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Persuasion by Jane Austen
How significant was Lady Russell's role in advising Sir Walter and suggesting to his daughter Anne, what she might and should be doing?
Lady Russell's role in advising Sir Walter and his daughter Anne played a key role in this novel. In fact, without her, it would not have taken place. Early in the book, Austen describes Lady Russell as a good woman. She writes, "She was a benevolent, charitable, good woman, and capable of strong attachments, most correct in her conduct, strict in her notions of decorum, and with manners that were held a standard of good-breeding" (Austen). However, Lady Russell is also steeped in the idea of class and money, and her advice to Anne not to marry Captain Wentworth, because he is "below" her station in life is misguided and misjudged. Lady Russell seems to think she knows what is best for everyone, and often advises them according to her own beliefs and prejudices, rather than taking their needs and feelings into account at all. Anne is a very good case in point.
Anne has always loved Captain Wentworth, but turned down his marriage proposal because of Lady Russell's meddling. She has spent the last ten years in sadness and solitude, even in her own family. She could have had ten years of happiness and contentment had it not been for Lady Russell, who finally acknowledges she made a grave mistake when she gave Anne advice about the man. Late in the novel Austen writes, "There was nothing less for Lady Russell to do, than to admit that she had been pretty completely wrong, and to take up a new set of opinions and of hopes" (Austen). Lady Russell was instrumental in turning Anne and her father against Captain Wentworth, and it was a bad decision. Anne finally finds happiness despite the meddling of others, and so, the novel ends happily. However, Lady Russell's advice caused her years of pain and suffering, and that is a significant aspect of this novel, thus, Lady Russell is a key character in the reason and outcome of the book.
References
Austen, J. Persuasion. Retrieved from the Bibliomania.com Web site: http://www.bibliomania.com/0/0/6/11/frameset.html2 August 2007.
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