Analysis Of Jane Austen’s Novel Persuasion In Light Of Edmund Burke’s Comment On Manners

Jane Austen’s portrayal of societal manners in her novels

“I hate to hear you talk about all women as if they were fine ladies instead of rational creatures. None of us want to be in calm waters all our lives.”

The above quoted lines of Anne Elliot from Jane Austen’s famous novel “Persuasion” in a succinct manner provide an overview of the theme which dominates the majority of her literary compositions.  Campbell et al. (2017) are of the viewpoint that a close analysis of the major novels of Jane Austen would reveal a female protagonist who instead of affirming to the standard set of ideals or manners that the refined ladies of the age were expected to display indulges in the kind of actions or manners which is repudiated by the society. As opined by Wheeler (2016), the literary works of Austen can be seen as the great divide which separates the literature of the 18^th century from that of the 17^th century and also the earlier ages.

Zionkowski and Hart (2015) have stated that the basic difference between the works of Austen and that of the earlier literary artists not only lies in the fact that she choose the novel as her artistic vehicle in contrast to the general trend of poetry and play but also in the themes that she choose to use in her works. For example, in the majority of her novels a woman is seen who refuses to abide by the traditional norms, laws, mannerisms and other standards set by the society for the fined gentlewomen or the ladies of the 18^th century (Russo, 2017). In this regard, Moore (2017) has argued that the majority of her novels belong to the category of social novels or social chronicles wherein she tries to highlight the mannerism, social trends, the lifestyle and the other aspects of the life of the 18^th century people of England. This essay will undertake a detailed analysis of Jane Austen’s novel “Persuasion” in the light of Edmund Burke’s comment: “Manners are of more importance than laws…..like that of the air we breathe in”.

“Persuasion” published after the death of Jane Austen in 1817 is not only her last novel but is generally considered to be among her most matured ones as well (Murphy, 2017). According to Garcia (2018), the novel, just like the other novels of Austen depicts the flight and also the challenges faced by a girl in her late twenties who is from an old yet financially unstable family. On the other hand, Campbell et al. (2017) have argued that the theme of love is a common one in almost all the major novels of Austen including “Persuasion”. Furthermore, just like “Pride and Prejudice” and others, this novel also depicts the hardships faced by a woman in getting love and acceptance in the society which generally associates love and acceptance with wealth (Wilson, 2015).

The novel narrates the story of Anne Elliot, a 27 year old woman from a financial unstable family (Collins, 2016). The novel begins seven years after the engagement between Anne Elliot and Commander Frederick Wentworth had been broken because of the impoverished family background and also the financial status of Wentworth (White, 2018). However, presently the Elliot family find themselves in stiff financial conditions and to overcome this condition they decide to lease out their home and they move to Bath so as to save money. The house is rented by an admiral whose wife’s brother is Wentworth, who has become financially success in the past seven years (White, 2018). Anne and Wentworth in the subsequent sections of the novel find that they have not been able to overcome the feelings that they had for the other in the seven years. However, it is only at the end of the novel after a series of trials and misadventures that the couple is being reunited after a time span of more than seven years (Steiner, 2016). Zionkowski and Hart (2015) are of the viewpoint the manners and also the clash of these manners that the novel seems to depict is as important to the plot of the novel as the love story of Anne and Wentworth.  

Overview of Jane Austen’s novel Persuasion

A basis overview of the novel would reveal that the novel is primarily concerned with the love as were the majority of the novels which were written in the 18the century (The Guardian, 2018). As a matter of fact there are sections in the novel which particularly affirm to this view held by the casual or the non-academic readers of the novel. For example, there are lines in the novel like “You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope. Tell me not that I am too late, that such precious feelings are gone forever”, “A man does not recover from such devotion of the heart to such a woman! He ought not; he does not” and others which affirm this view of the casual readers regarding the novel”(Austen, 2016). However, a close or critical analysis of the novel would reveal that the novel is redolent with various important themes like manners, laws, social status or position, feminism, liberty of women, social idiosyncrasies and others (The Guardian, 2018).

Steiner (2015) has argued that manners and etiquettes formed an important aspect of the society of the 18^th century England. The 18^th century was an important age in the social history of the nation since it not marked a change from the values of the Elizabethan Age but also provided an insight into the themes or the concepts which were to dominate the society in the coming years (Morini, 2016). For example, the women of the society, just like the other ages had limited power in the society and as a matter of fact their amorous preferences were based on the social status or the acceptance that the intended groom would offer in return to the bride (Anand, 2017). The position that the woman held in the 18^th century society is being succinctly indicated by the lines of the novel “Men have had every advantage of us in telling their own story. Education has been theirs in so much higher a degree; the pen has been in their hands” (Austen, 2016). According to Walle (2016), this need for security among the women arises not only from the limited liberty that the women enjoyed in the society of that age but also because of the fact they had no property rights and needed to depend on the male members of their family. In this regard, the opening lines of the novel “Pride and Prejudice”, “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife” becomes a parody of the common social trend which was prevalent in the age (Austen, 2016). In addition to these, the emphasis of Jane Austen on the entity of manners in the majority of her novels including “Persuasion” becomes apparent when environment in which she herself was raised. Austen for the major part of her life lived in a small village cottage wherein she took care of her younger brothers and sisters (Steiner, 2016). It is pertinent to note that this was the exact behavior or the manner that the women of the 18^th century were expected to display.    

