Persuasion by Jane Austen

Anne Elliot

- Protagonist
- Middle daughter of Sir Walter Elliot.
- Quiet and reserved, yet clever and practical, Anne sees the foolishness in her father's lavish spending.
- Sir Walter often overlooks Anne and dismisses her opinions because she's not the prettiest or most talented daughter.
- In her youth, she was persuaded from following her true desires and did not marry the man she loves.
- Contrasted with her sisters and other female characters.

Captain Fredrick Wentworth

- Anne is in love with Captain Wentworth.
- A Naval officer who has made his own fortunes by climbing the Naval ranks.
- Values constancy and level-headed women.
- Sir Walter is one of the few people that dislike him because of his "low-birth".

Sir Walter Elliot

- The father of Anne Elliot, and owner of Kellynch Hall.
- Extraordinarily vain, Sir Walter lines his dressing room with mirrors, and agrees to be seen in public only with attractive or well-born people.
- Spends lavishly, and brings his family into debt.
- A poor judge of character, he is easily fooled by those who would take advantage of him.

Elizabeth Elliot

- Eldest daughter of Sir Walter and the older sister of Anne.
- Her father's favorite.
- She is vain and primarily concerned with keeping up appearances and associating with important people.
- At the end of the novel, Elizabeth is the only one of the Elliot daughters to remain single, there being no one of adequate birth to suit her taste.

Mr William Elliot

- Anne Elliot's cousin, and heir to Kellynch Hall.
- Smooth talker.
- Only six months after the death of his first wife, and at the end of a marriage that was generally known to be unhappy, Mr. Elliot is searching for a new bride.
- Mr. Elliot talks his way back into the good graces of Sir Walter, yet Anne questions his true motives.

Mary Elliot Musgrove

- Youngest Elliot sister.
- Married to Charles Musgrove and has two small boys.
- Highly strung, often hysterical, and always aware of the imagined slights others have done to her.
- Not a very good mother.
- Mary focuses on social climbing.

Charles Musgrove

- Mary's husband, and heir to the great house at Uppercross.
- Relatively good-natured man who patiently endures his wife's trials.
- He would have preferred to marry Anne Elliot.

Louisa Musgrove

- Charles's younger sister.
- Louisa is young, accomplished, and headstrong.
- She falls easily in love and admires the Navy excessively.

Henrietta Musgrove

- Younger sister of Charles and older sister of Louisa.
- Henrietta is also young and fun-loving.
- Though she is not as decisive as Louisa, Henrietta sees the charms both of her cousin Charles Hayter and of the dashing Captain Wentworth.

Mr and Mrs Musgrove

- The parents of Charles, Henrietta, and Louisa.
- Have a balanced, happy home for their children at Uppercross.
- They are practical, and want only happiness for their children.

Charles Hayter

- Cousin to the Musgroves (his mother is the sister of Mrs. Musgrove).
- Has a much lower social circle.
- The eldest son.
- Chose to be a scholar and a gentleman.
- He will one day inherit his family's land, and he hopes to court his cousin Henrietta and make her his wife.

Captain Benwick

- Once engaged to the Captain Harville's now-deceased sister, Fanny.
- Depressed naval officer who mourns the death of his lost love.
- Shy man who loves poetry.
- When Anne meets him, he is on leave from his ship and he is living with Captain and Mrs. Harville.
- He seeks a young woman to help him get over Fanny, and his attentions turn, surprisingly, to Louisa Musgrove.

Lady Russell

- The former best friend of Anne's deceased mother.
- Of considerable birth and wealth who serves as advisor to the Elliot family.
- Lady Russell persuades Anne not to marry Captain Wentworth.
- Anne is her favorite of the Elliot daughters and, though she means well, she sometimes gives Anne bad advice.

Admiral and Mrs Croft

- Rent Kellynch Hall when Sir Walter can no longer afford to stay there.
- The Admiral is a decorated Naval officer and his devoted wife travels with him when he is at sea.
- The Crofts are one of the few examples of an older happily married couple in any of Austen's novels.

