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Why did Anne reject Wentworth’s first proposal?
When Wentworth first proposed to Anne, he was poor and did not have connections that would elevate his or Anne’s station in life. Although it was his intention to work his way up through the ranks in the navy, he had no way of knowing at the time if that would happen. Anne’s family disapproved of Wentworth and Lady Russell convinced Anne that it would be wiser to wait for a match that would provide Anne with better resources. Though it broke her heart, Anne deferred to her friend’s judgment and rejected Wentworth.
Who owns Kellynch Hall?
Kellynch Hall is the ancestral home of the Elliot family. Sir Walter Elliot owns the estate, but due to his lack of frugality, he can no longer afford to live there. Material wealth and reputation are some of Sir Walter’s highest priorities, so selling the estate would be a great blow to his ego. Instead, Sir Walter leases the estate to Admiral and Mrs. Croft, thereby maintaining ownership of the estate.
What is the Elliots’ connection to Lady Dalrymple?
Lady Dalrymple is a cousin of the Elliots. She is also a viscountess—her husband was a viscount, a title that ranks higher than Sir Walter’s baronet status—and she is therefore the cream of the crop when it comes to social connections. When Lady Dalrymple first comes to Bath, Sir Walter struggles to get into her social circle because he once slighted the Dalrymples. However, after a lengthy letter, he gets back into her good graces and somewhat forces an acquaintance. The Elliots end up spending as much time as they can with Lady Dalrymple and her daughter, Miss Carteret, though most of the effort toward the relationship comes from Sir Walter and Elizabeth. Anne thinks the Dalrymples are boring and unremarkable, and she is embarrassed that her family holds them in such high esteem only because of their titles.
Why was Mr. William Elliot estranged from the family?
Mr. Elliot offended the family in two ways. The Elliots assumed that Mr. Elliot, as the family’s heir, would marry Sir Walter’s eldest daughter, Elizabeth, and ensure the family’s ability to stay in their ancestral home. But instead of marrying Elizabeth, Mr. Elliot married a very wealthy woman, thereby ensuring that he could have access to her money and to the wealth of Kellynch Hall when it came time for his inheritance. The second offense came when he mocked Sir Walter and spoke ill of the family. Sir Walter values his reputation above almost everything else, so he felt the insult as an especially low blow. When Mr. Elliot reconnects with the family, he denies ever saying anything offensive and uses flattery to get back into Sir Walter’s good graces.
How does Mrs. Clay fit into the Elliot household?
Mrs. Clay is the widowed daughter of the Elliots’ adviser and lawyer, Mr. Shepherd. She is good friends with Elizabeth and is often more included in the Elliot family plans than Anne is. When the Elliots go to Bath, Mrs. Clay is invited to come with them as a companion to Elizabeth. Lady Russell suspects Mrs. Clay of inserting herself into the family so that she may eventually marry Sir Walter and advance her station in life. Elizabeth denies this as a possibility because Sir Walter is only interested in beautiful, well-connected people, and Mrs. Clay is neither. In the end, it’s heavily implied that Mrs. Clay does marry an Elliot for personal gain, but it is Mr. William Elliot, the heir, rather than Sir Walter.
