Tuesday 9 August 2011

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DEAR ANNE ELLIOT!


If you open Persuasion on its first page you get to know that its heroine, Anne Elliot was born on 9th August 1787. 
Sir Walter Elliot, of Kellynch Hall, in Somersetshire, was a man who, for his own amusement, never took up any book but the Baronetage; there he found occupation for an idle hour, and consolation in a distressed one; there his faculties were roused into admiration and respect, by contemplating the limited remnant of the earliest patents; there any unwelcome sensations, arising from domestic affairs changed naturally into pity and contempt as he turned over the almost endless creations of the last century; and there, if every other leaf were powerless, he could read his own history with an interest which never failed. This was the page at which the favourite volume always opened:
                                                               ELLIOT OF KELLYNCH HALL.
"Walter Elliot, born March 1, 1760, married, July 15, 1784, Elizabeth, daughter of James Stevenson, Esq. of South Park, in the county of Gloucester, by which lady (who died 1800) he has issue Elizabeth, born June 1, 1785; Anne, born August 9, 1787; a still-born son, November 5, 1789; Mary, born November 20, 1791."


I don't know how much Jane Austen knew about Astrology and Horoscope but ... Anne Elliot a  Leo? No way!  Read one of the Leo Profiles I've found on line:

You are a very ambitious person and want to rise to the top in the profession of your choice. You have been blessed with a strong personality, which can take you places if you so desire. You are logical in your approach to most things but sometimes you get so confused over the small issues. An extrovert, you have many friends and you are a good host. You learn to branch out on your own even if it turns out to be an expensive idea since you are ready to sacrifice much if it benefits in the long run. You are very much a materialistic person; you will find it difficult to do without worldly things. The picture you portray, however, is of the strong silent type. Your plus point is keeping a good relationship with those persons who could be of use to you in some way. You are self-opinionated person though you may behave otherwise. Sometimes you act very superficially and you yourself will not know why. You are quite power-hungry and given to vices any of which could cause you destruction both mentally and physically. You are an out-going person basically and have a wide circle of friends. You are a well-loved person since you speak attractively and have good manners. 
You can't tolerate your failures because you want to rule and you are impatient to reach that level. You don't let anyone come in the way of achieving power. You are brave and don't spend sleepless nights on major or minor worries provided you have been sincere and just. Basically an extrovert, you reach out to people in all walks of life. You are helpful to those in trouble and don't expect anything in return. To win your favor, it is wise to flatter you and this happens to you all the time but you won't notice it.
It doesn't sound anything like Anne to me!  Jokes apart, since I don't believe in Astrology much myself, today it's Anne's birthday. Happy birthday to my favourite Austen heroine! Jane Austen wrote in one of her letters that Anne was  "a heroine who is almost too good for me." Well, since she loved her impertinent Emma Woodhouse very much, it's obvious that being Anne rather the opposite, she couldn't be Jane's favourite heroine. However, she is mine. I loved for her being nothing but ordinary, or better I love for her being ... pretty much like me.

Do you believe in Astrology? Which sign do you believe Anne resembles more, instead?

10 comments:

phastings said...

Thanks for bringing Anne's birthday to our attention. No, Anne is definitely not a Leo. It would be interesting to know why Jane Austen picked those particular birth dates.
Persuasion is my favorite Austen novel. It's a great love story. We can all learn something from Anne Elliot. I think she is a character to be admired. ~ Happy Birthday Anne!

lunarossa said...

Happy Birthday, Jane, from me too! She is also my JA's favourite and I sometimes I feel she is/was a real person! I do not know anything about astrology so I cannot guess...Ciao. A.x

Claudia said...

A really happy birthday, Anne! And thank you, because as years go by we love you more and more :)

Mary Simonsen said...

As I've gotten older, I have come to appreciate Anne's quiet inner life. She is now tied with Elizabeth Bennet as my favorite Austen heroine. Happy Birthday, Anne.

Faith Hope and Cherrytea said...

adding my felicitations ~ HapPiest BirthDay to dear ANNE ! love her ! Persuasion being my fave of JA ")
thanks for this post Maria !
not an astrology believer either...
but i am anne elliot on the widget test for which JA character are you ? ") kinda fun!

Maria Grazia said...

Thanks for joining me to celebrate Anne Elliot. She is my favourite Austen heroine just like Persuasion is my number one among the major six. And, by the way, I too am Anne Elliot on the widget test for "Which JA character are you"?

Miss Laurie of Old-Fashioned Charm said...

Maria Grazia, thanks so much for your comment on my Persuasion Poetry post. I've been celebrating Anne Elliot's birthday all day long with a total of 6 different posts about her birthday and her favorite things! I'm even having a giveaway with three items that are Jane Austen and Persuasion related. Anne is my favorite Austen heroine because she's so much like me! My birthday falls in the Leo sign too but that doesn't sound like me at all. I'm pretty sure Jane Austen wouldn't have had much to do with astrology so she probably didn't even consider the "signs" when she made Anne's birthday August 9th. I hope you check out my other Anne Elliot related posts!

~Miss Laurie
Old-FashionedCharm.blogspot.com

Maria Grazia said...

@OldFashionedCharm
I hadn't seen the other posts. Off to read them!

Mahrian said...

Dear Maria, congratulations to Anne! Thanks for remembering us! Love your space here! It's so nice to find people who loves Jane! I remembered you today because we posted on our blog a party theme of Jane Austen. I was amazed to find a feast of Jane! Loved this so much! Want one too! lol Kisses, dear!

Carolina Cordeiro said...

Happy birthday to Anne! :). Persuasion is my second best Austen book because of Anne's character. If Lizzy didn't exist, she'd be the one. Anne can't be a Leo, so which one would she be? Not Aries, either. I'm one and I would not be able to handle what she did... but I could 2007's Wentworth, any time ;)