Persuasion (1817) – Part 1 – The Navy (Jane Austen)

Welcome again to my Wednesday literature segment. Today I feature various short excerpts from English writer Jane Austen’s book Persuasion, a novel I just finished this morning and, with some regret, I must admit, since the protagonist Anne Elliot was one of the most endearing characters I have had the pleasure of reading. Austen brought to her such delicate charm and humility that I felt unwilling to let go.

Also, this being Austen’s final completed novel before succumbing to her fateful yet undetermined illness at just two-and-forty years of age (as she might have written of it then) makes it all the more poignant. Austen herself remained unmarried, childless, and reluctant to have her name associated with her published novels during her lifetime, despite her astonishing talent.

So I am back once again delving into classic English literature after my recent plunge into more contemporary novels. As usual, if you enjoy dabbling in books, feel free to join me [here] on Goodreads.

I admit when Austen’s books arrived in the alphabetical listing on my library’s bookshelf, I looked at the four books on offer with some trepidation. I had not yet read anything by her, but I understood her love stories were mainly set in pre-Victorian high society England. My thinking was that I read stories to escape the petulance, gossip, and trivialities of elite social circles.

What instead I decided to do was choose just one from Jane, and if I enjoyed it, I would come back to her other books at a later, not-too-distant date. Persuasion, I decided, would be my embarkation into her writing. I had read it was a story of love, regret, and second chances – all themes I could certainly relate to – so I set sail.

In the early going, I felt myself cast back to my mindset while reading books assigned to us in English classes. I felt overwhelmed not only by the complex array of characters and their motivations, but also by the formal and elaborate speech of early nineteenth-century English upper-class society. So yes, my earlier apprehension was starting to reveal itself in my initial reading of it.

My perseverance in adapting to the language and learning the characters and their world began to bear fruit as I found myself becoming more immersed and appreciative of Austen’s subtle but witty linguistic sensibilities, using irony and formal language to critique social hypocrisy and the marriage market.

I found myself chuckling aloud at the deft way Austen used double meanings and euphemisms to convey, yet cleverly underscore, her characters’ thoughts and predicaments. There were a series of passages which I found particularly relatable and entertaining because they centred on my own former profession as a Navy Officer. So this Wednesday’s literature excerpt will be dedicated to that.

You see, the main contingent of eligible gentlemen in Persuasion are of the naval officer variety, so I had a good ol’ time seeing how they conducted themselves and were portrayed in this era, set during the Napoleonic Wars, when the threat of conflict with France was ever present.

The following excerpt is a hearty and diverting discussion about the Navy and ageing. Our protagonist Anne Elliot is in discussion with various others who opine that naval life and its stresses lead to the exaggerated ageing of its personnel. As one character remarks, “Sailors work hard enough for their comforts,” before their lot in life is laid bare.

Oh, how I could not wipe the grin from my face reading this and contemplating my own predicament and eventualities in this regard. For more information on the topic of ageing, I point you to my post, Youth is the One Thing Worth Having, which contains further personal reflection and an excerpt from Oscar Wilde’s only novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray.

Without further ado, I present to you three excerpt pieces from Persuasion associated with the Navy. Firstly, as aforementioned, “The Navy and Ageing”. The second excerpt is also about ageing, but this time concerns the decommissioned ship Asp, which is remembered with slightly conflicting yet sentimental reflections by two men who sailed aboard her – Anne’s love interest, Captain Wentworth, and the esteemed Admiral Croft. Lastly, there is a perky outpouring by Anne’s sister in law – Louisa, describing her admiration for the character of naval people – their friendliness, their brotherliness, and a number of other warm attributes she observes among them.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Oh, and as always, thanks for reading.

The Navy and Aging

The Ship the Asp

Navy – Fine Men