At first glance, the ocean seems to be admired for its beauty in Persuasion. Views of the ‘retired bay, backed by dark cliffs’ near Lyme Regis in Dorset appeal to the characters visiting from Bath. It seems to be ‘the happiest spot for watching the flow of the tide, for sitting in unwearied contemplation’ (Ch. 11). However, the novel’s repeated references to the navy remind the reader that the ocean can be hazardous.
In the early nineteenth century, when Austen was writing some of her last works, Britain was fighting a war with France. The Napoleonic Wars (1803–15) were fought on both land and sea and had a profound impact on Britain’s politics, economy and culture. For instance, the conflict meant that the British navy grew tenfold between 1789 and 1812. This increase in naval warfare changed how soldiers and civilians viewed the ocean.
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