a marxist analysis of austen

8/13/2019 A Marxist Analysis of Austen

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Högskolan i Halmstad

Sektionen för Humaniora

Engelska 61-90

The Importance of Class and Money -

A Marxist Analysis of Jane Austen’s Persuasion

Therese Andersson

C-essay

Tutor Kristina Hilde rand


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Abstract

This essay analy!es ho" issues related to money and so#ial #lass are $resented in %ane

Austen&s Persuasion ' The method used "ill e a #lose reading as "ell as as$e#ts of (ar)istliterary #riti#ism* a theory that "ill e $resented in the se#ond #ha$ter' +a#kground

information a out the author and her time "ill then e gi,en in the third #ha$ter' n #ha$ter

four* the #hara#ter of Sir .alter Elliot "ill e analy!ed* in #ha$ter fi,e Eli!a eth Elliot* and

in #ha$ter si) .illiam Elliot' Some of the other #hara#ters "ill e analy!ed* more riefly* in

the se,enth #ha$ter' Con#lusions "ill then e dra"n in the eighth and final #ha$ter'

/


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Table of contents

A stra#t'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''/

Ta le of #ontents'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''1' ntrodu#tion'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

/' Theory and method''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''2

/'1 Close reading''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''2

/'/ (ar)ist literary #riti#ism ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''2

' +a#kground''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''3

'1 %ane Austen and her time''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' ''''''''''''3

'1'1 Titles and ranks''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' ''''''''''''''''''''''' ''''''''''''''''''''''' '''''''''''''9

'/ Class in %ane Austen&s no,els''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' '''''11

' (oney in %ane Austen&s no,els''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''1

' Sir .alter'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''1

2' Eli!a eth''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''19

6' (r Elliot''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''/1

3' 4ther #hara#ters'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''/

5' Con#lusions'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''/5

+i liogra$hy'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' 0


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1. Introduction 1

“Sir Walter Elliot, of Kellynch-hall, in Somersetshire, was a man who,

for his own amusement, never took up any book but the Baronetage;

there he foun occupation for an i le hour, an consolation in a

istresse one; there his faculties were rouse into a miration an

respect, by contemplating the limite remnant of the earliest patents;

there any unwelcome sensations arising from omestic affairs,

change naturally into pity an contempt, as he turne over the

almost en less creations of the last century ! an there, if every other

leaf were powerless, he coul rea his own history with an interest

which never faile ! this was the page at which the favourite volumealways opene "

#$usten %&'

Already in this first senten#e of the last of %ane Austen&s finished no,els* Persuasion, "e find

one of the main themes of the story that #lass is "hat is most im$ortant' As the reader

$ro#eeds further into the no,el* the o$inion that #lass is the only thing that matters is made

e,en more o ,ious' 7nless someone is of a #ertain #lass* the fa#t that he or she has money

does not matter irth alone #ounts' .hen someone o$enly ,alues money o,er #lass* su#h as

(r Elliot in his #hoi#e of a "ife* this $erson is fro"ned u$on' .e are also $resented "ith a

different $oint of ,ie"8 that of (r Elliot* "ho* as a young man* ,alued money more than the

title he "ould e,entually inherit'

+ut as the story $rogresses* it is made #lear that neither the o$inion that #lass is

su$erior to fortune nor that money is etter than so#ial status is #onstant it #hanges "ith the

#ir#umstan#es* an in#onsisten#y that #an e seen in se,eral of the no,el&s main #hara#ters'

Some* su#h as Sir .alter and his daughter Eli!a eth* go from #onsidering #lass as the most

im$ortant thing to ,aluing money more others* like (r Elliot* after ha,ing #onsidered money

etter than #lass* start to think the o$$osite'

n this essay "ill analy!e the attitudes to"ards #lass and money held y the

#hara#ters of Persuasion * as "ell as ho"* for some* these attitudes #hange during the $rogress

of the story' "ill dis#uss se,eral of the #hara#ters* ut "ill fo#us $rimarily on Sir .alter*

Eli!a eth and (r Elliot' "ill start y $resenting and dis#ussing the theory and method that

1 "ould like to thank my tea#her in :Ad,an#ed literary "riting&* Anna ;


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"ill use efore $ro,iding a#kground information a out the author* %ane Austen* as "ell as

a out the #on#e$ts of money and #lass during her lifetime ho" Austen "as affe#ted y this

and ho" this is $ortrayed in her no,els' "ill then analy!e ,arious $assages of the no,el that

highlight the attitude to #lass and money that the #hara#ters of the no,el ha,e* as "ell as the

fa#t that these attitudes #hange during the #ourse of Persuasion ' "ill argue here that the

attitude to"ards #lass and money is de$endent on oth the situation of the $erson in =uestion

and on surrounding #ir#umstan#es* and that these attitudes #hange during the #ourse of the

story of Persuasion '

2. Theory and method

"ill do a #lose reading fo#using on the s#enes of the no,el "hi#h sho" the #hara#ters&

attitudes to"ards #lass and money and ho" these attitudes #hange' As$e#ts of (ar)ist literary

#riti#ism "ill also e used'

2.1. Close readin

Close reading* or e)$li#ation* is* as the term im$lies* to read a "ork or $assage #losely and to

look at and analy!e >#om$le) interrelations and am iguities of the form and the #ontent of the

"ork? @Childers and Hent!i /06 ' .hen doing #lose reading* one fo#uses on "ords* images*

and sym ols* instead of the #hara#ters or the $lot of the story' Tensions* $arado)es and irony

are noted and analysed* and the goal of literature* a##ording to this theory* is to a#hie,e a

>re#on#iliation of di,erse im$ulses? @/06

2.2 Marxist literary criticism

(ar)ist literary #riti#ism has* as the name indi#ates* its asis in the theories of Karl (ar) and

his asso#iates' The main idea of (ar)ism is that >instead of making a stra#t affirmations

a out a "hole grou$ of $ro lems su#h as man* kno"ledge* matter* and nature* he e)amines

ea#h $ro lem in its dynami# relation to the others and* a o,e all* tries to relate them to

histori#al* so#ial* $oliti#al* and e#onomi# realities? @+4 ' (ar) argued that the real foundation

of so#iety "as the e#onomi# stru#ture* that $oliti#al and legal su$erstru#tures rose from this

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ase* and that >Bi t is not the #ons#iousness of men "hi#h determines their e)isten#e it is on

the #ontrary their so#ial e)isten#e "hi#h determines their #ons#iousness? @+4 '

The most fundamental argument of (ar)ist literary and #ultural theories is that

they do not see art as something that is se$arate from so#iety art is* as Eagleton says* >$art

of the :su$erstru#ture& of so#iety? @2 and the #entral #on#ern of (ar)ist literary #riti#ism is

the relationshi$ et"een the e#onomy and the literature' (ar)ist #riti#s argue that art is so#ial

e#ause it is $rodu#ed and re#ei,ed in #on#rete #onte)ts* and e#ause the #reator is someone

"ith a #lass* gender and ra#ial identity the author is* una,oida ly* >$art of her o"n #onte)t?

@Haslett 5 ' Art* in (ar)ist readings* >is inter$reted as a material $ra#ti#e* $erha$s e#ause it

relies on :te#hnology&D is #on#retely realised in situations "hi#h themsel,es are materialD

or is ought and sold like other #ommodities? @5 ' The first thing that one needs to do in order

to do a (ar)ist analysis is then* a##ording to Eagleton* >to understand the #om$le)* indire#t

relations et"eenD "orks Bof art and the ideologi#al "orlds they inha it? @6 '

The interest of (ar)ist literary theories is #onse=uently to try to $la#e the "ork

in an o,erall #onte)t* sin#e >Ba rt #annot e)ist outside so#iety? @Haslett 12 ' 4r* as Eagleton

e)$resses it* to analyse literature >in terms of the histori#al #onditions "hi#h $rodu#e it? @)i '

.hat makes (ar)ism different from other theories is that it $rioritises the "ay in "hi#h

#ulture is #reated* distri uted and o tained as a tangi le and so#ial $ra#ti#e' The e#onomi#

mode of so#iety is ,ital for (ar)ist theorists e#ause it is the finan#ial system that often

de#ides ho" art "ill e #onstru#ted @Haslett 5 ' Something else that sets (ar)ist #riti#ism

a$art from other theories is not that it looks to history to understand a "ork of art this

a$$roa#h to literary analysis #an e found else"here* for e)am$le in histori#al or iogra$hi#al

theories ut the "ay in "hi#h it understands history itself @Eagleton '

(ar)ist literary theories are not homogenous* and there is no one "ay to do a

(ar)ist analysis* ut all a$$roa#hes ha,e in #ommon that they try oth to #on,ey the

relationshi$ et"een literature and so#iety and to #hallenge the se$aration "hi#h thisrelationshi$ entails' iterature is situated "ithin the larger $arameters of so#ial* e#onomi#al

and #ultural history* effe#ti,ely erasing the di,ision et"een :literary& and :#ultural& theory'

