrialization in Europe. As men enrolled in the Navy, such as Captain Wentworth and Admiral Croft, or found other occupations (doctors, lawyers) they could accumulate enough wealth to actually buy out the aristocracy. “The story is set between Napoleon's exile on Elba in 1814 and the consequent peace treaty that sends Admiral Croft and Frederick Wentworth from their naval commands to shore leave and the resumption of war in 1815. Persuasion reflects a specific and crucial moment of English history: the changing of the guard in which a meritocracy (represented by the naval officers that secured peace) is supplanting an ineffectual and self-indulgent aristocratic oligarchy (typified by Sir Walter of Kellynch Hall)” (Burt). The “self-indulgent” are too whimsical with their money, which leads to the meritocracy superseding them. The reader sees this transition of wealth play a role …show more content…

The protagonist, Anne Elliot, exemplified the restrictions and expectations that were put on women in the 19th century. These traditional restrictions pressured Anne away from making decisions for herself. “Their predicament is to be born into a world which values them for their marriageability, where the culmination of womanhood is to be a wife and mother, where their lives are regulated by the artificial ideals of polite femininity” (Southam). Women were pictured as objects of frailty that couldn’t handle the tough day-to-day encounters that the men did. They did not have the wide array of opportunities women have earned today. They didn’t go out and get a job, except maybe as a tutor, writer, or governess. For middle to upper class women, the servants ran the household while their only duty was to look after the children. With their free time, they took part in gathering with their friends, attending balls, fashion, and other social events. Anne Elliot was a typical 19th century woman who took part in all these events. While women had very few lifestyle options, the door was much wider to men. This left Anne with very few options and a lot of pressure to follow the normalities of society. The working class was just starting to take off to fill the gap between the rich and the poor. Men could work in factories, be land tenants, work in government, become a

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