Abstract

Abstract In 1995, the BBC adaptation of Jane Austen's Persuasion appeared in United States theaters. Reviewers praise Persuasion's unglamorized yet picturesque landscapes; however, the landscape offers more than a scenic backdrop. The picturesque landscapes inform viewers about a character's worth, a rekindling romance, and the countryside's value; therefore, film's use of landscape functions rhetorically, providing information about the characters and plot and evoking the audience's emotions, which enrich the viewing experience. In addition, the film trains the audience to appreciate the picturesque through framing techniques and point of view shots. The adaptation, therefore, stresses the importance of vision in Persuasion and the picturesque.