"She had been forced to prudence in her youth, learned romance as she grew up - the natural sequel to an unnatural beginning." With these words Jane Austen crystallizes one of the central questions of her novel Persuasion: whether it is better to be strong-willed or easily persuasive. Persuasion differs from Austen's other novels in its darker tone and its more in-depth analysis of trends in Victorian society. The most distinctive aspect of Persuasion, however, is the character of its heroine, Anne Elliot, a woman "silent but thoughtful, persuasive but steady, a model of self-control but resplendent with emotion" (Muller 20). Indeed, throughout the novel, Austen uses description, dialogue, inner thought, and obstacles to reveal Anne's character and explore themes of persuasion, constancy in love, and gender roles. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay To begin with, Austen uses description to portray the character of Anne Elliot and to further the themes of the novel. In chapter 2, for example, the narrator describes Anne's response to the Elliot family's financial problems. “He wanted more vigorous measures, more complete reform… a much higher tone of indifference to anything but justice and fairness” (Austen 13). This detail about Anne illustrates her keen mind, good sense and scrupulous beliefs, qualities which contrast with the extravagance and pride of Sir Walter and Elizabeth Elliot, both of whom maintain that any reduction in expenditure would bring the name into disrepute. of their family (Austen 11). Furthermore, the very fact that Lady Russell chose to consult Anne instead of Elizabeth regarding the family budget indicates her confidence in Anne's more prudent character. This detail about Anne also brings up a comparison between her and the late Lady Elliot, a woman of great “method, moderation, and economy” (Austen 10). Indeed, “it was only in Anne that [Lady Russell] could imagine her mother being born again” (Austen 7). Just as Elizabeth shares her father's arrogance and vanity, Anne has inherited her mother's frugality and sensitivity. Not only does this portrait of Anne reveal much about her character, but it also introduces the central theme of the novel: the superiority of a firm but prudent character over a stubborn or strong-willed one. One wonders whether the Elliot family might have remained at Kellynch Hall if Sir Walter had only followed Anne's advice. Even so early in the novel, Austen has already begun to highlight Anne's sensitive character and communicate the superiority of prudence over stubbornness. Prudence, however, does not preclude a healthy firmness of character. For example, after telling the reader about Anne's broken engagement to Captain Wentworth, the narrator describes how Anne, now 27, thinks "very differently from what she was made to think when she was nineteen," as he now deeply regrets his decision and his experience. of being “compelled to prudence” (Austen 29). Through this description, the reader learns that Anne has become more independent; no doubt, she still treasures Lady Russell's advice, but she has also developed her own perspective on love and life: "she learned romance as she grew up" (Austen 29). In addition to offering insight into Anne's character, this detail further develops the theme of persuasion. “Forced” contains the negative connotation of coercion, an indication of the harmful consequences that can result from persuasion. Anne's pain for hismoving away from Wentworth also points to the dangers of being persuaded too easily. After all, if Anne had kept her engagement to Wentworth, she would have saved herself countless hours of heartbreak. Austen thus communicates that prudence and firmness of character must go hand in hand. Later in the story, the author continues to use the description to characterize Anne Elliot. For example, when Mrs. Croft mentions something about a certain Mr. Wentworth, Anne cannot contain her explosion of feelings. “Anne hoped she had survived the age of blushing; but he was certainly not of the age of emotion” (Austen 46). By describing Anne's emotions here, the narrator indicates that Anne still has strong, perhaps unacknowledged, feelings for Captain Wentworth. Indeed, despite eight years of separation and silence, Anne remained tireless in her devotion to Wentworth, and this aspect of her character conveys another of the novel's themes, namely the value of remaining constant in love. Austen holds Anne as an example of how true love should remain steadfast despite the longest and most difficult trials. Furthermore, this fragment about Anne reveals her tendency to experience intense emotions, especially when she is around Wentworth. She blushes when she hears his name, feels “a