Chapter 27

[mansfield1814]

LibriVox audiorecording of Mansfield Park

On reaching home Fanny went immediately upstairs to deposit this unexpected acquisition, this doubtful good of a necklace, in some favourite box in the East room, which held all her smaller treasures; but on opening the door, what was her surprise to find her cousin Edmund there writing at the table!

Comments

[elliejgirl]

I've decided that, right now, I want to smack Edmund. He sees what he wants to see. 'It's not Miss Crawford's fault that she's a little thoughtless and shallow. It's that damn aunt and uncle!' Which may or may not be true, but he excuses everything of Miss Crawford.

I feel kind of bad for Fanny. Unrequited love sucks, but it's worse when the person you love loves someone who's all wrong for them.

SPOILERish

[outofivanhoe]

I'm mystified by all of Edmund's comparisons between Fanny and Mary in this chapter. I mean, even if he thinks they're both nice people, surely he can't actually believe that they're all that similar? From some of the things he says in this chapter, the things about Mary he likes seem to be the respects in which she is, in his mind, like Fanny- so later on does he simply just realise that Fanny is better at being Fanny than Miss Crawford ever was?

In summary, I don't get him.

I'm finding myself exasperated by Fanny's inability to enjoy herself. The ideal of happiness at the ball described in this chapter is extremely moderate, and while it's all well and good that she can be verging on ecstatic over the tiniest things (like Edmund's note, or her aunt sending a maid up), it's a pity that any greater event leaves her more distressed than pleased.