Background
Mansfield Park is the most controversial of all Jane Austen’s novels, mainly because readers are unable to agree in their assessment of the novel’s heroine, Fanny Price. Fanny Price is unique amongst the Austen heroines in that her story begins when she is ten and traces her story up to age eighteen. Paula Byrne says, "Mansfield Park is perhaps the first novel in history to depict the life of a little girl from within". Fanny's mother is Frances Price (née Ward) youngest sister of Lady Bertram and Mrs Norris. Her father is an impoverished retired marineFanny's arrival at Mansfield Park
Fanny feels intimidated at Mansfield Park and is homesick. The house seems far too big; Sir Thomas is daunting, Lady Bertram silent, Mrs Norris oppressive and her four cousins (Tom, Edmund, Maria and Julia) are distant. Even the maidservants sneer at her clothes. Nobody puts "themselves out of their way to secure her comfort". She misses her brothers and sisters where she had value as playfellow, instructress, and nurse. Fanny, who had been taught to read, write and do needlework but nothing more, now receives her education from Miss Lee in the school-room alongside Maria and Julia. In private the sisters think her 'prodigiously stupid' and make fun of her ignorance. Mrs Norris, who spoils the sisters, constantly emphasises Fanny's inferiority. Only Edmund attempts to understand her predicament. He befriends her, helps her adapt to her new life and guides her reading.Character and psychological profile
Many gentle adjectives are used in the novel to describe Fanny - sweet, pretty, quiet, modest, timid, shy, graceful - but none describe the true character of Fanny who is clever, observant, strong-minded and practical. The young Fanny is seen as mentally and physically fragile, a vulnerable girl with low self-esteem and emotionally thin-skinned. The strength that has enabled her to survive is the love of her brother William, just one year older. John Wiltshire says that, by the beginning of the 21st century, critics had come to appreciate Austen's highly sophisticated expression of her characters' psychological lives. They no longer understood Fanny as the pivot of moral right and, depending on their point of view, to be simply celebrated or berated. Instead they explored her psychological development, seeing her as ‘a trembling, unstable entity, nerotically driven and conflicted figure, both victim and apostle of values inscribed within her by her history of adoption'.Wiltshire, John, introduction to Austen, Jane, ''Mansfield Park'', Cambridge ed. 2005, p. lxxvii Joan Klingel Ray suggests that Fanny Price is Austen's insightful study of "the battered-child syndrome", a victim of emotional and material abuse in both households. Other writers have identified in Fanny symptoms common to those who have suffered the trauma of dislocation.Growing into adulthood
Young adult
Colleen Sheehan offers a partial defence for the readers and scholars who dislike Fanny. She maintains that Austen deliberately makes the character of Fanny difficult to empathise with and that one has to work at liking her. Austen refuses to give the reader simplistic stereotypes that will allow of easy moral judgement. Beneath all the liveliness and wit of the charismatic Crawfords there is an intense spiritual and moral battle being waged against Fanny and Edmund. Austen encourages her readers to think for themselves, to exercise their own moral judgement in a complex world. Once the governess, Miss Lee, has left, Fanny continues to find in Edmund a considerate companion who tries to protect her from discrimination within the family. In time she becomes romantically and jealously attracted to him, though in secret. Throughout the novel, Fanny is portrayed in the uncompromising position of loving without invitation and without hope. As an eighteen year-old adult, Fanny is considered pretty, with a good figure and countenance. But she tires quickly from any exercise, is still shy, and reluctant to give her own opinions or to assert herself. Deeply sensitive, however, she loves nature, poetry and biography, especiallyThe East Room
The school-room is later renamed the East Room by Maria, and once Miss Lee departs, it becomes vacant. Fanny gradually appropriates the room, filling it with her plants, her simple treasures and the books she buys once she has a little money of her own. It becomes her safe place, her 'nest of comforts' where, though unheated (by order of Mrs Norris) she retreats in times of stress. Here she reflects that, "though there had been sometimes much of suffering to her; though her motives had often been misunderstood, her feelings disregarded, and her comprehension undervalued; though she had known the pains of tyranny, of ridicule, and neglect, yet almost every recurrence of either had led to something consolatory", and the chief consolation had always been Edmund. Described in greater detail than any other part of the house, the room has many objects with symbolic potential. The table set against the East wall and its window with its transparency ofArrivals and departures
