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ARTIFACT #1 A WILL OF HER OWN: CAPTURING THE TRANSFORMATION OF ANNE ELLIOT

IN JANE AUSTEN’S PERSUASION

The literature of Jane Austen has been regarded highly for the author’s depiction of

women’s lives. Austen repeatedly gave the spotlight of her narratives to heroines whose qualities

often set them apart from the ideas that many men had about women. In literature of the time, it

was not uncommon for the typical female ideal to be one of submission, possessing grace, or a

self-sacrificial attitude in service of others. Jane Austen triumphs over the more traditional ideals

of women by elevating women’s roles to include more than just the expectations which are set

forth for them. In doing so, Austen has created women who free themselves from what is often

expected of them, and who instead give thought to their own needs. This is most notable in the

final work of Jane Austen, a novel titled Persuasion. In this novel, Austen points the spotlight at

her most reformed female character: Anne Elliot, the oft neglected daughter of a baronet. The

novel focuses on Anne’s interior struggle between her sense of responsibility to her family and

others, and her growing understanding of her own needs, as told through her experiences in the

realm of courtship. Anne’s navigation of the social environment of her time presents a first-hand

account of the struggle which she faces as a young woman in high-society. It is a struggle which

takes her from the trappings of girlhood, wrapped up safely in the bounds of social construct, to

the final product of womanhood, capable of determining for herself what it is that a woman

needs; what she needs. This struggle provides the conflict of Anne’s transformative journey:

when to obey the duties set forth by others and when to obey the heart’s longings and be dutiful

to oneself. 

The subjugation of Anne was two-fold: a stern, unrelentingly persistent father, and a

motherly caregiver with grander visions of better company for the sweet, innocent, young, naive

Anne Elliot; a vision of a woman much like her late mother: prudent and acting for the better
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good. Lady Russell spoke with persuasive words, and the entire matter became an issue not of

Anne’s feelings for Wentworth, nor of the feelings of either her father or Lady Russell, but a

matter of practicality. Anne was persuaded that this engagement might not be practical for

Wentworth, and whether that is true or not has no bearing on her relinquishment of him. As

Esther Moon notes in their article, “Almost Too Good for Me,” Anne was persuaded by “Lady

Russell’s social values of prudence, propriety, and predictable success.” She believed--or more

so had to--that what she had committed was for some purpose of good. Lady Russell had

described the engagement as “hardly capable of success,” but it was Anne who determined that

she would leave him so that he would not be ruined (Austen Ch. 4). Moon notes further that

“Anne was not only a victim forced by external powers to deny her true desires; she was also a

moral agent who chose to be persuaded into self-interest” (Moon). What kind of failed future had

Anne envisioned? It is not said; however, it can be said that Anne’s reasoning was pursued in the

hope that her action would help him, not in belief that it actually would. Anne, young as she was,

had no reason to not follow the advice of her trusted caregiver, and she was not only persuaded

to follow the recommended action of Lady Russell, but persuaded to choose a decision that

appeared more prudent for Wentworth, and for herself. Unfortunately, Anne had not yet learned,

as she does later in Persuasion, that “she and her excellent friend could sometimes think

differently” (Austen Ch. 16). The true feelings of Anne Elliot were suppressed, the consequences

of which were felt for years after, and Anne had to learn that not all safe decisions are for the

best.

It was eight years until Anne had the chance to reverse what had occurred when she was

19 years old. The actions that had separated her from Wentworth had placed her further on a path

of upper-class female instruction into the duties of a young woman. This pressure to conform to
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the expectations for a young, marriable woman, however, kept her from actually realizing the

end result of this preparation: marriage. The regret of having caused this outcome affects Anne’s

personality, having “clouded every enjoyment of youth,” and leading to “an early loss of bloom

and spirits” (Austen Ch. 4). It is a conflict borne of the warring emotions produced by an

adherence to the rules of regency and her own drive to pursue love where she finds it.

