The Annotated Persuasion

by Jane Austen

  One of these is “Henry and Emma,” the poem that occurred to Anne at an earlier point (see note 94). Its portrait of a dedicated and faithful woman begins with a declaration that it will refute “Whatever has been writ, whatever said / Of Female Passion feign’d, or Faith decay’d.” Another is Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, which contains an exchange in which the Duke Orsino declares first that, contrary to what is often said, “Our [men’s] fancies are more giddy and unfirm,” before switching, after he broods on his own rejection in love, to a denunciation of the feebleness of women’s love. In reply, Viola, who is disguised as a boy, proclaims that “they [women] are as true of heart as we,” and tells a story of a woman, by which she means herself, who pined away in unrequited love and “sat like Patience on a monument, / Smiling at grief.” Jane Austen, who cited this last line in Northanger Abbey, may have been inspired by this dialogue here, for its picture of a long-suffering woman bears some resemblance to Anne.

  37. At this time there had been moves to improve the quality of women’s education, but it still was inferior to men’s, especially at the higher levels—no universities admitted women. As for books, while women had come to constitute a substantial portion of those who wrote novels, men dominated virtually all other fields of literary endeavor.

  38. This evocation of inherent bias suggests there may always be a certain division and lack of agreement between the sexes, though the example of Anne herself, through her generous admission of her own probable partiality, suggests the possibility of establishing some concord or harmony.

  39. Anne alludes to a basic difficulty in their conversation, which is that they are prohibited, for various reasons of discretion, from citing some of the individual cases they know. These could include Louisa Musgrove, an example of female inconstancy if she had genuinely loved Captain Wentworth earlier; Wentworth himself, an example of male inconstancy if he had once stopped loving Anne; and Anne, a strong example of female constancy. Anne’s reference to this difficulty, along with her statement, “We never can expect to prove any thing,” may be an attempt to end the conversation, now that she has reason to suspect Captain Wentworth of hearing.

  40. They would have rowed with him to the ship, and then returned to shore in the boat.

  41. It was common for naval ships to have to change their port of arrival, and this frequently forced naval wives to have to travel for long distances, and at short notice, to meet their husbands.

  42. Captain Harville’s whole speech represents a switch to a more personal and emotional argument. It may be a sign of his sensing that they have reached an impasse, rationally speaking. His heartfelt fervor is also an ironic comment on Anne’s earlier evocation of woman’s especially acute feelings.

  It is possible that Jane Austen, in this vivid description of a returning sailor’s feelings, was inspired by her observations, or even the direct statements, of her naval brothers, who both had families. More generally, Captain Harville’s description of the anguished feelings of officers when separated from their families has a sound basis: “surviving naval correspondence confirms that however distracted by the business of their ship, husbands were invariably anxious about their wives at home, particularly if they had children” (Margarette Lincoln, Naval Wives & Mistresses, page 175).

  43. great: distinguished, grand, notable in achievement. It is used here along with “good,” i.e., morally virtuous, because at this time “great” had yet to develop the sense of “extremely good,” applicable to anything.

  44. The fervor of Anne’s statement suggests she knows what it means to be without hope and without an object, though it could be argued that she was still able to follow Captain Wentworth’s career and perhaps harbor some secret hope of seeing him again. In that respect her situation differed from Captain Benwick’s.

  It is possible she intended her words as a message to Captain Wentworth, for she would know that he could easily grasp them as a ringing affirmation of her persistent love for him. In his letter on this page he declares, referring to this speech, that she sinks her voice, which suggests she was not trying to be overhead, though it cannot be known which part of the speech he had in mind. Her natural modesty and delicacy might make her reluctant to express such feelings loudly. But, whatever her intention, the role played by her words means that, after being a passive figure for most of the novel, her actions play a vital role in bringing about the denouement.

  45. Captain Harville’s affectionate gesture suggests the establishment of a true rapport between him and Anne that, at least on this more elemental level, overcomes much of the gulf between the sexes suggested above. It thus in a sense foreshadows the far more important rapprochement that follows. It is also a testament to both their good characters that an argument in which they never cease to disagree, at least in part, ends with their being on friendlier terms than they were at the beginning.

  46. Envelopes as we know them did not exist then (the term “envelope” referred to the outside sheet of a letter). The sheets of paper were simply folded together and sealed. Sealing was accomplished first by either melting sealing wax over the outside, often with the aid of a special instrument to allow the melting to occur without mishap, or by placing a wafer made of a paste between the sheets, after which, using either procedure, the adhesive substance would be stamped with a seal. That Captain Wentworth accomplished all this with great rapidity indicates both his long practice at sealing—naval officers wrote many letters—and his current state of agitation.

  47. Anne’s surprise at his abrupt and cold departure would be natural in any case, especially after their recent increased friendliness, but she would be more shocked if she believed he had heard some of her recent words.

