Persuasion is the last completed novel by Jane Austen, published in December 1817 after her death. Eight years before the story begins, Anne Elliot was persuaded to break off her engagement to a young naval officer, Frederick Wentworth. When he returns, rich and successful, she must face the consequences of that choice.
The story
Anne's vain father, Sir Walter Elliot, must let his estate because of debts. Its new tenants are Admiral Croft and his wife, Wentworth's sister.
Anne meets Wentworth again, who seems to pay attention to younger women. In Lyme Regis and then in Bath, their feelings slowly come back to light.
A mature heroine
At twenty-seven, Anne is older and quieter than Austen's earlier heroines, and has learned to live with regret.
The novel gives a moving picture of constancy and of a second chance at happiness.
The navy
Austen, whose two brothers were naval officers, describes the sailors with warmth, as men who owe their position to merit rather than birth.
The novel contrasts their energy and warmth with the idleness and vanity of the old landed gentry.
Anecdotes
The letter
Near the end, Wentworth writes Anne a letter while she talks with a friend about men's and women's constancy. It is one of the most famous love letters in fiction.
A rewritten ending
The manuscript of Austen's original ending survives. She rewrote the last chapters, producing the version we now read.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Anne Elliot?
The heroine, who was persuaded to give up her first love.
Who is Captain Wentworth?
The naval officer she once refused.
When was the novel published?
In December 1817, after Austen's death.