In the article “I Wanted to Be Doing Something’: Freudian Sublimation and Regency

Gender Roles in Persuasion,” Kailey Rhone describes some of the varied pressures that affect

Anne as a result of her social position. Rhone writes that “the rules of Regency society dictate

that as an unmarried woman in her late twenties, (Anne’s) primary concern should be caring for

her family” (Rhone). Rhone’s statement is partially supported by a passage from George

Lyttelton’s “Advice to a Lady,” which states “a woman’s noblest station is retreat; Her fairest

virtues fly from publick sight, Domestick worth, that shuns too strong a light” (Lyttelton lines

52-54). This book instructs young women to find comfort inside, finding worth in domesticity

Resigned to remain a help at home, growing old and without a sign of luck in finding

love, Anne’s fate was to be a woman whose virtues were hidden in the home, and out of the light

of day. It was a common fate, set out in the guidebooks for female duties. One such book,

William Kenrick’s The Whole Duty of a Woman, was among the gamut of literature aimed at

governing the growth of women in the eighteenth-century, upper class, English society. Of the

duties of young virgins, Kenrick believes “there is scarce any thing looks more indecent, than to

see a young Maid too forward and confident in her talk” (Kenrick p.71). His stress further

solidifies an image of a young woman whose sole duty is to remain on the sidelines, without a

strong voice to herself—another quality of Anne that seems to deviate from the norm.
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 As well as the above passage, Kenrick speaks of the dangers of flirtation for a young

woman: “Every indecent curiosity or impure fancy, is a deflowering of the mind, and every the

least corruption of them gives some degree of defilement to the body too.” (Kenrick pp.71-72).

Even flirtation is a danger for a young woman, who is meant to be pure and untainted. To

embrace the throes of blooming love is considered indecent. How dangerous, then, is a young

woman whose own desires lie on the line between societal standards and personal happiness.

At one time, Anne was convinced of the argument of her parental figures and followed

along as anyone her age might have done. However, she has not gone 8 years without a change

of heart. It is like Naomi Itokazu wrote in “Duty and Feminist Narration in Austen’s

Persuasion:” “Anne recognizes her family’s ill notion of duty, which is loyalty to appearance

and to social status, and this realization opens her to reexamining her own definition of duty to

include her own happiness” (Itokazu 1).  Itokazu argues that Anne has different standards than

those of her family. She always did, but she has come into the knowledge of her individual

standards in light of her family’s standards being put on full display. 

Anne has her own idea of what good company is like: “the company of clever, well-

informed people, who have a great deal of conversation; that is what I call good company"

(Austen Ch. 16).  She does not base her standards for interaction and relationships on “value of

rank,” or “ancestry,” or even on ideas of what constituted “good breeding,” as did Lady Russell

(Austen Ch. 2). Anne understands the worth of Lady Russell’s guidance in many things but she

has come to value her own ideals for a person as more beneficial for her personal wellbeing. This

is a conclusion that coincides with the observations of Itokazu, who states “that Anne is putting

her own happiness—duty to herself—higher in priority and displaying autonomy by choosing to

defy Lady Russell’s earlier advice against her engagement to Wentworth by the novel's end”
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(Itokazu p. 2). Anne Elliot is dutiful to her family and to those around her at almost all times and

has been since long before we meet her in this novel. Take for instance her treatment of the

Musgroves, or even her old friend Mrs. Smith, in whose service Anne serves for their benefit.

She has been the dutiful daughter and friend, but she must be her own servant if she is to realize

her own desires—be dutiful to herself.

Restricted to a role of service in the company of her family and friends, Anne fulfills an

important role in her family dynamic, being a more responsible person than her father and

sister--both of whom believe in continuing their quality of life in the face of pressing debt. Anne

is well respected by all for her characteristic humility, and yet the characters of Persuasion

hardly seem to consider Anne’s personal needs. Ritter asserts that this continuous servitude

which Anne occupies in her home and the domain of the Musgroves allows Anne to “retain her

innate nurturing spirit, but the roles also confine her to prevent the complete expression of her

personality.” The life of Anne is defined by what she has done for others; however, this changes

with Anne’s visit to Lyme. It is an opportunity for freedom from the atmosphere that has, for so

long, used Anne rather than given purchase to her brilliance. 

The move to Lyme is a freeing change for Anne Elliot, whose new freedom allows her to

expand herself beyond the boundaries of home and hearth. It is what Ritter describes as giving

“Anne the opportunity to break the stagnant cycle of Kellynch and Uppercross.” In her new

location, Anne is not bound by the forces which controlled her up to this point. Ritter quotes

Peter Graham: “The sea breezes Anne enjoys there bring some color back to a complexion faded

by eight years of lonely, cloistered penance.” She has entered not only a change of scenery but a

change of self. 
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Anne’s development of her own voice throughout the novel is indicative of the

transformative effects of her journey towards her self-expression. In fact, the development of

