Examples Of Class Rigidity In Persuasion

Social structures have almost always existed, along with the notion of the ability to persuade someone into going along with the current society in place. During the early 1800s, societal structures were still distinguished. By definition, persuasion is the action of convincing someone to do or believe something. Many times, when someone in persuasive enough, he or she will cause someone else to follow along with something he or she may not normally agree with. Class rigidity and persuasion often coincide because one must be convinced to agree with social structures for it to remain prominent. Naturally, in Jane Austen’s novel, Persuasion, the themes of class rigidity and persuasion are highlighted when Anne Elliot must choose between refusing

Naturally, Anne was particularly fond of Lady Russell because she was a dear friend of Anne’s late mother. However, when Captain Wentworth returns to her social circle, she begins to realize the advice she received seven years before may not have been the best. When Anne first knew Captain Wentworth, she was young and influenced by her father and close friend, Lady Russell, not to marry him because he was “a young man who had nothing but himself to recommend him, and no hopes of attaining affluence but in the chances of a most uncertain profession” (Austen 55). Of course, both Anne’s father and Lady Russell claimed an alliance with Captain Wentworth would be degrading since he did not own any wealth or title. Anne was told not to marry Captain Wentworth and allow him to leave to attain wealth. In addition, she was told he would never reach a higher level in the social structure, and Anne should wait for someone else who is already part of the upper class to marry. Inevitably, Lady Russell was persuasive enough to convince Anne to obey her, but years later, Anne does not quite agree with her past decision. At the time, Anne did not have the courage to stand up for what she wanted. Anne’s desire was the ability to choose her spouse, Captain Wentworth, and she thought she should be allowed to make the decision based upon her own instinct, rather than the thoughtful judgment by everyone else. Anne was still a young girl when she obeyed the advice, and she did not yet have a strong, independent mind. Anne wished to develop a strong independence, but ultimately, she happily trusted the advice from her friend and father instead of her