I Have Loved None But You
The fourth and final week of Jane June! Honestly, it has been so much fun to visit or revisit the many adaptations of Austen’s stories. For being the author of six novels and one unfinished novella we get a well rounded wheel of heroines. Each heroine exploits a different personality trait or aspect of their society that Jane either found ridiculous or worth praising. Chloe wrote on, arguably, the two most well known heroines. I am probably spotlighting some of the lesser known heroines, but let’s take a second to give each Heroine a shout out:
The Finished Novels
Sense & Sensibility - Elinor & Marianne Dashwood
Pride & Prejudice - Elizabeth Bennet
Emma - Emma Woodhouse
Mansfield Park - Fanny Price
Northanger Abbey - Catherine Morland
Persuasion - Anne Elliot
The Lesser Known/Unfinished Novels
Lady Susan (Love & Friendship) - Lady Susan Vernon
The Watsons- Emma Watson
Sanditon - Charlotte Heywood
Jane had many other smaller works but these are the ones that the world is truly recognize as Austen works. I will argue the knowledge of the “lesser known novels” is probably only relevant to true Austen fans. But I am about to argue that Persuasion is the story that most deserves a happy ending.
Persuasion toys with the idea of The-One-Who-Got-Away walking back into our protagonist’s life.
On a personal note: If I were in our heroine’s shoes I would lose my mind. Not only would my heart probably spiral out of control, but my composure would be non-existent.
Thankfully, I am not the heroine, that honor belongs to the cool-headed, Miss Anne Elliot. I have never read another book where I have rooted for the main character nearly as much as I do for Anne.
I have for reasons for why I think Anne Elliot deserves a happy ending.
Ann Firbank (1971), Amanda Root (1995), and Sally Hawkins (2007).
She denies herself happiness out of duty to her man.
Our story starts about seven years after our two protagonists broke off their engagement, and it seems as if no one but Anne, Fredrick and Lady Russell even remember that their was an attachment. According to Lady Russell —Anne’s Godmother:
“Anne Elliot, so young; known to so few, to be snatched off by a stranger without alliance or fortune; or rather sunk by him into a state of wearing, anxious, youth-killing dependence! It must not be, if by any fair interference of friendship, and representations from one who had almost a mother’s love, and mother’s rights, it would be prevented.”
Lady Russell thought that she had convinced Anne not to throw herself away on the first boy that came along and flattered her ego. Now, Chloe once argued in her post “Angel Eyes” that young love could truly be true love. I think this story is that in a nutshell. Anne is not convinced that Captain Fredrick Wentworth is bad for her, but that SHE may be the anchor that holds HIM back.
Anne broke of the engagement to the man she loved because she didn’t want him missing out on adventures and opportunities that he could have because he was worried about her.
“The belief of being prudent, and self-denying, principally for HIS advantage, was her chief consolation, under the misery of a parting, a final parting; and every consolation was required, for she had to encounter all the additional pain of opinions, on his side, totally unconvinced and unbending, and of his feeling himself ill-used by so forced a relinquishment.”
Anne’s choice makes a little bit of sense because how could she honestly not take into consideration the concerns of those that love her, but Lady Russell motives although appearing altruistic are very selfish in the long run. She wanted her Anne to marry for connection and standing, not love… at least it wasn’t a priority.
Fredrick’s reaction, though unjust, is completely understandable. He thought that she loved him enough to deny to concerns of those around her, and here she is giving into them. He see her choice as an infirmness of character and holds it against her. He goes to sea angry and bitter and she stays home regretful and wilting.
Now to the present circumstances…
2. She realizes that HIS happiness is more important than her own.
With her family leaving Kellynch Hall for the “fashionable” Bath society, and the Croft’s planning to move in, Anne is going to Uppercross to wait on her sickly sister, Mary. Anne’s presences is required as Mary could not do without her, but that request has also doomed Anne to staying in the county and increasing her chances of becoming reacquainted with… HIM.
Bryan Marshall (1971), Ciaran Hinds (1995), and Rupert Perry-Jones (2007).
In true romantic comedy fashion she is not prepared for his return and she surprises her and her sister at breakfast. At this point and I am going to point out once again that almost everyone is blissfully unaware or has conveniently forgotten that Captain Wentworth and Anne were once ENGAGED! Their introductions were made and they confirmed a former acquaintance but that is as far as they admitted.
