# Captain Harville — Persuasion character guide

> Captain Harville in Persuasion by Jane Austen.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Harville, Captain, Poor Harville

**First appearance:** 0011-xii

## Snapshot

A lame, warm-hearted naval officer whose cramped Lyme lodgings are made homely by the treasures and contrivances of a life at sea.

## Who they are

Captain Harville, invalided out of active service, has turned a lodging-house into a snug domestic world for his wife and children, filling it with rare woods and curiosities from distant ports. His hospitality draws Anne into the warm circle around Wentworth, and his unpretending kindness stands in quiet contrast to the vanities of Bath. He matters as the moral center of the naval set — a man whose worth is measured by affection rather than rank.

## In the story

### [Chapter XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/persuasion_se/chapters/xi)

Settled at Lyme for the winter; visits the party in the evening with Captain Benwick.

### [Chapter XXIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/persuasion_se/chapters/xxiii)

Shows Anne a miniature of Captain Benwick, discusses the nature of constancy in love, and acts as a brotherly figure to Anne.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/persuasion_se/characters/captain_harville
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