Anne in most ways is tied to her development in the art of persuasion and verbal expression. She

begins without much of a personal voice to express herself when the ideas of her maternal and

paternal figures, with their own persuasive arguments, infringe upon her wishes. The trip to

Lyme is where she ultimately learns to use her voice, and discovers she has a power that has yet

been untapped. As made evident by Janice Bowman Swanson, in their article “Toward a

Rhetoric of Self: The Art of Persuasion,” “Anne’s voice was overpowered by the persuasive

rhetoric of Lady Russell. Swanson argues that the development of Anne’s voice in Persuasion

“represents an escape from Lady Russell’s powers of speaking” (1). Lyme’s ultimate effect was

to present the opportunity for Anne to develop her own voice. This seems to come from the

freedom from such influence as Lady Russell, which allows Anne to act without the need to

service the wise counsel of her maternal figure. 

In Lyme, Anne engages in several conversations which demonstrate a fundamentally 

changed attitude towards the expression of her voice, and a growing power in its use. The cast of

Lyme provides Anne with variable opportunities for self-expression among a listening audience.

Compared to the characters back home, these characters are more open to hearing out the voice

of Anne Elliot, whose practice with the expression of her voice develops a comfortability with its

growing use. In one instance, Anne witnesses--among others--the collapse of Louisa Musgrove

at the Cobb, which motivates a charged response from Anne in order to do what she does best, as

Sobczak points out in this excerpt from Persuasion: “to be thought of some use” (Chapter 5).

Anne is the first to respond, and takes control of the situation to great effect. Her practice

produces capability in the events at the Cobb, where Anne attended to “Henrietta… tried to quiet
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Mary, to animate Charles, to assuage… Wentworth” who seemed to “look to her for directions”

(ch. 12). Anne, no longer the silent servant, takes “quiet charge” in the midst of panic, as even

Naval officers are at a loss of what to do (Swanson 11). Her control of the near-tragedy is only

natural to her, but expresses a strength of will and readiness to take charge when needed. 

Another situation in which Anne demonstrates her development is in her conversations

with Captain Benwick. Though they similarly share many traits and qualities which should bring

them together, one of the chief similarities which they share is a love for poetry. In their

discussions regarding poetry, Anne’s voice is remarkably confident. Anne proves herself with

Benwick to be just as well-versed with the subject of their discussions, and more than capable of

providing, as Sobczak writes, “her gentle conversation that encourages… healing” (59). 

In these scenarios at Lyme, Anne’s initiative in several situations displays a difference in

character from the Anne who was on the side lines, previously; the Anne who was

unappreciated. In Benwick, she even finds an equal, and is thought of the same way by him, as

well. They engage in meaningful discussion, and treat each other with equal respect. Sobczak, in

detailing the equal relationship between each of these characters, remarks on Benwick’s apparent

respect for Anne:  “Even if he does not actually mean to find these works, at least he pays her the

courtesy of listening to her suggestions and writing them down” (63). Furthermore, this respect

contrasts with the lack of respect that Anne receives from family members before her time spent

at Lyme. 

Benwick provides Anne with an inspiring respect for her character, which has not been

seen as of yet. This new respect for Anne is further explored in the reaction to Louisa’s fall at the

Cobb. Anne is respected in her navigation of the issue, even by the men present--Captains among

them. Anne is no longer a bystander, but an active component of the situations in which she is
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involved; she is an important member of the groups with which she interacts, and given due

respect for her ability.  This development in Anne’s control of her voice establishes a trend that

should follow through the rest of the novel: Lyme was the changing point for Anne. It is where

she learned to use her voice, where she saw its development progress along with her confidence

in using it, and also where she received the due respect which comes with the control of her

powerful voice.

The return of Lady Russell’s influence affects Anne’s progress in the development of her

voice. Anne’s growth is challenged by the initial condition in which she was restricted in the use

of her voice. In order to exhibit the control over voice that has been found in her time at Lyme,

Anne must practice this confidence in her voice against the persuasive opposition of Lady

Russell. Long time maternal figure, and a trusted counselor and friend, Anne finally takes control

as she denotes a change in the value of her mentor’s persuasion. A change of voice must follow a

change in whose voice is valued more. Anne, in her time apart from Lady Russell, has developed

a respect for her own opinions. In retaliation--an honest and caring revolt--Anne’s address to

Lady Russell exhibits a finality of development of her voice; the triumph over the persuasive

arguments which restricted her in the past. Anne was made to tell Lady Russell how “she had

been mistaken… unfairly influenced by appearances,” and to convince her mentor “she had been

completely wrong” (Ch. 24). This would not have been possible without a separation which

allowed Anne to realize the budding of her voice, and for it to mature before it became necessary

to use in order to secure a future for herself. 

