I'm going to posit something about "Mansfield Park" that may help you if decide to re-read it: to me Mary Crawford is not a villain:
In the first place, she is one of the few characters in the novel who does attempt to befriend and understand Fanny.
I feel she falls in love with Edmund almost despite herself: she does not want to marry a modestly-living man, but Edmund's qualities attract her. If she goes after Edmund it isn't to spite Fanny, it's because she feels she wants and/or needs Edmund.
She encourages Henry to woo Fanny out of a misplaced sense of benefitting Fanny, not because she wishes Fanny ill.
She is also the other side of Fanny's coin: both small and lightly-built; their families are similarly dysfunctional (remember Mary and Henry's lives as children). Fanny and Mary are completely incompatible and at odds, but there is so much oddly reflective in them. I feel that our perception and sympathy for Fanny grows as does our understanding of Mary. It's, for me, one of the most intriguing female pairings in Austen's novels.
melenatorr
Mansfield Park is my favorite. I'm sorry you had a bad experience reading it. I read it when I was very sick during summer break (I think I was 16 or so) and all my friends were out and having fun and I was stuck at home. So, it came to me at the right time. I love Fanny... she is such a pushover for most of the book until the moment it counts. Mary Crawford is basically the evil version of Elizabeth Bennet, so she's lovely and everyone loves her but she's also the perfect foil for Fanny. Also I'm a Bronte nerd so Mansfield being more in tone makes me love it more. Have you read any Georgette Heyer? She wrote regency romances and her book "Arabella" is quite similar to Pride and Prejudice but with more screwball comedy bits.
readitheartily
Fanny Price is not the most charming JA heroine but she is probably the bravest. She really has no leverage in the world but she does the bravest thing we can in life: say no to evil power.
charlesiragui
I agree with the Mansfield Park fans. I love that Jane Austen created Fanny Price; she is one of several risky, anti-heroine heroines in Austen, such as ageing spinster Ann Elliot, and uber-privileged and bored Emma Woodhouse. As a heroine, impoverished charity project Fanny Price is beyond challenging -- she is not just an underdog socially, she is an abuse survivor. She has suffered years of emotional deprivation at the hands of her "benefactors" who ( Edmund aside) treat her like a servant or slave instead of one of the family; she has learned to be invisible and say nothing. (Compare her with equally impoverished Jane Fairfax in Emma, who at least was loved by her adopted family the Campbells, who treated her like their own daughter). Fanny could so easily have become cold, numb and shut-off - but in her lonely isolation she has been free to develop her own values -- values which are hers to keep, which no-one can take away from her; she has put these at the core of her identity, and thanks to them, her intuition about others, e.g.her ability to spot phonies such as the Crawfords, is streets ahead of anyone else's. On the surface she looks submissive and therefore like the weakest personality in the story; but as one whose emotional resilience has been put to the test daily, she is actually the strongest character in the book; she grows into a leader; and in the end everyone significant to her comes to recognise that truth. And against all odds, Fanny attains happiness in love, just as Ann does in Persuasion. I find both Mansfield Park and Persuasion to be very moving.
In my opinion the film adaptations so far fail, mainly because they don't understand Fanny or how she should be portrayed. Edmund, who is a gorgeous and underrated character, so outspoken in how he defends Fanny, has also been poorly represented
a-
I completely understand why Mansfield Park passed you by. I had to study it for A level . I loved Jane Austen but Fanny seemed such an underwhelming heroine. Even her name ‘Fanny’ means something very rude in British English. Her good qualities are so passive and unfashionable to a late 20c/early21c feminist sensibility. Fortunately I was forced to repeatedly reread the book and slowly I fell in love. Just like most of the supporting cast (except William and Edmund) I now understand Fanny is a true and rare shining light. The circumstance of poverty and her dependency on rich relatives make her almost completely powerless, but she has the quiet strength of character and conviction that elude Emma, Anne Elliot and Elizabeth Bennet. Fanny doesn’t change in any meaningful way, she doesn’t need to because she’s sound from the start, it’s everyone around her who learn/develop or fail to learn/ develop.
TV/ Film adaptations of MP are destined to fail because modern sensibilities demand a more extrovert heroine. Goodness, tenacity, faith, rectitude, stillness aren’t qualities that are celebrated now in the age of narcissism. They should be. Thank you Jane Austen, I learned that from you aged 16.
ruthpearsall
I am not going to comment on your ranking because every Jane Austen book is a masterpiece and it really depends on a person which aspects one likes the most. I would also consider Mainsfield Park my least favourite however my problem with MP is not really Fanny (I mean OK, I was kinda angry with her moralistic preaches at some places but okayyy I get it).