thousand feelings” when she first meets him, and seems ill because of her “irrepressible happiness” after their reconciliation (Austen 25, 56, 223). As Robyn Warhol states, “love literally hurts in Persuasion” (quoted Muller 23). Indeed, Anne Elliot's acute emotions distinguish her from other Austen heroines, “reminding us rather of Charlotte Bronte than of Jane Austen” (Muller 24). In Pride and Prejudice, for example, Elizabeth Bennet never seems to express her happiness, but simply acknowledges that she should be happy because of her fiancé's wealth. Likewise, Emma's protagonist lacks Anne's emotional depth. Austen may have invested Anne with this intense emotion to subtly counter the restrictions of her times, those Victorian ideas that delegated women to the domestic sphere and limited the amount of sexual emotions or feelings a woman could express (Cenicola and Mareike 1). Persuasion was the only one of Austen's novels set in the contemporary present, and so Austen may have created Anne Elliot – this graceful combination of traditional femininity and unconventional emotions – to challenge Victorian notions of the ideal woman. Then, Austen uses these details about Anne's emotions, and many other descriptions, to highlight various aspects of Anne's character and explore the novel's themes. In addition to description, the author uses dialogue to enrich Anne's character and to accentuate the themes of the story. In the first chapters, in fact, what is most striking about the dialogue with Anne is her absence. In the first three chapters, Anne utters only a few snippets of dialogue, while her father talks extensively about Kellynch-hall and the navy. This silence partly stems from Anne's subordinate position as an unmarried middle child, but it also reveals Anne's quiet and introspective character. Throughout the novel, Anne takes the position of observer and the reader hears her thoughts much more than her words. When he speaks, however, his words carry great meaning. For example, near the end of the novel, Anne and Captain Harville discuss Captain Benwick's recent engagement to Louisa Musgrove, during which Anne tells Harville that women are more faithful in love than men. “Surely we do not forget you, as soon as you forget us,” he says (Austen 218). She then compares the way women “live at home, quiet, confined” with the way men strive tosucceed in the turbulent world of professional work (Ibid). This conversation highlights Anne's intelligence and ability to think for herself. Furthermore, he clearly communicates his constancy in love, so much so that this exchange “pierces” Wentworth's soul (Austen 222). More importantly, it also pierces the reader with the conviction of the need to remain steadfast in love despite the vicissitudes of life. In addition to the theme of loyalty in love, Austen also raises the topic of gender roles. Anne's delineation of different gender roles reflects the Victorian emphasis on separate spheres for men and women; According to this “cult of domesticity,” women were expected to be good housewives and mothers and their status depended on marriage. These separate spheres manifest themselves in the different paths that Wentworth and Anne take after breaking off their first engagement: Wentworth advances to achieve great wealth and status in the navy, while Anne becomes a faded spinstress past her prime. Evidently, through this contrast and through Anne's conversation with Harville, Austen tries to show all the consequences of the idea of ​​separate spheres, describing the limited opportunities women faced. Although Austen was not a feminist, she seems to encourage greater equality of opportunity and experience between the sexes. Austen's ideal couple would be something like the Crofts, where the wife still submits to her husband, but also accompanies her partner in his profession and travels outside the home. Thus, Austen's use of dialogue in this case not only reveals more of Anne's character, but also develops the themes of constancy in love and equality between the sexes. Austen also uses the dialogue between Anne and Wentworth to reveal more of Anne's character and to provide more nuance. to the topic of persuasion. After Wentworth's letter of reconciliation, Anne and Wentworth express their feelings and discuss the events that occurred throughout the novel. “If I was wrong to yield to persuasion once,” Anne says, referring to her decision to break off the original engagement, “remember that it was by persuasion exercised on the side of security” (Austen 229). Likewise, during the card party later that day, Anne tells Wentworth of her conclusion that, after all, it was right to submit to Lady Russell's advice regarding the engagement, for she would suffer in