Mansfield Park in Sir Walter Scott Appreciation

Jan 09, 2022 John rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: austen

I really enjoyed Mansfield Park. Fanny Price is an unusual heroine in her quietness, weakness, stoicism and helplessness. She is the only character who stays true to their moral principles and is not persuaded to change them.

Edmund who is in love with Mary Crawford fails to see what she really is or refuses to. Mary wants wealth and status and tries throughout to persuade Edmund that the clergy is a mistake. Henry Crawford her brother is a flirt and has no consistency which Fanny can see.

Her c I really enjoyed Mansfield Park. Fanny Price is an unusual heroine in her quietness, weakness, stoicism and helplessness. She is the only character who stays true to their moral principles and is not persuaded to change them.

Edmund who is in love with Mary Crawford fails to see what she really is or refuses to. Mary wants wealth and status and tries throughout to persuade Edmund that the clergy is a mistake. Henry Crawford her brother is a flirt and has no consistency which Fanny can see.

Her cousins Mary and Julie Bertram on the surface have manners but lack moral judgement. Their mother is indolent and their father Sir Thomas a good man but authoritarian and to reliant on Mrs Norris in their upbringing. Tom the eldest son is sowing his wild oats and enjoying life until his illness when he becomes more mature.

Mrs Norris is for me an evil character. A sycophantic, vindictive, meddling busy body. She hates Fanny. Her meddling in the doomed marriage of Mary to Mr Rushworth a wealthy simpleton, encouraging the play and miserliness are key elements. The ending with her ending up being in exile with Mary seems appropriate.

The tranquility of Fanny is throughout the novel with Mansfield Park the oasis of rural paradise with its nature and rules. When Fanny visits Portsmouth and sees her family in their poverty, filth and lack of morality it is a true test of her stoicism and morals.

The novel is about morals versus manners, appearances being deceiving, intrigue and how in Henry Crawford’s case a leopard does not change his spots. Fanny knows that and even though she refuses his proposal to the frustration of Sir Thomas, Edmund and Henry’s sister pressure her to accept. Her judgement of him is eventually proved correct. He is ultimately unable to be consistent and will succumb to temptation as he does with Mary.

An excellent story and unique in the heroine appearing to be weak and is not in control of the actions. Unlike Emma or Pride snd and Prejudice the heroine is not a lens through which the action is seen. However, Fanny’s moral judgement throughout the novel is reliable unlike the other characters. She also matures throughout the story becoming more stronger especially after her Portsmouth visit to her family seeing their genteel poverty and morals compared to Mansfield Park.

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Mar 16, 2020 Elizabeth Grant rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: only-a-novel, age-of-austen

My husband gave me the lovely clothbound box edition of Jane Austen's work for my birthday last year, and I've been reading my way through them. I wasn't looking forward to Mansfield Park. While all my other old Penguin editions of Austen's novels were falling apart - hence the birthday gift – Mansfield Park is in almost pristine condition. I'd only read it once, and not liked it. I thought the heroine was weak, and spineless, and wishy-washy.

I should not like to speak ill of my bygone younger s ...more

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Sep 26, 2020 Heather rated it liked it

This is a tough cast of characters to like. For being the main character Fanny Price says surprisingly little. It’s difficult to have a heroine who is so weak and timid. It was taxing to me the number of times Fanny was nervous, anxious, timid, and distressed. She starts to speak and becomes “puzzled” and can’t continue. It is a relief to have finished with them all.

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Aug 26, 2017 Tracey rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: owned-books, all-time-favourites

I love this book. Many reviewers describe Fanny as prissy or boring but I see her as having humility rather than weakness and integrity rather than being boring. She is only 18 and has yet to receive genuine love sufficient to enable her to blossom in confidence. Whilst she will always be gentle and considerate she will lose her shyness and insecurity once truly loved by one she can love and cherish in return. Just some real TLC is what she needs to turn the ugly duckling into the swan she reall ...more

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