When Fanny is fifteen, her uncle Norris, the local clergyman, dies. Led to believe that she will be moved from Mansfield Park and live with Mrs Norris, Fanny again experiences the trauma of dislocation and abandonment, although it soon becomes clear that Aunt Norris does not want Fanny living with her because of the additional expense. The following year, Sir Thomas takes Tom to Antigua to deal with problems on his Caribbean estate, expecting to be away for about a year. His daughters do not grieve over his going, and Fanny only grieves that she cannot grieve. In his farewell private talk with Fanny, Sir Thomas encourages her to invite her brother William to visit but expresses the fear that William may see little improvement in her since they last met when she was ten. Her cousins, seeing Fanny's tears, misinterpret her pain and dismiss her as a hypocrite. The wife of the new minister Dr Grant has a half-sister, Mary Crawford who comes to live with her at the parsonage, accompanied by her brother,Outing to Sotherton Court
On the family visit to Sotherton Court, Fanny, now aged eighteen, silently observes Henry flirting, first with Julia and then with Maria. She is particularly concerned for Maria who is already engaged to the young owner of Sotherton, the very wealthy but dull Mr Rushworth. As Mrs Rushworth (widow of Mr Ruthworth's father) takes the party on a conducted tour of the house, Mary Crawford learns for the first time that Edmund is to become a clergyman; Mary, Edmund and Fanny subsequently debate the merits of an ecclesiastical career. David Monaghan, arguing for a conservative view of the novel, states that Fanny values what has emerged naturally over the centuries, that she alone is able to appreciate the charm of Sotherton as a great house despite its imperfections. She sees the house 'built in Elizabeth's time' as a symbol of tradition and when Mr Rushworth calls it as 'a dismal old prison' she defends the English idyllic society, despite in many ways being unequipped for the task.Monaghan, David "Structure and Social Vision" pages 83–102 from ''Jane's Austen's Mansfield Park'' edited by Harold Bloom, Chelsea House: New York pp. 85, 86, 89. Warren Roberts sees in this debate an expression of the conflict between French atheism and English religion. He asserts that the character of Mary Crawford, whose 'French' irreverence has alienated her from church, is contrasted unfavourably with that of Fanny Price whose 'English' sobriety leads her to faith, a faith that asserts: "there is something in a chapel and chaplain so much in character with a great house, with one's idea of what such a household should be".Roberts, Warren ''Jane Austen and the French Revolution'', New York: St. Martin's Press, 1979 page 34 The young people exploit Sotherton's allegorical potential, particularly in the garden and the wilderness.Edwards (JSTOR) p. 53-54 Henry, looking across the locked gate by the ha-ha says, "You have a very smiling scene before you". Maria responds, "Do you mean literally or figuratively?" She complains of being trapped behind the gate and having "a feeling of restraint and hardship". The dialogue is full of innuendo. Fanny, also present, urges Maria not to climb the gate, warning of spikes, a torn garment and a fall, all unconsciously suggestive of moral violence.Edwards, Thomas (1965) “The Difficult Beauty of Mansfield Park.” ''Nineteenth-Century Fiction'', vol. 20, no. 1, pp. 53-54. www.jstor.org/stable/2932492 (Also in ''Jane Austen's Mansfield Park'', New York: Chelsea House, 1987)Edwards (JSTOR) p. 53-54 Lucy Worsley calls this Austen's most striking incidence of phallic symbolism.Home theatricals
While Sir Thomas is still in Antigua, the elder son, Tom, recently returned to England, and influenced by his new friend, Mr. Yates, decides that the young people should entertain themselves with amateur theatricals. All apart from Fanny and Edmund are enthusiastic and after several days of discussion and argument the play '' Lovers' Vows'' is chosen. On reading the script, Fanny is astonished that the play should be thought suitable for private theatre and considers the two leading female roles as "totally improper for home representation — the situation of one, and the language of the other so unfit to be expressed by any woman of modesty". She believes from her observations of the household that the acting will have a negative impact on the emotions and subsequent behaviour of the actors. However, she lacks the strength and courage to persuade the others. When Tom and Mr Yates suggest bringing in an outsider to act, Edmund is even more distressed. He is concerned about Sir Thomas' sense of propriety which abhors any invasion of privacy. He also dislikes the thought of a stranger performing an intimate scene with Mary Crawford and so reluctantly accepts the part himself. Fanny is disturbed by Edmund's change of mind, though others gloat. But despite being pressed, Fanny continues in her refusal to act. However, she agrees to be a prompter and becomes very involved. During rehearsals, Fanny observes the ongoing flirtation between Henry and the about-to-be-married Maria, "Maria acted well, too well."Austen, Jane. ''Mansfield Park,'' ch. 18 (Kindle Locations 2201-2202) She also sees the sexual tension and attraction between Edmund and Mary as they play the part of the two lovers. Fanny's jealousy prompts much of the novel’s dynamic.The master returns
Some commentators see an allusion to the judgement parables of the Gospels as the young people entertain themselves during Sir Thomas's absence. In the parables, theSlave trade