  48. Gloves were a basic accessory for both men and women, worn in many circumstances. Men’s gloves, at least for everyday use, were usually made of leather or suede. They would also be a natural accessory to forget when leaving a room: it quickly becomes clear that Captain Wentworth has forgotten his deliberately to give him a good excuse for returning briefly.

  49. Writing tables were a special category of tables at the time (see picture).

  50. direction: address or dedication of a letter.

  51. Abbreviations were common in letters. He ends by abbreviating his own name.

  52. A critical reason for him to use this means of communication, in addition to his spontaneous reaction to what he has heard, is that regular correspondence between unmarried people who were not already engaged was considered improper. By leaving, almost as if by accident, a note on the table, which she could then happen to find, he was, in a certain sense, circumventing this prohibition.

  53. this world: earthly life.

  54. succeeding to: inheriting, taking his place in.

  55. Wentworth’s passionate language contrasts him with other Jane Austen heroes, who are often much cooler and more rational. It also fits with the more intense emotional tone of this novel compared to others of hers. The letter itself is arguably the moment of highest emotion in her works.

  56. His precision on the length of time indicates how fully aware he is of what occurred before and of what this interval of separation has meant.

  57. He is probably thinking particularly of the concert, when in fact she did come to understand his feelings. At the same time, he is failing to appreciate the difficulties of her situation, having to discern his exact motive while they saw so little of each other and while he, when they did meet, remained often silent and aloof.

  58. He is obviously writing this while listening to her last statement during the exchange with Captain Harville (see this page). He naturally focuses on her avowed belief that men can also be constant, rather than her final claim of greater female constancy in certain unenviable circumstances.

  59. The letter climaxes the gradual rapprochement of the two main characters. It also provides a coda to the debate between Anne and Captain Harville over the relative constancy of men and women. Harville had seem
ed, without conceding completely, to admit he could not counter her, due to the strong example of Captain Benwick. Now Captain Wentworth offers himself as an example on the other side of the equation. The question is whether his behavior over the course of the novel supports his claim of always having loved Anne, or if it is more a testament to his current passionate feelings. His coldness toward her and his interest in Louisa Musgrove do not suggest continued love—unless those actions are interpreted as attempts to counteract the underlying love he still harbored and wished not to acknowledge.

  Whatever the verdict, the question does put Anne in a paradoxical position. If Captain Wentworth’s claim of constant love is true, she would in effect lose the argument with Captain Harville, for his love would be an example of loving long “when hope is gone.” But she would gain the powerful consolation of knowing herself to have been truly beloved all those years. If his assertion is not true, or at least exaggerated, her argument would be vindicated, but she might find less emotional comfort.

  60. The restraints would be her inability to concentrate on all she was feeling and thinking without the distractions and demands of others. The primacy of social ties meant that she could not simply go off on her own, with no regard for how it might affect others.

  61. Anne has spent much of the novel struggling to control her emotions, maintain outward composure, and meet her social obligations—usually with success. Here she finally experiences feelings that no amount of struggle can subdue.

  62. A doctor could mean anyone who practiced medicine or treated people, even informally. Sarah is probably Mrs. Musgrove’s servant; it was common then for people of all classes to cultivate a knowledge of home remedies.

  63. chair: for transport back to her home (see note 18).

  64. She could send a message by Captain Harville, because he was a married man and therefore could receive a letter from her. Her successful reassurance to herself, even as her heart is fearing otherwise, suggests she is regaining some of her composure.

  65. England was known internationally at the time for having the best gunsmiths, and provincial gunsmiths were widespread enough that decent guns could easily be procured without going to London—though the ones in Bath would certainly be better than any in the country, which is why Charles would wish to visit one here. Charles’s passion for shooting would naturally make his appointment at a gunsmith of great importance to him.

  66. Union Street is a short street almost immediately north of the White Hart (see map). Hence Captain Wentworth has not gone far. He has presumably been waiting for Anne: he would probably not wish to wait right outside the inn, since others in their party might see him from the window and wonder what he is doing, and has chosen nearby Union Street since it would be the beginning of her route back to her lodgings.

  Writing table of the time.

  [From Thomas Arthur Strange, English Furniture in the 18th Century: A Guide to Collectors, p. 319]

  67. repulsively: coldly, repellently; in a manner tending to repulse.

  68. Gay-street: the street where the Crofts live (see note 37). Charles may assume that Captain Wentworth is planning to visit the admiral (Mrs. Croft is still in the room with Mrs. Musgrove). Gay Street would not be that far up the town and thus would not take Anne much closer to her residence, as Charles hopes Captain Wentworth could.

  69. Belmont: a street on the route from where they are to Anne’s residence at Camden Place (see map).

  70. scruple: hesitation.

  71. His concern and insistence on assisting her reflect the chivalrous protection of women that was considered to be a basic duty of men, especially gentlemen.

  72. market-place: an area with numerous commercial stalls that is directly east of Union Street (see map). Hence it is in a different direction from the one in which Anne is going.

