Oh, Captain Wentworth, How I Love Thee

I just finished reading Persuasion (again) and *sigh* I am hopelessly in love with Captain Wentworth. Don't get me wrong, my husband is great... but Captain Wentworth.... *swoon* how I love you!

I'm a huge and happily obsessive Jane Austen fan. Love the books, love the movies... love everything about the Regency Era in general. I was so excited to do my study abroad in Bath, England back in college, and couldn't believe my luck that our class field trips were to the places that Jane Austen frequented and wrote about.

And my absolute, without a doubt, favorite book of hers is Persuasion. I read it each time in agony - does Captain Wentworth love Anne still? or will he marry Louisa Musgrove? will he ever forgive Anne after eight and a half years? or is their love hopeless?

And of course, who can resist that love letter?

Gah, not me!

Luckily, Will is super understanding of my Captain Wentworth obsession, although he thinks Mr. Tilney from Northanger Abbey is the best of Jane Austen's heros. Its pretty awesome how I persuaded Will to join the ranks of Austen lovers.

Wasn't hard to do, actually, as who doesn't love Jane Austen? {if you don't, please don't tell me, or I may cry} But I do think it is pretty funny how, after watching one of the Jane Austen movies, Will usually spends the rest of the day talking in an old English accent - though I hate to tell him he sounds more Shakespearean than Regency.

And funnier still, when we were married, he brought his wedding suit with him from England, and I didn't get to see it until I was walking down the aisle... to discover, low and behold, he was wearing a cravat. A cravat! This was before he knew about my Jane Austen obsession (some obsessions are better left a secret until after the wedding) and before he knew that cravats, along with Regency heroes like Captain Wentworth, are on the list of Things That Make Marisa Swoon.

He said it was just a typical English wedding suit. Isn't it just so appropriate that, to this day, the typical wedding suits of England are fashioned after the most romantic era ever?

For Captain Wentworth lovers everywhere, feast your eyes on these fabulous Etsy finds:

Flame Gold Dupioni Silk Cravat - Gentleman's Jabot

Mmmm... delicious

Feather Quill and Paper Set - Traveling Chariot

Make sure your letter is fashioned after Captain Wentworth's letter to Anne, of course.

Love Letter Picture Frame - Red Bird Road Design

So you can dress your man in a cravat, have him write you a love letter, and then frame a picture of his Regency hotness.

Okay, maybe not -- but worth a shot, eh?

And just before I go, let me obsess for a minute over the mighty fine Captain Wentworth (played by Rupert Penry-Jones) from the 2007 Persuasion. So far, I haven't been completely satisfied with any film adaptations of the book... but this Captain Wentworth is by far my favorite.

*swoon*

Enjoy!
xoxo,