@Haslett 9-10 ' (ost (ar)ist #riti#s also assume that >the o Fe#ts "e ,ie" as "orks of

literature or art are the $rodu#ts of histori#al for#es that #an e analy!ed y fo#using on the

material #onditions in "hi#h they are formed? @Childers and Hent!i 132 ' (ar)ist #riti#s

dis#uss these #onditions in terms of >#ontrol of #a$italD y #lasses? usually* the #lass that

is in #ontrol of the material items* also #ontrols the intelle#tual and #ultural s$heres @132 '

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(ar)ist #riti#s also #laim that the as$e#ts that "e a##e$t as #hara#teristi#s of a #ertain age* are

only e)$ressions of the #lass that dominated during that $eriod of time' @132

Art or literature $rodu#ed in a #ertain en,ironment is ideologi#al* signifying the

#lass #onfli#ts at "ork at the time* and it is the Fo of the (ar)ist analyst to sho" these

#onfli#ts as they are $ortrayed in the te)t' (ar)ist #riti#ism also tries to #reate "hat it elie,es

is >$rogressi,e $oliti#al and so#ial #hange? the final goal generally eing a #lassless so#iety

@Childers and Hent!i 136 '

(ar)ist literary #riti#s see literature as tied to so#ial $o"er* thus literary analysis

is often related to larger issues in so#iety' n the end* (ar)ist literary #riti#ism is only a small

fra#tion of a mu#h larger attem$t to e)$ose the inner ma#hinery of our #i,ili!ation' @E-CCT / '

n other "ords >(ar)ist #riti#ism is $art of a larger ody of theoreti#al analysis "hi#h aims

to understand ideologies ? as Eagleton $uts it @)ii-)iii '

!. "ac# round

!.1 Jane Austen and her time

%ane Austen "as the se#ond daughter and the se,enth #hild of the Ge,erend eorge Austen

and his "ife Cassandra @ orn eigh * and "as orn on Ie#em er 16 in 1332' At the time of

Austen&s irth* the family "as li,ing in Ste,enton in the #ounty of Ham$shire on the south

#oast of England' Austen had se,en si lings8 si) rothers and one sister* Cassandra* "ho "as

her #losest #om$anion through life' Her father* eorge Austen* "as a s#holar and en#ouraged

his #hildren&s lo,e of learning "hile her mother* Cassandra* "as kno"n for making u$ stories

and ,erses'

Austen&s so#ial net"ork "as e)tensi,e* #onsisting of family as "ell as friends*

and the lo,ing en,ironment she li,ed in "as an im$ortant sour#e of ins$iration "hen it #ame

to her "riting' She "rote a out the $arts of the "orld and the so#ial arena that she kne" est*

and the settings in her no,els are ,illages and #ountry to"ns* as "ell as larger #ities su#h as

+ath and ondon' The #hara#ters of her no,els are also deri,ed from the so#ial s$heres "here

she herself #ould e found* su#h as the #ountry #lergy her father "as* as already mentioned*

a #lergyman and the minor landed gentry* to "hi#h her rother elonged'

/ This a re,iation "ill in the rest of this essay refer to the nternet $age >English 60A Contem$orary Criti#alTheory?' ;or 7G * see the i liogra$hy

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n 1501* at the age of 30* eorge Austen retired and mo,ed his "ife and

daughters from Ste,enton to +ath' n %anuary 1502* eorge Austen $assed a"ay* and his "ife

and daughters mo,ed to Southam$ton* "here they remained for four years* until Austen&s

rother Ed"ard finally managed to $ro,ide them "ith a large #ottage on his o"n estate in the

,illage of Cha"ton* not far from Ste,enton' Austen remained here until she* in (ay 1513*

"as taken to a surgeon in .in#hester due to her de#lining health' She died on %uly 15* and

"as uried in .in#hester Cathedral si) days later'

Austen ne,er married* ut there are indi#ations that she* in 150/* agreed to

marry Harris +igg-.ither* "ho "as the heir of a Ham$shire family* only to #hange her mind

the follo"ing morning' There are also se,eral #ontradi#tory stories "hi#h talk of her eing in

lo,e "ith someone "ho died'

Iuring the time of %ane Austen&s life* #lass "as $art of the e,eryday life* and*

sin#e she "rote realisti# no,els* Austen needed to o ser,e the fine differen#es et"een so#ial

le,els' Her no,els should sho" $eo$le >in their so#ial roles* andD e $re#ise a out the

differen#es et"een them? @Co$eland and (#(aster 1/5 ' The $ortraits of #hara#ters from

the higher #lasses in her no,els suggest that she found >nothing di,ine a out royalty? and

little that "as >s$e#ial a out $eers? @116 ' n Austen&s "orld* so#ial status "as al"ays

$ertinent* ut $eo$le "ere to e Fudged y standards higher and more dura le than this' @1/9

Austen "as* due to her father eing a #ountry #lergyman* $art of the #lass that

historian Ia,id S$ring #alled :$seudo-gentry& >u$$er $rofessional families li,ing in the

#ountry? @1 / ' These families had #onne#tions "ith the "ealthier landed-gentry families* ut

had ,ery different e#onomi# situations' @1 /

Sin#e "omen in that time "ere su$$osed to take their status in so#iety from their

hus ands* Austen* as an unmarried "oman* "as to an e)tent outside the #lass system' 4n the

other hand* Austen had the ad,antage of eing a le to mo,e et"een t"o different #lass

situations she li,ed "ith her "ido"ed mother and sister in a #ottage that elonged to herrother* ut she #ould also s$end time at her lando"ner rother&s #ountry estate' @112

t #an also e noted that %ane Austen li,ed during the +ritish industrial

re,olution and that the +ritish so#iety "as #hanging drasti#ally* as "ere the te#hnologi#al and

e#onomi#al s$heres' A##ording to Cantor* money "as re$la#ing $ro$erty as >the fundamental

form of "ealth? @1/9 ' The $oliti#al $o"er also shifted from ha,ing elonged to the

aristo#ra#y* the $oliti#al arena "as no" also o$en to $eo$le from the gro"ing middle #lass'

@1/9

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ords' The titles of Knight there "ere t"o different ty$es "ere not hereditary and the

#hildren of a Knight "ere usually only #alled (r or (iss* though the "ife of a Knight had the

title of ady' A +aronet#y* on the other hand* #ould e inherited y a male heir' The heir

"ould then e#ome +aronet* ut "as efore this not gi,en any s$e#ial title* nor "ere the other

#hildren of the +aronet' The "ife of the +aronet "as* as the "ife of the Knight* #alled ady'

@%AC

+eneath +aronets and Knights* Es=uire or S=uire #ould e found* the S=uire

on#e ha,ing een the assistant to a Knight' The title of S=uire "as later used to refer to a son

of a Knight or the ord of a (anor* and the title #ould also e gi,en to $eo$le "ith Fudi#iary

ties' 4n the le,el elo" S=uires* there "ere the mem ers of the #lergy and arristers* as "ell

as Ma,al and Army offi#ers elo" this le,el one #ould find the +urgess and the Neomen

and* finally* at the ottom of the so#ial ladder* the $oor' @%AC

There "as a differen#e et"een titles that "ere inherited and titles that "ere

esto"ed for $arti#ular ser,i#e during Austen&s time' The titles of +aronet and Knight* as

mentioned a o,e* "ere oth signalled y the title :Sir&* ut sin#e the +aronet#y "as an

inherited title* it "as more $restigious than the Knighthood' Iifferen#es in "omen&s titles

"ere also o ,ious' A "oman #ould e a : ady& y irth* as the daughter of an Earl* or she

#ould a#hie,e the title y marrying a +aronet or a Knight' f she had the title y irth* she

"ould maintain it regardless of the status of her hus and* "hereas if she gained the title y

marriage* she "ould lose it if she #hose to remarry a :(r&' @Co$eland and (#(aster 116-113

There "ere also differen#es et"een si lings in general* the oldest son "ould

inherit not only his father&s title if there "as a title to inherit ut also the maFority of the

land' This $ra#ti#e "as to $reser,e the family name and estate if the estate "as di,ided

e=ually et"een the si lings* it "ould ultimately disa$$ear' The oldest son* "ho "ould

e,entually #ome into the family estate* "as often raised to la!iness* "hile the younger sons

had to "ork for their li,ing' Sisters in a family also had different titles' The oldest daughter"ould e #alled :(iss& follo"ed y the last name* "hile the younger daughters "ould e

#alled :(iss& follo"ed y their first name' t "as also #ommon $ra#ti#e that the oldest sister

"as $resented to so#iety efore her younger sisters' .hen one sister married* she

automati#ally o tained a higher status than her older* unmarried sisters' @119-1/0

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!.2 Class in Jane Austen’s no$els

As Io"nie states* the e,ents in most of %ane Austen&s no,els #entre around the issue of so#ial

status* "hi#h* $erha$s* is not sur$rising #onsidering the fa#t that* as "e ha,e already seen*

