Anne was persuaded by Lady Russell that she should not marry Captain Wentworth. Captain Wentworth thinks that one should have the firmness in character and also believes that getting persuaded easily is clearly a negative force. On the other hand Anne believes that, any person of her age would have received counsel. Girls that rushed into marriages without counsel ended up with bad marriage or future. Hence, Anne thought that it was right for her to get persuaded by Lady Russell in this matter and her getting persuaded was the positive force.
This is a passage where Anne talks about her reaction on the engagement with Captain Wentworth. Lady Russell is the only influence in Anne’s life because her family doesn’t give a damn about her. So from this passage she says that any advice from Lady Russell is better than no advice at all. She was glad to be persuaded by Lady Russell because she was too young to be making her own decisions. Especially her marital decisions are important because of its significance at that time. Looking at other examples such as Mary’s bad marriage to Charles and the Admiral’s pleasant marriage to Mrs. Croft.
Young and gentle as she was, it might yet have been possible to withstand her
father's ill-will, though unsoftened by one kind word or look on the part of her sister; but Lady Russell, whom she had always loved and relied on, could not, with such steadiness of opinion, and such tenderness of manner, be continually advising her in vain. She was persuaded to believe the engagement a wrong thing -- indiscreet, improper, hardly capable of success, and not deserving it. Pg. 56.
She did not blame Lady Russell, she did not blame herself for having been guided by her; but she felt that were any young person, in similar circumstances, to apply to her for counsel, they would never receive any of such certain immediate wretchedness, such uncertain future good. She was persuaded that under every disadvantage of disapprobation at home, and every anxiety attending his profession, all their probable fears, delays, and disappointments, she should yet have been a happier woman in maintaining the engagement, than she had been in the sacrifice of it; and this, she fully believed, had the usual share, had even more than the usual share of all such solicitudes and suspense been theirs, without reference to the actual results of their case, which, as it happened, would have bestowed earlier prosperity than could be reasonably calculated on. All his sanguine expectations, all his confidence had been justified. Pg. 57.
On the other hand Louisa Musgrove is one of the firmest characters in the book according to Captain Wentworth. He thinks that she has a fine character contrary to Anne. However, over confidence and firmness turns into a mere catastrophe when Louisa jumps off the wall even when Captain Wentworth tells her not to do so. This incident results into Louisa breaking her head.
In this passage we see Louisa talk to Captain Wentworth about persuasion. She sees Captain Wentworth’s weak point for character with firm mind, as a result of what happened with his relationship with Anne. Thus by sucking up to Captain Wentworth by showing how firm she is results into Louisa breaking her own head.
What! Would I be turned back from doing a thing that I had determined to do, and that I knew to be right, by the airs and interference of such a person -- or of any person, I may say? No, -- I have no idea of being so easily persuaded. When I have made up my mind, I have made it. And Henrietta seemed entirely to have made up hers to call at Winthrop to-day -- and yet, she was as near giving it up, out of nonsensical complaisance! Pg. 109.
From this incident, Jane Austen tells us through Anne’s reflection of Louisa breaking her head that one should not get over persuaded but one should also be open to other people’s advice.
Anne wondered whether it ever occurred to Captain Wentworth now, to question the justness of his own previous opinion as to the universal felicity and advantage of firmness of character; and whether it might not strike him that, like all other qualities of the mind, it should have its proportions and limits. She thought it could scarcely escape him to feel that a persuadable temper might sometimes be as much in favor of happiness, as a very resolute character. Pg. 136.
Last but not least, I would like to conclude by agreeing with Jane Austen that one should not be persuaded easily but one should always have an open mind towards other people’s suggestion. One does not have a firm character just because he/she does not get
easily persuaded, but one should realize when to listen to someone and when to ignore them. One should make up one’s mind depending on the situation, which I believe is the moral of the novel.
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