Loss and the Language of Restitution in Persuasion

Abstract

Most of Austen’s novels educate their heroines away from error. Emma and Elizabeth, Catherine and Marianne, are taught by circumstances to see the nature of their egotism and folly and are led by repentence into a more mature understanding of the world and of themselves. Anne Elliot’s error, however, occurs over seven years before the beginning of the novel. Her falling into chastened silence and suffering has constituted the whole of that intervening period. Anne’s education is not one of seeing and avoiding the errors of imagination and wit; it is an education in how to overcome the suffering that follows the awareness of error. Though Anne was right to follow Lady Russell’s advice, that advice was wrong. Anne’s recognition of Lady Russell’s misjudgment and of her own rectitude, however, does not bring into being a happy ending. How easily happiness can be missed! Being right, as Anne sorrowfully discovers, does not bring happiness. Persuasion offers one model after another of how the human personality copes with adversity, disappointment and lost opportunities. Anne and Wentworth are the only characters who learn that happiness cannot be regained until they seek it. And in their restricted society, the only means of regaining happiness is through language. Thus the barrier between Anne and Wentworth is appropriately linguistic.