“you would, indeed, have been throwing yourself away.”
Por qué es buena
The line treats the engagement as waste of the woman, not a flaw in the man.
Registro
Formal
Úsala tú
If you had taken that offer, you would have been throwing yourself away.
00:00 / 02:54
00:00 / 02:54
She Was Persuaded Eight Years Ago, Explained
Persuasion · 2007
Capítulo 2 de 7 · 2'54"
On the surface someone is only asking why Admiral Croft's name left her shaken. Underneath, a godmother is defending an old refusal: a nineteen-year-old match with a fortuneless officer would have been "throwing yourself away," and breaking it off was "entirely prudent." The reply is that eight years later the judgment no longer holds.
Key moments
Start here, then watch the full scene- 0:52–1:33
Called Throwing Herself Away
41s - 1:37–2:53
Thinking Differently Eight Years Later
75s
She Was Persuaded Eight Years Ago, explained
What happens
In the house, someone asks why Admiral Croft left her out of countenance. Mrs Croft is Captain Wentworth's sister, so he may soon walk through this house. A godmother defends breaking their engagement eight years ago: nineteen, a war, no fortune, no expectations, throwing herself away. The reply grants it was prudent, then says he is wealthy and that the old view has changed.
What's really going on
Someone asks why Admiral Croft left her "out of countenance." Mrs Croft is "the sister of Captain Frederick Wentworth," so he may soon be "walking through this house." The father saw "a most unsuitable match" and would never have "countenanced an alliance he deemed so degrading." Engaged at nineteen, "in the middle of a war," to an officer with "no fortune and no expectations," one line calls it "throwing yourself away." Staying silent would have meant "failing in my duty as your godmother," and it was "entirely prudent to break off the understanding." "Prudent it may have been," yet he "has made his fortune" and is "extremely wealthy." There has been "never a word," only the newspapers. Had his intentions been "truly sincere," he would have written once "his circumstances changed." Blame is set aside. The turn is this: "I think very differently now from what I was persuaded to think eight years ago." Love "as you deserve" is promised, and the answer is "I'm 27."
Key lines & what they mean
- “you would, indeed, have been throwing yourself away.”
- Said of the engagement at nineteen, in wartime, to an officer with no fortune and no expectations: it would have wasted her.
- “But nevertheless, I think very differently now from what I was persuaded to think eight years ago.”
- The person who was led into the break says the prudent view of eight years ago is no longer hers.
Theme
- Class — The father calls the match unsuitable and the alliance so degrading, because the officer has no fortune.
- Memory — Eight years later the reply is that she thinks very differently from what she was persuaded to think.
Qué aprendes en este capítulo
Puntos de enseñanza
Repasa justo después de verMi nivel0/6
A1–C2 es la escala MCER. Las tarjetas por encima del nivel elegido se atenúan y la reproducción no se pausa en ellas.
Puntos de lengua
Toca una tarjeta para saltar a ese momentoFrases de oro
Una gran frase en sí misma: por qué y cómo usarla“But nevertheless, I think very differently now from what I was persuaded to think eight years ago.”
Por qué es buena
She changes her mind without accusing the person who persuaded her.
Registro
Formal
Úsala tú
I think very differently now from what I was persuaded to think then.
Siguiente · 03firmness of characterLa escena: Wentworth on Firmness of CharacterPreguntas frecuentes
La pregunta, luego la fraseWhy does Admiral Croft's name leave her out of countenance?
Mrs Croft is the sister of Captain Frederick Wentworth. Once that is said, someone realizes he may soon be walking through this house.
Why was the old engagement called unsuitable?
Her father thought it a most unsuitable match and would never have countenanced an alliance he deemed so degrading. The officer had no fortune and no expectations, it was the middle of a war, and she was nineteen.
Why does the godmother say she had to speak?
Her line is that she would have been failing in her duty as godmother if she did not counsel against it, and that it was entirely prudent to break off the understanding.
Has Captain Wentworth written to her?
The answer in the room is "No, never a word." The only authority named is the newspapers. Another voice asks whether truly sincere intentions would not have made him write when his circumstances changed.
What does she think of that old advice now?
She does not blame the person who led her, or herself for having been led. She thinks very differently now from what she was persuaded to think eight years ago. Promised love as she deserves, she answers, "I'm 27."