Who is Mary Musgrove in Persuasion?

Mary Musgrove is Anne Elliot’s younger sister. She is married to Charles Musgrove and lives at Uppercross Cottage.

Is Mary Musgrove really ill?

Mary often says she is unwell, but Anne and others notice that she soon feels better when she is given attention or invited somewhere.

Where does Mary Musgrove live?

Mary lives at Uppercross Cottage, close to Charles’s parents at the Great House in the village of Uppercross.

From Persuasion

Mary Musgrove

Anne’s complaining sister • Always dramatic

Anne’s dramatic younger sister, who is always complaining of headaches and feeling ill.

Who is Mary Musgrove?

Mary Musgrove is Anne’s younger sister, who lives at Uppercross Cottage with her husband Charles and their little boys. She often feels sure that she is sick or left out, and she likes to remind everyone that she is an Elliot. When Anne comes to stay, Anne’s patient care helps Mary feel better and brings peace to the busy cottage.

Mary Musgrove is a character in Persuasion, the 1817 novel by Jane Austen, retold for ages 6–9 by Sean Lee.

What is Mary Musgrove like?

dramatic
proud
fussy

Mary Musgrove’s story

Mary is Anne’s younger sister and has married Charles Musgrove, the son of the family at the Great House in Uppercross. She has two small sons, a pleasant cottage and a habit of feeling that she is not treated well. She is quick to say she is ill and just as quick to be well again when something pleasant happens.

When Anne stays with her, Mary mixes complaints with real affection. She says that the Musgroves do not respect her enough, and she likes to say she is an Elliot of Kellynch Hall. She does not always want to help, but she wants Anne near. Her injured little son and her own aches keep Anne busy, and she is often cross when she is left out of a walk or a party.

Mary is delighted to learn that Anne will marry a rich and well-known naval captain, and she is rather glad to be the sister of someone so well placed.

“I think it very likely that my illness to-day may be owing to it.”

Mary Musgrove, blaming a crowded carriage for how she feels. From the original 1817 novel by Jane Austen.

A moment to remember

Lying on the sofa with a handkerchief on her head, Mary complains that nobody cares, until Anne’s warm broth and fluffed pillows cheer her right up.

Anne Elliot: her older sister
Louisa Musgrove: her husband’s sister
Sir Walter Elliot: her proud father
Captain Frederick Wentworth: the naval officer who becomes her brother-in-law

Talk about it

Mary felt better when someone took care of her. What helps you feel better on a grumpy day?

Questions about Mary Musgrove

Who is Mary Musgrove in Persuasion?: Mary Musgrove is Anne Elliot’s younger sister. She is married to Charles Musgrove and lives at Uppercross Cottage.
Is Mary Musgrove really ill?: Mary often says she is unwell, but Anne and others notice that she soon feels better when she is given attention or invited somewhere.
Where does Mary Musgrove live?: Mary lives at Uppercross Cottage, close to Charles’s parents at the Great House in the village of Uppercross.