Austen 250 Reader Series: Mansfield Park (Vol. III, Ch. 1-9)

Hello dearest readers.

Thank you for joining for the newest installment of the Jane Austen Summer Program’s 250 Reader Series! I’m Na’dayah, and you lucky readers get to read Mansfield Park with me for the next several weeks.

This week I’ll be covering chapters 32 through 40 of the novel. Let’s jump into it!

We open these chapters with our dear, darling Fanny. She’s about to proceed downstairs when she spots—guess who—Mr. Crawford entering! So, of course, Fanny retreats; she goes to hide in her room unless called for, because Mr. Crawford is the bane of her existence right now.

Eventually, Fanny is—not called for—but called upon! Sir Thomas comes to visit her in her room, with word of Mr. Crawford’s visit.

And, reader, you’ll never guess what Mr. Crawford came to do. . . .

He came to ask propose to Fanny!

Oh.

Em.

Gee!

Sir Thomas shares this news happily with Fanny. Imagine his surprise when she says no! Mr. Crawford has money! And status! And he’s not bad-looking, either! How could Fanny refuse? Sir Thomas doesn’t—can’t—understand, and he soon grows upset with Fanny over her adamant refusal.

“You have disappointed every expectation I had formed, and proved yourself of a character the very reverse of what I had supposed. For I had, Fanny, as I think my behaviour must have shewn, formed a very favourable opinion of you from the period of my return to England.” — Vol. III, Ch. I

Fanny is very obviously distraught, even brought to tears, by Sir Thomas’s fallen view of her; but nevertheless, she persists in her refusal. She doesn’t totally explain why, because to do so she’d have to describe his behavior with Maria and Julia, which would certainly put them in bad favor. So, she simply bites her tongue.

This, I think, is one of Fanny’s strongest moments. Her adherence to morality, despite the way it makes Sir Thomas view her, is—in my humble opinion—very commendable. It makes me like her a bit more, even if she does burst into tears immediately afterward.

At her visible upsetness, Sir Thomas stops pressing the matter so much. But, to himself, he thinks that he mind can still be changed, if only Mr. Crawford continues to appeal to her.

“He knew her to be very timid, and exceedingly nervous; and thought it not improbably that her mind might be in such a state, as a little time, a little pressing, a little patience, and a little impatience, a judicious mixture of all on the lover’s side, might work their usual effect on.” — Vol. III, Ch. I

Thus, Sir Thomas tables the matter, resolving even to keep the matter a secret from Fanny’s aunts. How kind!

Henry Crawford, meanwhile, is still very much in love with Fanny.

Or, at least, with the challenge that attaining her presents.

“It was a love which, operating on an active, sanguine spirit, of more warmth than delicacy, made her affection of greater consequence, because it was withheld, and determined him to have the glory, as well as the felicity, of forcing her to love him. . . . A little difficulty to be overcome, was no evil to Henry Crawford. He rather derived spirits from it. He had been apt to gain hearts too easily. His situation was new and animating.” — Vol. III, Ch. II

Mr. Crawford continues his adjusted behavior, attempting to woo Fanny. Fanny isn’t ignorant of this; she notices the difference.

“He was now the Mr. Crawford who was addressing herself with ardent, disinterested, love. . . . [H]e approached her now with rights that demanded different treatment. She must be courteous, and she must be compassionate.” — Vol. III, Ch. II

Despite her decision to return his politeness, however, Fanny nevertheless is indignant at his behavior—because how dare he not take no for an answer!

(No means no, Crawford! But alas.)

Eventually, Henry leaves. Fanny, of course, continues to stress over the matter, but Sir Thomas not to speak of it anymore, so long as she simply let Crawford continue his attempts to woo her.

Eventually, however, Crawford tells everyone at the parsonage. Sir Thomas deems it only decent to tell the inhabitants of Mansfield, and thus, the secret reaches Lady Bertram and Mrs. Norris—so much for not talking about it!

Mrs. Norris hates Fanny for having received the offer at all. Lady Bertram, on the other hand, gives herself the credit for Fanny’s having received the offer; “I am sure he fell in love with you at the ball. . . . You did look remarkably well. . . . And you know you had Chapman to help you dress. I am very glad I sent Chapman to you.”

When Edmund returns to Mansfield, he has, incredibly, the same idea on the matter as his parents: Fanny should marry Mr. Crawford! He tells Fanny so, saying that he, too, sees the connection as desirable.

When Crawford calls the next day, Sir Thomas invites him to stay for dinner. Another opportunity to woo Fanny! This time, he does so by attempting to appeal to her sense of taste. What for? Why, for reading of course!

