Persuasion (AmazonClassics Edition) characters

Appears from the start

Sir Walter Elliot's thoughtful second daughter, now twenty-seven. Eight years earlier she broke an engagement to the naval officer Frederick Wentworth after accepting the advice that the match was imprudent. Her beauty has faded in her family's eyes, and her quiet competence is routinely taken for granted, but her judgment and capacity for feeling have deepened.

Appears from the start

The vain baronet of Kellynch Hall and father of Elizabeth, Anne, and Mary. He values rank and physical appearance above usefulness and reads the family record with pleasure, but years of spending beyond his income have forced him to consider renting out his estate.

Appears from the start

Sir Walter's eldest daughter and the mistress of his household since her mother's death. Handsome, proud, and closely aligned with her father's values, she regards Anne as socially insignificant and shares Sir Walter's resistance to any economy that might appear undignified.

First appears in chapter 2

A trusted old friend of the Elliots and Anne's late mother's closest confidante. Sensible and affectionate but highly attentive to rank and prudence, she once persuaded the young Anne that an engagement to an unconnected naval officer with no fortune was too risky.

First appears in chapter 3

A successful naval captain who loved Anne eight years earlier, when he had confidence and ability but neither money nor secure prospects. Her decision to end their engagement wounded his pride. He has since gained wealth and professional standing and is expected to return to the neighborhood through his sister's connection to Kellynch.

First appears in chapter 3

A rear admiral who, with his wife, offers to rent Kellynch Hall. Plain-spoken, sociable, and unaffected by the Elliots' concern with appearances, he represents the professional success of the wartime navy.

First appears in chapter 3

Admiral Croft's capable wife and Captain Wentworth's sister. She has often accompanied her husband at sea and speaks of naval life with practical knowledge, challenging Sir Walter's narrow assumptions about sailors and women.

First appears in chapter 5

Anne's younger sister, married to Charles Musgrove and living near Kellynch. She is frequently convinced that she is ill or neglected and expects Anne to resolve household disagreements, though her complaints often coexist with active interest in every local event.

First appears in chapter 5

Mary's good-natured husband and heir to Uppercross. He once wished to marry Anne but accepted her refusal without bitterness. Fond of sport and family life, he relies on Anne's steadiness when Mary's moods disturb the household.

First appears in chapter 5

One of Charles Musgrove's lively unmarried sisters. High-spirited, determined, and proud of firmness, she welcomes Captain Wentworth into the family circle and becomes a likely object of his attention.

First appears in chapter 5

Louisa's sister, another cheerful young woman at Uppercross. She is attached to their cousin Charles Hayter but is also pleased by Captain Wentworth's company, creating temporary uncertainty about her intentions.

First appears in chapter 11

A naval friend of Wentworth who lives at Lyme with his wife and children. Warm, hospitable, and physically marked by wartime injury, he welcomes the Uppercross party with unaffected generosity.

First appears in chapter 11

A young naval officer staying with the Harvilles after the death of his fiancée, Captain Harville's sister. Reserved and melancholy, he shares an interest in poetry with Anne, who tries to encourage him toward a healthier balance of thought.

First appears in chapter 12

Sir Walter's estranged heir and Anne's cousin, a polished widower encountered in Lyme and then Bath. His attentive manners and renewed interest in the Elliot family make him appear both a possible husband for Anne and a source of reconciliation within the family.

First appears in chapter 17

Anne's former school friend, now widowed, poor, and in frail health. Living modestly in Bath, she retains warmth and resilience despite serious reversals and welcomes Anne without concern for social advantage.