#frederick theodore wentworth PLEASE get your act together

[oldshrewsburyian]

I’m presuming that anyone not interested in a more or less minute account of my internal screaming will block ‘Persuasion reread,’ so here goes. Today’s internal screaming is provoked by the fact that we enter Volume 2 with Anne glad that she and Captain Wentworth have -- at least tacitly, at least partially -- reconciled; she’s grateful for what she takes as signs of disinterested friendship from him. She’s also fully convinced that he is going to marry Louisa, and that she will just have to cope with that. (Interestingly, Lady Russell’s ‘pleased contempt’ at this news offers further evidence of the fact that she apparently hates Wentworth’s guts, despite acknowledging that he did seem to partly appreciate Anne’s worth in ‘06. Seem to partly appreciate! I tend to concur with the critical opinion that Lady R. has a wilful blind spot around Wentworth’s sexuality. Anyway.)

There is more! in this chapter, we get some of Austen’s first hints to readers that Anne’s perception of Wentworth’s feelings is... less than accurate. We’ve already had, of course, his responses to Mr. Elliot. Now we get Anne, responding to Lady Russell’s compliments on her appearance, ‘amused’ to think that she may be afforded ‘a second spring of youth and beauty.’ A second spring, you say, Miss Austen?? Moreover, we learn from the Crofts that Frederick, in bringing them news from Lyme, has asked after Anne’s welfare. He hopes she isn’t worn out; he’s noticed her exerting herself on behalf of the Musgroves, and wants to be sure she’s all right.

For one thing, he’s the only person who does appear to have noticed this, or thought to ask after her. (The Musgroves, in their anxiety over Louisa, have a good excuse for not doing so, granted.) And I think that we have here some early suggestive evidence concerning what our favorite obtuse genius is thinking and planning.

#persuasion reread #anne elliot #frederick 'unconsciously nay unintentionally constant' wentworth everyone #jane austen #will not let us REST #frederick theodore wentworth PLEASE get your act together #incidentally (or more than incidentally) i keep thinking about how this is the level of devotion we see from him #while there is nothing officially between them! while on a conscious level he may NOT be thinking of her that much #i think about the behavior of this man after vowing in the sight of God to love honor cherish and keep (and to worship with his body) #and the mind boggles it really does #anyway #sophy croft is DEFINITELY going to be the least surprised person when her beloved baby brother announces his engagement #the admiral is a himbo and will probably take it cheerfully in his slightly gouty stride