Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about the theme of second chances, perhaps because I’ve been working on what I’m hoping will grow up to be at least a novella. I love stories about couples who dated when they were young but broke up and eventually married other people. Then years later, they are reunited with the love of their youth and get a second chance at happiness together. I must not be alone because the PBS show “Last Tango in Halifax” (about two people who find each other again when they’re in much older with grown children) is very popular. These stories have a major “sigh” factor that’s obviously appealing.
Since this is a blog about Jane Austen, when I say “second chances,” I’m sure you immediately thought of Persuasion, one of literature’s all time best stories of second chances. Anne Elliot and Frederick Wentworth are briefly betrothed, but Anne is persuaded to break off the relationship by friends and family who claim to have her best interests at heart. Wentworth is angry and Anne is broken-hearted. When they meet again, Anne is forced to watch as he courts some of her friends. Wentworth works through his anger and acknowledges Anne is the only woman he loves. Will they get a second chance?
Here are a few lines from the letter he writes to her – probably one of the most romantic letters in literature: “You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope. Tell me not that I am too late, that such precious feelings are gone forever. I offer myself to you again with a heart even more your own than when you almost broke it eight and a half years ago. Dare not say that man forgets sooner than woman, that his love has an earlier death. I have loved none but you.”
Austen used variations of this second chance theme in more than one of her stories although some of the time frames are much shorter than the eight and a half year time period in Persuasion.
Pride and Prejudice: Elizabeth angrily turns down Darcy’s first proposal. Eventually she realizes she may have made a mistake, and after reevaluating his character, is fortunate enough to receive another offer. Jane Bennet is in love with Charles Bingley, but his sisters (and Darcy) come between them. Jane believes she will never see her Mr. Bingley again. Darcy realizes his mistake in helping to separate his friend from the woman he loves and well…you know the rest. HEA!
Sense and Sensibility: Elinor Dashwood and Edward Ferrars meet and become friends or possibly more than friends, but Edward is already secretly betrothed to someone else. Honor requires he follow through with his promise in spite of the fact that he feels nothing now for Lucy Steele and everything for Elinor. Eventually, Edward is released from his promise and seeks out Elinor, hoping she might still care for him. Of course she does! HEA!
Mansfield Park: Fanny Price has been in love with her cousin Edmund Bertram for years, but while he cares very much for Fanny, he has set his sights on someone else – the conniving Mary Crawford. Eventually, Mary Crawford’s true colors are revealed, and Edmund realizes he should be with Fanny. HEA!
Emma: Emma Woodhouse has known Mr. Knightly all her life and thinks of him as her dearest friend. It is only when she realizes she may have lost Mr. Knightly to someone else that she recognizes she loves him. Fortunately, Mr. Knightly has been waiting for her. HEA!
What do you think of stories about second chances? Please share your thoughts.
Giveaway!!! For a giveaway, I’m offering a license plate cover that says “On My Way to the Meryton Assembly.” I’ll randomly choose a winner from all those who comment on this post.
Book suggestions by Austen Variations authors with a second chance theme:
Abigail Reynolds – Morning Light (a modern Persuasion) and Mr. Darcy’s Obsession (P&P Regency)
Jack Caldwell – The Companion of His Future Life (P&P Regency)
Maria Grace – Remember the Past and Snowbound at Hartfield (both P&P Regency)
Marilyn Brant – Coming Home (a contemporary Persuasion duet) and “When Life Imitates Art” (a modern short story included in the Romance Writers of America anthology called Second Chances)
Melanie Burt Stanford – Sway (a modern Persuasion)
Nicole Clarkson – These Dreams (modern) and The Courtship of Edward Gardiner (Regency P&P related)
Shannon Winslow – The Persuasion of Miss Jane Austen (an alternate history about Jane Austen) and Leap of Hope (a modern Persuasion)
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Susan, you’ve made a lot of nice comparisons here about second chances, and I agree that Austen works hard to create second-chance stories. At the same time, any book-length work requires second chances! The formula for a love story is boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl. If the first chance (boy meets girl) works out, there’s no drama (boy loses girl), and we arrive at HEA far too soon!
I agree most romances have a lot of ups and downs which could be considered second or even third chances!
You’re so right, Susan. I’ve heard of many people who have reunited with their first loves later in life after being separated for years! Thanks for recommending two of my books and also the tip on “Last Tango.” Haven’t seen it but will check it out now. Sounds interesting. 🙂
Last Tango is a delight! Lovely, interesting characters and wonderful acting.
Susan,
I love second chance romances,especially those centred around an older and perhaps wiser couple. Those who have learnt to grasp happiness when it comes calling and have gained invaluable insights into life and its myriad mysteries,thriving vast life experience.
Yip,I’m a big fan of this type of romance and can happily say I’ve read most of the books you listed and am adding the others to my TBR list! Thank you for such!
I recently read a second chance Regency romance in which the characters were separated for about 20 years. I loved it because the main characters were mature and had lived a bit. There has to be something good about getting older.
As Persuasion is my favourite Jane Austen book, I love stories about second chances. Second chances can happen in so many ways.
So many great characters in Persuasion!
I admire the authors who take on the much more complex and passionate story of Persuasion. And, it does my heart good to read about such timeless devotion and love – all wrapped up in the human (flawed) package!
Kudos to all who love Persuasion!!
I love Persuasion, too. It’s tied with P&P for my favorite Austen book.
