Austen, Jane (1775-1817) English novelist often referred
to as the greatest woman writer. She is known for her
brilliant satire and her common-sense approach toward
melodramatic situations and ordinary human behavior.
Persuasion (1818) As in all her other novels, the major
issue in "Persuasion" is that of making sure that her
characters end up suitably married. The main characters
in this story are Anne Elliott (a heroine of whom Austin
wrote, "She is almost too good for me") and the man to
whom she was engaged for eight years, Captain Wentworth.