It is generally assumed that Mansfield Park, being a newly built property, had been erected on the proceeds of the British slave trade. Fanny asks Sir Thomas about the slave trade but receives no answer. The pregnant silence (underlined the following day in conversation with Edmund) perplexed Fanny and continues to perplex critics. Austen here, as often in the novel, raises moral questions but invites the reader to make their own judgement.Assault
Flirtation
Henry Crawford returns some time after Maria's marriage to Mr Rushworth. For Henry, as for Mary, sexual conquest is the motivating force in a romantic relationship. Henry decides to ‘make a hole in Miss Price’s heart’ simply because he thinks he can. He pretends to court Fanny, showing her attention and kindness. Fanny does not appreciate his attentions. She has a bad opinion of Henry's character, believing he has no principles. Sir Thomas, observing Henry's behaviour and failing to recognise his flaws, starts to think Henry might be in love with Fanny and approves. Henry shocks his sister by declaring that he has fallen in love with Fanny and speaks of her sweet conduct and forbearance. Mary identifies the only real attraction for Henry as Fanny's resistance to his charms, but begins to think he might truly be in love. Mary's attitude to Fanny now becomes ambivalent and she colludes with Henry in his attempted conquest of her.Coming out
Fanny's 'Trauma and restoration
Portsmouth
"Home" is one of several major themes in the novel. Sir Thomas sends Fanny back to her family in Portsmouth so that she can better understand the benefits of what he believes to be an ideal match. Fanny anticipates this visit with excitement but soon realises that her memories of Portsmouth have been greatly idealised. In a conversation with Mary the previous autumn, Fanny had ruminated on the mystery and unpredictability of memory. Now, surrounded by the chaos of the Price household, she longs to return to Mansfield, her memories again transformed. Change in Fanny's character is most marked during her three months exposure to Portsmouth life. As she reassesses her own abilities, she realises she is capable of seeing and judging correctly, of giving, and of being positively useful. Symbolically a descent into hell, Portsmouth life becomes an opportunity for change and growth. One Saturday morning, nearly four weeks after her arrival, Fanny receives an unexpected visit from Henry. He treats her chaotic family with apparent respect; his love for her seems constant. While still refusing Henry, she begins to think about him a little more favourably; while Fanny has seen some seemingly positive change in his character, she has not seen enough to feel that it will be permanent or enough to revise her previous opinion of him, which later proves to be valid. Some time later however, Mr Price, reads in his borrowed newspaper that Henry and Maria have eloped. Fanny learns more from letters sent by Mary and later Edmund: Henry has fulfilled her worst fears about him. Fanny is eventually brought back by Edmund to a traumatised Mansfield Park. She has the experience and inner strength to weather the trauma and becomes chief support to the family. She is welcomed as comforter to Aunt Bertram, listener to Edmund in his disappointed assessment of Mary, and increasingly as a special friend to Sir Thomas.The ending
Sir Thomas takes a long time to recover, examining his conscience and past motives. As he regains confidence, he comes to depend more on Fanny, treating her as a much loved daughter. Byrne finds in ''Mansfield Park'' an exploration of the role of parents in raising their children and forming their moral characters. Over time, Sir Thomas has gradually changed his view of his niece. At first he felt that she was not the social equal of his daughters. At the end, he acknowledges her advantages in starting from hardship in her parents' home, and recognises his failings in guiding his own daughters. Over time, Edmund proposes to Fanny and is delighted to find that she has always loved him. Austen's sister, Cassandra, thought Fanny should have married Henry, but despite their arguing about the matter, Jane stood firm.Worsley (2017) ch. 18. At the end of the book, the narrator suggests that if Henry had been more patient, Fanny would probably have accepted him. Additionally, Edmund, whom she longed to marry, might have married Mary, had Mary not destroyed her own reputation by attempting to justify her brother's scandalous affair. Some commentators, like Thomas Edwards, see this as a rare weakness in the text, believing that if Fanny had accepted Henry, the narcissistic regency rake would have soon lost interest and turned his attentions elsewhere. In the text, Mary speculates that if they had married, Henry would have satisfied himself with the occasional dalliance. Colleen Sheehan concludes that "just as Fanny tries to remain a bystander to the production of ''Lovers’ Vows'' but is drawn into the action, we the audience of bystanders are drawn into participation in the drama of ''Mansfield Park''. Austen does not save Henry and Mary Crawford in this work; only they could save themselves. Neither does she save her readers. Our judgement must be our own."See also
* Who is Fanny Price?, an analysis of the characterReferences
{{DEFAULTSORT:Price, Fanny Mansfield Park characters Fictional gentry Female characters in literature