If you’re new to this Substack, one of the things I’m offering subscribers in 2023 is A Year with Jane. We’re reading through Austen’s six novels this year and ending the year with a bang: Persuasion is our read for November/December.
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Happy 248th birthday to our queen, Jane Austen!
And quick announcement that my book Jane Austen’s Genius Guide to Life will still arrive by Christmas if you order today.
I’m sorry this reflection is later in the week than I usually send them! It’s that time of year, folks.
I titled this reflection “Good Company” because of a scene I often think about between Anne and Mr. Elliot. Anne has returned to Bath to join her family and make the acquaintance of their long lost relation, Mr. Elliot, who turns out to be the same guy who spied Anne in Lyme and made a “that’s my kind of woman!’ face that even Captain Wentworth noticed. The Elliots have spent plenty of time with their other long lost relations, the Dalrymples, who are Irish nobility but also dull and unremarkable and only worth knowing for their social standing. Anne confesses her lack of interest in Lady Dalrymple and The Honorable Miss Carteret to Mr. Elliot and he argues that they are a connection worth having.
They are good company. Anne replies:
"My idea of good company, Mr Elliot, is the company of clever, well-informed people, who have a great deal of conversation; that is what I call good company."
"You are mistaken," said he gently, "that is not good company; that is the best. Good company requires only birth, education, and manners, and with regard to education is not very nice. Birth and good manners are essential; but a little learning is by no means a dangerous thing in good company; on the contrary, it will do very well.
I assume that Mr. Elliot must be referencing Alexander Pope who claimed, “A little learning is a dangerous thing.” But regardless, he is arguing for the idea that one should cultivate connections with people one does not necessarily enjoy at all. They may not be intelligent or good conversationalists. They must simply check the boxes of social standing and gentility with, perhaps, a little learning thrown in the mix.
Anne cannot agree because she does not view the world through a lens of ambition (Mr. Elliot is such a Slytherin!), she longs for friendship with those she truly admires. Whether it’s the Harville’s happy domestic life or her widowed school friend Mrs. Smith’s ability to find joy and pleasure in life despite poverty and great disappointment, Anne is impressed by virtue much more than status.
As many of you pointed out in our discussion question about Lady Russell the other day, the good woman does not have the same clear vision of the world as Anne. She is no monster, but she’s overly impressed by and willing to make concessions for the nobility. The Elliots (other than Anne) are the same. Sir Walter cannot fathom why Anne would spend an evening at Westgate Buildings with her poor friend Mrs. Smith. And I absolutely love Anne’s unspoken insight that Mrs. Smith is not the only poor widow with no name of consequence in Bath (quite a burn for the weaselly Mrs. Clay). And I love it more when she says it out loud in one of the film adaptations, but of course, she would never.
But then there’s other relationships in this week’s reading that have to do with “good company.” The big bombshell that Louisa Musgrove and Captain Benwick are engaged because they fell in love over poetry after her accident has reached Bath. The news has given Anne hope for the first time that she could have a future with Captain Wentworth who is now free and also visiting Bath.
Perhaps my favorite moment of the whole novel is when Wentworth finally shows his hand when speaking to Anne about the engagement of Louisa and Benwick (who was previously engaged to his friend Captain Harville’s sister Fanny who died):
"I confess that I do think there is a disparity, too great a disparity, and in a point no less essential than mind. I regard Louisa Musgrove as a very amiable, sweet-tempered girl, and not deficient in understanding, but Benwick is something more. He is a clever man, a reading man; and I confess, that I do consider his attaching himself to her with some surprise…A man like him, in his situation! with a heart pierced, wounded, almost broken! Fanny Harville was a very superior creature, and his attachment to her was indeed attachment. A man does not recover from such a devotion of the heart to such a woman. He ought not; he does not."
He ought not! He does not!