#lass "as an im$ortant $art of so#iety in those days' The su Fe#t des#ri ed in her no,els is

>the #om$le) intera#tion of the ,arious grou$s "hi#h made u$ the ruling #lass of eorgian

England? @3/ '

The ,ery to$ of the so#ial ladder* the royalty* are ne,er de$i#ted in Austen&s

no,els the $erson of highest rank $resented is most likely ord 4s orne in The Watsons

and the #hara#ters that ha,e titles are rarely $resented in a fa,oura le "ay' ord 4s orne is

>not mu#h etter than a fool?* and Sir .alter Elliot in Persuasion is o sessed "ith his so#ial

status e,en Sir Thomas +ertram in Mansfield Park * "ho is >the est of them? o,er,alues the

im$ortan#e of himself and his family @Co$eland and (#(aster 116 '

The $rofessional #lass Austen&s o"n so#ial #lass seems to e the one that is

most fa,oured in her no,els se,eral of her heroines marry #lergymen like Austen&s o"n

father' @1/0 The landed gentry seems res$e#ted* as other heroines marry into the lando"ning

gentry* and Austen&s t"o most eligi le heroes* (r Iar#y in Pride and Prejudice and (r

Knightley in Emma * #ome from this #lass' A negati,e side of the landed gentry #an* ho"e,er*

e seen in (r Gush"orth in Mansfield Park * "ho is >morally and intelle#tually not "orth

mu#h more than his name signifies? @113 '

The lo"er so#ial #lasses are rarely re$resented in Austen&s no,els' .hat "as

later to e #alled the "orking #lass is hardly $resent at all the only #onne#tion the main

#hara#ters ha,e "ith this so#ial #lass is through the ser,ants* "hi#h #orre#tly des#ri es reality

as it "as at the time' The fe" glim$ses "e do #at#h of this #lass are of gy$sies and rural

la ourers' Ser,ants "ere generally not gi,en s$eaking roles* though Austen did re#ogni!e that

they had a dis#rete influen#e on their masters' The $oor are not talked a out often* ut there is

some #onta#t et"een the "orld of the u$$er #lass and that of the $oor' @1/3-1/5

n Austen&s no,els the heroine often marries a man "ith an in#ome as "ell as a

so#ial status markedly a o,e her o"n' (oney is not the only thing that matters* ho"e,er*

something that is sho"n "hen Eli!a eth +ennet turns do"n (r Iar#y&s initial $ro$osal in

Pride and Prejudice * indi#ating that she is not marrying him only for his fortune' @113

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n the relationshi$ et"een Eli!a eth +ennet and (r Iar#y "e #an also see that

Austen a$$ears to su$$ort "hat (#(aster #alls the >relati,e flattening of the degrees of

distin#tion a o,e the #ountry gentry? @115 ' 4n the other hand* Austen notes the in#lination to

e highly #ons#ious of the so#ial le,els elo" this #lass in Emma * something that is done "ith

irony' @115

n her no,els* it is also #lear that Austen elie,ed that "ith the $ri,ileges of the

u$$er #lass #ame res$onsi ilities for e)am$le* to treat $eo$le "ith #ourtesy and res$e#t* as

"ell as to handle one&s money res$onsi ly' This #an* for e)am$le* e seen in Pride and

Prejudice * "here Eli!a eth +ennet turns do"n (r Iar#y&s $ro$osal e#ause he is $roud and

$retentious* and in Persuasion * "here Sir .alter must lea,e his residen#e to a man of the

na,y e#ause he has ignored his res$onsi ilities and only "anted to enefit from the

ad,antages' @115-119

The im$ortan#e of #onne#tions @#onne)ions in the u$$er #lasses is made

o ,ious in Emma * "here the differen#e et"een :old& and :ne"& u$$er #lass #an e seen' (rs

+ates used to e the "ell-kno"n "ife of the ,i#ar* and after his death* she and her daughter

li,e on a slim in#ome ut they still ha,e #onne#tions in the neigh ourhood* "hi#h seems

more im$ortant than all the money in the "orld' The o$$osite is sho"n in the Coles* "ho

ha,e a #onsidera le amount of money and many ser,ants* ut no #onne#tions to s$eak of'

@1/2-1/6

;inally* as (#(asters so fittingly says a out Austen&s treatment of #lass in her

no,els

“With amuse etachment, she registers e(actly the social

provenance of each of her characters, an )u ges them for the ways

in which they )u ge each other* +he importance assigne to class

istinction is the source of much of her come y an her irony, as ofher social satire*"

# opelan an c asters ./0'

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!.! Money in Jane Austen’s no$els

A##ording to Co$eland* %ane Austen "as >Bf rom the start of her #areerD a shre"d o ser,er

of the e#onomi# terrain of her #lass* though al"ays from the #hilly and e)$osed $osition of an

e#onomi#ally marginal female mem er of it?* and single "omen "ithout money are a

re#urring feature in her no,els @Co$eland and (#(aster 1 2 '

n#ome is a su Fe#t that is dis#ussed o$enly in Austen&s no,els either the

in#ome of the #hara#ter is $ro,ided in $lain num ers* or a hint is gi,en y the des#ri$tions of

said #hara#ter&s house* #arriage and ser,ants* for e)am$le @1 ' As Io"nie says* Austen

>goes to #onsidera le lengths? to $ro,ide the reader "ith information a out her #hara#ters&

finan#ial situations in most of her no,els @30 '

Austen&s attention to money in her no,els #an e seen to #hange during her

#areer in the early no,els the fo#us "as sim$ly on the la#k of ri#hes as a finan#ial issue for

"omen* ut as her "riting $rogressed* "omen "ere in,ol,ed in in#reasingly more

#om$li#ated e#onomi# dealings' @Co$eland and (#(aster 1 / n Sense and Sensibility *

Elinor and (arianne dis#uss their >hearts& desires? as the le,el of in#ome they "ish their

future hus ands to ha,e in Pride and Prejudice * one of the main issues is Eli!a eth +ennet&s

la#k of money in relation to (r Iar#y&s fortune and in Persuasion * "omen are a#tually seen

as more suita le to #ontrol finan#es than men sin#e >B" hile ady Elliot li,ed* there had een

method* moderation* and e#onomy* "hi#h had Fust ke$t BSir .alter "ithin his in#ome8 ut

"ith her had died all su#h right-mindedness* and from that $eriod he had een #onstantly

e)#eeding it? and "hen the situation gro"s more #om$li#ated* Sir .alter turns to ady

Gussell' @Co$eland and (#(aster 1 * Austen 0

t #an also e noted* as Clausen has* that Persuasion is the first no,el "here

Austen has the hero of the story making his o"n "ay in life' n the $re,ious no,els* most of

the heroes ha,e een either eldest sons "ho only needed to manage the family estate* or

younger sons "ho ha,e een thrust into the #hur#h Ca$tain .ent"orth is the only hero in a

%ane Austen no,el "ho e,en tries to etter his situation in life' @9/-9 As (#(aster

e)$resses it* Ca$tain .ent"orth is a >relati,ely self-made man? "ho has made his fortune y

"orking' @Co$eland and (#(aster 1/1

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%. &ir 'alter

“Sir Walter Elliot1 was a man who, for his own amusement, never

took up any book but the Baronetage; there1 he coul rea his own

history with an interest which never faile ! this was the page at which

the favourite volume always opene " 2

#$usten %&'

This $assage* already mentioned in the introdu#tion* esta lishes Sir .alter&s attitude to"ards

#lass in the eginning of the no,el' The only thing that #an #heer Sir .alter u$ is* a$$arently*

to read a out his o"n status in so#iety ne,er mind that he has three daughters' This outlook

on life sho"s the ,anity that is so o ,ious in Sir .alter* oth regarding his a$$earan#e and*

more im$ortantly* his $la#e* and the $la#e of his family* in so#iety' n the follo"ing $ages "e

are allo"ed to learn of Sir .alter&s attitude to"ards his o"n #hildren* "hi#h is also tainted y

the im$ortan#e of #lass Eli!a eth is dear to him sin#e she #an still e e)$e#ted to >one day or

another* marry suita ly?* in other "ords* add to the status of the family name y raising or

em$hasi!ing hers (ary only >a#=uired a little artifi#ial im$ortan#e? as a mem er of the Elliot

family y > e#oming (rs Charles (usgro,e? and Anne is treated adly* negle#ted and has

her feelings and thoughts ignored e#ause >Bh e had ne,er indulged mu#h ho$e* he had no"none* of e,er reading her name in any other $age of his fa,ourite "ork? @ 5* 3 ' These short

=uotations sho" that the lo,e and attention Sir .alter gi,es his daughters is de$endent on

"hat they ha,e already added or "hat they #an* or "hat he thinks that they #an* add to the

so#ial status of the Elliot family name' (ary has already made her mat#h* and sin#e it "as a

relati,ely good one* she has een granted the honour of ha,ing an additional entry in the all-

im$ortant +aronetage' Eli!a eth still has the $otential to marry "ell* and add to the status of

the family* and for this she is highly ,alued y her father* "hereas Anne* in Sir .alter&smind* is already a lost #ause of sorts' He does not e)$e#t her to #ontri ute to the status of the

family name* so he #hooses not to $ut any effort into his relationshi$ "ith her >she "as only

