Jane Austen’s Persuasion presents a novel towards the end of the Elizabethan period of English history, where society was dominated by nobility and birthright. However, throughout the novel various characters are seen who don't follow the birthright tradition, but yet still find themselves in a position of nobility. Two notable characters who partake in the novel’s class structure would be Mr. Elliot Jr. and Mr. Wentworth. Cousin of the three Elliot sisters, Mr. Elliot joins the company of Anne in hopes of gaining, “…independence by uniting himself to a rich woman of inferior birth”(Austen 12). With Sir Walter having no immediate male heir to inherit his estate, the estate inheritance by law would pass down to Mr. Elliot. However, the possibility to have a male child was still prevalent, and to further solidify his own position, Mr. Elliot wished to marry Anne, his cousin. This would allow a definite inheritance given to Mr. Elliot along with companionship. However, Anne soon finds out of Mr. Elliot’s true intent in marrying her from Mrs. Smith along with more information about his involvement with Mr. Smith, leading to Anne giving up on Mr. Elliot. Ultimately, no other character in the story so profoundly portrays the power of the class system of rule and inheritance than Mr. Elliot. He goes as far as to deceptively marry his cousin in an attempt to play the system and gain more power.
However, many people of this time came to defy the social norm, with new stories such as those from Mr. Fredrick Wentworth becoming more and more common. Wentworth, unlike many of the other noble gentry of the novel, was never born into power or high class. Wentworth made his fortune and name through rising the ranks of the navy, which as Sir Walter believes is a,“…means of bringing persons of obscure birth into undue distinction, and raising men to honours which their fathers and grandfathers never dreamt of”(Austen 35). Sir Walter, whom was born into the position he is in, begins to dislike Wentworth in the beginning due to this factor. It is also for this reason why Anne comes back around after their first love interest with years prior to the novel. Before Wentworth made a powerful name for himself, Lady Russel convinced Anne to call off the previous engagement with him due to his standing. However, all ideas of class difference are thrown aside towards the end of the novel and the climax of Anne marrying Wentworth. Wentworth exemplifies the new idea of merit being held higher than birth, as he earned his high standing and wealth, unlike many of the other nobles in the book.
Works Cited
Austen, Jane. Persuasion. Cambridge, MA: Belknap of Harvard UP, 2011. IBooks.
Overall a good post, but playing devil's advocate, it is worth considering that the engagement between Anne and Fredrick may not just be a result of Wentworth's rising in status, but also resulted from the degradation of Sir Walter's (and by extension Anne's) status to do the nature of his sizable debts.
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