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dawngarrett 's review for:
Mansfield Park
by Jane Austen
Own.
I love Mansfield Park. It is my favorite Austen, which I know makes me an anomaly with those who cry at Fanny's "dullness" and "prudish perfections." Yet, I think Austen makes it clear that while Fanny has excellencies of character and mind, her reticence to put herself forward, her lack of speaking at appropriate times to protect herself or others makes her imperfect. Even at the end, Susan's speaking up and animated character makes her perhaps the better companion when compared with her sister.
I wanted to read Mansfield Park this time and particularly consider education and formation of taste. It seems to me that the whole book is taken with the idea of education, habit formation, and the actions of the characters which flows out of their thinking and habits.
So much of what Austen discusses here is adherence to some sort of external, objective standard or rule -- a rule that can be learned and become habit. Edmund directs Fanny's reading and by discussing it with her, directs her thoughts, emotions, habits, and mind. He teaches her what she "ought" through both his example and his words.
Her correct way of thinking and considering is tested by the play at Mansfield, the attack of Henry Crawford's love, and the visit home to Portsmouth. In each case, she is shown to be wise and observant. Her patient, steadfast demeanor protects her from acting against her morals. Her disinterested love for Edmund protects her from Henry's selfish love. Her proper way of thought brings pockets of calm even into the chaos that is her father's home.
This habitual way of living and thinking makes for a joyous, fruitful life and a beautiful establishment for Fanny.
2021 Audible Read:
Every time I start this book I think I couldn't love it any more and every time I come out of it thinking, wow! This was so much better than I remembered! And I love it more. Just wonderful.
This time I was thinking about acting. Not just acting in a play or how you act in front of others in place of your "real" self, but the actual force of doing things. I think Austen is pointing this out in many ways:
Her comparison of the three sisters: Lady Bertram - actionless; Mrs Norris - busy about minutia; Mrs Price - would prefer indolence but must do something, and out of necessity does it badly. Will Fanny be like any of these? Sir Thomas has standards and can act upon them, but his demeanor makes his ways unpalatable (am I a Sir Thomas?). Tom, Maria, and Julia all want to act, but have been so fenced in and not allowed to act that freedom opens them to license and all have disparate results based upon the lengths they go out of bounds.
I liked the Bertram parents more this time.
Fanny, simply, cannot act. She is both unable to express her will but, also, is without artifice. When she sits in the woods and all the other players are swirling busily about her, she is steady (and lonely). A major turning point for her maturity, I think, is when she is at Portsmouth and buys a silver knife for Betsy. She acts of her own will and volition to make things better. And she sees the benefit of right action. She learns when to wait and when to act.
I very much enjoyed listening to Wanda McCallum's narration of this book. So many things fitted in together better for me by hearing every word.
ETA: I liked Edmund quite a lot better this time, too. His motives and principles, like his father's, are good and right it's just the outworking, like his father's, cause him problems. He wasn't wrong to want to keep the acting within the family, it was his own getting embroiled that caused mischief. The attributes he attributed to Mary were good attributes, he just failed to see the misapplication (and who of us can claim that we're unmoved by a pretty face and right sounding words). But he managed the estate while father and brother were gone. He had good solutions for Fanny and mostly kept her in mind. He was elegant and respected in Town. He chose to be in the clergy for right reasons. He helped Fanny to fit into Mansfield and gave her books and ideas. Overall, poor Edmund gets a bad rap.
I love Mansfield Park. It is my favorite Austen, which I know makes me an anomaly with those who cry at Fanny's "dullness" and "prudish perfections." Yet, I think Austen makes it clear that while Fanny has excellencies of character and mind, her reticence to put herself forward, her lack of speaking at appropriate times to protect herself or others makes her imperfect. Even at the end, Susan's speaking up and animated character makes her perhaps the better companion when compared with her sister.
I wanted to read Mansfield Park this time and particularly consider education and formation of taste. It seems to me that the whole book is taken with the idea of education, habit formation, and the actions of the characters which flows out of their thinking and habits.
So much of what Austen discusses here is adherence to some sort of external, objective standard or rule -- a rule that can be learned and become habit. Edmund directs Fanny's reading and by discussing it with her, directs her thoughts, emotions, habits, and mind. He teaches her what she "ought" through both his example and his words.
Her correct way of thinking and considering is tested by the play at Mansfield, the attack of Henry Crawford's love, and the visit home to Portsmouth. In each case, she is shown to be wise and observant. Her patient, steadfast demeanor protects her from acting against her morals. Her disinterested love for Edmund protects her from Henry's selfish love. Her proper way of thought brings pockets of calm even into the chaos that is her father's home.
This habitual way of living and thinking makes for a joyous, fruitful life and a beautiful establishment for Fanny.
2021 Audible Read:
Every time I start this book I think I couldn't love it any more and every time I come out of it thinking, wow! This was so much better than I remembered! And I love it more. Just wonderful.
This time I was thinking about acting. Not just acting in a play or how you act in front of others in place of your "real" self, but the actual force of doing things. I think Austen is pointing this out in many ways:
Her comparison of the three sisters: Lady Bertram - actionless; Mrs Norris - busy about minutia; Mrs Price - would prefer indolence but must do something, and out of necessity does it badly. Will Fanny be like any of these? Sir Thomas has standards and can act upon them, but his demeanor makes his ways unpalatable (am I a Sir Thomas?). Tom, Maria, and Julia all want to act, but have been so fenced in and not allowed to act that freedom opens them to license and all have disparate results based upon the lengths they go out of bounds.
I liked the Bertram parents more this time.
Fanny, simply, cannot act. She is both unable to express her will but, also, is without artifice. When she sits in the woods and all the other players are swirling busily about her, she is steady (and lonely). A major turning point for her maturity, I think, is when she is at Portsmouth and buys a silver knife for Betsy. She acts of her own will and volition to make things better. And she sees the benefit of right action. She learns when to wait and when to act.
I very much enjoyed listening to Wanda McCallum's narration of this book. So many things fitted in together better for me by hearing every word.
ETA: I liked Edmund quite a lot better this time, too. His motives and principles, like his father's, are good and right it's just the outworking, like his father's, cause him problems. He wasn't wrong to want to keep the acting within the family, it was his own getting embroiled that caused mischief. The attributes he attributed to Mary were good attributes, he just failed to see the misapplication (and who of us can claim that we're unmoved by a pretty face and right sounding words). But he managed the estate while father and brother were gone. He had good solutions for Fanny and mostly kept her in mind. He was elegant and respected in Town. He chose to be in the clergy for right reasons. He helped Fanny to fit into Mansfield and gave her books and ideas. Overall, poor Edmund gets a bad rap.