First off, let’s all give Rev. Piotr a well-deserved pat on the back. When I asked if he wanted to collaborate on some articles, I could see him wither the moment I suggested Jane Austen.
When we were deciding who to focus on for July, I could practically sense him cringing through his texts. “Two for Jane Austen?” I’m sure he wanted to say, “Really, Nicole? Do we have to do two? Can’t we just stick to one?”
But as I’m sure you’ll agree, his latest piece is great. It’s not only thoughtful and well-written, but also makes you want to roll up your sleeves and try a new recipe. (And if you do make it, please drop off a few buns for him—so he’ll keep writing alongside me, haha.)
So because his article was so great, I’ll simply share a few fun facts about our girl Jane, and dive in a little deeper for our next article. (See what I did there?)
Things You Might Not Know About Persuasion
It Was Austen’s Final Completed Novel
Austen began writing Persuasion on August 8, 1815, and completed her revisions by August 6, 1816. In a March 1817 letter to her niece Fanny, she hinted that she had something “ready for publication.” Sadly, Austen died just a few months later, on July 18, 1817. Her final novel-in-progress, Sanditon, was left unfinished. Persuasion remains her last completed work.
It Was Published Posthumously—But Not Entirely Anonymously
Five months after Austen’s death, her brother Henry and sister Cassandra arranged for the joint publication of Persuasion and Northanger Abbey. The four-volume set was released on December 20, 1817. While her previous works had been published anonymously (“By a Lady”), this edition was credited to “the author of Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, &c.” It also included a “Biographical Notice of the Author,” likely written by Henry, which revealed Austen’s name to the public for the first time.
Austen Didn’t Title It Persuasion
Austen reportedly referred to the manuscript as The Elliots, though it’s unclear if she considered that a final title. After her death, the novel was renamed Persuasion, likely by Henry or Cassandra.
The Original Ending Was Completely Different
In her original ending, Admiral Croft pulls Anne aside to talk about her supposed engagement to Mr. Elliot. Inside his home, she finds Wentworth, and they clear up the misunderstanding. Austen felt this version was “tame and flat,” so she scrapped it and wrote two new chapters instead.
The original, “cancelled” chapter was published in 1869 in A Memoir of Jane Austen by her nephew James Edward Austen-Leigh. In today’s editions, Austen’s revised ending appears as chapters 22 and 23.
Part of the Manuscript Still Exists
The cancelled ending survives not just in print but in Austen’s own handwriting. The British Library holds the original manuscript pages—complete with cross-outs and revisions—making them the only surviving portion of a completed Austen novel manuscript.
Not Everyone Liked Its Message
One 1818 review in The British Critic praised parts of Persuasion but criticized its moral: that young people should follow their hearts when it comes to marriage. The reviewer argued that real life isn’t as forgiving as novels and warned that trusting one’s own judgment over societal expectations could lead to “years of misery.”
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