Persuasion

Jane Austen / 汪燕East China Normal University Press · ChinaFeb 2024

Rating 4.4
Word count
141K words
Chapters
28
ISBN
9787576037081

Tags

Foreign Literature Love EntanglementsSecond ChancesPsychological InsightSelf-GrowthScreen Adaptation19th CenturyVictorian EraEnglish GentryClass DifferenceFemale Perspective

Summary

Persuasion is a novel by Jane Austen that portrays a woman of noble character. Time is slipping away from Anne; in the prime of her youth, because she accepted the "persuasion" of others, she broke off with her beloved Colonel Wentworth. Though her youth has passed and she suffers the coldness of her vain father and sister, her noble benevolence makes her a favorite among relatives and friends. Eight years after their parting they meet again; the Colonel cannot let go of his resentment and pays court to another against his heart, while Anne nearly accepts the proposal of her hypocritical cousin. Through a series of encounters arising from family affairs, the Colonel comes to see that Anne's selflessness and constancy are beyond compare, and Anne, through repeated self-persuasion, recovers the courage to love. They discover that their reunion is happier than their first love, and, having stood the test, they no longer keep each other at arm's length but give themselves freely to memory and declaration.

Editor's review

Persuasion, the last novel Jane Austen completed in her lifetime, is often regarded by readers as the mature work of her career and the peak of her emotional expression. Unlike the youthful brightness of Pride and Prejudice or the comic misunderstandings of Emma, Persuasion has a quieter, more introspective tone, even touched with an autumnal melancholy. It tells not of love at first sight but of a "second chance"—the heroine Anne Elliot, eight years earlier, gave up her engagement to the young naval officer Wentworth because of the "persuasion" of her family and godmother, and eight years later, when the successful Wentworth reappears, the struggle and reconciliation between reason and feeling, pride and regret, social prejudice and inner truth.

This edition from East China Normal University Press—according to available information, the edition corresponding to ISBN 9787576037081—has received high ratings on Douban (generally stable above 8.5), reflecting readers' recognition of the translation quality and editorial standards. In this novel Austen displays psychological depth unprecedented in her work, and her portrayal of time, regret, loyalty, and mature love is especially exquisite. Anne Elliot is one of Austen's quietest and most inwardly powerful heroines; her charm lies not in wit but in deep insight, resilient character, and the capacity to bear pain in silence. The novel also delicately depicts the social landscape of Regency England, especially the contrast between the vitality brought by the rising naval class and the rigidity of the old landed gentry.

From an editorial perspective, the value of this work lies in the profound parable it offers about "patience" and "timing." It is not suited to readers seeking intense plot, but it can bring great satisfaction to those who appreciate subtle feeling, delicate psychological shifts, and the complex social meanings behind the language. Reading Persuasion is like listening to an elegant and plaintive sonata, whose most moving melodies often lie in the pauses and echoes.

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Reading tips

  1. Read in a relatively quiet setting so as to immerse yourself in the novel's delicate psychological atmosphere and understated dialogue
  2. Pay attention to Anne Elliot's role as observer and silent center, and consider how her perspective shapes the narrative
  3. After finishing the novel, take time to reflect on the multiple meanings of the title 'Persuasion' and on the role of time in the characters' choices and relationships

About the publisher

East China Normal University Press China · Founded in 1957

Adhering to the publishing purpose of "broad education," East China Normal University Press extends beyond its three main areas of textbooks, academic works and general-interest books, and its catalogue clearly reflects a vision that bridges Chinese and foreign humanities and social sciences. In foreign literature it offers classics such as Yasunari Kawabata's Snow Country and The Old Capital (translated by Chen Dewen), Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, and Rilke's annotated edition of The Notebooks of Malte Laurids Brigge (translated by Chen Zao); in architecture, Chen Congzhou's two-volume Appreciation Dictionary of Chinese Gardens; in social psychology, The Social Animal: 12th Edition; and it also includes philosophy titles, traditional-culture works such as the six-volume Paintings for the Protection of Life, and education books. Its authors include renowned Chinese and foreign writers and skilled translators, showing a publishing profile that balances classic translation, scholarly accumulation and public reading. Public information is limited; the above is based only on the books in the catalogue.

Contents

  1. 版权信息
  2. 译者序
  3. 第一卷
  4. 第一章
  5. 第二章
  6. 第三章
  7. 第四章
  8. 第五章
  9. 第六章
  10. 第七章
  11. 第八章
  12. 第九章
  13. 第十章
  14. 第十一章
  15. 第十二章
  16. 第二卷
  17. 第一章
  18. 第二章
  19. 第三章
  20. 第四章
  21. 第五章
  22. 第六章
  23. 第七章
  24. 第八章
  25. 第九章
  26. 第十章
  27. 第十一章
  28. 第十二章

FAQ

Where does Persuasion stand among Jane Austen's works? Persuasion is the last novel Austen completed in her lifetime and represents the full maturity of her art. Compared with her earlier works, its tone is more serious and its feeling deeper, and its portrayal of psychology—especially regret and forbearance—reaches unprecedented depth; critics often regard it as her most moving and philosophically resonant work.
What are the features of this translation? Editions from East China Normal University Press are generally known for accurate, fluent translation that stays close to the style of the original. This translation seeks to reproduce Austen's understated irony and delicate, elegant prose and includes necessary notes to help readers understand the social background and cultural details of the period; the high Douban rating also reflects readers' recognition of its quality.
What is the core conflict of the story? The core conflict is not an external obstacle but an inner tug-of-war between feeling and reason. It centers on the subtle interplay between Anne's deep regret and enduring love, born of the past 'persuasion,' and Wentworth's wounded pride and unextinguished feeling after being refused. The shifting social classes—the rise of the naval class—provide a vivid period backdrop for this inner conflict.

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About the author

Jane Austen Author · British · 1775–1817

Jane Austen (1775–1817) was a British novelist, born into the family of a clergyman in Steventon, Hampshire, and she remained unmarried throughout her life. She wrote six novels: Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, Emma, Persuasion, and Northanger Abbey. With delicate irony she portrayed the marriages and daily life of the English gentry, and she is regarded as one of the most important writers in the history of the English novel. Her works are commonly classified under foreign literature, inspirational growth, and world classics, and they are widely read among Chinese readers; this library holds 88 editions of her works.

汪燕 Author

Wang Yan is known to readers mainly through her editorial and translation work in the field of foreign literature, though publicly available information about her remains limited. Ten of her titles are included in the collection, most of them related to Jane Austen. They include classic novels such as Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Emma, Northanger Abbey, Mansfield Park, and Persuasion, as well as Lady Susan: The Short Works of Jane Austen and The Letters of Jane Austen. These works span novels, letters, and short fiction, and fall under categories such as foreign literature, culture, and essays. The selection suggests that Wang Yan focuses on organizing and presenting Austen's works, balancing readability with documentary completeness, and offering Chinese readers a fairly systematic introduction to Austen's fictional world and correspondence. Further details of her life and academic background await more public information.