Following the trip to Lyme which has given Anne a new perspective on her worth, and a

radically increased sense of personal voice, her physical appearance takes a change for the better,

inspiring comments all around about how “her skin, her complexion, greatly improved—clearer,
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fresher” (Austen ch. 16). However, Anne Elliot’s physical beauty is not often reflected upon

through the novel. It is often the opposite which is spelled out: that Anne is no longer in her

prime. A woman beyond the peak of her beauty. That even in her youth, “Anne Elliot had been a

pretty girl, but her bloom had vanished early” (Chapter 1). It is needless to say that she is without

fanfare for her physical beauty., which is long gone for the better part of the novel’s events.

Stephanie Eddleman summates Anne’s feelings regarding her own beauty as being heavily

influenced by the perceptions of others; arguments that become all the more persuasive for a girl

whose tendency is to serve the thoughts of others rather than her own (122).  

Even if Anne has aged, what she has lost in youthful splendor has been replaced two-fold

with excellence in character. It is this quality of character which, when finally expressed later in

the novel, brings Anne’s physical beauty to the forefront, and which begs her audience to be

impressed by a display of mature beauty. However, such abundance of excellent character is ill-

treated by the expectations of others. Much as in the case of Anne, Edelman points out that

“strictures placed on mature women and society’s reluctance to view them as attractive often

move these women to the sidelines of life.” Regardless, Anne’s development defeats the

subjugation that she experiences. She develops a voice to express her own mind--a powerful

quality in a woman which counteracts the general perception that she is undesirable for her

looks. Anne’s growing voice challenges others to re-evaluate how they perceive her; however,

most importantly, her growing voice instills within herself a respect for who she is, which shines

in the form of a changed physical appearance.

It was a physical change deviating from her own change of mind--a change of action and

belief that affected her character so thoroughly as to appear a new woman. Anne was shown to

be changed because, after all, “for the first time in many years, (she) feels her own self worth
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both in company and in conversation” (Sobczak 66). It is a change that ultimately guides her to

Captain Wenworth, since had she not been so confident in her speech she would not have been

reunited with the object of her passion. It is a culmination of her development throughout the

novel that she should become so actively engaged in a conversation about love. This becomes

her ultimate test: not only a display of her ability to confidently approach this discussion, but

also a chance to express herself freely. Anne’s navigation of this topic with Captain Harville

becomes more than a discussion of love and how it is expressed; it is Anne’s argument for

women and herself, so that they might be understood. In this debate, Anne is taking an active

role in fighting how she is to be perceived, as well as giving voice to the concerns which she has

kept within.

In a form that is less physically obvious than beauty, Anne Elliot’s transformation is also

exhibited throughout Persuasion in the form of three characteristics often attributed to religious

characters. These characteristics are faith, hope, and charity. Monica Colon, author of the article

“Her Future Sunshine,” defines these characteristics as being unlike other theological virtues,

because “one can never have enough of them.” She further defines these three characteristic

virtues by specifying how they are exhibited in a virtuous person. “Faith is placing one’s trust

in…oneself or another person...Hope is trusting that something good may come out of acting on

faith,” and “charity is selfless love for someone, often undeserved.”  Though these virtues are

always present, they exhibit development during the gradual transformation of Anne.

Faith is present in Anne’s interaction at the beginning of Persuasion, especially in the

conflict that follows Anne’s involvement with the young Captain Wentworth. Though she was

fond of him at the time, at the behest of her father and Lady Russell, Anne chose to disband the

engagement to Captain Wentworth. Her faith was in the advice of her parental figures, and for
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that reason she chose against her best wishes; although, she chose to believe that such a choice

was done in the best interest of the young Captain Wentworth, and securing his future success. 

Charity is a constant for Anne, displayed in her unfaltering love for Captain Wentworth,

even after eight years have passed. Furthermore, her actions display a charitable nature in her

service of others. She listens to the troubles of Mary, though she does not have much to gain

from doing so. Anne becomes a kind ear to the troubles of the Musgroves, a trusted mediator

between them. She is even the first to act in the case of Louisa’s fall, and is well respected for

her judgement among those of the Musgrove’s home. 

