McKenzie

Maureen McKenzie

Jane Austen

Chesley

29 October 2008

Midterm Written Celebration

Mansfield Park: What role does sense play in character development?

        Jane Austen used sense and sensibility as personality gauges for her characters within her novel. Sense was a measurement of a character’s intellect, judgment, and self-knowledge, while sensibility was a measurement of emotions, taste, and responses. These characteristics are used to define characters as to their virtue in the Jane Austen world. The sense shown in the relationship between Edmund, Fanny, and Mary Crawford in Mansfield Park is an example of how Jane Austen uses sense and one’s change in sense to define her characters’ virtue and how the character’s personal storyline turns out in the end.

        Edmund Bertram is a character who fluctuates in his sense, but as long as he fluctuates back to good sense, he is worthy of a wedding in the Jane Austen world.

        Fanny Price is the character who displays good sense. She displays intellect, good judgment, and has a sense of self; though by modern definitions her muteness would probably not be counted as such great sense. But the modern woman wouldn’t be deemed to be so sensible in Jane Austen’s time.

        Mary Crawford, with her outspokenness and willfulness should not be mistaken for the modern feminist. In Jane Austen’s time this disregard for sense was a strike to Mary’s virtue’s, leaving her without a good, sensible husband in the end. Characters without virtue as defined by their sense or at least a desire to become more sensible are not allowed to marry in Jane Austen’s world.

        Fanny Price as with the other two characters shows her sense through her intellect, judgment, and self-knowledge. Her intellect may not have been shown through her words but her desire to seek intelligence and culture through reading. Most of the books she reads are rather controversial books of the time that speak out against slavery, the financial crux of the Bertram family. There are many passages where Fanny is described as reading or at least with a book. She has so much motivation to have time alone to read she is willing to spend a good deal of time in an unheated room.

        Another part of Fanny’s strong intellect is her interest in spending time with others of high intellectual standards or at least those who attempt to display good intellect. This is also an attribute of Fanny’s good judgment. She desires to spend time with Edmund because he teaches her and helps guide her reading. Fanny is also initially drawn to the Crawfords because of their displays of intellect and culture. But because the Crawfords don’t clearly show self-knowledge and good judgment she remains mostly suspicious of them.

        Her ability to see through the Crawfords is a good example of Fanny’s good judgment. Though she is intrigued by them she is the only one who is not fully taken in by Henry Crawford, especially his intentions for Maria. “‘If Miss Bertram were not engaged,’ said Fanny, cautiously, ‘I could sometimes almost think that [Henry] admired her more than Julia.’ (Her aunt’s responses) ‘Which is, Perhaps, more in favour of his liking Julia best, than you, Fanny, may be aware’…Fanny supposed she must have been mistaken, and meant to think differently in future” (83). Fanny’s judgment is also that of her place within the family rank; she is not permitted to truly speak up against the goings-on between Henry and Maria. When the others, especially her aunts choice to turn a blind eye, she knows that she must as well.

        This awareness of rank is a clear depiction of her self-knowledge as well. Knowing one’s place is important in Jane Austen’s time and not knowing that can get you in trouble. She is aware of her place and though she pipes up every once and a while, like when she says something about the slave trade, she also knows how to conform to create general peace if she can.

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        Overall Fanny Price shows an aptitude for good sense, though she falters at times and is slightly taken in by the Crawfords, she is an example of a Jane Austen sensible character.

        Mary Crawford on the other hand seems to take form as a foil to Fanny. Though she may show good intellect she doesn’t use it properly or for the right reasons, and doesn’t show good judgment or self knowledge.

        Mary Crawford made herself smarter for the poise, appearance, and to catch a man but she doesn’t utilize and appreciate her intellect. Edmund’s interest in Mary’s ability ...

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