Persuasion

As the ancestral seat of the Elliot family, Kellynch Hall is an extensive and expensive home with a long line of barons associated with its keeping. With Sir Walter’s poor financial management frequently compared to the wealth (without distinctive birth) of navy officers, Kellynch Hall stands in as a symbol of the changing order of society. Men who have inherited wealth without working, such as Sir Walter, struggle to keep up with the economic demands of their class.

That Sir Walter rents Kellynch Hall precisely to a family whose wealth comes from a military career underscores its use as a symbol. When the Crofts move in to the home, they represent the metaphorical “moving in” of a class of people whose wealth is unassociated with their birth; Sir Walter, Elizabeth, and Lady Russell in particular must come to terms with the changing order of society in order to maintain what they deem as suitable acquaintances. Later, even Anne is tempted to fill her mother’s role as the Lady of Kellynch Hall through marriage to Mr. Elliot. However, Anne’s compassion and humility allow her to welcome the Crofts and prioritize her own happiness in marriage over the social significance of occupying her ancestral home.