Jane Austen's Persuasion Literary Analysis

Jane Austen, author of the novel Persuasion, is often regarded as the first respectable, prominent female writer of the English language. Unlike typical literature of the nineteenth century, the themes of Austen’s novels fixate on the struggles of being a young woman in England. Literary critics Stefanie Markovits and Kate Nesbit analyze the themes of femininity and marriage in the lives of nineteenth century English women throughout Persuasion. Stefanie Markovits explores marital themes through her piece, Jane Austen and the Happy Fall. Markovits argues that the recurring theme in Austen’s literary work is the search for happiness by way of marriage. She explains, “[in] Austen's novels, we can see that … happiness and goodness can appear

Women in the nineteenth century had the expectation to marry men with high social status and wealth, rather than from love or security. Austen’s perspective is that marital contentment is purely a matter of choice. Moreover, in a conversation in the novel about a woman’s place in society with Captain Wentworth, Mrs. Croft responds, “I hate to hear you [talk] … as if women were all fine ladies, instead of rational creatures” (Austen

Nesbit argues that Anne has a “readiness to assert her own predilections in pursuit of love and marriage,” rather than developing patterns similar to those around her (Nesbit 11). I agree with Nesbit’s statement because over the course of the novel, Anne is most concerned with her happiness and quality of life than any family or societal expectation. In the reunion between Anne and Captain Wentworth, Anne chooses to marry Wentworth regardless of his status or financial means. Not only was this seen as disrespectful to her family, but even is considered an embarrassment to all of the society. When reflecting on her relationship with Wentworth, Anne claims that “[there] could have been no two hearts so open, no tastes so similar, no feelings so in unison” (Austen