HOWEVER - Edmund? Really Edmund as her endgame?
He also treated her badly and the only reason "we" don't see it is becasue other members of the family treated her even worse. Bold statement here - I actually think that Mary Crawford treated Fanny better that Edmund and the rest of the family.
And the ending? When it basically seems that Edmund settled for Fanny? He couldn't have a person he loved so he married his timid cousin who adores the ground he walks on.
Fanny deserved better. Justice for Fanny.
lenusniq_
No "Lady Susan"!?
If I had to make a choice right now, neck & neck for my favorite is either "Emma"....or...."Mansfield Park." And it's a genuinely hard choice! "Emma" is a craft of genius, but "Mansfield Park" just flipping fascinating to me, endlessly fascinating. It's got so many layers. And it's so steamy! And, it's the "Austen world" I'd most want to visit.
I was so worried about it, but within the 1st 100 pgs I thought...this is scandalously sexy. People think this is boring?!
The best framework I use for thinking about "Mansfield Park" is, it depicts the last dregs of 18th century values changing into the 19th, and how "big city" (London) vibes intrude into the Edenic countryside.
That might sound cliche. But, consider how Jane Austen was watching a huge paradigm shift. She died before the Victorian era. She was witnessing an old world dying away.
I personally think "Mansfield Park" was THE novel she was really trying to snapshot that. My hunch is, this might explain one reason so many people bounce off it. Austen was more interested in getting her snapshot...and a little less interested in romance, or even character study.
So, it's a world of chaos & change, and so, it's not so much that Fanny is a hero as much as she's a "type, " she's Austen's questioning on what it takes to be the most morally honest person in a room. Cuz Fanny's the only "anchor, " the only one holding down in a manner that is non-duplicitous, non-hypocritical, etc....unlike others around her. Even Mary & Mrs. Norris, neither of whom aren't exactly the villains. And, even Edmund, who often seems to lack the backbone he needs to be a clergyman. That's one of the things I love about it: except Fanny, not a single character is truly good or bad. I mean, even when Sir Thomas returns like God back to Eden to break up the risque theater sketch...his return is really a reminder the entire estate is funded by a slave plantation in the West Indies he's returned to!
Then, Fanny is just the pivot everything spins around. Is that white toast? On a reread you'll see the ways she also does undergo development. She isn't the same Fanny by the end, but has also remained steadfast....here, it's good to remember: Jane Austen was a clergyman's daughter, after all!
malexander
There is no "worst" Jane Austen novel. They are all works of genius.
staffanlindstrom
Mansfield park is an excellent commentary on society and culture.
carolwilliams
I've only read 3 Austen works so far but I've read Pride and Prejudice 7 times. So that is clearly my favorite, it's also my favorite book of all time. Then I think Persuasion and Sense & Sensibility are second and third place respectively. Northanger Abbey is next on my Jane Austen TBR!
DD-zubn
I just watched Persuasion for the 3rd time and it’s awesome! It’s just like the book. I understand why people are so upset about this new film because it’s not how they imagined or visualised Anne and Frederick and the book of Persuasion but the thing about books is that everyone will have their own individual opinion and will have their own unique visualisation of the characters. I have ADHD and dyslexia so when I read this book I just got main storyline Anne is still crushing on Frederick and in the end they get a second chance. I didn’t visualise anyone so watching this film it did an excellent job with the visualisation of the characters and it was like I was reading the book. When they are in Lyme and again when the Lyme group reunite again I was finally able to see what was happening and it was so beautiful. A lot of the language escaped me and when Anne reads the beautiful letter it’s like the reader is reading the letter in the page. I don’t care about the extra scenes if they weren’t in the book because I think that they add more to show how both Anne and Frederick like each other but don’t know how to communicate with each other because they are so scared to get hurt again. Having Anne talk to the camera is a way to make the watcher feel like they are reading the book because when one reads the book it’s just the reader and the book as if they having a conversation with each other. So imho the film did an excellent job of showing Anne and Frederick’s personality on how they are so alike and so reserved and always trying to do the right thing even if it hurts for themselves.
logann-mackenziefroste
I love that everyone finds different elements to appreciate in JA books. Pride and Prejudice is my favorite, but my second favorite is Northanger Abbey. I just loved the humor in it, and the characters of Catherine and Henry! I actually did not finish Persuasion... heresy, I know! I just couldn't get into it at the time, but I think it would be worth it to try again.
On a separate note, I love the Sanditon series. Jane Austen really just left a cast of characters and a setting, so it's interesting to see where other people take it, especially now when the original hero doesn't return for season two :/ But that's another story! I would be interested to read some of the different variations to see how other authors would finish it!
meganhartten
Which Jane Austen character do you relate to the most?
