THE FIDUCIARY RELATIONSHIP ESTABLISHED IN THE CENTRAL CONFLICT OF THE 19TH CENTURY NOVEL PERSUASION, BY ENGLISH AUTHOR JANE AUSTEN

Abstract

The last novel written by Jane Austen (1775 – 1817) is marked by the conflict that precedes the essence of its title, what is, the persuasion of the secondary character, Lady Russell, about the love affair involving the story's protagonist, Anne Elliot, with the midshipman, Frederick Wentworth, both being from different social classes. This social issue is the main argument created by Lady Russell to convince her goddaughter to not get married to the boy and its effects are traumatic on both of their lives. Thus, the main objective of this research is to analyze selected chapters from the book Persuasion (1818) where the persuasive relationship is established. Therefore, to analyze the reasons and consequences of persuasion in the relationship among these three main characters, the semiotics of passions developed in Diana Barros' Semiotic Cross (1990) along with Jacques Fontanille's Semiotics of Discourse (2011), will contribute to the investigation of this phenomenon known in semiotic studies as fiducy. Furthermore, the actantial model proposed by Algirdas Julien Greimas will be decisive in showing the roles and actantial functions of each character in this fiduciary relationship.