Characterization in Mansfield Park
In Jane Austen's novel, Mansfield Park, the characterization of the four illustrated families, the Prices, the Crawfords, the Bertrams, and the Rushworths, is used to depict the wide differences which evolved between social classes in nineteenth century England. Jane Austen introduces the main character, Fanny Price, as a reserved and modest young girl, who is settled upon observing the world. This attitude reflects the other members of the Price family, who do not worry about trivial things, but concern themselves with survival. The Crawfords, on the contrary, are concerned with frivolity more than necessity. They are bold and extravagant, and find themselves more interested in wealth than in character. The Bertrams, striving to maintain a life of luxury, struggle daily with their commitments to work, engagement, and reputation. Their lives are restless and stressful, and their concerns are numerous. Finally, the Rushworths are comfortable in their wealth and fortune. ! They take the strictest pleasure in displaying their accumulations, and have no concern except for their social activities. All of these families differ in their backgrounds and, consequently, their attitudes. Jane Austen uses a variety of details throu
Mariah's courting and eventual marriage of Mr. Rushworth is a clear example of how the Bertram family's status pervades each individual's life. Mariah, though she does not love Mr. Rushworth at all, marries him for his wealth as an obligation to her family. Although Sir Thomas encourages her to marry for love and not for money, Mariah inherently knows that in order to support and aid her family, she must marry Mr. Rushworth (Bradley 37). Because Mariah will not gain an inheritance it is imperative that she marries wealthy, if she wishes to maintain the lifestyle that she experienced as a child. However, the obligations of her family and disappointment with her marriage eventually lead her to her affair with Mr. Crawford, a huge mistake which ends up destroying her reputation entirely. Ryle, Gilbert. "Jane Austen and the Moralists." The Oxford Review, No.1, 1966. 5-18. Reprinted in Nineteenth Century Literary Criticism, Vol. 1. Laurie Lanzen Harris, Ed. Detroit: Gale Publishing, 1981. 63-65. Lewis, C.S. "A Note on Jane Austen." Essays in Criticism, Vol. 4 No.4, 1954. 359-71. Reprinted in Nineteenth Century Literary Criticism, Vol. 1. Laurie Lanzen Harris, Ed. Detroit: Gale Publishing, 1981. 61-62. Mrs. Rushworth made it a point, as her friends arrived at Southerton, to show them every inch of the house. Austen goes into detail during this episode, emphasizing that Mrs. Rushworth recounted the history of her chapel, as the guests visited it. This depicts the fact that Mrs. Rushworth's first motivation is to brag about her wealth and about her long line of wealthy relatives. Mrs. Rushworth's greatest concerns, throughout the novel, are being sure that her property is well received by the people who visit it. This represents her societal life, which is carefree towards everything except the impressions of other people. Fanny's experiences in the Price household allow the reader to directly compare the Prices' lifestyle with that of the more wealthy families. The Price home is described through the narrator's statement, "It was the abode of noise, disorder, and impropriety. Nobody was in their right place, nothing was done as it ought to be" (Austen 356). Jane Austen reflects each social class in great detail, varying with each character their dialect and surroundings (Pollock 33). This approach is taken clearly with the Prices, as Austen depicts their home as a place of confusion and disorder, in comparison to Mansfield Park where every action is done with precision and care. The Price's concern for subsistence is directly contrasted with the wealthier families concerns for propriety and reputation. surround him, and by her characterization of Mary, as she rejects Edmund's career ambitions and plans her life with a dead brother-in-law's money. The Crawfords represent their social class in Austen's clear depictions of their greed and selfishness, which pervade the novel. The Bertrams are hardworking and are faced with many struggles as they try to maintain their social standing. The absence of Sir Thomas, the strange relationships of Mariah and Edmund, and the deteriorating health of Tom all depict the pains that the Bertram family endures in order to remain in their social class. Finally, the Rushworths, which are representative of the highest social class, care for nothing but their possessions. Austen makes this clear by her characterization of Mrs. Rushworth, when she flaunts her home at Southerton. Austen also depicts Mr. Rushworth's characteristics as he insists discussing the improvements to his land, and he fails to recognize that his wife is having an affair! Bradley, A.C. "Jane Austen." Essays and Studies by Members of the English Association, Vol.2, 1911. 7-36. Reprinted in Nineteenth Century Literary Criticism, Vol. 1. Laurie Lanzen Harris, Ed. Detroit: Gale Publishing, 1981. 37-38. Austen, Jane. Mansfield Park, 1998. Oxford: Oxford University Press. the struggles t
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Approximate Word count = 3182
Approximate Pages = 13 (250 words per page double spaced)
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