Consider the implications of the title, Persuasion

Consider the implications of the title, Persuasion

“Something intended to induce belief or action” is how the Oxford

Dictionary defines the term persuasion. To consider the implications

of the title successfully, it is essential that we first understand

the term persuasion within the context of the novel. The Oxford

Dictionary also defines the term ‘persuade’ as “to successfully urge a

person to do; to talk into or out of an action”, “to attract, lure or

entice” or as “to talk earnestly with a person to secure agreement or

compliance.” By these definitions we can notice that the concept of

persuasion is ever-present throughout Austen’s novel. One of Austen’s

traits is that her titles appear to offer some indication towards

subject content; ‘Sense and Sensibility’,’ Pride and Prejudice’ and in

this novel; ‘Persuasion.’ The first of these titles seems to suggest a

tone of appraisal and the second, a tone of condemnation. From this

recognition, we can also notice that Austen’s novels deal with the

concept of moral perameters. ‘Persuasion’ however, does not seem to

provide a clear indication of the nature of the subject matter. Yet

isn’t persuasion less of a moral concept than ‘Sense and Sensibility’

and ‘Pride and Prejudice’? It seems therefore, that ‘Persuasion’ can

be seen to challenge the idea of social class and position as opposed

to the large issues of morality which are seen in ‘Sense and

Sensibility’ and ‘Pride and Prejudice’.

We must not consider the implications of the title with a closed mind.

When Jane Austen penned her last complete novel, ‘Persuasion’ could be

interpreted in two different ways; a strong belief in the process of

persuasion of one’s thinking and secondly, the act of being pers...

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... Lady Russell’s moral inferiority as Anne “lost her

bloom” due to the persuasion of Lady Russell. Idealised love is, in

fact, performed away from the public in ‘Persuasion’ as we see that

public interferences are able to turn relationships sour; “a short

period of exquisite felicity followed, and but a short one. Troubles

soon arose, Sir Walter on being applied to…” From Anne and Wentworth’s

lasting affection, we can see that most persuasion in the novel

revolves around the concept of love.

At the time of writing ‘Persuasion’, there had been a change in

popular taste from Augustan values to Romanticism with its focus upon

intense feelings. By carefully weaving between Romantic and Augustan

values, Austen leaves it up to the reader to consider the case of

romance between Anne and Wentworth, determining whether we find

ourselves for or against persuasion.