“She could not abstract her mind five minutes; she was forced to listen; his reading was capital, and her pleasure in good reading extreme. . . . It was truly dramatic.” — Vol. III, Ch. III

Quite the performer, isn’t he?

Mr. Crawford continues making nice: he alludes to Fanny’s future as the lady of Everingham, speaks well of the clergy, and declares that he will continue to prove himself as worthy through his good behavior.

Edmund, meanwhile, takes it upon himself to put in a good word for Crawford. He talks with Fanny while walking outside. She insists that she and Crawford could never make a good pair, being too different, but Edmund insists otherwise, suggesting that their differences are exactly what make them a good pair.

“’Some opposition here is, I am thoroughly convinced, friendly to matrimonial happiness.’” — Vol. III., Ch. IV

It seems, however, as he continues talking, that he might have a different relationship in mind—one involving someone who’s name rhymes with Waria Wrawford. . . .

Edmund admits to Fanny that he’s “sincerely anxious” that she marry Crawford. He says that he will make her happy, but that she “will make him every thing.”

(I won’t go into a whole spiel about how problematic the whole “She Can Fix Him” concept is, because that would take up far too much of your time. But just know, reader, that I have many bones to pick with it!)

I strongly admire Fanny’s response to Edmund’s appeals.

“’I think it ought not to be set down as certain, that a man must be acceptable to every woman he may happen to like himself.’” — Vol. III, Ch. IV

Well said, Miss Price!

Eventually, both Crawford siblings leave—much to Fanny’s relief.

A plan is concocted of her leaving too—she is to travel to the Price home with William, before he’s off to sea again. There’s a brief threat of Mrs. Norris accompanying their journey, but (thankfully) she decides against it. Phew!

Thus, the journey consists of only brother and sister. It is peaceful and comforting; everything Fanny could’ve hoped for.

What isn’t like she had hoped is her home life, once arriving there.

The Price family is, um . . . different than life at Mansfield. To say the least.

To say the most—it is pure chaos.

“It was the abode of noise, disorder, and impropriety. Nobody was in their right place, nothing was done as it ought to be. [Fanny] could not respect her parents, as she had hoped. On her father, her confidence has not been sanguine, but he was more negligent of his family, his habits were worse, and his manners coarser, than she had been prepared for. . . . [H]e swore and he drank, he was dirty and gross.” — Vol. III, Ch. VIII

And if that’s not enough, turns out Mrs. Price isn’t so great either. . . .

“[Fanny’s] disappointment in her mother was greater; there she had hoped much, and found almost nothing. . . . Mrs. Price was not unkind—but, instead of gaining on her affection and confidence, and becoming more and more dear, her daughter never met with greater kindness from her, than on the first day of her arrival. . . . Her heart and her time were already quite full; she had neither leisure nor affection to bestow on Fanny.” — Vol. III, Ch. VIII

Eventually, William leaves for the sea, and Fanny is left without an ally in the house. The closest companion she has is her fourteen-year-old sister Susan, who, “she found, looked up to her and wished for her good opinion.”

(Good choice of role model, Susan!)

Fanny is, in terms of morality and wealth, superior to the rest of the house. This shows most when the issue of a little knife is brought up.

The knife was gifted to Susan from their sister who passed. Their five-year-old sister Betsey, however, wants the knife for herself. She steals it on occasion.

If you’re an older sibling, you TOTALLY understand this.

If you are a younger sibling, you understand this from the more problematic point of view.

(Spoken from the totally unbiased point of view of an eldest child of five kids!)

Fanny, however, sees a solution to this problem. It takes her some time to resign herself to this solution, as she is “so wholly unused to confer favours, except on the very poor . . . and so fearful of appearing to elevate herself as a great lady at home.” Eventually, however, she does it.

“A silver knife was bought for Betsey, and accepted with great delight, its newness giving it every advantage over the other that could be desired; Susan was established in the full possession of her own, Betsey handsomely declaring that now she had got one so much prettier herself, she should never want that again—and no reproach seemed conveyed to the equally satisfied mother, which Fanny had almost feared to be impossible.” — Vol. III, Ch. IX

Thank you all so much for joining me for this installment of the Mansfield Park reader series! What are your thoughts so far? How do you feel about Mr. Crawford’s intent to marry Fanny? About Edmund and Miss Crawford’s situationship? Can you relate to Fanny’s home life?

What do you think will happen in the final chapters of the novel? Let me know in the comments! I enjoy the comments, especially when they’re kind.

You’ll hear from me next week about chapters 41-48, in which we’ll conclude the novel! In the meantime, happy reading!