#about how she could be happy with sweet sad thoughtful james benwick

[oldshrewsburyian]

My defensive feelings concerning Anne are well roused, now. She’s constantly adapting her conversation to the priorities of others, and being taken where she doesn’t want to go. She bears up well, and is tolerably cheerful -- indeed, we’ve seen an improvement in her spirits since the start of the book -- but she deserves better. Before Lady Russell takes her off to Bath, we get some very interesting conversation about Captain Benwick, both about his literary interests (real) and his romantic interests (supposed.) Sharing in the former, Anne is even ready to declare herself flattered by the supposition of the latter.

Meanwhile, Lady Russell is fascinated by Benwick’s reputations. According to Mary, he is rude and unmannerly and entirely ill-suited for the company of Elliots generally. According to Anne, he is intelligent, thoughtful, and kind; if Lady Russell were to make his acquaintance, “she would soon see no deficiency in his manner.” Lady Russell says herself that she is curious about the person “who can give occasion to such directly opposite notions.” Now, of whom does this remind us? Me, to the tune of Bonny Bobby Shafto: Lady Russell, get a clue / That is what you ought to do / Sailors are good men and true / You can suck a lemon.

#persuasion reread #anne elliot #defense squad etc. #anne is adaptable! she's happy with loud family parties or quiet evenings in #she doesn't mind difficulty or solitude #jane austen #just sending narrative signals up the rigging (as it were) #about how she could be happy with sweet sad thoughtful james benwick #OR frederick theodore self-delusion wentworth #he's just going to keep acquiring names until i finish this thing #persuasion