Posted by Nora on July 22, 1997 at 18:31:07:
It is true that Harriet isn't a complete simpleton, but she is very easy to persuade like Anne Elliot. Both were dissuaded by a respected person in society to forget their love of a lower man. Both truley knew in their hearts that that was man was the one for them. Both ended up getting him back after one rejection. The only difference is, that Frederick Wentworth underwent a finacial change before he showed his face back into Anne's society. Harriet sort of knows that she is not good enough for Emma's high society so she only believes herself equal to her for a moment or two. She knows that a man like Robert Martin, who isn't rich but very sensible is right for her. You could tell by the way she acted around him. She acted too much like she was serving her other love interests, than being on the level with them. Anne was totally unaffected by her families financial loses, because never really cared for them anyway or the extravagence. She knows that she was made for Captian Wentworth, and his change makes no difference to her except for the fact that he would be found acceptable to her very subjective friend.