Pretty Prose in “Persuasion”
(I heart alliteration; you’ve noticed, no?) In my recent post on Austen’s Persuasion, I included Captain Wentworth’s letter, but wanted to do a few more, since the book is so replete with delicious, often politely nasty, passages.
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Anne, with an elegance of mind and sweetness of character, which must have placed her high with any peopel of real understanding, was nobody with either father or sister; her word had no weight, her convenience was always to give way–she was only Anne. (Chapter one)
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There could have been no two hearts so open, no tastes so similar, no feeling so in unison, no countenances so beloved. (Chapter eight)
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They were actually on the same sofa, for Mrs Musgrove had most readily made room for him; they were divided only by Mrs Musgrove. It was no insignificant barrier, indeed. Mrs Musgrove was of a comfortable, substantial size, infinitely more fitted by nature to express good cheer and good humour, than tenderness and sentiment; and while the agitations of Anne’s slender form, and pensive face, may be considered as very completely screened, Captain Wentworth should be allowed some credit for the self-command with which he attended to her large fat sighings over the destiny of a son, whom alive nobody had cared for.
Personal size and mental sorrow have certainly no necessary proportions. A large bulky figure has as good a right to be in deep affliction, as the most graceful set of limbs in the world. But, fair or not fair, there are unbecoming conjunctions, which reason will patronize in vain - which taste cannot tolerate - which ridicule will seize. (Chapter eight)
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I noticed again the pattern in Austen that her main character is the only one in a family with sense. Note, not sensibility, since that is what characterizes Marianne, the flighty sister in Sense and Sensibility. Elinor is that novel’s character with sense. Persuasion’s is Anne; Mansfield Park’s is Fanny Price; Pride and Prejudice’s is Elizabeth Bennet. Austen grants sense to the other sex in Northanger Abbey to Henry Tilney, and in Emma to Mr Knightley. I think it’s clear which character in each novel is the one with which Austen most identifies, no?
As always, for more Austen geekjoy, visit Austenblog. I have a few more Austen-related posts coming, if only I (or my tech support, ahem, husband) can figure out how to do a table in html.