Anne? @ 3 '

;urthermore* Sir .alter&s attitude to"ards #lass in relation to money #an e

seen in his rea#tion to (r Elliot&s marriage to >a ri#h "oman of inferior irth? he >resented

it? @ 9 ' The fa#t that it is $ointed out that the ri#h "oman is of inferior irth sho"s that this is

more im$ortant than the fa#t that (r Elliot has gone ehind Sir .alter&s a#k* reFe#ted his

;or the entire =uotation* see the introdu#tion

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$re#ious daughter and married another "oman' The fa#t that y doing this he as#ertained that

the title of the Elliot family "ould no longer e in Sir .alter&s line of the family is also an

im$ortant fa#tor in the e,ent of Sir .alter not remarrying and ha,ing a son* the title of ady

Elliot "ould $ass from his family to this "oman that is* in his mind* elo" him and his

daughter' This $assage #learly sho"s that Sir .alter thinks that status in so#iety is infinitely

more im$ortant than money he "ould* $ro a ly* not ha,e had anything to o Fe#t to if (r

Elliot had married a "oman of e=ual or su$erior irth'

Another im$li#ation that Sir .alter fa,ours #lass o,er money #an e found in

his attitude to"ards his o"n finan#ial situation >He had #ondes#ended to mortgage as far as

he had the $o"er* ut he "ould ne,er #ondes#end to sell? @ 1 ' This attitude* along "ith Sir

.alter&s rea#tion "hen ady Gussell $resents her e#onomi# $lan to hel$ him #lear himself of

de t* sho"s that he #onsiders money as inferior to #lass' t is only disgra#ing to sell Kellyn#h*

ut it is no disgra#e to e in de t "ithout the a ility to $ay the $eo$le he o"es money' t is

more im$ortant to u$hold the image of his title than to try to do something a out his finan#ial

$ro lems' The fa#t that he is "illing to lea,e Kellyn#h efore retren#hing on the lu)ury that

he elie,es is due his $osition* only em$hasi!es this attitude' n renting out Kellyn#h and

mo,ing to +ath* he #an still maintain his image* "hereas if he had stayed at Kellyn#h and

a$$lied a more #ontrolled e#onomi# strategy* e,eryone "ould ha,e een a le to see that Sir

.alter of Kellyn#h Hall had finan#ial issues* and this is "orse than a#tually ha,ing them'

(oreo,er* in Sir .alter&s attitude to"ards the Ma,y #an "e see that he $refers

the :old& u$$er #lasses the ones that are ased on old* inherited titles to the ne" and

u$#oming ones the ones "ho ha,e "orked for their $la#e in so#iety' He resents the Ma,y

e#ause it rings >&$ersons of o s#ure irth into undue distin#tion&? and raises >&men to

honours "hi#h their fathers and grandfathers had ne,er dreamt of&? @ 9 ' The fa#t that he uses

the $hrase :undue distin#tion& sho"s that he #onsiders himself as eing "orthy of this

distin#tion sim$ly e#ause he has inherited his title and money* "hereas men of the Ma,y and* "e may assume* others "ho ha,e a#ti,ely im$ro,ed their $la#e in so#iety "ho ha,e

a#tually "orked for their money and so#ial ad,an#ement* do not deser,e it' This

o,erestimation of his o"n #lass only sho"s Sir .alter&s refusal to a##e$t that the "orld

#hanges'

Cantor #omments on Sir .alter&s attitude to"ards the Ma,y* saying that* though

Sir .alter is sim$le-minded in the matter* he does still reali!e that the English so#iety has

een resha$ed y the Ma$oleoni# "ars* something that #an e seen in his #om$laint that theMa,y hel$s men "ho do not deser,e it to rise to a etter $la#e in so#iety' A##ording to Cantor*

12


16/31

this sho"s that Austen understood that the so#ial and e#onomi# e,olution in England "as

more su##essful in #reating a ne" so#iety than the re,olution in ;ran#e >The ;ren#h

guillotine their aristo#rats the English sim$ly uy them out? @1/9 '

Sir .alter&s ignoran#e as to "ho the >&gentleman "ho li,ed at (onkford&?* that

She$herd refers to "hen they are dis#ussing the Crofts renting Kellyn#h* is sho"s that* in his

mind* the only thing that #an make someone a gentleman is $ro$erty and irth @Austen 2/ '

Sir .alter is #onfused a out the term that She$herd uses e#ause he thought that y

gentleman he meant >&some man of $ro$erty&? @2/ ' n Sir .alter&s o$inion* >&(r .ent"orth

"as no odyD =uite un#onne#ted nothing to do "ith the Strafford family&? @2/-2 ' Sin#e (r

.ent"orth* a$$arently* did not o"n any $ro$erty nor #ame from a family high on the so#ial

s#ale* he "as nothing to Sir .alter'

The issue of the nature of a gentleman is e)$lored y Cantor* "ho #laims that* to

Sir .alter* > eing a gentleman is sim$ly a matter of irth and family #onne#tions? @1 / ' This

$oint of ,ie" is* a##ording to Cantor* $ro,en to e the "rong "ay of thinking y the "ay that

ady Gussell intends to e)tri#ate Sir .alter from de t* "hen she says that* though >a great

deal is due to the feelings of the gentleman?* there is >still more due to the #hara#ter of an

honest man? @1 ' Cantor argues that the $lot of Persuasion sho"s that >middle-#lass figures

may e a#ting more :no ly& than aristo#rats? and that Austen* as a >su$$orter of aristo#rati#

$rin#i$les?* "as a le to understand the shift of traditionally aristo#rati# standards from the

disa$$earing aristo#ra#y to the u$#oming middle #lass @1 '

This as$e#t of #lass and lando"nershi$ is further dis#ussed y (artin* "ho

#laims that* in Austen&s no,els* gentlemen "ere >as a rule* the o"ners of landed estates?

@1 9 ' He further argues that the #on#e$t of eing :gentlemanlike& in the "orld of Austen is

>#om$le) and fluid?* something that #an take a slightly different meaning >either from the

user* or from the situation "hi#h $rom$ts its use? @1 0 ' Austen "as also* a##ording to

(artin* mainly #on#erned "ith >the inter$lay et"een t"o distin#t meanings of :gentleman&*an ethi#al meaningD and a so#ial meaning?* "here the so#ial meaning referred to stri#tly

su$erfi#ial as$e#ts* su#h as ho" men talked and dressed for e)am$le* something that #ould e

$lain a#ting @1 0 ' (artin further states that the "ay a gentleman "as defined in Austen&s

"orks #hanged in Persuasion ' n $re,ious no,els* there had een a link et"een the

gentleman o"ning $ro$erty and ethi#al issues this #onne#tion has een a andoned in

Persuasion * and the eha,iour of those "ho "ere $re,iously seen as :gentlemen& is em odied

in >the trea#herous s#heming of (r Elliot and in the near-#ari#ature figures of Sir .alter andof his eldest daughter? @1 1 '

16


17/31

Sir .alter&s thoughts after he has de#ided to let Kellyn#h Hall to Admiral Croft

further sho" his attitudes to"ards #lass >& ha,e let my house to Admiral Croft& "ould sound

e)tremely "ell ,ery mu#h etter than to any mere (rD An admiral s$eaks his o"n

#onse=uen#es* and* at the same time* #an ne,er make a aronet look small' n all their

dealings and inter#ourse* Sir .alter must e,er ha,e the $re#eden#e'? @Austen 2 ' n other

"ords* as long as it does not refle#t adly u$on himself* Sir .alter is $erfe#tly ha$$y to let

his house' t is im$ortant that the $erson allo"ed to rent the estate is not a :no ody& in so#iety*

ut at the same time* he #annot e : etter& than Sir .alter himself' E,erything #omes a#k to

Sir .alter&s status in so#iety and "hat $eo$le think of this status'

The "ay that Sir .alter talks a out +ath after Anne has arri,ed in Camden

la#e is also an indi#ation to his attitude to"ards #lass the first thing he says is that their

house is >undou tedly the est in Camden la#e? and that their a#=uaintan#e is >e)#eedingly

sought after? @121 ' The only reason that Sir .alter and Eli!a eth are ha$$y to see Anne is

e#ause they #an sho" off their status in +ath'

Additionally* the im$ortan#e of #lass* and #onne#tions "ith $eo$le higher u$ on

the so#ial ladder* is #learly seen in the rea#tions of Sir .alter and Eli!a eth "hen it is

announ#ed that their #ousins* the Io"ager Lis#ountess Ialrym$le and the Honoura le (iss

Carteret* are #oming to +ath' The interest that Sir .alter sho"s in re-a#=uainting himself and

his family "ith the relati,es is rather odd it has een more than thirteen years sin#e the

in#ident that #aused the t"o families to lose #onta#t* "hy has he not tried to #orre#t the error