Wentworth has basically confessed to still loving Anne! In this gentle criticism of Louisa and Benwick, he is criticizing himself for his flirtation with Louisa. He is distinguishing between the “good company” of sweet-tempered girls and the best company of a superior woman like Anne.
Austen often returns to this theme of deep, mature romantic love and not settling for good company, even if you have no guarantee you will find “the best.” While we don’t know all her motivations, we do know that Austen herself accepted the proposal of the brother of some good friends. The next morning she recanted. She never married. But she couldn’t say yes to a life of merely good company. And neither can Anne. And we love her for it.
Discussion Question: What do you think of Benwick’s engagement to Louisa? Do you think he would have fallen in love with anyone under the same circumstances? Do you think they’ll be happy? Do you share Wentworth’s critiques? Chime in by replying to this post!
Reading schedule:
Week of November 12th:
Gather your books and read Chapters 1-5 of Persuasion. There are many editions out there, so just grab what’s on your shelf or at the local library. And if you enjoy audiobooks, this is an excellent novel to enjoy with a great narrator. My favorite for this novel is Juliet Stevenson’s audiobook version. Grab Jane Austen’s Genius Guide to Life from Ave Maria Press (use STEWART20 for 20% off) or from Amazon.
If you didn’t start reading with us in January, you may want to catch up by reading the Introduction and Chapters 1-6 of Jane Austen’s Genius Guide to Life to set the stage.
November 19th-25th:
We’ll discuss Chapters 1-5.
Read Chapters 6-10 of Persuasion
November 26th-December 2nd:
We’ll discuss Chapters 6-10.
Read Chapters 11-15 of Persuasion
December 3rd-9th:
We’ll discuss Chapters 11-15.
Read Chapters 16-20 of Persuasion
December 10th-16th:
We’ll discuss Chapters 16-20.
Read Chapters 21-24 of Persuasion
December 17th-23rd:
We’ll discuss Chapters 21-24.
Read Chapter 7 of Jane Austen’s Genius Guide to Life
Caveat:
On the reading schedule I have suggested reading the chapter about Persuasion after finishing the novel. This is because as a reader I hate spoilers. But if you’ve already read the novel or are familiar with the story and want a resource to help you dive deeper as you re-read it, feel free to read Chapter 7 of Jane Austen’s Genius Guide to Life first.
I’ll be sending out weekly reflections and discussion questions to consider as you read. If you want to read faster or slower, go for it. This is fun, not homework.
If you know someone who would enjoy reading Austen with us for our Year of Jane, please share this post with him/her!
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Looking forward to discussing Persuasion with you!
Haley
(Editor of Word on Fire Spark, Author, Former Podcaster)
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I found Benwick to be a likable character, but I have to say that I don’t see quite as much of a disparity between him and Louisa as Captain Wentworth does. He’s better educated and more thoughtful, perhaps, but to me he didn’t appear quite as wise as other characters seemed to think he is. He’s sad and solemn, but he seems to wallow in his emotions. He also is a bit impressionable. So it makes sense to me that he would fall in love with Louisa while she’s an invalid in his home. I think they’ll likely be a happy married couple, especially if Louisa continues to read voraciously and become a bit more educated and mature. But in terms of Wentworth’s implied comparison between Louisa and Anne, I’m so here for it and ready to hear him sing Anne’s praises!
I try to take a hopeful view of Benwick and Louisa. I agree with what Bridget said about Benwick not being as superior in understanding to the reader as he seems to other characters. I also think that Benwick, who has for so long been the unfortunate person being taken care of by others, finds something attractive in falling for someone he can take care of-a lover of romantic poetry like he is could definitely find some appeal in caring for a damsel in distress. And remember, Louisa has been altered in personality by her accident; she is no longer as bubbly and impetuous as she was. And on Louisa’s side, I can see her appreciating Benwick for his care, gentleness, and the (again) romantic appeal of the tragic loss of his first love. And we know from her attitude towards Wentworth she has an admiration for navy men.