  73. Double-barreled shotguns were the instruments of choice for shooting birds. They were a recent development, made possible by improvements in gun manufacture that allowed for shorter barrels, which meant that guns with two barrels would not be excessively heavy. Perfected in the years around 1800, they very quickly rose to preeminence, thanks to the great advantage they offered of firing off two shots in quick succession. They came in various sizes.

  74. Winthrop is the residence of the Hayters, where everyone went on their long walk in the country. Charles’s statement indicates they also went that far afield during their shooting, which would not be unusual in their search for birds.

  75. gravel-walk: a walk that goes between Queen Square to the grassy area, a favorite place for promenading, just beneath the Royal Crescent. The walk, which is still in existence, though it is now paved, has grass and trees around it and hence provides a quieter atmosphere than the street. It also lies away from Anne’s route home, a sign that she is hardly worrying about her destination. For the entire route they took, see map.

  76. The words would be remembered continually during their future lives and be the perpetual subject of happy recollections.

  77. This suggests some advantages to both of them from having waited, even as they have suffered many disadvantages over the last eight years.

  78. The term “politicians” was not applied just to those in politics, but sometimes to those who showed characteristics, such as being crafty, thought typical of politicians. In Emma one character says of a man he has not met that he would hate to find him “the practised politician, who is to read every body’s character, and … to be dispensing flatteries all around.” Hence in this case, “politicians” could refer to a variety of people.

  79. At this point the novel can finally provide a complete history of Captain Wentworth and what he has been thinking and feeling. Until now, with one brief exception (this page), all the reader’s knowledge of him has come from what Anne has observed or guessed based on her own understanding of him. This, even with her astuteness and past experience with him, has meant that much of his mental evolution has remained shrouded. This is a necessary consequence of Jane Austen’s telling the novel almost completely from the perspective of the heroine. This procedure leads consistently to final passages of retrospective explanation on the part of the hero, like the one that is commencing here.

  80. The short suspension, or pause, in his jealousy would have occurred in the moments when Anne was able to speak in a friendly and encouraging tone to him.

  81. This implies that he now perceives Anne’s original refusal of him to be a sign of her merit, or at least to have come from the meritorious qualities of her character. He presumably means her strong sense of duty.

  82. The question is what he is referring to at Uppercross. He never gave any indication there of altering his opinion of Anne, even though he did perform services for her such as lifting the child off her and getting her to ride home with the Crofts. He may mean that his frequent exposure to her and inevitable observation of her behavior (such as the nursing of her nephews) reminded him of her virtues, which in turn could have made him reflect more charitably on the possible reasons for her earlier refusal.

  83. fixed: established, settled (in his mind).

  84. mind: inner character.

  85. In Jane Austen main characters who have made serious errors are consistently forced to undergo some kind of penance for their errors. This helps them learn from their mistakes and correct their faults, and ultimately it makes them more deserving of happiness.

  86. In this society people were quick to assume an engagement existed if a young man and woman who were both unmarried spent time together and exhibited a mutual liking. One reason was the prevailing strong belief in marriage and the assumption that almost everyone wished to marry (in fact around 90% of the population did marry). Another was that unmarried men and women had limited ability to socialize together; often the most that people interested in each other could do was to exhibit extra friendliness in the midst of general social events, to dance or engage in other activities more frequently with each other, and, perhaps, to sepa
rate on occasion from the larger group for brief tête-à-têtes. Thus, when a couple did those things, it was generally assumed that they had serious intentions toward one another.

  87. One reason for his mistake is that, as someone who had spent most of the previous eight years serving at sea, he would have had limited exposure to the rituals and rules of courtship.

  88. His involvement with them, if not followed by a proposal of marriage, could lead to an unpleasant report about one of them, such as that she had tried to lure him into marriage or had jilted him after encouraging him. Any such report would damage her reputation.

  89. entangled himself: ensnared or bound himself to another person. “Entanglement” was often used for cases in which someone had fallen in love with or become pledged to another.

  90. This would also be why he did not see Louisa while still in Lyme (this page).

  91. This is a fair means because he himself is not breaking with Louisa. A basic principle of this society was that a man should not break an engagement with a woman. One who did so would be censured and could even be sued in court by the woman for damages. Since Captain Wentworth never actually proposed to Louisa, he ran no such risk, nor would he have suffered as much general censure, but his own strict scruples made him feel honor-bound to behave as if he had proposed. Sense and Sensibility hinges partly around a man who entered into an engagement with a woman and later does not feel free to end it, even though he has come to regret it.

  Women were, in contrast, considered free to break an engagement, though it was still a serious step and, depending on the circumstances and whether the woman had done this before, it might cause her to be labeled a jilt. An important reason for the difference was that the man, being the one who made the initial offer, was considered to have enjoyed adequate time to be certain of his choice. Jane Austen herself, after accepting an offer of marriage from a man whose family she was visiting, decided the next day to break it off; this did not create any serious problems for her, but she still felt sufficiently uncomfortable, and fearful of ill will from the other family, to insist that she and her sister leave for home at once.