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Delores Ferguson
Miss Billotte
Honors English 12
16 March 2012
The Persuasion of Happiness or Money
Marriage is a key element in society because it is the foundation of every family and sets
an example for the world to see. It has always been a very important factor in every century that
has passed. In some instances, people wonder why they actually got married in the first place.
Some get married for the right reasons and others for the wrong reasons. Thinking along the
lines of right and wrong, everyone has a different opinion. In the book Persuasion, there are
many instances where the characters are engaged or married because of the inheritance they will
receive from their future spouses, while others are engaged or married because they are
completely in love with the future spouses, and they are happy. Which should be chosen,
happiness or money? In a marriage, happiness will always be more important than the amount of
money the spouse has.
The key themes of Jane Austen’s final book, Persuasion, are marriage, romance, and
persuasion. This has an effect on the theme because it was the transformation from the
eighteenth century to the nineteenth century. When reading this book, a basic understanding of
what marriage means and how it has an important role in every society would make it seem more
knowledgeable. Marriage is uniquely beneficial to society because it is the foundation of the
family, and the building block for society (“Marriage in the U.S.”). Marriage is equally
significant in every society because it sets an example of how it is the main foundation and
building block. The main reason it is the foundation of the family is because marriage brings
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two people together to create a life bestowed upon happiness. According to Mr. David
Blankenhorn, “Marriage is a gift that society bestows on the next generation. Marriage, and only
marriage, unites the three core dimensions of parenthood – biological, social, and legal, - into
one pro-child form: the married couple,” (“Marriage in the U.S.”). Mr. Blankenhorn is correct.
Marriage is a gift that society bestows upon the next generation. Marriage brings significant
stability and meaning to human relationships (“Marriage in the U.S.”). One purpose of marriage
is to bond two people to one another, and build a stronger relationship based on happiness and
love. According to Conservative Policy Research and Analysis:
Marriage is not merely a private contract, but a social institution of great
public value and concern, plays an important role in transmitting culture
and civilization to future generations, and it remains the ideal for raising
children. (“Marriage in the U.S.”)
Even though cultures are different from one another, in some arranged marriages, they still have
the same purpose as a normal marriage. Even though they hardly know the person they are to
marry, they eventually build their relationship to make it stronger. Our society, generations to
come, culture, and children are affected by the role of marriage.
The only married couple to truly represent happiness was Admiral and Mrs. Croft. The
two of them were happy, and divided just about everything equally in their marriage so they
could make it work:
With the exception, perhaps, of Admiral and Mrs. Croft, who seemed particularly
attached and happy, (Anne could allow no other exception even among married
couples) there could have been no two hearts so open, no tastes so similar, no
feelings so in unison, no countenances so beloved. (Austen 46)
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The Crofts had a particularly strong marriage, and they were happy. They were happy because
the two were so alike; also, they relied on each other for support and do not constrain each other
to their separate spheres. The Crofts never bicker, argue, or fight. They have, in nearly every
way, a model marriage (“Literary Analysis: Persuasion”). Since they are well bonded together
the Crofts set a perfect example of how happiness made their marriage flow. Anne didn’t make
any other exceptions other than to the Crofts. Anne, the heroine, was in a Cinderella setting, and
it heightened her needs for affection (Harding 50). Anne felt a rapid amount of emotions all at
once because the type of man Captain Wentworth turned out to be:
He was, at the time, a remarkably fine young man, with a great deal of
intelligence, spirit and brilliancy; and Anne an extremely pretty girl, with
gentleness, modesty, taste, and feeling. – Half the sum of attraction, on either
side, might have been enough, for he had nothing to do, and she had hardly
anybody to love; but the encounter of such lavish recommendations could not fail.
They were gradually acquainted, rapidly and deeply in love. It would be difficult
to say which had seen highest perfection in the other, or which had been the
happiest; she, in receiving his declarations and proposals, or he in having them
accepted. (Austen 18)
Anne and Captain Frederick Wentworth were both very happy about their engagement. No one
could really tell if it was the Captain who made Anne as happy as she was. Anne was happy
with Wentworth, not because of the money, but because she loved him.
