Persuasion

Persuasion, Jane Austen's final novel, was published posthumously in December 1917 and tells the story of Anne Elliot, a 27-year-old unmarried woman. When she was 19 years old, Anne had been persuaded by friends and family to break off her engagement to Captain Frederick Wentworth, a man she loved because, despite having promise, he was poor, lacked social standing, and was deemed unworthy of her. When Captain Wentworth reappears eight years later, however, wealthy and newly socially acceptable, Anne realizes the depth of the love she still has for him but, regretfully, must live with the consequences of her past actions. Anne has to contend with her pride, complex family dynamics, and the seeming coldness of the captain. Considered Austen's most moving work, Persuasion explores universal themes of the enduring power of love, second chances, resilience, and the power of persuasion.