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Captain Wentworth had no fortune. He had been lucky in his profession; but spending freely, what had come freely, had realized nothing. But he was confident that he should soon be rich . . . and soon be on a station that would lead to everything he wanted.
Contrary to Anne’s persuadable nature, Wentworth is stubborn and resolute. This description of him in Chapter 4 shows how he does not see a need to consider a backup plan for his life. He knows what he wants. He also knows he has had success in the past, so he assumes he will be successful in the future. Because of this naïve certainty, the young Wentworth proposed to Anne without any material possessions to show for his efforts. He offers her only confidence that he will be able to provide for her, so she turns him down.
He had not forgiven Anne Elliot. She had used him ill; deserted and disappointed him; and worse, she had shewn a feebleness of character in doing so, which his own decided, confident temper could not endure . . . It had been the effect of over-persuasion. It had been weakness and timidity.
Captain Wentworth is firm in his decisions, and he considers it a weakness to change one’s mind. When Wentworth first returns to Uppercross in Chapter 8, he tells Henrietta he finds Anne altered beyond recognition. Mary tells Anne about his assessment of her, and she knows he is still angry. He does not respect Anne because he views her change of heart eight years prior as a character flaw. When Wentworth returns to Uppercross, he is still upset from his heartbreak. Although he has matured in many respects, his stubbornness regarding Anne has only kept him feeling bitter toward her.
I could not leave it till Louisa’s doing well was quite ascertained. I had been too deeply concerned in the mischief to be soon at peace. It had been my doing, solely mine. She would not have been obstinate if I had not been weak.
At times, it may seem that Wentworth has unreasonably high standards for the people around him, but he holds himself to the same expectations. As he makes clear in this quote from Chapter 20, Wentworth blamed himself when Louisa fell and sustained a severe head injury. Louisa had been running up the steps in the strong wind to make Wentworth help her down again. Wentworth knew she was flirting, and he played along with the game. For that reason, he sees her recovery as his responsibility. He initially intended to marry her when she got well again, because he felt he had led her on. He thought that because he encouraged her attention, he was obligated to follow through whether he wanted to or not. Louisa is not as resolute as Wentworth, and she saves him the trouble by falling for Captain Benwick instead.
Dare not say that man forgets sooner than woman, that his love has an earlier death. I have loved none but you. Unjust I may have been, weak and resentful I have been, but never inconstant.
In Chapter 23, after hearing Anne and Captain Harville discuss whether men or women move on quicker after heartbreak, Wentworth writes these words in a letter to Anne declaring that he has been in love with her since their original engagement. He hears Anne argue that women love longer because they do not have as many opportunities to go out into the world and let other things capture their attention. He tells Anne he is “half agony, half hope,” because her words make him realize she may still have feelings for him. His actions toward her have always been governed by his feelings, whether anger or love. He understands and acknowledges that he has not always acted well toward her, but he emphasizes how his love has not changed. He continues to be a man of strong emotions. However, after Wentworth and Anne are reunited, he begins to see the merit in stepping back and taking the time to reflect on his true feelings.