Love and happiness were important in marriage, but then there was the money. The
marriage was judged from a financial prospective (“Persuasion Themes”). Anne commonly
thought of the financial aspects. She thought of how Wentworth had no fortune to his name:
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Anne Elliot, with all her claims of birth, beauty, and mind, to throw away herself
away at nineteen; involve herself at nineteen in an engagement with 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, and no connetions to
secure even his farther rise in that profession; would be, indeed, a throwing away,
which she grieved to think of! (Austen 18)
This does seem to disprove the fact that happiness is greater than money because it shows how
Anne is starting to doubt her thoughts of wanting to be with Wentworth. Money must be
disposed of in a marriage (Mudrick 60). To dispose of money from a marriage means to just not
worry about the financial end of things because money does not make a marriage work. Money
only makes the relationship harder on the couple. The statement from Mr. Mudrick contradicts
the idea of Anne, and her thoughts of leaving Wentworth. Some of the marriages (or hopes of
marriages) have no purpose other than social or financial benefit of one party (“Persuasion
Themes”). Anne’s family owned the Kellynch estate, and in most cases the woman in the
relationship marries the man because he is the one with the fortune. In this situation, that is not
the case. Anne technically doesn’t own Kellynch estate; it belongs to her father, Sir Walter
Elliot, and Wentworth had no fortune to his name. Neither Anne nor Wentworth was marrying
based on the aspects of money. They were happy with each other but Anne went to her
godmother, Lady Russell, for final advice and the persuasion that would change the next seven
years of Anne’s life.
Everyone on the Kellynch estate had a personal opinion; the one that meant most to Anne
was Lady Russell’s:
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Lady Russell, whom she had always loved and relied on, could not, with such
steadiness of opinion, and such tenderness of manner, be continually advising her
in vain. She was persuaded to believe the engagement a wrong thing – indiscreet,
improper, hardly capable of success, and not deserving it. (Austen 19)
There is where persuasion takes control of Anne. The title of the novel derives presumably from
the instance of Lady Russell’s persuading Anne not to marry Captain Wentworth. Lady
Russell’s personal persuasion is that a prudent marriage involves a man with either family
fortune to his name (“Persuasion Themes”). With this thought in mind, Anne does break off the
engagement. “A few months had seen the beginning and the end of their acquaintance; but, not
with a few months ended Anne’s share of suffering from it” (Austen 19). Anne did suffer from
the break off. She was overriding the impulse of her heart (Graham 276). Anne threw away her
happiness and love she felt for Wentworth; Lady Russell’s persuasion had a huge impact on
Anne’s future happiness. Anne did not want to leave Wentworth; she wanted to stay with him
because she loved him with her heart, and actually felt the affection she was receiving from him
after he was gone. Seven years later, Anne and Captain Wentworth rekindle the embers of their
love (Graham 277). The rekindling of this love brings forth the everlasting happiness the two
will have for one another.
Before the rekindling of their love, Wentworth had to return Kellynch Hall. “From this
time Captain Wentworth and Anne Elliot were repeatedly in the same circle. They were soon
dining in the company together at Mr. Musgrove’s” (Austen 45). Captain Wentworth returned
because his sister and brother-in-law were taking Kellynch Hall from Sir Walter Elliot. Upon his
return, a few events occurred with the Miss Musgrove’s. They happen to be the daughters of Mr.
Musgrove, which the Captain wants to use against Anne to make her jealous. Initially cool to his
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former love, rather able to see the diminution of her beauty because he was unable to forgive her
for the rejection; the captain flirts with the Musgrove girls (Graham 277). Anne did witness this
and her true emotions weren’t able to be found. After the Crofts take Kellynch Hall, Anne is in
Bath. “While Admiral Croft was taking this walk with Anne, and expressing his wish of getting
Captain Wentworth to Bath, Captain Wentworth was already on his way thither” (Austen 128).