Hope is lacking in Anne for some time. Her future is unclear and the prospects of finding

happiness are constantly dashed. She maintains a hope that is described in “Fearless in

Thankfulness: Anne Elliot’s Narrative Despair and Narrative Hope,” by Leta Sundet, as being

“painfully modest… suggesting a constant bracing for disappointment.” Anne has faith in others,

and in their plans, but refrains from possessing any amount of hope. Anne is faithful, and that is

why she is not hopeful. Possessing faith requires naught more than the placement of trust; hope

requires that the faithful should believe in a positive result of such an application of faith. Anne

refuses to make the leap from faithfulness to hopefulness for as long as she does not believe that

the result of her decisions--including the decision to let Wentworth go almost a decade ago--will

not lead her to a more pleasant result than loneliness; to be an unwed spinster. 

Hope manifests in Anne’s growing confidence in her own judgement. This is the product

of her time spent among better company in the city of Lyme, where she begins to act on her

feelings, following her interest for Captain Wentworth in the process. Once Anne is made aware

of the possibility of a future with Wentworth--what Sundet refers to as “Anne’s real transition

into hope”--she purposefully seeks out the Captain, engaging in conversation with him, in
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defiance of her once subtle and reserved nature. Anne has faith in the plans that life has for her,

and “at last, faith has brought hope back to Anne, and she is able to believe that she may have

another chance with Frederick” (Colon). 

Lyme stands as one of the defining points in the transformation of Anne’s character.

Though she approached the city as a subject of her family’s service, and as a young woman

frequently underestimated for her abilities, she did not leave as either. Lyme was a catalyst for

her transformation. She begins to demonstrate an Anne Elliot with a stronger voice, capable of

having herself heard, which was almost unheard of before her stay at Lyme. This new Anne

breaks free from the constraints that had once held her, denying the requests of others which aim

to return her to her unduly submissive role, and following her own will. 

(Gap before end)

(Near the end, including conclusion)

Compared to other Austenian heroines, Anne Elliot is notable in how her role in the novel

is unlike the more traditional roles that Austen gives to other female leads. Specifically, Claire

Eileen Tarlson draws a comparison between Elizabeth of Pride and Prejudice, and Anne of

Persuasion. Whereas the former found herself  reconsidering a previous refusal due to a change

of mind inspired by the change of a man. The latter experienced a change within herself that

caused her to reconsider a previous refusal. Anne rejected Wentworth as a matter of practicality,

but her transformation throughout the novel highlights her development as an individual, and her

change of heart as a result is not a reflection of the growth of Captain Wentworth but of Anne

Elliot’s acceptance of her desires. Ultimately, Persuasion “accounts for and endorses a

philosophy where action is based upon emotion, instinct and interest for one's own personal

happiness” (Tarlson  2).

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Anne Elliot, in a way, is a representation of Austen’s lean towards the revolutionary; the

good that can come from liberation. A text centered in the midst of conflict, the characters

themselves should rightly reflect the influences of such. The Napoleonic Wars and the rise of a

new generation of wealth produces an atmosphere of revolution in which change is the name of

the game. Anne is a part of neither of these movements, but neither is she unaffected by them as

the soon to be wife of a naval captain whose own rise to wealth comes from that social escalation

which is redefining the landscape of English nobility. 

In Anne, Austen writes of a heroine whose understanding of happiness comes from her

acceptance of herself, and not from participation in the strictures of civilized society. Tarlson

claims that Anne’s characteristics echo the “tenets of the Romantic movement--individualism,

imagination, and emotion” (14).  She further claims that Austen is reacting to the Romantic

movement in this way: if “Romanticism gave individualism and (emotion) back to a human race

bogged down in reason and empiricism, then Austen is… trying to give the very same gift back

to women” (14).

One extra note from Tarlson’s research is to identify the role of the “absent mother” in

the development of Austenian heroines, and especially Anne.  The absence of a maternal figure

removes the guiding figure for the feminine role in society. “Without a mother's stabilizing

presence, a heroine is able to propel herself forward to a consciousness that allows her to make

decisions based upon her own interpretation of what is good and desirable” (17). Her choices

were her own, and not those instructed for her by her mother. She had the memory of her

mother’s influence to drive her in the right direction, but the freedom to align herself with her

own course, in order to do what was right for herself. Despite what her family might feel is
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owed  to them by Anne, she has the ability to distance herself from them in demanding her due

respect.

