Mrs. Smith

Sam Allen
Discussion 1H

Mrs. Smith is one of many characters in Jane Austen's "Persuasion." She is not central to the plot (introduced in chapter 17), but she plays a very important role in the climax and also serves as a significant symbol of the class relations the novel examines.

Mrs. Smith is a former schoolmate of Anne's who helped her deal with the loss of her mother. All Anne knew of Mrs. Smith after they lost touch was that she "married a man of fortune."

When Anne "renews her acquaintance" with Mrs. Smith in Bath, her old friend has fallen into poverty after the loss of her husband. Sir Walter (Anne's father) cannot fathom Anne's reason to see such a lower class person. After he hears this, Sir Walter tells Anne "everything that revolts other people, low company, paltry rooms, foul air, disgusting invitations are inviting to you." Obviously, Sir Walter would never associate with someone like Mrs. Smith, much less meet with her frequently at her Westgate Building.

But Mrs. Smith eventually saves Anne from a huge mistake- marrying Mr. Elliot. Mrs. Smith and her husband knew Mr. Elliot when he was younger. Anne sort of considers marrying Mr. Elliot (on Lady Russell's advice) before Mrs. Smith exposes him to be a conniving cheat who just wants to marry Anne to increase the chance that he inherits the estate. In an ironic twist, after Anne marries Captain Wentworth, Wentworth helps Mrs. Smith recover the fortune that Mr. Elliot prevented her from claiming.

Mrs. Smith's benevolence shows that the lower class is very important to Austen. It is a subtle expression of one of Austen's key themes; the foolishness of the gentry and the worth of the lower classes.