Excited to hear you are working on another story Susan! The premise is one I enjoy too! I have read most of the ones you have noted but still have Shannon’s to read…which is on my Kindle!
Thanks, Carole!
For me, Persuasion is the ultimate second chances story. Such a romantic tale, and that letter Wentworth wrote to Anne!
What a difference between writing a letter and either an email or a tweet! Wentworth’s letter makes me wonder if we need to get back to real letters!
Persuasion is my favorite Austen novel, so yes, I do believe in second chances. How many of us can say they’ve never said or done something they wish they could take back? Books that have this theme always attract me.
So many forks in the road in our lives!
Susan, many thanks for the shout out 🙂 and, also, for your lovely post on “second chances.” That’s one of my favorite story themes, too! And I’ve never seen “Last Tango in Halifax” — adding it to my much-watch list!!
Definitely don’t miss Last Tango, Marilyn.
We all make mistakes and live to regret many of them. It is a human characteristic that is timeless, therefore a good theme for a novel. Hopefully we also have been given second chances to resolve those mistakes. Thanks for your thoughts on that theme in Jane’s books.
Thanks, Meg, for taking time to read and comment.
I love second chance themes in literature and film. Persuasion is obviously the #1 example from Austen, but I also think of Molly Gibson and Roger Hamley in Elizabeth Gaskell’s Wives and Daughters and Margaret Hale and John Thorton in Gaskell’sNorth and South…along with our own Nicole Clarkston’s absolutely brilliant variations of the latter, Northern Rain and No Such Thing As Luck. And then to Dickens’ Great Expectations with Pip and Estella.
And then there’s Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing in which Beatrice and Benedick have a past that is hinted at in the play, not just as verbal sparring partners, but a romantic one. So their falling in love with the help of friends and family is not as far-fetched as it may seem once we realize that there is a romantic history between the two, one that starts off a little caustic as the play opens since the gentleman is definitely still resentful of Beatrice’s apparent refusal. When he first speaks to her, he states, “What, my dear Lady Disdain! Are you yet living?” Their battle of wits shows more than a hint of bitterness, especially when Benedick calls it off before she can really insult him (or perhaps refer to their previous relationship??) by saying, “But keep your way, i’ God’s name. I have done,” causing Beatrice to retort, “You always end with a jade’s trick. I know you of old.”
I think because of the higher mortality rate in the 19th century, second chance romances were fairly common. Now we have divorce rates to create similar scenarios in our time, but the second chance romance definitely weaves itself through literature. (I could keep going–don’t ask a former literature professor to trace a theme, LOL!)
Warmly,
Susanne, who should be grading papers instead of tracing themes! 🙂
Thanks for taking a moment from grading papers to share your thoughts. I hadn’t really thought of Much Ado About Nothing!
I like the second chance pride and prejudice variations. They are so interesting, I liked all those entitled Mr Darcy second chance by different authors ,also like your variations.
Mr. Darcy is definitely worth waiting for!
Persuasion is my all time second favorite. I do like the idea of second chances. No other letter can compare to Wentworth’s love letter to Anne. It is simply so romantic it takes the breath away.
Thanks for taking time to comment, Patty. I love Persuasion, too.
Thanks for the mention, Susan! This is a perfect comparison of these stories. I love how you highlight some of Austen’s favorite themes by laying them out side by side. Another reason we all love Jane, because everyone deserves a second chance!
Thanks for sharing, Nicole. I haven’t read your North and South variation so I’ll have to add that to my TBR list.
I adore stories about second chances…besides the resolution of an old but not forgotten love, there’s something incredibly satisfying to think that old mistakes can be rectified, and that hope and love are not truly lost. It’s reassuring on many levels, not just the romantic. We all need a second chance every now and again. And the sweetness of a second chance at love is particularly beautiful because we too easily slip into the trap of thinking that we only ever really get one chance to “do things right” by ourselves. And if we’re not ready for love to come our way or to make the leap into doing something that we know will stretch our very souls, well that’s just tough. So second chance stories offer that necessary bit of wisdom that says that we DO get a chance to learn and grow and make the leap, that those opportunities not taken are not really lost at all, just waiting for the right time to come around again.
Very eloquently said, MeriLyn! Thank you.
I love second chances, but until this post never realised how that was a theme in Jane Austen’s writings. I have read many of the books you mentioned.
Thanks for taking time to comment. Hope you find a new book among those mentioned.
This is a very thought-provoking post, Susan, thank you. My mind is all over the place, scouring read after read, recalling second chances, from Jane, and many others. Having just recently re-read Persuasion, just today watched Emma, and with today being a momentous P&P milestone, my head is swimming… Poor Harriet needing extra chances, thanks to goofy Emma…
Mostly, my heart pierces, for our Jane, who just did not get her fair share of chances… sniff… Glorious creature that she was… sniff…
Oh, and thank you for the delightful opportunity!
And I hope Marilyn, Shannon, and others ultimately enjoy Last Tango as much as I. Quality production!
I also love stories about second chances. Persuasion is my second favorite JA story (that letter! Sigh!!!). I have not seen Last Tango in Halifax and will have to do so. I have read many of the stories listed and enjoyed them. Several are on my kindle waiting for me to get to them. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and the suggestions.
Susanne listed some of my favorites: Wives and Daughters, Much Ado About Nothing, Nicole’s books, Great Expectations (used to watch it every Christmas Eve at a friend’s house when younger), North and South.