Mansfield Park

Can I admit it? Loyal Janeite though I am, this is my least favourite of Jane's novels.
Not for the usual reason, though. I actually like Fanny, and I don't think she's a prude (I think these need to be read in the context of their periods; see review of Jane Eyre); on the contrary, her naivete awakens a tender, protective feeling in me. The reason I (gasp) didn't like it:
if a normal novel goes
exposition --> rising action --> climax --> falling action --> resolution,
Mansfield Park goes
exposition--> rising action --> "assume falling action (and resolution) happened."
Yep. And, no less, after spending a good couple hundred pages convincing you that no, that resolution will not, under any circumstances, be possible.
To wit: Several hundred show more pages: "Edmund thinks of Fanny as a sister. Edmund is in love with Miss Crawford. Edmund will never fall in love with Fanny. Edmund thinks of Fanny as a sister. Edmund is in love with Miss Crawford. Edmund will never fall in love with Fanny. Ever."
Second-last page: "Eventually Edmund stopped loving Miss Crawford. Then he started loving Fanny, so they lived happily ever after." Or, more precisely: "I only entreat everybody to believe that exactly at the time when it was quite natural that it should be so, and not a week earlier, Edmund did cease to care about Miss Crawford, and became as anxious to marry Fanny as Fanny herself could desire." She does not even describe it happening, or when it happened, or A. NY. THING. Just, as the sort of wrapping-up conclusiony epilogue stuff, she mentions that it happens, the way she describes the state of the Gardiners at the end of P&P or Charlotte Bronte talks about St John at the end of Jane Eyre. As a postscript. As an afterthought. As though that event weren't the point of the WHOLE. BLOODY. NOVEL.

(deep breath)
It was good to get that out.

In other news, Edmund. At the beginning, when he's the only person in the entire world being a little bit decent to Fanny, I was all like "Awww he's such a nice guy." But later in the book, especially when he's in love with Miss Crawford, his relationship with Fanny becomes increasingly selfish. he is the taker; she is the giver. (Of emotional energy and care, not gold chains.) Case in point: when they dance together at the ball, does he ask how she's doing? Does he consider the idea that she might want companionship? No. He takes advantage of her niceness for "peace": "His mind was fagged, and her happiness sprung from being the friend with whom it could find repose. “I am worn out with civility,” said he. “I have been talking incessantly all night, and with nothing to say. But with you, Fanny, there may be peace. You will not want to be talked to. Let us have the luxury of silence.”" Because he's suffering, her comfort is irrelevant. Who cares whether Fanny is happy when Miss Crawford doesn't like clergymen? During that entire period, she supports him and comforts him; their relationship is centred around his comfort, and hers is irrelevant. That doesn't seem like friendship, in love or not in love. Thus, Edmund is not, in fact, an exception from the way that *everyone* uses and takes advantage of Fanny -- yet another thing which makes MP's conclusion so disappointing, as this does not change right up to the end.

And last comment: I can't resist saying this, but this has more of that creepy Regency rape-culture obsession with women being persuadable all the time that there is in Northanger Abbey--only there, it's coming from John Thorpe, who's a creep, and here it's from people you're supposed to respect, like Sir Thomas. Worrying. show less

Fanny Price realizes that if she just does nothing for long enough, all her dreams will eventually come true.

I'm working my way through Austen's novels. This is the next-to-last I have to read, and I really enjoyed it. It was a mature, multi-layered story that completely drew me in. While I can't say that I particularly liked any of the characters, I really felt like I got to know them well, as people. There was no perfect man, no Mr. Knightley or Mr. Darcy to swoon over. These were more like real people, warts and all, many of them growing up quite painfully. Along with Persuasion, Mansfield Park struck me as a one of Austen's more psychological novels. Oh yes, it's also funny, and cutting, and there are some shocking bits toward the show more end. A rewarding read. show less

I approached Mansfield Park with a bit of trepidation, as most Austen fans I know consider this the worst of the lot. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the book. I think the key is to go in with an open mind and to not compare it too closely to Pride and Prejudice or any other work. The writing is excellent and Austen’s humor is very present, especially in the descriptions, dialogue and actions of the secondary characters.

Mansfield Park is different from the other Austens I’ve read (P&P, Sense and Sensibility and Emma) in that it is more serious in its concerns and more of a commentary on morality. But far from boring or preachy, Austen strikes a nice balance between those concerns and the humor and social observation show more included in her other works.

While I did wish Fanny Price had more spunk in some situations, the circumstances of her childhood and her being brought to Mansfield are such that her rather timid and retreating nature were understandable. Since Mansfield Park is not, to my mind, intended as a romantic work, the lack of chemistry between Fanny and Edmund also makes sense. Austen is less concerned with them as lovers than as moral figures whose interior compasses bring them inexorably together.