conscience if she did otherwise (Austen 231 ). These words not only reveal Anne's strong sense of duty - an unwavering commitment to honor her elders and submit to authority - but also show her sensitivity, for even now, despite being swollen by Wentworth's passionate love, she continues to maintain a positive attitude. cold head. Austen also uses this dialogue to expand on the theme of persuasion. Using Anne's reasonable and believable voice, Austen conveys the value of pursuing moderation over obstinacy and prudence over unbridled passion. Of course, Austen does not justify Lady Russell's advice: Anne herself admits that she would not give such advice to a younger woman (Austen 231). Nor does it promote a bland attitude that easily succumbs to persuasion. But Austen seems to appreciate Anne's responsibility to her elders, her loyalty to her friends, and, ultimately, her sagacity in making decisions. Therefore, in this dialogue between Anne and Wentworth, the author illuminates Anne's character and indicates that prudence of mind should always accompany firmness of character. Description and dialogue reveal a lot about the novel's protagonist, but perhaps the most important tool Austen uses to characterize Anne isinner thought. By allowing the reader to enter the recesses of Anne's mind, the author allows the audience to understand the full extent of her devotion to Wentworth. For example, after Mr. Shepard briefly mentions Captain Wentworth, Anne runs out and thinks, “A few more months and he, perhaps, might walk here” (Austen 25). This example clearly shows that Anne still holds Wentworth in her heart. Such devotion is truly extraordinary when you consider that it has been eight years since Anne last saw Wentworth, eight years of silence and separation, eight years of not knowing whether he was dead, alive or married. In light of this, one cannot help but marvel at Anna's faithfulness in love. By using these inner thoughts to portray Anne as a woman of great loyalty and passionate love, Austen seeks to promote greater constancy in love. Furthermore, Anne's inner thoughts reveal her extraordinary insight. Regarding Captain Benwick's mourning for his deceased wife, for example, Annea tells herself that she will soon "be reunited again and be happy with another" (Austen 91). This prediction soon comes true, as Benwick quickly becomes engaged to Louisa Musgrove. Anne's clear thoughts also appear in her observation of Mr. Elliot. In contrast to Lady Russell's great admiration for Mr. Elliot, Anne has a premonition of his ambiguity. She feels that he is simply too refined, too discreet, perhaps too eager to hide his true past (Austen 151). These feelings are ultimately validated by Mrs. Smith's revelation of the coldness, lust for wealth, and darkness of Mr. Elliot's heart (Austen 187). Both of these examples convey Anne's insight. Unlike Lady Russell, whose judgment is often "blinded" by outward appearances of wealth, or Sir Walter, who barely sees anything beyond the tip of his splendid nose, only Anne judges people by their true worth: only Anne sees clearly (Austen 12, 231). As a result, she escapes the irony of self-deception that many other Austen heroines experience. In addition to developing Anne's insightful character, these judgments ensure Anne's credibility as an accurate commentator on the novel's events, allowing readers to enter the story through her uncompromising gaze. This credibility makes Anne an effective vehicle for the author to express his opinions; indeed, the line between Anne's thoughts and the author's commentary is often blurred. For example, Anne's thoughts in the aftermath of Louisa's injury seem to reflect Austen's view: "Perhaps a persuadable character might sometimes be as conducive to happiness, as a very resolute character" (Austen 108). The accuracy of Anne's judgments indicates that her perspective is closely aligned with that of the author, and therefore it can be concluded that Anne's statement accurately reflects the author's views on persuasion. Here, Austen clearly expresses her belief that people should remain open to the advice of others, not too strong-willed to think for themselves, but not so stubborn as to ignore all advice. Then, through the use of inner thought, Austen portrays Anne's perceptive character and further develops the theme of persuasion. The final tool Austen uses to develop Anne's identity involves characters who contrast Anne and serve to accentuate her character qualities. In the first part of the novel, Mary acts as a foil to her sister, highlighting Anne's sensitivity and kindness through her childlike attitude. For example, when Anne first arrives at Uppercross, Mary pretends to be ill in order to receive more sympathy. 2016.