Mansfield Park, ch. 23: Nice For What

Credit to Leonie Verbrugge for her portrayal of Fanny in a contemplative moment. She tends to have a lot of those.

Chapter text here. Inspiration for this post’s title here (video).

Let’s get one thing straight: Fanny isn’t looking forward to dinner at the Grants’. She’s going because her uncle thinks it’s a good idea for her to get out and socialize and because it’ll make Ed happy. But privately, she asks herself, “[A]m I not certain of seeing or hearing something there to pain me?” Whether it might be Mary making another snide, cynical remark or Ed flirting with Mary, Fanny doesn’t want to be around when it happens.

Lady Bertram, the only roadblock to Fanny accepting the invite, has to be talked out of her co-dependency by her husband. It might look like she’ll sincerely miss Fanny (even just for one night), but really examine her responses: “I cannot spare her,” and later, “[C]an I do without her?” She positions herself almost as the victim. This isn’t about what Fanny wants (despite the fact that Fanny would rather stay home); this is an intrusion on Lady Bertram’s routine. She needs Fanny because she’s used to needing Fanny.

Even Ed stumbles when he frames Mrs. Grant’s invitation as Mrs. Grant doing a favor for Mary, not Fanny. Sir Thomas praises the propriety of Fanny “giving a conditional answer” and lets her have the “indulgence” of being social. This is also the first time that he connects Fanny directly to the family of Bertram, implying that her connection to them elevates her status and respectability.

Of course, then we have to hear Mrs. Norris’s thoughts on the subject. They are not pretty, and she is more than happy to share them with Fanny. She claims that:

• Mrs. Grant’s invitation is not for Fanny, but simply a way of complimenting Sir Thomas, Lady Bertram, and Mrs. Norris herself (explicitly equating herself with her higher-ranking relatives);
• due to their improperly-conceived dinners, the Grants cannot achieve respectability anyway; 
• Fanny will never take the place of her wealthy, higher-ranking cousins and must be careful not to act that way; 
• Fanny must “[r]emember, wherever you are, you must be the lowest and last”; Mary is technically the Grants’ guest, not Fanny, who thus shouldn’t expect to be honored as such (even though this is not true according to the rules of propriety);
• oh, and if Fanny has to walk in the rain, well, sucks to be her.

And just when it seems that Fanny is fully convinced that she has no “claims to comfort,” Sir Thomas pops his head into the room to ask her when she’d like the carriage to pick her up. Mrs. Norris, shocked that the rug has been pulled out from under her, actually has the nerve to try to correct Sir Thomas. But he doubles down, his outburst of “My niece walk to a dinner engagement at this time of year!” firmly putting both Mrs. Norris and Fanny in their respective places. The timing here, while delicious, is also important: Austen finds a way to deliberately undercut Mrs. Norris so that Fanny would realize that “her uncle’s consideration of her” carries weight. By showing his support for her, Fanny has been empowered.

Ed and Fanny arrive at the parsonage to discover a visiting carriage parked in the coach-house. Ed is

He's ba-ack

brightened by the addition of Henry Crawford, as is the entire household, but Fanny can’t help but think of Maria, Julia, and the misadventures of Lovers’ Vows. Henry being “apparently as willing to stay and be happy without the Miss Bertrams, as if he had never known Mansfield in any other state” doesn’t sit well with Fanny. And his appearance does beg the question, why return now? It may be that he missed his sister (they do have real affection for one another). Maybe he wanted a free dinner. Maybe he wanted to screw with Julia some more—although his reaction on finding that she’s with Maria is pretty indifferent. If anything, he still seems to be thinking about Maria: “She is too good for [Rushworth], much too good,” he says quietly. Hmm. Too good for Rushworth, but not good enough for Henry? He’s the one who treated her like a plaything. Rushworth, for all his faults, has never mistreated Maria.

Then Henry addresses Fanny, noting her “indefatigable kindness” in helping Rushworth learn his lines for the play. Then, taking advantage of Fanny’s passivity, Henry raves about the time spent rehearsing Lovers’ Vows:

“It is as a dream, a pleasant dream! [...] I shall always look back on our theatricals with

exquisite pleasure. There was such an interest, such an animation, such a spirit diffused.

Everybody felt it. We were all alive. There was employment, hope, solicitude, bustle,

for every hour of the day. Always some little objection, some little doubt, some little anxiety to be got over. I never was happier.”

Fanny’s “silent indignation” is a big moment that critics have pointed to that allegedly supports their interpretation of her anti-fun, pro-prig stance. This is a big character moment for her: Henry Crawford provokes her anger, disapproval, disrespect—the strongest and most negative reaction we’ve seen from Fanny to date. He’s just talking about acting, though, right? There was fun and excitement to be had! Everyone was getting along! Sure, it wasn’t the most respectful way to pass the time, but even Fanny admitted that she liked watching their rehearsals and that Henry was the best actor. So what’s her deal now? Why act all insulted—and toward Henry of all people?

Because Fanny is still thinking about Maria. If Fanny hadn’t been around to distract Rushworth, Henry wouldn’t have had alone time with Maria. He even makes fun of Rushworth being slow on the uptake. Fanny, for all her innocence, is hip to Henry’s insinuation, as evidenced by her blush.

Also? Henry loves having “employment, hope, solicitude, bustle, for every hour of the day.” Uh-huh. Well, he got to choose how he was employed. Fanny had “employment” and “bustle” thrust upon her by Mrs. Norris (and almost by Tom). Henry loves having “some little anxiety to be got over” because it energizes him. But anxiety and doubt have plagued Fanny since chapter 2, and they deplete her physically and psychologically.

Also also? Fanny’s thinking about her uncle. And what did Sir Thomas do for her just a page ago? He stood up for her in front of her most persistent tormentor. Fanny doesn’t just owe him for room and board; now, she owes him for giving her a sense of worth. “Tears of gratitude” are one thing, but faced with Henry’s careless attitude and entitlement, maybe, in this moment, they aren’t enough.

So when Henry “Corrupted Mind” Crawford goes on about how Sir Thomas should have been left stranded in the middle of the Atlantic for another week so that they could put on a play, mess up the man’s house, and continue any secret affairs that might have been going on … are we really that surprised when Fanny responds the way she does?

The correct answer is no.

Meanwhile, Mary is miffed at Ed, who is getting solicited career advice from Dr. Grant. Hearing Henry’s bit of gossip about how much (or little, rather) Ed will earn as a clergyman leaves Mary feeling bitter and personally offended. Turns out that she indeed “thought her influence more” when it came to guiding Ed into a different career path. (How that would have realistically played out is a head-scratcher, for sure.) It’s here she decides to shut her heart to Ed and pretend she never had “almost decided intentions” towards him. Hmm. There’s something familiar about her seeking comfort in a cooled state of mind, isn’t there?

Henry tries to engage with Fanny on-and-off, but no dice. He teases Ed about taking notes on his sermons, but that only makes Fanny more upset: “[H]e can feel nothing as he ought,” she thinks. Which might be an unfair or at least a harsh assessment, but remember: Fanny has seen Henry’s fake courtship of Julia and his taking advantage of Maria. She has seen no proof that his feelings are pure or that his heart is in the right place. Over the next several chapters, Austen will challenge the reader to judge for herself where Henry’s true motivation lies.

Get ready.

Next time: Henry proposes a plan, Fanny has the power of love, and we finally get to see William the sailor!