(Mystery of the Self in Persuasion)

(Architecture of the Mind and Place in Jane Austen’s Persuasion)

(Romanticism of Persuasion)

(Conclusion)

Anne’s experience of becoming more dutiful to herself ultimately culminates in the

rejection of her choice 8 years ago. In re-introducing herself to Wentworth and realizing her love

for him for a second time, she rejects the initial guidance of her father and of her maternal figure,

in order to pursue what she deems is better for herself. Anne’s own narration of the events that

follow her and Wentworth’s renewed realization of mutual love reflects on this fact: “When any

two young people take it into their heads to marry, they are pretty sure by perseverance to carry

their point, be they ever so poor, or ever so imprudent, or ever so little likely to be necessary to

each other's ultimate comfort” (Austen Ch. 24). Though Wentworth was no longer facing the

same objection from those concerned for Anne and her duty to marry a man of status, it seems a

union such as this one was destined to be. From the day of its decision; for better, or for worse;

in sickness, in health; for richer, for poorer; ‘til death they part. And it might have been for the

best that these two have waited, or maybe it was a tragedy that they should be separated for so

long, but as it stands “how should a Captain Wentworth and an Anne Elliot, with the advantage

of maturity of mind, consciousness of right, and one independent fortune between them, fail of

bearing down every opposition?” (Austen Ch. 24).  Sir Walter, cold and discerning, “was far

from thinking (Wentworth) a bad match for her,” and had seemed to grow fond of the rank of the
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Captain. Though Lady Russell was the only one whose “opposition of feeling could excite any

serious anxiety,” there was no stopping what had finally come about. Though her protest rings

out, “she must learn to feel that she had been mistaken with regard to both… unfairly influenced

by appearance” (Austen Ch. 24). Anne asserts herself in making sure that Lady Russell,

protective and well-intentioned as she may be, comes to the realization that she had not liked

Captain Wentworth because his character “had not suited her own ideas, and she had been too

quick in suspecting… a character of dangerous impetuosity” (Austen Ch. 24).

Anne’s journey in Persuasion required a step of growth in order for her to realize an

important fact. She would never find a richness of felicity in the bounds of her family, or even in

the home of her youth. Despite having met a man whose presence she enjoyed, and of which a

common accord had been reached, she was denied such by the pursuance of prudence in the

guidance of her trusted family. It was a rude awakening that she had been persuaded by good

intentions, but the road to recovery is a road of discovery, not just of the world around but also of

the reality of oneself. Though duty calls every woman to obey the guidance of others, and to

remain a subservient fixture in service of another, it is a woman’s duty to be dutiful to themself.

Only Anne knew what should make her happy, and she found that in rejection of the aged

guidance of others and the embrace of her own idea of good company.
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Old sources:

Austen, Jane. Persuasion. E-Book, Project Gutenberg, 2019.

https://www.gutenberg.org/files/105/105-h/105-h.htm. Accessed 5 Apr. 2021.
Accessed 2 May 2021
Itokazu, Naomi L. Duty and Feminist Narration in Austen’s Persuasion. 2011. Southern
Illinois University Carbondale. Graduate Research Paper. OpenSIUC.
https://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1172&context=gs_rp.
Accessed 5 Apr. 2021.
Kenrick, William. “Chapter VI: The Duty of Virgins.” The Whole Duty of a Woman, or,
An Infallible Guide to the Fair Sex , London: Printed for T. Reed, 1737, pp. 71–72.
Internet Archive, archive.org/details/wholedutyawoman00unkngoog/page/n79/mode/2up.
Accessed 2 May 2021
Lyttelton, George, 1st Baron Lyttelton. "ADVICE to a LADY." Eighteenth-Century
Poetry Archive, 26 Feb 2021 (v1.4 (Winter 2020/21)). Web. Accessed 2 May 2021.
https://www.eighteenthcenturypoetry.org/works/o5153-w0090.shtml
Moon, Esther. “Almost Too Good for Me”: The Seasoning of Anne Elliot’s Idealism.”
Persuasions: The Jane Austen Journal
On-Line, vol. 38, no. 1, Winter
2017, http://jasna.org/publications-2/persuasions-online/vol38no1/rhone/.
Accessed 7 Apr. 2021.
Rhone, Kailey. “I Wanted to Be Doing Something”: Freudian Sublimation and Regency
Gender Roles in Persuasion.” Persuasions: The Jane Austen Journal On-Line, vol. 38,
no. 1, Winter 2017, http://jasna.org/publications-2/persuasions-online/vol38no1/rhone/.
Accessed 7 Apr. 2021.
Sodeman, Melissa. “Domestic Mobility in ‘Persuasion’ and ‘Sanditon.’” Studies in
English Literature, 1500-1900, vol. 45, no. 4, 2005, pp. 787–812. JSTOR,
www.jstor.org/stable/3844615. Accessed 2 May 2021.

