Persuasion by Jane Austen
This was the Last book Jane Austen wrote. It was written between August 1815 and August 1816 , during the time that Austen was ill.
The book was published in 1818 by her brother Henry ,after Jane's death in 1817 . It was he who gave it the title of Persuasion. If Jane had a working title for the book it remains unknown .
Henry Austen wrote an introduction to Persuasion which told of Jane's life, previous works and early death . Previously her books had been published only with the pseudonym 'A Lady' .
Persuasion by Jane Austen is a moving love story and is the first of her novels to feature a woman who is no longer in her first youth . It also speaks of the ability of a man to gain wealth and influence by his own merits and actions rather than just by inheritance. Perhaps the emphises in the book was a result of the changing times of Jane Austen herself.
Persuasion by Jane Austen ... Plot
Anne Elliot , the heroine , is the middle daughter of a vain and profligate father , Sir Walter Elliot . At 27 years of age , Anne seems destined for spinsterhood .
Her great love had been Captain Frederick Wentworth to whom she had been engaged . She had however been persuaded by Lady Russell , a family friend since her Mothers death, to break the engagement because the prospects and income for Wentworth looked uncertain.
8 years later , Wentworth has made his name and fortune in the Navy by which time Anne and Wentworths social life bring them back into each others company.
Austen's novels are peppered with odd comic characters that interweave throughout a narrative based around intrigue , greed, jealously and mistakes .
Persuasion by Jane Austen is no exception. The story dips in and out of the lives and hopes of a number of characters before Anne and her Wentworth are eventually reconciled .
Biographer Claire Tomalin characterizes Persuasion by Jane Austen as Austen's ' Present to herself and to all women who had lost their chance in life and would never enjoy a second spring'.
Persuasion by Jane Austen was never considered to be as great a piece of work as say , Pride and Prejudice . MAybe due to the relatively short time span in which Austen wrote it .
It will ofcourse always be treasured by Austen fans , not least because it was her last novel.
Persuasion by Jane Austen
persuasion by jane austenArticle Published: Monday 29th January 2007

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