I am arguing that Anne is willing to put his happiness first and here is why...
Wentworth is still heartbroken and angry about her decision seven years prior, and hurt people do their best to hurt other people.
As their reacquaintance grew the people around her adored her, but tortured her with questions and accusations of which of the Musgrove girls (Mary’s sisters-in-law) Henrietta or Louisa, he would attach himself too. The Captain certainly makes a point of favoring the young Musgrove girls when ever Anne is around, but he can’t quite stop himself from staring at Anne.
Wentworth had some moments when his words and actions were very sharp. To everyone else they were just his way of telling his story, but to Anne they were daggers of regret that pierced her heart in every way. But he watches her with a fascination that I think only a man that has been in love can have. He may hate her but he cannot deny her superior to others around her. Which in turn breaks his heart and the cycle continues.
Wentworth may not know his heart entirely, but Anne has come to the conclusion that she will respect his choice… whichever of the Musgrove girls he chooses.
“She understood him. he could not forgive her, but he could not be unfeeling. Though condemning her for the past, and considering it with high and unjust resentment, though perfectly careless of her, and though becoming attached to another, still he could not see her suffer, without the desire of giving her relief. It was a reminder of former sentiment; it was an impulse of pure, though unacknowledged friendship...””
3. She resigns herself to the fact that he may only ever want to be friends.
Anne and Fredrick’s reacquaintance has afforded them a chance to at least become friends again. They were forced to be cordial and from there affection for a friendship is a least slightly forged. This is not firmly established by Jane Austen but I say because it makes sense for what happens next.
Fredrick invited the whole Uppercross Gang to Lyme with him to visit his sea-faring mates that are currently residing in the sea-side village. While there Louisa’s boldness and Wentworth’s unintentional encouragement get them in trouble when Louisa takes a nasty fall. The injury jarred her head, knocking her unconscious. The gang broke into hysterics: Mary and Henrietta were inconsolable, Charles went into shock, Wentworth was filled with fear and regret and Anne stayed calm enough to start barking orders.
Wentworth saw Anne’s determination of character and her loving spirit shine through in that moment and it forced him to realize that he had never stopped loving her. He had simply been angry with her, and now he has given everyone they know the impression that he was a verge of an engagement to Louisa, he had to get out.
4. When Fredrick finally reveals his feeling she does not the same mistake twice.
We get little hints that Fredrick really loves her long before he realizes it himself. The movies are great about adding the little secret looks from a far and subtle tones of jealousy whenever something about other men is mentioned or someone else looks at her. For example when they are in Lyme a mysterious man comes across them on The Cobb and he had an appraising and approving look of Anne. She may not have noticed but Fredrick did, and we can see that he is pleased when Anne looks back at Fredrick instead of the stranger.
Anne on the other hand is getting pressured to marry the “charming” Mr. Elliot. Everyone around her is hoping that their match would be a great alliance. Mr. Elliot is the heir to Kellynch Hall and her cousin. Now before you freak out and get all up in arms about inbreeding, please remember that this was the 1800s England and that wasn’t a concern. Lady Russell is quite impressed with Mr. Elliot’s accommodating nature and pleasing manners, but those are the exact reasons that Anne is NOT impressed.
“Mr. Elliot was rational, discreet, polished, but he was not open. There was never any burst of feeling, any warmth of indignation or delight, at the evil or good of others. This, to Anne, was a decided imperfection.”
Now this particular opinion is probably formed because the hot-headed love of her life has never hidden a feeling from her… ever! Even when he was trying to love someone else she knew his feelings when others did not. Anne knew that for herself she would probably never marry if she could not have Fredrick. She may someday, but it would only be if she found someone equal to his caliber, much to Lady Russell’s dismay.
Now for the good part…
As soon as Wentworth realized that Louisa’s engagement to Benwick release him from any supposed entanglement, so he was free to pursue Anne again. He but he soon found that there was two large obstacles: his pride and Mr. Elliot. The problem of Mr. Elliot… well everyone else wants her to marry him, she may just give into the pressure… She broke his heart once before, if he puts it out there again she may just shatter it this time.
This is Anne’s moment. After 8 1/2 years of regret, torture, and literally no one paying attention to her or her feelings, she has a chance at true happiness. She did not even have to think twice about accepting him. She knew what she wanted when she was younger, and now that it is hers once again she is not letting it go.
