To read a novel set in the past is to travel back in time and find romance, adventure or even political turmoil. But when you don’t understand the book’s social structure and historical setting, you don’t understand the story and you can’t appreciate it.
This is especially true of Jane Austen’s novels in which social customs and traditions made stricter demands on people’s conduct than they do today, giving romance different rules than we have. In “Persuasion,” strict social rules persuade dutiful Anne Elliot to break up with resolute Frederick Wentworth. Eight years later, Frederick comes back, giving them a chance to rekindle their romance.
In his annotated version of the novel, David M. Shapard does a thorough and efficient job of helping the modern reader make sense of Anne and Frederick’s world. In his annotations, he explains the culture and customs of this world, examining what other scholars say about the book, explaining the traditions of the day, and telling us why characters act the way they do.
He defines unusual words, gives maps of the places the characters visit, illustrates places and clothing, and provides a timeline of the series of events before and during the novel. He also gives his own insight to decipher the novel’s themes not to indoctrinate the reader with his ideas but to broaden the reader’s perspective on the themes. All this helps the reader understand the reasoning behind the characters’ actions that drive the plot.
Although not as popular as “Pride and Prejudice” or “Emma,” “Persuasion” is just as satisfying a read as Austen’s other novels. Austen’s tone is emotional and, at times, passionate. She delves into Anne’s feelings, giving us the twists and turns her thoughts take and showing us her anguishes, regrets, resolutions, joys, observations and desires.
It’s fascinating to read how her love for Frederick is constant throughout the eight years she doesn’t hear from him. And it’s heartbreaking to read how her world is shaken when he comes back and starts flirting with other women.She must keep her feelings to herself, making moments that are insignificant to others special to her. For example, when Anne entreats her nephew to get off her back, Frederick lifts the child off her, and she needs a “long application of solitude and reflection to recover” from the emotional earthquake caused by the fact that he acknowledged her kindly in some way.
Shapard’s comments about mo-ments like these add details to the story that would have escaped the modern reader. He explains the things one wouldn’t know like the fact that “the morning” extended to around 4 p.m. and what a barouche (a type of carriage) looks like. Most importantly, he adds Austen’s voice, using her letters, experiences and other novels to show different angles on the story and help us understand why she may have written what she did.
Reading his comments is like reading another book altogether, one that serves as a companion for the novel. Though this may make it longer to read and may interrupt the middle of a sentence or paragraph, the extra time is worth it.
I read the novel once before this annotated version, and I don’t know how I got through it the first time. The knowledge and insight that Shapard adds has made me love the book even more than I used to. His comments give life to “Persuasion” and allow us not only to better understand the characters but also to fully appreciate the nuances that make “Persuasion” an enjoyable, rich and amazing read.
