Friday 27 March 2009

Persuasion (part 1)

Poor Anne Elliot. Lost her bloom at the ripe old age of 27(!), imposed upon by her sisters, Elizabeth (bully) and Mary (hypochondriac), made to suffer various indignities by her vain father, overshadowed by the youth and spirits of Louisa and Henrietta, her only living advocate is her mother's old friend Lady Russell. (Anne lost her mother when she was 14). Just when she thinks that Captain Wentworth can no longer care for her he gallantly removes the troublesome two-year old nephew pinning her neck down and clinging to her back in one of the most electrically-charged episodes in fiction.

Nobody does satire quite like Jane Austen. I loved her description of the relationship between Mary and her husband Charles
... they might pass for a happy couple. They were always perfectly agreed in the want of more money ...

5 comments:

Cornflower said...

Perfect!

zetor said...

I read Persuasion years ago , I must get it off the shelf again.

callmemadam said...

'one of the most electrically-charged episodes in fiction'

Spot on! How people can think there's no sex in Jane Austen...

LINDA from Each Little World said...

My favorite Austen. Re-read it earlier this year and enjoyed it more than ever.

Vintage Reading said...

Karen, hi thanks for dropping by.

zetor, with each re-read I adore Persuasion more and more.

callmemadam, who needs Colin Firth in a wet shirt?!

Linda, yes it's my favourite, too although I'm very fond of Mansfield Park.