Wentworth discovered the intensity of his devotion to Anne, and he hurries to Bath to declare his
attachment in what brings together the most powerful engagement (Graham 277). The second
engagement between Anne and Wentworth is more powerful than the first because they both
have realized they can’t live without each other. Basically, the Captain’s feelings for his love
never left him. He held onto them for a while, and he never truly realized this until he was
almost married to Louisa. “‘Would you, in short, have renewed the engagement then?’ ‘Would
I! ” (Austen 184). Wentworth repeated his proposal to Anne, and this time she accepts (Nandrea
49). It is realized that they were meant to be with one another. Anne accepted his engagement
once again. Yes, he did have money, but she was happy and they wanted to feel warmth and
graciousness. “They might in fact have borne down a great deal more than they met with, for
there was little to distress them beyond the want of graciousness and warmth” (Austen 185).
Anne Elliot and her captain were so close to losing a love that was rare and true to them (Graham
277). Together the two of them will be able to build a marriage. Even if their marriage happens
to be imprudent, it will still lead to their happiness (“Persuasion Themes”). Together they would
be able to make happiness out this marriage no matter what type it happens to be because as long
as they are in love that is all that should truly matter. There was a willingness to see happiness in
hitherto unacceptable ways, just to recognize love and merit without scrutinizing their pedigrees
(Clausen ). Happiness was demonstrated in some unacceptable ways, but in the end everyone’s
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happiness was more important than their social class or money. In the end Anne and Wentworth
were reengaged, and they did feel happy with one another. Thus, their happiness was more
important than the money had gain during his Naval experience.
In short, happiness will always be more important in a marriage then money. Admiral
Croft and Mrs. Croft demonstrate how they work together, share responsibilities, and support
each other. Their marriage is a fair and is based more off the love and things they share together,
rather than the money they have inherited. Anne was to marry Captain Wentworth for his
money, money he didn’t have, but she was persuaded by Lady Russell to not marry him. Once
Anne broke off the engagement, Captain Wentworth left Kellynch Hall for a while and did not
come back for seven to eight years. When Wentworth came back, he realized that he still loved
Anne. It was not because of the money she had, or the money he had, it was because he was
happy and his feelings for her never left. Most of the marriages in the book are based off money
and inheritance. In those marriages the husband and wife are constantly bickering and fighting,
they do not share the responsibility, and they hardly support one another. Yes all marriages do
have conflict, but most conflicts don’t last long if they are just simple. Once Anne and
Wentworth finally come back together, the two of them grow happier than they were before
because they did not care if their marriage would have been imprudent. All that mattered was
their marriage was happy. In this happy ending love stomps of money. Money isn’t very
important in a marriage because most financial problems tend to lead to unhappiness.
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Works Cited
Austen, Jane. Persuasion. Mineola: Dover Publications, Inc., 1997. Print.
Clausen, Christopher. "Jane Austen Changes Her Mind." American Scholar 68.2 (1999): 89-99.
OmniFile Full Text Select (H.W. Wilson). Web. 25 Jan. 2012.
Graham, Peter W. “Jane Austen.” Critical Survey of Long Fiction. Vol. 1. Hackensack, New
Jersey: Salem Press, 2012. 276-277. Print.
Harding, D.W. “Austen.” Nineteenth-Century Literature Criticism. Laurie Lanzen Harris. Vol 1.
Detroit: Gale Research Inc., 1981. 50. Print.
“Literary Analysis: Persuasion, by Jane Austen – by WwwwwwRyan – Helium.” Helium –
Where Knowledge Rules. n.d. Web. 24 Jan. 2012.
“Marriage in the U.S./Definition of Marriage.” Conservative Policy Research and Analysis. n.d.
Web. 25 Jan. 2012.
Mudrick, Marvin. “Austen.” Nineteenth-Century Literature Criticism. Laurie Lanzen Harris. Vol
1. Detroit: Gale Research Inc., 1981. 60-61. Print.
Nandrea, Lorri G. “Difference and Repetition in Austen’s Persuasion.” Studies In the Novel 39.1
(2007):48-64. OmniFile Full Text Select (H.W. Wilson). Web. 24 Jan. 2012.
“Persuasion Themes/GradeSaver.” Study Guides and Essay Editing/GradeSaver. n.d. Web. 23
Jan. 2012.