#ommitted all those years ago efore this timeO t a$$ears that it is only "hen #onne#tions

"ith relati,es #an enefit himself and the status of his family that they matter' This "ay of

thinking is also o ,ious in the relationshi$ "ith (r Elliot' Sir .alter had no interest in

seeking (r Elliot&s a#=uaintan#e after the death of his "ife* ut no"* "hen he thinks that he

has reason to elie,e that (r Elliot might e interested in Eli!a eth* the relationshi$ is ,ery

im$ortant'Another situation "hi#h sho"s Sir .alter&s attitude to"ards $eo$le he #onsiders

elo" him is "hen Anne refuses to go "ith him and Eli!a eth to ,isit the Ialrym$les e#ause

she has a $re,ious engagement "ith (rs Smith >&.estgate +uildingsP& said he :and "ho is

(iss Anne Elliot to e ,isiting in .estgate +uildingsO A (rs Smith' A "ido" (rs Smith*

and "ho "as her hus andO 4ne of the fi,e thousand (r Smiths "hose names are to e met

"ith e,ery "hereO&? @169 ' .ith this s$ee#h* Sir .alter sho"s his disregard* and #ontem$t*

for $eo$le of lo"er so#ial #lasses than his o"n' He ho$es that he* y reminding Anne of "hoshe is* "ill e a le to $ersuade her to #an#el her meeting and go "ith the rest of the family to

13


18/31

a more :suita le& a$$ointment' He also sho"s his disregard of other $eo$le&s feelings* as he

s$eaks a out (rs Smith as a >&$oor "ido"* arely a le to li,e&? in front of (rs Clay* "ho is

in a ,ery similar $osition herself @130 ' t #an also e seen that Sir .alter ,alues #onne#tions

and #lass higher than friendshi$ he e)$e#ts Anne to gi,e u$ a meeting "ith her friend to

s$end her e,ening "ith $eo$le she has no feelings for "hatsoe,er'

The turn of e,ents* so to s$eak* #omes "hen Sir .alter sho"s his re#ognition of

Ca$tain .ent"orth at the #on#ert' Anne* from seeing Ca$tain .ent"orth o"ing in the

dire#tion of her father* #on,eys that Sir .alter has >Fudged so "ell as to gi,e BCa$tain

.ent"orth that sim$le a#kno"ledgement of a#=uaintan#e? @191 ' The fa#t that Sir .alter

has a##e$ted Ca$tain .ent"orth as an im$ortant mem er of so#iety is em$hasi!ed y his

#on,ersation "ith ady Ialrym$le* "hen he #alls Ca$tain .ent"orth >&Ba ,ery "ell-looking

man&?* something that #an e #om$ared "ith his earlier refle#tions that men of the na,y

suffered from de#ay in their a$$earan#e due to their "ork @193 ' These "ords are an

indi#ation that Sir .alter has* after many years* and $erha$s more im$ortantly many

thousands of $ounds* a##e$ted Ca$tain .ent"orth'

The #om$lete #hange of attitude that Sir .alter has to"ards Ca$tain .ent"orth

#an e seen in the last #ha$ter* "here Sir .alter has gone from thinking that Ca$tain

.ent"orth marrying Anne "ould e >a ,ery degrading allian#e? to #onsidering it >,ery far

fromD a ad mat#h for her? @22* /20 ' The only thing that has #hanged in the situation is that

Ca$tain .ent"orth is no" a "ealthy man* "hereas the fortune of the Elliot family has een

redu#ed so mu#h that Sir .alter has een for#ed to let Kellyn#h Hall so though the union

rings no so#ial status to the family* Sir .alter has reali!ed that money is* in some #ases*

more im$ortant than #lass'

Sir .alter&s #hange of attitude to"ards Ca$tain .ent"orth is dis#ussed y

Cantor* "ho #laims that the fa#t that .ent"orth has earned himself a fortune in the years that

he and Anne ha,e een a$art is the reason that Sir .alter* in the end* #onsiders him ana$$ro$riate mat#h for his daughter' Cantor says that though Austen does not >trum$et the

fa#t?* she is >$ortraying a maFor shift in the alan#e of $o"er in Gegen#y England? that the

aristo#ra#y is slo"ly eing $ushed to the side to make room for the in#reasing middle #lass* a

transfer that is most o ,iously seen in the e)#hange of Sir .alter for Admiral Croft as the

$ro$rietor of Kellyn#h Hall @1/9 '

15


19/31

(. )li*abeth

“3Eli4abeth5 ha , while a very young girl, as soon as she ha known

3William Elliot5 to be, in the event of her having no brother, the future

baronet, meant to marry him1 an in one of their spring e(cursions to

6on on, when Eli4abeth was in her first bloom, r Elliot ha been

force into the intro uction* 7e was at that time a very young man,

)ust engage in the stu y of the law; an Eli4abeth foun him

e(tremely agreeable, an every plan in his favour was confirme * 7e

was invite to Kellynch 7all1 but he never came* +he following

spring he was seen again in town, foun e8ually agreeable, again

encourage , invite an e(pecte , an again he i not come*"#$usten %0'

This =uotation sho"s Eli!a eth&s attitude to"ards her o"n so#ial status she has* already

efore meeting (r Elliot* de#ided to marry him* sim$ly e#ause he is the heir to her father&s

title' t does not matter "hat kind of $erson he is* ho" he looks* or if he e,en deser,es her

affe#tion the only thing she is #on#erned "ith is the title that "ould go "ith the marriage'

.hen a#tually meeting (r Elliot* she finds him >e)tremely agreea le? "hether she a#tually

does find him agreea le or not is im$ossi le to say* e#ause she is so determined that she "ill

marry him that she has no #hoi#e ut to find him agreea le @ 9 ' The fa#t that* e,en after he

reFe#ts the first in,itation to ,isit Kellyn#h* he is in,ited again* only em$hasi!es ho"

#om$letely uninterested Eli!a eth is in anything other than (r Elliot&s status' t is $erfe#tly

#lear that (r Elliot is not the least it interested in #ourting Eli!a eth* and y sim$ly not

#oming to Kellyn#h he sho"s himself to e an im$olite $erson* ut none of this matters at

least not "hen a title is in,ol,ed'

;urther on* "e #an again see Eli!a eth&s o session "ith #lass and status* "hen

"e learn that Eli!a eth #ould see >only in B(r Elliot * a $ro$er mat#h for Sir .alter&s eldest

daughter? and that >Bt here "as not a aronet from A to Q* "hom her feelings #ould ha,e so

"illingly a#kno"ledged as an e=ual? @ 0 ' So Eli!a eth is not only una le to $i#ture herself

marrying : elo"& her o"n so#ial status* she #an really only see herself marrying her father&s

heir and through doing so e#oming the rightful lady of her o"n family' The fa#t that she

#annot #onsider (r Elliot again after his first "ife died might sho" some kind of #ommon

sense* ut the only reason that she #annot is that >he hadD s$oken most disres$e#tfully a out

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20/31

them all* most slightingly and #ontem$tuously of the ,ery lood he elonged to? and >Bt his

#ould not e $ardoned? @ 0 ' t is* a$$arently* a greater sin to talk ill of the family than to

reFe#t Eli!a eth* a suita le mat#h "hen it #omes to #lass* to marry a "oman of a lo"er rank'

Another in#ident "hi#h sho"s Eli!a eth&s attitude to* or $erha$s faith in* #lass

is "hen Anne tries to dra" her attention to the fa#t that their father #ould de,elo$ an interest

in (rs Clay' Eli!a eth so #om$letely disregards Anne&s thoughts* saying that >(rs ClayD

ne,er forgets "ho she isD And as to my father* really should not ha,e thought that he* "ho

has ke$t himself single so long for our sake* need e sus$e#ted no"' f (rs Clay had een a

,ery eautiful "oman* grant you* it might e "rong to ha,e her so mu#h "ith me not that

any thing in the "orld* am sure "ould indu#e my father to make a degrading mat#h? @6/ '

+y #onsidering it #om$letely im$ossi le that Sir .alter "ould e,er marry a "oman elo" his

o"n so#ial status* Eli!a eth sho"s her elief that #lass is e,erything e,en more im$ortant

than lo,e'

Eli!a eth sho"s that she shares her father&s attitude to"ards men of the Ma,y

"hen it is kno"n that Admiral Croft is due in +ath' .hen Sir .alter suggests that they

introdu#e the Admiral to the Ialrym$les* Eli!a eth re$lies >&4hP no* think not' Situated as