This is definitely not my favorite of the Austen novels I’ve read, but it is still entertaining and perhaps more thought-provoking. show less

Fanny Price is not scintillating, not a go-getter, not a modern girl: h*ll, she's not even that interesting. But, as the title might suggest, this book isn't really ABOUT Fanny Price: it's about place, about social upheaval, about virtue, reasons to get married, and money. Its width of scope is refreshing: it's more weighty than Emma without the tediousness of a Vanity Fair. This novel really grew on me after chapter 30. Its ending is truly surprising, in a very Sherlock Homlesian or O. Henryesque way. That alone makes it a worthwhile read. Dec 26, 2009

Reread this book five years later. It's fascinating how you bring your own prejudices, experiences, expectations, and desires to reading. I've changed so much from 21 to 26. Austen's show more creations are living, breathing beings, who do, as well. A great note to end the year. show less

A reread for the - I'm not sure, 4th time? Mansfield Park used to be my least favorite Austen book (which still means I loved it) but it grows on me every time I read it. I now think it's actually one of her more mature books, with tons of opportunity to read between the lines, really interesting set up of believable characters, and lots of subtle humor and authorial commentary.

Fanny herself has also grown on me. She is often described as meek and mild and maddeningly won't ever put herself first. But I didn't see her that way on this reading. I saw that she is quiet and introverted and has been taught that her opinion isn't wanted, but her interior comments are quite perceptive and intelligent. And humanizing her even more, her show more interior thoughts, when revealed, are often self-centered, can be petty, and stubborn. I like this.

Also, a really large part of me wanted Henry Crawford to succeed with Fanny this time and become the person he thought he could be with her. First time to feel that way too!

I happily look forward to my next rereading of this book. show less

Original review from 2011: I approached Mansfield Park with a bit of trepidation, as most Austen fans I know consider this the worst of the lot. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the book. I think the key is to go in with an open mind and to not compare it too closely to Pride and Prejudice or any other work. The writing is excellent and Austen’s humor is very present, especially in the descriptions, dialogue and actions of the secondary characters.

Mansfield Park is different from the other Austens I’ve read (P&P, Sense and Sensibility and Emma) in that it is more serious in its concerns and more of a commentary on morality. But far from boring or preachy, Austen strikes a nice balance between those concerns and the show more humor and social observation included in her other works.

While I did wish Fanny Price had more spunk in some situations, the circumstances of her childhood and her being brought to Mansfield are such that her rather timid and retreating nature were understandable. Since Mansfield Park is not, to my mind, intended as a romantic work, the lack of chemistry between Fanny and Edmund also makes sense. Austen is less concerned with them as lovers than as moral figures whose interior compasses bring them inexorably together.

This is definitely not my favorite of the Austen novels I’ve read, but it is still entertaining and perhaps more thought-provoking. show less

This was my second reading of Mansfield Park, and my feelings are so different this time around that an entirely new review is in order. My first reading was more than a decade ago. I found it a bit of a slog, with a slow-moving, interminable storyline and stereotypical characters. Well, I was wrong.

The Bertrams of Mansfield Park get the notion that taking in their 10-year-old niece, Fanny Price, would be a benefit both to Fanny and her parents, who are raising a large family on far less income. Fanny is intimidated by Mansfield Park, and largely ignored by her upper-class cousins except for Edmund, the second son. Her uncle, Sir Thomas, leaves to attend to “business interests” in Antigua, and Fanny falls into the role of companion show more to her aunt, Lady Bertram. Eight years pass, during which time Fanny is educated and adapts to the comforts of her new lifestyle, even as she is prevented from experiencing all of the social privileges enjoyed by her cousins Maria and Julia. Nevertheless, Fanny develops a very clear set of values, and is able to resist pressure to marry someone she believes completely wrong for her. When Fanny at long last has the opportunity to visit her family, she realizes how much Mansfield Park has changed her. During her time away, the Bertram family is rocked by two major events that have far-reaching consequences.

In many ways, this book is typical of Jane Austen’s novels in its exploration and satirization of English society, and its depiction of the rhythms of country life. But Fanny is a unique heroine, coming from a lower class and ultimately proving herself the best person in the bunch. I liked her much more on this re-read than I did the first time around. Fanny’s aunt, Mrs Norris, was also delightful as the character you love to hate. Having convinced Sir Thomas that taking in Fanny is their duty to the family, she continually avoids taking any responsibility for Fanny herself, and is most vocal in trying to keep Fanny in her place. Mrs Norris is awful, but Austen’s portrayal made me laugh out loud. The book ends with each character getting pretty much what they deserved, both good and bad -- a very satisfying conclusion. show less