Mrs Clay

- The daughter of Mr. Shepard (family advisor to Sir Walter).
- Soon becomes the friend of Elizabeth Elliot.
- She is of much lower birth, freckled, and not so very attractive.
- Anne, however, sees danger in the way she endears herself to Sir Walter, and suspects she may seek to marry in a class far above her own.

Mrs Smith

- Old friend of Anne Elliot who is currently living in Bath.
- Mrs. Smith has fallen on hard times.
- After her husband went into debt and left her a widow.
- Crippled by an illness.
- Mrs. Smith rekindles her former friendship with Anne and provides her with information that helps Anne learn more of Mr. Elliot.
- Mrs. Smith functions in the story to highlight Anne's high value on friendship and disregard for maintaining appearances at all cost.

Lady Dalrymple and Miss Carteret

- The Irish cousins of the Elliots.
- Lady Dalrymple and her ugly daughter, Miss Carteret, come to Bath.
- Though they are uninteresting and unclever, Sir Walter seeks their renewed acquaintance because of their high social position.

Captain Harville and Mrs Harville

- Friends of Captain Wentworth.
- This couple resides in Lyme and kindly cares for Louisa after her fall.

Class Rigidity and Social Mobility

- Marriage and the naval profession are two means by which individuals may improve their social class.
- Austen defends the values and traditions of respect for the social structure, but shows the importance of class flexibility.
- Austen shows that Mr. Elliot and Mrs. Clay are punished for the selfishness they show in social climbing.

Persuasion

- The novel asks whether it is better to be firm in one's convictions or to be open to the suggestions of others.
- Captain Wentworth believes strongly that any woman he marries will have a strong character and independent mind.
- Anne believes that these are good qualities, she is also receptive to a sense of obligation and duty.
- Anne believes that it was right for her to allow herself to be persuaded because.

Silly Parents

- Recurring theme in many of Jane Austen's novels.
- Sir Walter's lavish spending and desire for status lands his family in a financial issue.
- Sir Walter is not a source of guidance for his daughters.
- He is so vain and self-involved that he is unable to make good decisions for the family.
- Mary and Elizabeth have inherited his 'silliness'.
- Elizabeth is vain and self-important.
- Mary is self-pitiful and takes little interest in her children.
- Children who must put up with irresponsible or ridiculous parents are a consistent theme in the novel.

Separate Spheres

- The public and the domestic spheres.
- Traditionally, the male would be in charge of the public domain (finances, legal matters, etc.) while the female would be in charge of the private domain (running the house, ordering the servants, etc.).
- This novel questions the idea of separate spheres by introducing the Crofts.
- The Crofts show the ideal marriage where they share responsibilities happily.

The Changing Ideal of the Gentlemen

- Two very different versions of the English gentleman.
- Sir Walter owns land and seeks status.
- Captain Wentworth and Admiral Croft are both naval officers are working men who have made their own fortunes.
- Their manners are impeccable, they are not of the same high social rank as Sir Walter.

Walking

- When characters go for walks in the novel, it often signals a period of character development.
- Walking entails conversing with others, commenting on one's surroundings, and reacting to the world outside.
- It allows an author to expand upon her reader's understanding of a character by bringing the character out into a different light.
- Walks are essential for the progression of Anne and Captain Wentworth's relationship.

Marriage

- Directly compares social ranks in society.
- Individuals, classes, titles, and accomplishments are measured and weighed in the consideration of a marriage.
- Marriage and relationships allow friends and family to offer their opinions as to the appropriateness of the match.
- Helps measure and compare characters in this novel.

Major events

- Sir Walter Elliot spends too much money and his family must move to Bath, and they rent Kellynch Hall out to Admiral and Mrs Croft.
- Anne stays with Mary at Uppercross for two months.
- Anne finds out the Captain Wentworth is coming to stay at Kellynch.
- Anne is first anxious when seeing Captain Wentworth again, and their friendship is awkward.
- Louisa falls at Lyme, and Anne cares for her.
- Mr Elliot takes interest in Anne, but Mrs Smith tells Anne about his unpleasant intentions.
- Henrietta will marry her cousin Charles Hayter, and Louisa will marry Captain Benwick.
- Captain Wentworth sends a love letter to Anna, and they wish to marry.