New sources

Colon, Monica. “‘Her Future Sunshine’: The Blossoming of Faith, Hope, and Charity in
the Life of Anne Elliot.” JASNA 2018 Essay Contest, 2018, https://jasna.org/publications-
2/essay-contest-winning-entries/2018-essay-contest/colon. Accessed 3 Oct. 2021.
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Monica Colon analyzes the characteristics of faith, hope, and charity in Anne
Elliot throughout Persuasion. Monica concludes that Anne has gained all three of these
virtues over the course of the text, transforming as a character during the period of time
from her first encounters with Captain Wentworth to her eventual marriage with him.
This analysis focuses on a different side of her character than many other articles.
Adapting Monica’s focus of these virtues into my own analysis appears to be an excellent
way to expand the detail into which I am able to delve into Anne’s transformation.

Eddleman, Stephanie M. “Past the Bloom: Aging and Beauty in the Novels of Jane
Austen.” Persuasions, vol. 37, 2015, pp. 119–133.,
https://scholarworks.harding.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1039&context=english-
facpub. Accessed 3 Oct. 2021.

Stephanie Eddleman details the aspect of age and beauty of characters in

Persuasion. Stephanie reminds the audience that deriving self-worth from self-beauty is
self-defeating. Characters, like Anne Elliot, demonstrate what it means to age with grace
and dignity, nurturing one’s good character rather than physical beauty. Though the
article focuses more on the physical aspects of growth and beauty, there is much to be
gained from how Stephanie draws comparisons between holding on to looks that fade
and embracing a respectful, graceful beauty--one that is almost as virtuous as Monica
Colon wrote about.

Gay, Penny. “The Romanticism of Persuasion.” Sydney Studies in English, vol. 5, 1979,
pp. 15–30., https://openjournals.library.sydney.edu.au/index.php/SSE/article/view/352
Accessed 3 Oct. 2021.

Penny Gay relates the character of Anne Elliot, and her reception to various
environmental changes, as displaying a “subtle Romanticism.” Penny notes a
miraculous transition from the beginning of the text to the end, where Anne changes from
a young woman, bound to her family, and hopelessly alone, to a woman
become“tenderness itself” in a “truly Cinderella-like transformation.” The
characteristics of the relationships that Anne had during her transformation, as well as
her interactions in them are responsible for the increasing strength of Anne’s conviction
and independent voice. These changes are notable enough for my own adaptation of
them in my work on the subject.

Koppel, Gene. “The Mystery of the Self in Persuasion.” Persuasions, no. 6, 1984, pp.
48–53., https://www.jasna.org/persuasions/printed/number6/koppel.htm. Accessed 3
Oct. 2021.

Gene Koppel explores the meaning of “self” as it relates to philosophical thought

during Jane Austen’s lifetime. He explores how this philosophy of “fulfillment (that)
came not through a fevered search for a unique destiny, but through one’s traditional
roles as a member of a family and a community,” and the growing sense of doubt in this
philosophy around when Jane Austen was alive. He applies this to characters like Anne
Elliot in order to understand their sense of self, including conflicts with such philosophy.
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I am intrigued by the findings of Anne’s own unselfishness in light of her own treatment
by self-seeking individuals, which keeps her “fully human.”

Posusta, Rebecca. “Architecture of the Mind and Place in Jane Austen’s ‘Persuasion.’”
Critical Survey, vol. 26, no. 1, Berghahn Books, 2014, pp. 76–91,
http://www.jstor.org/stable/24712590. Accessed 3 Oct. 2021

Rebecca Posusta’s focus lies solely on the way that Jane Austen uses Anne Elliot
in the contradiction of public and private behaviors. Anne Elliot, as Rebecca explains,
moves from being fully restricted by the environment she is in to gaining more spaces to
inhabit. Finally, however, Anne exhibits a defiance of the traditional rules of gender
placement. Anne changes, being active in a space where, earlier, she would have avoided
notice. The research into how Anne improves herself in her navigation of social spaces
intrigues me, and I want to see how I can incorporate it into my own work.