"e are "ith ady Ialrym$le* #ousins* "e ought to e ,ery #areful not to em arrass her "ith

a#=uaintan#es she might not a$$ro,eD .e had etter lea,e the Crofts to find their o"n

le,el'&? @133 ' +y saying that the Crofts should find their o"n :le,el&* Eli!a eth sho"s her

o$inion that the Crofts are elo" not Fust the Ialrym$les* ut themsel,es as "ell' +y saying

that they had etter not introdu#e the Crofts to their #ousins* she also sho"s her fear of eing

turned a"ay from the Ialrym$les y introdu#ing them to the :"rong& $eo$le' The most

im$ortant thing is to e seen as friends of the Ialrym$les* sin#e the a#=uaintan#e "ith them

raises the Elliots& o"n so#ial status* and this situation must not e disru$ted y anything'

Eli!a eth&s a$$re#iation of #lass* and her fear of other $eo$le #onsidering her

lo"er than "hat she herself thinks she is* is also sho"n "hen the (usgro,es #ome to +ath'She does not "ant to gi,e a dinner $arty* e#ause that "ould sho" >the differen#e of style*

the redu#tion of ser,ants? to >those "ho had al"ays een so inferior to the Elliots of

Kellyn#h? so she #hooses to ha,e an e,ening $arty instead @// ' Eli!a eth is so eager to

maintain the image of the :Elliots of Kellyn#h& that she is a le to talk herself into not in,iting

her sister "ith family to dinner* ut only to an e,ening gathering' This eha,iour sho"s that

Eli!a eth ,alues #lass* and the image of #lass* mu#h more than family'

Another in#ident that #learly sho"s Eli!a eth&s attitude to"ards #lass o##ursduring the #on#ert' Anne is ha$$y e#ause she elie,es that Ca$tain .ent"orth is still in lo,e

/0


21/31

"ith her* "hereas Eli!a eth is ha$$y e#ause she enters the #on#ert room >arm in arm "ith

(iss Carteret* and looking on the road a#k of the do"ager Lis#ountess Ialrym$le efore

her? @19 ' .e #an here see that the only $ossi le sour#e of ha$$iness for Eli!a eth is "hen

her so#ial status is in fo#us* and $refera ly high-lighted y a $erson of e,en higher #lass* su#h

as the Ialrym$les' She does* most likely* find no satisfa#tion in the musi# or the #on,ersation*

ut Fust eing seen in $u li# "ith $eo$le "ho make her look good is enough for her'

Eli!a eth* like Sir .alter* a##e$ts that money #an e more im$ortant than #lass

at the #on#ert* though a$$arently un"illingly' The real #hange of attitude for Eli!a eth*

ho"e,er* #omes "hen she in,ites Ca$tain .ent"orth to the e,ening $arty she is thro"ing for

the (usgro,es >The truth "as* that Eli!a eth had een long enough in +ath* to understand

the im$ortan#e of a man of su#h an air and a$$earan#e as BCa$tain .ent"orth&s ' The $ast

"as nothing' The $resent "as that Ca$tain .ent"orth "ould mo,e a out "ell in her

dra"ing-room'? @/ 0- 1 ' Eli!a eth reali!es that Ca$tain .ent"orth* "ith all his money* is

good #om$any in +ath* regardless of his la#k of so#ial status' n other "ords* money has

e#ome more im$ortant than #lass'

+. Mr )lliot

As "e ha,e ,ery little first hand information a out (r Elliot* mu#h of his #hara#ter is deri,ed

from "hat (rs Smith tells Anne' t a$$ears that (r Elliot* "hen he as a young man "as

a$$roa#hed y Sir .alter* #onsidered money as mu#h more im$ortant than a title

“9 r Elliot1 at that perio of his life, ha one ob)ect in view ! to make

a fortune, an by a rather 8uicker process than the law* 7e was

etermine to make it by marriage* 7e was etermine , at least, not

to mar it by an impru ent marriage; an : know it was his belief1 thatyour father an sister, in their civilities an invitations, were esigning

a match between the heir an the young la y; an it was impossible

that such a match shoul have answere his i eas of wealth an

in epen ence*9"

#$usten /


22/31

She was a fine woman, ha ha a ecent e ucation, was brought

forwar by some cousins, thrown by chance into r Elliot9s company,

an fell in love with him; an not a ifficulty or a scruple was there on

his si e, with respect to her birth* $ll his caution was spent in securing

the real amount of her fortune, before he committe himself* =epen

upon it; whatever esteem r Elliot may have for his own situation in

life now, as a young man he ha not the smallest value of it* 7is

chance of the Kellynch estate was something, but all the honour of the

family he hel as cheap as irt*9" #/ >'

These t"o e$isodes sho" ho" (r Elliot felt a out #lass as a young man he did not #are a out

the title he "as to #ome into "hen Sir .alter died* saying that >if aronet#ies "ere salea le*

any ody should ha,e his for fifty $ounds?* "hi#h sho"s that "hat he "anted "as money

@/05-/09 ' The only $art of his future inheritan#e that he "as interested in "as the Kellyn#h

estate* "hi#h #ould generate money* something that "as ,ery im$ortant to him' The fa#t that

he* in the letter to his friend* (rs Smith&s late hus and* insults the Elliot name y "riting that

he "ished he had >any name ut Elliot? and that he is >si#k of? the name sho"s that he does

not e)$e#t e,er to e in a $osition "here he "ould #are a out the title* as he must reali!e that

Sir .alter might find out a out him s$eaking ill of the family @/10 ' .hen he "rites that his

first ,isit to Kellyn#h >"ill e "ith a sur,eyor? that #an hel$ him to > ring it "ith the est

ad,antage to the hammer? he further em$hasi!es that his only #on#ern is money @/10 '

+ut (r Elliot&s attitude to"ards #lass has* a$$arently* #hanged "hen he #omes

to +ath* $ossi ly e,en efore the a#tual story of Persuasion starts' T"o situations "here "e

#an see (r Elliot&s attitude to"ards #lass is "hen he and Anne dis#uss the Ialrym$les and*

thought not as o$enly* (rs Clay

“9 y i ea of goo company, r Elliot, is the company of clever, well-

informe people, who have a great eal of conversation; that is what :

call goo company*9

?@ou are mistaken1 that is not goo company, that is the best* Aoo

company re8uires only birth, e ucation an manners, an with regar

to e ucation is not very nice* Birth an goo manners are essential1

you have a better right to be fasti ious than almost any other woman :

know; but will it answer Will it make you happy Will it not be wiser to

accept the society of these goo la ies in 6aura-place, an en)oy all

//


23/31

the a vantages of the conne(ion as far as possible @ou may epen

upon it, that they will move in the first set in Bath this winter, an as

rank is rank, your being known to be relate to them will have its use

in fi(ing your family1 in that egree of consi eration which we must

all wish for9" #.C/-.C%'

“9375ere you are in Bath, an the ob)ect is to be establishe here with

all the cre it an ignity which ought to belong to Sir Walter Elliot* @ou

talk of being prou , : am calle prou : know, an : shall not wish to

believe myself otherwise, for our pri e, if investigate , woul have the

same ob)ect, : have no oubt, though the kin may seem a little

ifferent* :n one point, : am sure, my ear cousin1 we must feel alike*

We must feel that every a ition to your father9s society, among his

e8uals or superiors, may be of use iverting his thoughts from those

who are beneath him*9 7e looke , as he spoke, to the seat which rs

lay ha been lately occupying*9" #.C%'

These t"o $assages sho" that (r Elliot feels that the most im$ortant thing is to asso#iate "ith

$eo$le "ho make a $erson look etter one should* a$$arently* only so#iali!e "ith $eo$le "ho

are :e=uals or su$eriors&* in other "ords higher u$ on the so#ial ladder' +ut this in itself issome"hat of a $arado) if $eo$le only asso#iate "ith those "ho are e=ual or a o,e

themsel,es* there "ould not e anyone "ho "ould "illingly mi) "ith $eo$le elo" their o"n

so#ial #lass* hen#e it "ould e im$ossi le to asso#iate "ith $eo$le "ho are higher on the

so#ial s#ale'

t is also interesting to study the se#ond $assage "ith the ad,antage of kno"ing

that* in the end* (r Elliot takes (rs Clay to ondon and sets her u$ in a house there >B(r

Elliot soon =uitted +ath and on (rs Clay&s =uitting it like"ise soon after"ards* and eingne)t heard of as esta lished under his $rote#tion in ondon* it "as e,ident ho" dou le a

game he had een $laying? @/2/ ' t "ould a$$ear that* though he tells Anne that he does not

"ant Sir .alter to make a degrading mat#h* his a#tual interest is to kee$ (rs Clay a"ay from

Sir .alter and* y doing this* a,oiding the $ossi ility that Sir .alter $rodu#es an heir' His

des$eration to e#ome Sir .illiam is e,ident here he is "illing to take (rs Clay to ondon*

effe#ti,ely destroying oth their re$utations* to retain his future title'

Cantor #laims that (r Elliot&s use of the terms :good& and :the est& #om$any is

a referen#e to the reek meaning of aristo#ra#y rule of the est and that Austen "ith this

/


24/31

"anted to $oint to the shift in the +ritish so#iety* "here the middle #lass "as re$la#ing the

aristo#ra#y* not only in terms of "ealth* ut also "hen it #ame to $oliti#al $o"er that >the

understanding of the aristo#ra#y Bhad een se,ered from the understanding of the est? @1 0 '

