In my case I’ve only used it a couple of times and that was to put up embarrassingly old photos of other people. Anyway, I thought it would be good to play around with a new theme I’m — as you see above — calling, Wentworth Wednesday.
This will be a limited run meme of quoted text either about or by Frederick Wentworth from each of the 24 chapters of Jane Austen’s Persuasion. There is no limit on length of quotes, and I make no guarantees about the how harsh or kind I may be with my own comments. I really make no promises about the comments of others. The Best Boyfriend realm of the Austenverse is a tough place and that “Henry Tilney Forever” crowd can be brutal on the older guys. On top of that, each Austen hero comes preloaded with greatness and glitches aplenty on which to feast. And we fans do plenty of it.
I will also post a screen cap from the 1995 version of Persuasion starring Amanda Root and Ciaran Hinds. I hear there are other versions with other men portraying Wentworth. Here in SUSAN KAYE’S CORNER OF THE VERSE that is only a rumor and until I get confirmation, I’m sticking with the classic.
One of the pleasure of declaring your own meme is that you get to put things together the way you like best, and Jane said we all like that. Unfortunately, Jane didn’t cooperate with my meme as she didn’t even give Frederick a mention until Chapter 3. And even Chapter 3’s mention comes in the last sentence and is ambiguous at best. Ah, the life of a pioneer.
So, here we go with the first Wentworth Wednesday:
Chapter 3, Persuasion
“Mr Shepherd was completely empowered to act; and no sooner had such an end been reached, than Anne, who had been a most attentive listener to the whole, left the room, to seek the comfort of cool air for her flushed cheeks; and as she walked along a favourite grove, said, with a gentle sigh, ‘A few months more, and he, perhaps, may be walking here.'”
It’s not a grove at Kellynch but we have a long way to go and this may keep us in hope.
By far the favorite book in the Austen canon is Pride and Prejudice. Less than half as many readers cite one of the other main novels as their favorite when polled. I am one of those less than half. I do like P&P, I just don’t LOVELOVELOVE it as so many do.
The boy-meets-girl-he-doesn’t-really-like-but-comes-to-love-eventually story is pretty standard fare. And while the repartee between Darcy and Elizabeth is great, I’m a big fan of getting a second chance. That’s what Austen’s last novel, Persuasion is all about.
The original title of P&P was First Impressions. Were Austen to write Persuasion in this day, it would be called A Do Over.
Frederick and Anne met in the summer of 1806, gradually became acquainted and quickly fell in love. He proposed, she accepted. He went to her father, her father turned up his nose at a sailor wanting to marry into the august Elliot family. The family got to her and she broke the engagement. He told her off and shook the dust of Kellynch Hall from his boots. Persuasion has with great stuff Jerry Springer is all about, except with less chair throwing.
If you agree about Persuasion, or just loving one of the other Austen works leave a comment. If you are die-hard P&P fan, own it and be proud! And leave a comment.
Susan Kaye, writer 