Ritter, Amanda V. “Visiting Lyme: Changing Location to Change Character in

Persuasion.” Jane Austen Society of North America, 2015, https://jasna.org/publications-
2/essay-contest-winning-entries/2015/changing-location-to-change-character-in-
persuasion/. Accessed 3 Oct. 2021

Amanda Ritter explains the several changes of environment that Anne Elliot
experienced in the duration of the text allow Anne a new, unprecedented level of
expression of her own personality. This improved situation is found in the move to Lyme,
according to Amanda. Anne’s time at Lyme improves her character, giving her more
authority over her own life. This article focuses on a section of the text that seems to
exhibit a grand change in the character of Anne, or at least make way for it. This
information is valuable in locating when/where Anne changes in the text.

Sobczak, Emma Elizabeth. “I Speak, Therefore I Am: Anne Elliot's Voice in Persuasion.”
NC Docks, Appalachian State University, Appalachian State University, 2013,
https://libres.uncg.edu/ir/asu/listing.aspx?id=16321. Accessed 3 Oct. 2021.

Emma Sobczak focuses on the “voice” of Anne Elliot. This extends not only to the
vocality of Anne, but also to her presence, both literally and figuratively, throughout the
text. Though beginning as a silent character, she becomes more vocal, and is
increasingly less afraid to voice her thoughts as the text progresses. To incorporate this
article into my own work, I would compare this to other articles that concern the
increasing vocality/courage of Anne Elliot as she defies the oppressive home life that
kept her silent, and embraces the self she has found in the text (like her change at Lyme).

Sundet, Leta M. “‘Fearless in Thankfulness’: Anne Elliot’s Narrative Despair and

Narrative Hope.” JASNA 2018 Essay Contest, 2018, https://jasna.org/publications-
2/essay-contest-winning-entries/2018-essay-contest/sundet/. Accessed 3 Oct. 2021.

Leta Sundet explores the situations that cause Anne to fall into despair.
Furthermore, Leta discovers the transitory process of Anne into hopefulness for her
future. Leta finds the gradual series of events that make up this transition to help Anne
rediscover “her to trust in the Providence she once distrusted” and to learn the
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“cheerful confidence in futurity” that comes from being loved. A more subtle analysis of
how Anne transforms, but still a different side of the story that focuses on how Anne
rediscovers what it means to be loved while developing a hope against future despair. I
plan to consult this, at the least.

Swanson, Janice Bowman. “Toward a Rhetoric of Self: The Art of Persuasion.”

Nineteenth-Century Fiction, vol. 36, no. 1, University of California Press, 1981, pp. 1–
21, https://www.jstor.org/stable/3044548. Accessed 3 Oct. 2021

Janice Swanson largely discusses the art of persuasion, and its usage in the text.
Her focus covers Anne Elliot, as well, and her own expression of self and power
“appropriate to her ‘elegance’ and ‘tone’ of mind.” The article is valuable for its
detailed level of discussion regarding Anne’s own journey in the art of persuasion, and
her growing vocal presence as a result. For this reason, I plan to use this article for
digging deeper into Anne’s vocal/conversational transformation, or even how this ability
makes way for her transformation as a whole.

Tarlson, Claire Eileen. “Jane Austen, Persuasion, and the Pursuit of Happiness.”
Lethbridge Undergraduate Research Journal, vol. 1, no. 1, University of Lethbridge
Library, 2006, https://opus.uleth.ca/bitstream/handle/10133/482/Tarlson.pdf?
sequence=1&isAllowed= Accessed 3 Oct. 2021

Claire Tarlson compares the motives of several Austenian characters in their own
pursuits. However, of note is her observations of Anne Elliot, as well as how standout her
own actions appear when related to those of Elizabeth from Pride and Prejudice.
Importantly, Austen shows, in the comparison of these characters, her own shift into
Romanticism, valuing emotion over reason. She concludes that Anne’s individualism
proves the validity and worth of female emotion. Claire finally asserts that “Anne
Elliot's actions show overbearing family influence to be an invalid force in a woman's
life, and the maternal figure to be an antiquated role model for a woman aspiring to find
happiness from a 19 th century world.” As with Anne, “goodness and happiness lie in a
woman's ability and courage to act upon her passion, emotion and instinct.” This belies
a part of the central idea I am working with, which follows Anne’s discovery of becoming
responsible for her own happiness. For that reason, I find this article valuable for
expanding upon what my original focus is.