Cantor argues that Persuasion sho"s that the aristo#ra#y no longer ased their right to rule on

natural merit or su$rema#y in ,irtue* ut $urely on irth and* in reality* on sno ery'

E,en if (r Elliot only says these things to Anne e#ause he "ants to $re,ent Sir

.alter from marrying (rs Clay and y doing so assure himself of the title he is going to

inherit* it still sho"s that he has no" #hanged his mind a out #lass' 4ne $ossi ility #an e

that he no"* "hen he has all the money he #ould "ant* has started to reali!e that the aronet#y

"ould hel$ him rise in so#iety* as (rs Smith says >Ha,ing long had as mu#h money as he

#ould s$end* nothing to "ish for on the side of a,ari#e or indulgen#e* he has een gradually

learning to $in his ha$$iness u$on the #onse=uen#e he is heir toD He #annot ear the idea of

not eing Sir .illiam? @Austen /1/ ' This #an e seen in #ontrast to the fa#t that (r Elliot*

"hen younger* "rote to (rs Smith&s late hus and that he did not #are if Sir .alter remarried*

sin#e then he "ould finally e left alone'

(r Elliot&s rea#tion to the ne"s that Anne is marrying Ca$tain .ent"orth also

sho"s his ne" a$$re#iation of #lass' t "as* a$$arently* not his main o Fe#ti,e to marry Anne*

ut to* as (rs Smith says >"at#h Sir .alter and (rs Clay? @/1 ' .hen the o$$ortunity* as

he sa" it* to marry Anne $resented itself* he reali!ed that he "ould $erha$s e a le to use his

role as Sir .alter&s son-in-la" to $re,ent him from marrying (rs Clay' +ut "hen this

$ossi ility disa$$eared* he turned to his se#ond $lan to remo,e (rs Clay from the $resen#e

of Sir .alter* effe#ti,ely erasing the risk of Sir .alter remarrying or at least marrying (rs

Clay' +y this a#tion* he tried to as#ertain his o"n right to the title of Sir .illiam Elliot* and

has gone from ,aluing money more than this title* to #onsidering so#ial status as more

im$ortant than "ealth'

,. ther characters

The three #hara#ters analy!ed a o,e Sir .alter* Eli!a eth and (r Elliot are the ones in

"hom the im$ortan#e $la#ed on money and #lass #an e seen most o ,iously in the no,el*

and the ones "ho #an e seen to #hange their minds in the matter* ut other #hara#ters also

sho" an interest if only on a su #ons#ious le,el in the im$ortan#e of money and so#ial

status'

/


25/31

The $eo$le "ho a$$ear to e the least interested in money and #lass in the no,el

are the (usgro,es' This #an e seen in their relationshi$ "ith their relati,es* the Hayter

family* "ho are finan#ially and so#ially less "ell off* "here there is no >$ride on one side*

and no en,y on the other? and "ith "hom they >had al"ays een on e)#ellent terms? @95 ' t

is also $ossi le to see the la#k of im$ortan#e of #lass and money in regards to the marriages of

the (iss (usgro,es* and mostly in Henrietta more than on#e are "e made to understand

that the most im$ortant thing for the (usgro,es is that their daughters are ha$$y* the fa#t that

their hus ands do not ha,e mu#h money is less rele,ant >Charles&s attention to Henrietta had

een o ser,ed y her father and mother "ithout any disa$$ro ation' : t "ould not e a great

mat#h for her ut if Henrietta liked him&? @95 '

The unim$ortan#e of #lass for the (usgro,es #an also e seen "hen the (iss

(usgro,es talk to Anne a out the fa#t that (ary al"ays "ants to >take $la#e of? (rs

(usgro,e they think that >it "ould e a great deal etter if she "ere not so ,ery tena#ious?

@3/ ' They do not dou t >her right to ha,e $re#eden#eD ut it "ould e more e#oming in

her not to e al"ays insisting on it? @3/ ' n other "ords* they do not think it is ne#essary to

dis$lay one&s #lass to other $eo$le' This #an e seen in #om$lete #ontrast to (ary* as "ell as

Sir .alter and Eli!a eth* "ho #onstantly "ant other $eo$le to see "hat #lass they elong to'

+ut e,en here "e #an see that there is a line that #annot e #rossed as Charles

(usgro,e says in regards to (ary #onsidering Charles Hayter as a ad mat#h for Henrietta

>: t "ould not e a great mat#h for HenriettaD and you "ill $lease to remem er* that he is

the eldest son "hene,er my un#le dies* he ste$s into ,ery $retty $ro$ertyD grant you* that

any of them ut Charles "ould e a ,ery sho#king mat#h for Henrietta* and indeed it #ould

not e he is the only one that #ould e $ossi le&? @99-100 ' So it a$$ears that* though the

(usgro,es ha,e nothing against so#iali!ing "ith their finan#ially and so#ially inferior

relati,es* there "ill e no more union et"een any of the younger #hildren* as only the eldest

Hayter son "ould e good enough for the (usgro,e #hildren'Charles further sho"s that e,en the (usgro,es ,alue money to a #ertain e)tent

"hen talking a out the $ossi ility of Ca$tain .ent"orth marrying one of his sisters he starts

y saying that he has >ne,er seen a $leasanter man in his life? and then goes on to dis#uss

.ent"orth&s fortune* "hi#h is >notD less than t"enty thousand $ounds? for se,eral lines

@99 ' This dis#ussion #learly sho"s that though it is im$ortant that the man in =uestion is

$leasant* his fortune does matter* if not more* then at least e=ually'

ady Gussell #an also e seen to ,alue money and #lass it is* after all* e#auseCa$tain .ent"orth has neither that she dis#ourages the union et"een him and Anne* a union

/2


26/31

"hi#h she #onsiders "ould ha,e een >a most unfortunate one? @22 ' She does not "ant Anne

to in,ol,e herself "ith a man >"ho had nothing ut himself to re#ommend him? and >no

#onne)ions to se#ure e,en his farther rise? in the na,y @22 ' She thinks that Anne* if she

marries Ca$tain .ent"orth* "ould e >snat#hed off y a stranger "ithout allian#e or fortune?

in other "ords* "ithout so#ial status or money @22-26 '

The im$ortan#e ady Gussell $la#es on money and #lass #an also e seen in the

fa#t that she a$$arently en#ourages Anne to marry Charles (usgro,e* though she must kno"

that Anne has no affe#tion for him > ady Gussell had lamented BAnne&s refusal for Charles

(usgro,e "as the eldest son of a man* "hose landed $ro$erty and general im$ortan#e* "ere

se#ond* in that #ountry* only to Sir .alter&s? @23 '

ady Gussell also #onsiders Sir .alter as a man deser,ing res$e#t* sim$ly ased

on the fa#t that he is a +aronet >she had $reFudi#es on the side of an#estry she had a ,alue

for rank and #onse=uen#e* "hi#h linded her a little to the faults of those "ho $ossessed

them?* >she ga,e the dignity of a aronet all its due?* and she "as >aristo#rati# in her ideas of

"hat "as due? to the Elliots @ / ' ady Gussell does* ho"e,er* a$$ear to reali!e that a title is

not the only thing that matters* at least not to other $eo$le* "hen she says that >though a great

deal is due to the feelings of the gentleman* and the head of a houseD there is still more due

to the #hara#ter of an honest man? @ '

ady Gussell&s ,ie" of #lass is also seen "hen the Ialrym$les #ome to +ath'

She says that she >had e)$e#ted something etter?* "hi#h #an only mean that she* sin#e the

Ialrym$les are no ility* assumed them to e* automati#ally* $leasant $eo$le @16/ ' Though

they are* as Anne e)$resses it* >nothing?* ady Gussell still thinks they are >an a#=uaintan#e

"orth ha,ing? sim$ly e#ause they are no ility and "ill raise the status of the Elliots in +ath

@16/ '

Anne is also influen#ed y the $o"er of money* e,en if it is through ady

Gussell' t is interesting to note that Anne says that >she should yet ha,e een a ha$$ier"oman in maintaining the engagement B"ith Ca$tain .ent"orth * than she had een in the

sa#rifi#e of it?* "hen she kno"s that he has made a fortune in the "ars @25 ' This #an e seen

in #ontrast to the fa#t that Anne* after ha,ing een reunited "ith Ca$tain .ent"orth later in

the no,el* a#tually #laims the e)a#t o$$osite* that she >should ha,e suffered more in

#ontinuing the engagement than Bshe did e,en in gi,ing it u$? @/ 5 ' .e "ill* of #ourse*

ne,er kno" if Anne "ould ha,e felt that she "ould ha,e een ha$$ier if she had maintained

the engagement if Ca$tain .ent"orth had returned to +ritain "ithout any money* ut it is nota far lea$ to assume that she "ould ha,e felt ,ery differently in that #ase'