The theme of love and societal expectations in Persuasion

 Campbell et al. (2017) are of the viewpoint that Anne Elliot, Elizabeth Bennet and other female protagonists of her novels not only displayed the kind of behavior and manners which were too radical for the 18^th century but at the same time these female characters were way ahead of their times as well. For example, in “Persuasion”, it is seen that unlike the general mannerism or the trend followed by the majority of the girls of her age Anne decides to refuses to have anything to with Mr. Elliot although he could have offered her not only wealth but also social position as well as acceptance (Zionkowski & Hart, 2015). In this regard, her comments about Mr. Elliot are important to note where she says “His cold politeness, his ceremonious grace, were worse than anything……….”(Austen, 2016). In addition to this, it is seen that because of the façade of the social norms and also mannerisms she had to sacrifice her true love for Frederick Wentworth and break her engagement with him because he could not offer her financial security and social acceptance (Zionkowski & Hart, 2015). Speaking of her separation with her beloved she says that “Now they were as strangers; worse than strangers, for they could never become acquainted” (Austen, 2016). These lines clearly reveal the inner most feelings of a tormented soul who had to part with the happiest thing of her because of the societal norms and mannerism. As per Wheeler (2016) the net result of this separation is the fact that she detaches herself from the general population and hoped to become wise and reasonable through experience “She hoped to be wise and reasonable in time…she was not wise yet” (Austen, 2016). However, this behavior of the part of Anne not only vexed her family members but at the same time lead the members of her society to think of her as boastful.

Mannerism and societal norms also play an important role during the second phase of acquaintance of Anne and Wentworth (Wheeler, 2016). Campbell et al. (2017) are of the viewpoint that the separation which she had with Wentworth forces her to undergo an emotional journey she detaches her from the general societal manners or the norms followed by the others. Furthermore, in the 18^th century it was seen that the girls who had not got married by 25 years were generally considered to be spinsters and not treated with much respect (Russo, 2017). However, on the other hand, it is seen that Anne does not display any such feelings about getting old and even goes to the point of rejecting marriage offers because the grooms did not have sound characters (Zionkowski & Hart, 2015). Her elation at knowing that Wentworth still has feelings for her which she displays in the words “She had been forced into prudence in her youth, she learned romance as she grew older: the natural sequel of an unnatural beginning” are important to note in this regard (Austen, 2016).

Campbell et al. (2017) are of the viewpoint that Anne Elliot is a more developed version of the female protagonist of Pride and Prejudice, namely, Elizabeth Bennet and for an understanding of her character, an understanding of Elizabeth’s character is necessary. According to Garcia (2018), the relationship which Anne and Wentworth share when analyzed through the relationship of Elizabeth and Darcy would reveal insightful details. For example, it is seen in both the relationships the individuals go against the social laws and also the manners that they were required and as a matter of fact it is this disregard for the social laws as well as the manners by these individuals, which forms the primary source of pleasure or entertainment in these two novels (Moore, 2017). Furthermore, Austen through the clash of manners also tries to articulate the desired changes that were needed with the need of the 18^th century English society. Thus, it can be said that the motto of Austen in her novels is not only to entertain the readers but at the same time to educate them as well. This becomes even more important when the stringent manners as well as the customs followed by the people of the 18^th century English society are taken into consideration.

Portrayal of societal manners and challenges faced by Anne Elliot

Mr. Bennet, the father of Elizabeth Bennet in the novel “Pride and Prejudice” says “What do we live for but to make sport of our neighbors?” (Austen, 2016). This line of Austen shed valuable light on the reasons for the extensive usage of the mannerism of the society and their disregard by the protagonists of the novels. Collins (2016) is of the viewpoint that this disregard of the manners rather than the laws are not a source of pleasure for the readers but at the same time highlight the orthodox nature of the manners and traditions followed by the 18^th century society. This becomes particularly important when the novel under discussion here and the protagonists of the novel are taken into consideration. For example, Austen has depicted Anne as a woman who refuses to accept the traditional choices as well as the manners that have been relegated to the women (Wheeler, 2016). On the contrary, it is seen that she is a woman who likes to follow her heart and this often leads to a clash between the manners or the traditions which she is expected to follow and her own actions (Zionkowski & Hart, 2015). This aspect of her character which is a source of much entertainment for the readers becomes apparent from her rejection of Mr. Elliot and acceptance of Wentworth.

The protagonists of the novel “Persuasion” and also the other novels of Jane Austen disregard the orthodox manners and also the customs of the society yet they do not disregard or disrespect the laws (Zionkowski & Hart, 2015). One reason for this being the fact disregarding the law would entail legal penalties and would at the same time generate pity from the readers and hence would not only be a source of pleasure for them (Campbell et al., 2017). In this regard, it can be said that the majority of the novels of Jane Austen including “Persuasion” are in synchronicity with the comment of Edmund Burke that “Manners are of more importance than laws [. . .] The law touches us but here and there, and now and then. Manners are what vex or sooth, corrupt or purify, exalt or debase, barbarize or refine us, by a constant, steady, uniform, insensible operation, like that of the air we breathe in”. This statement of Burke becomes especially important when the fact that the entire novel “Persuasion” is centered on the social manners and the traditions that the women of the 18^th century society were required to follow.

To conclude, the novel “Persuasion” is an important one not only in the canon of Austenian Literature but also from the perspective of the 18^th century as well. The novel in an implicit manner depicts the manners, values, traditions, customs and the other aspects of the 18^th century English Society. Furthermore, it is seen the readers derive much pleasure from the clash of these manners in the personalities as well as the actions of the diverse characters of the novels. Moreover, the novel and the characters through their actions depict the kind of manners and traditions that the society needed to follow. The net result of this aspect of the novels of the Austen is the fact that some of her female protagonists like Elizabeth, Anne and others are way ahead of their times and rather than breaking the law and order they break the set patterns of manner in accordance with which they are required to act. Thus, it can be said that the novel “Persuasion” affirms to the above given comment of Edmund Burke.

References

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