From Persuasion
Captain Frederick Wentworth
Brave sea captain • Proud and loyal
A brave naval officer who went to sea with a broken heart and returned a wealthy gentleman.
Who is Captain Frederick Wentworth?
Captain Frederick Wentworth is a brave naval officer who once loved Anne Elliot but was turned away because he had no fortune. Eight years later he comes home rich and famous, still hurt and proud. At first he is cool toward Anne, but his small kind acts show he still cares, and he slowly learns what true strength looks like.
Captain Frederick Wentworth is a character in Persuasion, the 1817 novel by Jane Austen, retold for ages 6–9 by Sean Lee.
What is Captain Frederick Wentworth like?
- brave
- proud
- caring
Captain Frederick Wentworth’s story
Frederick Wentworth was a young naval officer with no money when he and Anne Elliot first fell in love. After Anne ended their engagement, he went back to sea, and the war gave him the chance to earn a fortune from captured ships. He rose to the rank of captain and became well known in the navy.
When he returns to England, he stays near Anne, because his sister Mrs Croft and her husband Admiral Croft have rented Kellynch Hall. He is friendly with everyone except Anne. He tells others that he finds Anne much changed. Yet he notices when she is tired, and he quietly helps her more than once. His attention to the lively Louisa Musgrove makes many people think he will marry her, and Anne has to watch it all.
After the accident at Lyme, Wentworth begins to see Anne’s steadiness differently. In Bath he overhears Anne speaking about faithful love and writes her a letter that says what he has not been able to say aloud.
“You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope.”
A moment to remember
Without saying a word, he lifts a clinging little boy off Anne’s sore shoulder and then walks away across the room.
Family and friends
- Anne Elliot: the woman he loves
- Lady Russell: the godmother who once advised against him
- Louisa Musgrove: the young woman many expected him to marry
- Sir Walter Elliot: Anne’s father, who once looked down on him
Talk about it
Frederick showed he cared with actions instead of words. How do you show someone you care without saying anything?
Questions about Captain Frederick Wentworth
- Who does Captain Wentworth marry?
- Captain Wentworth marries Anne Elliot at the end of the novel, after they clear up their misunderstandings.
- Why did Wentworth come back to Anne after so many years?
- He never stopped loving her, though he was hurt and proud. His letter says he has loved none but her.
- Is Captain Wentworth rich?
- Yes. He earned a fortune in the navy during the war, which is why he is now a respected man and an acceptable husband for Anne in her family’s eyes.
Read the story in
Persuasion
Ages 6–9, 72 pages