/6


27/31

The fa#t that Anne does ,alue #lass to a #ertain e)tent #an also e seen in that

she does not "ant her father to form an atta#hment to (rs Clay* that >results the most serious

to his family from the intima#y "ere more than $ossi le? @6/ ' .hat other reason #an there e

for Anne to dis#ourage this $ossi le roman#e than the fa#t that (rs Clay is of an inferior #lass

than her fatherO That Sir .alter #ould ,ery "ell ha,e gotten married again after ady Elliot&s

death is dis#ussed earlier in the no,el* and it is e,en $ointed out that the fa#t that he did not

remarry needs e)$lanation' So it does a$$ear as if Anne is only against the relationshi$

e#ause it "ould e a degrading mat#h for her father' t is* of #ourse* im$ossi le to kno"

"hether Anne "ould ha,e dis#ouraged the relationshi$ if it e#ame an a#tual fa#t ut it is

#lear to see that she does not "ant to risk this ha$$ening'

Another #hara#ter that $la#es a great deal of im$ortan#e on money and #lass is

(ary' The first in#lination "e ha,e of her attitude is "hen Anne arri,es at 7$$er#ross and

(ary suggests they go for a "alk* #ontinuing y saying that they should not ,isit the

(usgro,es efore they ha,e #ome to see Anne at the #ottage* e#ause they >ought to feel

"hat is due to? Anne as (ary&s sister @63 ' (ary #onsiders herself and her sisters as etter

than the (usgro,es sin#e they are daughters of a +aronet* something that #an e seen se,eral

times* for instan#e "hen she #om$lains to Anne that (rs (usgro,e >"as ,ery a$t not to gi,e

B(ary the $re#eden#e that "as her due? @3/ '

(ary sho"s that her attitude to"ards $eo$le of :ne"& u$$er #lasses is similar to

that of her father "hen she and Charles dis#uss "hi#h of the (iss (usgro,es Ca$tain

.ent"orth is likely to marry' She says that it "ould e >a no le thing? for Henrietta if

.ent"orth "as made a +aronet* ut that she herself >ne,er Bthinks mu#h ofD ne"

#reations? @99 ' t does a$$ear that (ary "ould a$$re#iate .ent"orth eing made a +aronet*

ut* as "e later reali!e* only if he marries Henrietta' After Anne and .ent"orth are married*

(ary #learly sho"s that she does not "ant her sister to take $re#eden#e of herself* saying that

>if they #ould ut kee$ Ca$tain .ent"orth from eing made a aronet?* she "ould e$erfe#tly ha$$y @/2/ '

n (ary&s ho$e that .ent"orth marries Henrietta* "e #an also see that she

,alues #lass it is only e#ause Henrietta has sho"n an interest in Charles Hayter* "hom (ary

#onsiders a ad mat#h* that (ary is #on,in#ed that .ent"orth $refers Henrietta to ouisa'

Sin#e (ary >looked do"n ,ery de#idedly u$on the Hayters? it suits her $ur$oses est if

.ent"orth marries Henrietta* thus remo,ing her from the arms of her #ousin @99 ' Here "e

#an also see the fa#t that (ary* like Eli!a eth* ,alues #lass and money more than lo,e (arysays that she does not think that >any young "oman has a right to make a #hoi#e that may e

/3


28/31

disagreea le and in#on,enient to the principal $art of her family? @99 ' n other "ords* the

feelings of the rest of the family in regards to the $otential marriage of a young "oman are

more im$ortant than the feelings of the young "oman herself'

(ary&s attitude to"ards #lass* and the fa#t that she "ants other $eo$le to kno"

"hat #lass she elongs to* #an e seen during the "alk to .inthro$* "hen she an)iously

assures Ca$tain .ent"orth* "ho does not #are in the least* that she has >ne,er een in the

house a o,e t"i#e? in her life and that it is >,ery un$leasant* ha,ing su#h #onne)ions? @109 '

.ent"orth has not #ommented on the situation at all* ut (ary still feels the need to dis$lay

her o"n #lass and the fa#t that she does not so#iali!e "ith $eo$le of inferior status'

. Conclusions

n #on#lusion* a #hange of attitude "hen it #omes to #lass and money #an e seen in the three

main #hara#ters that ha,e fo#used on* Sir .alter* Eli!a eth and (r Elliot* during the #ourse

of the story' These #hanges #an also e seen to ha,e their roots in $ersonal #hanges as "ell as

e)ternal #ir#umstan#es'

Sir .alter* "ho* in the eginning* thinks of #lass as su$erior to money* resents

the Ma,y for ringing men "ho do not deser,e it into res$e#tful $la#es in so#iety* #annot seeho" a man "ithout $ro$erty #an e a gentleman* and disregards the feelings of $eo$le "ho he

#onsiders to e eneath him* in the end reali!es that money is more im$ortant than #lass at

least "hen one has less money than one might "ant or need'

Eli!a eth* "ho from the start of the no,el is seen as someone "ho ,alues so#ial

status infinitely more than "ealth* #annot imagine marrying elo" her o"n status in so#iety*

truly elie,es that lo,e #annot o,er#ome #lass* and is ha$$iest "hen her o"n so#ial status is

e,ident and em$hasi!ed* finally reali!es that money #an gi,e a $erson a higher $la#e in

so#iety and make them a desira le a#=uaintan#e'

(r Elliot* "ho married a "oman "ho "as elo" him on the so#ial ladder in

order to o tain "ealth* disregarded the title he "as to inherit and "ished he #ould ha,e a

different name* #hanges his mind "hen he has all the money he #ould "ant and starts to desire

the title that he may inherit one day* doing e,erything he #an to make sure that this "ill

ha$$en'

t a$$ears* in short* that the attitudes to #lass and money #hange oth as the

situation of the #hara#ter #hanges* and as the e)ternal #ir#umstan#es #hange'

/5


29/31

Ca$tain .ent"orth is* in the end* #onsidered a good mat#h for Anne for t"o

reasons he has himself o tained a fortune sin#e he and Anne last met* and the fortune of the

Elliot family has een signifi#antly redu#ed' (r Elliot "ishes to e#ome Sir .illiam e#ause

he no" has the money he desired "hen younger'

t #an also e seen that other #hara#ters in Persuasion, "ho at first a$$ear to

$la#e no ,alue on so#iety&s a$$re#iation of #lass and money* do in fa#t* if not ,alue them* then

at least reali!e and re#ogni!e that the issues do e)ist' Anne* "ho "anted nothing more than to

marry Ca$tain .ent"orth* "ith a fortune or "ithout* still de#ides to end the engagement after

eing ad,ised to do so y ady Gussell' She #an also e seen to* if not dis#ourage* then at

least try to $re,ent a relationshi$ et"een her father and a "oman of inferior irth' E,en the

(usgro,es* "ho on first a$$earan#e seem to disregard e,erything that has to do "ith money

and #lass* kno" that there is an in,isi le line that #annot e #rossed they do not mind

so#iali!ing "ith their less "ell-off relati,es* and it is not a $ro lem that Henrietta "ants to

marry the eldest son of the family* ut the idea that any of the younger #ousins "ould* in the

future* marry into the (usgro,e family is unthinka le'

n short* e,en the #hara#ters "ho do not want to ,alue #lass and money* are

for#ed to a#kno"ledge the fa#t that so#iety does that there are oundaries e,en if you do not

"ant to admit that they are there'

/9


30/31

"iblio raphy

/rimary

Austen* %ane' Persuasion ' ondon8 enguins +ooks td* 1952'

&econdary

"oo#s

Childers* %ose$h and ary Hent!i* eds' Columbia ictionary of Modern !iterary and CulturalCriticism ' Me" Nork8 Colum ia 7ni,ersity ress* 1992'

Co$eland* Ed"ard and %uliet (#(aster* eds' The Cambridge Companion to "ane #usten '

Cam ridge8 Cam ridge 7ni,ersity ress* 1993'

Eagleton* Terry' Mar$ism and !iterary Criticism% ondon8 Goutledge Classi#s* /00/'

Haslett* (oyra % Mar$ist !iterary and Cultural Theories ' +asingstoke8 (#(illan ress td*

/000'

Articles

Cantor* aul A' >A Class A#t8 ersuasion and the ingering Ieath of the Aristo#ra#y?'

hiloso$hy and iterature' / '1 @1999 ' 1/3-1 3' 5 4#t' /005'

htt$8RRmuse'Fhu'edu'e!$ro)y' i 'hh'seRFournalsR$hiloso$hy and literatureR,0/ R/ '1#antor'ht

ml

Clausen* Christo$her' >%ane Austen Changes Her (ind?' Ameri#an S#holar' 65'/ @1999 ' 59-

99' 1/ Mo,' /005'

htt$8RR"e 'e s#ohost'#om'e!$ro)y' i 'hh'seRehostRdetailO,idU VhidU5VsidU /60292 -

23e - 6 9-5ff -d3 e3992 e/W 0sessionmgr9V dataU%nM$d 79Q.h,# Xt l/QXW d

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a marxist analysis of austen

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