Chapter 24

[mansfield1814]

LibriVox audiorecording of Mansfield ParkHenry Crawford had quite made up his mind by the next morning to give another fortnight to Mansfield, and having sent for his hunters, and written a few lines of explanation to the Admiral, he looked round at his sister as he sealed and threw the letter from him, and seeing the coast clear of the rest of the

Comments

Henry Crawford's new hobby

[sventhelost]

I find this to be one of the most fascinating turns in Jane Austen's works, and I think, Fanny being such a relatively meek character, it really is one of the strengths of the piece, and one that gets overlooked.

I've heard it said that the best way to learn to love somebody is to serve them, and that's basically what Henry does--looks for ways to serve Fanny, figuring the love will be all on her side. The irony is tasty. :)

Re: Henry Crawford's new hobby

[feech]

I haven't read the novel before, and my first reaction to Henry's plan was "Egad." I'm heartily on Mary's side on that one-- she knows him. And then later upon his wish to go to sea, I thought, "He might as well and do everyone good!"

However, if "The irony is tasty" in your comment means what I think it means, then perhaps it might seem dramatic in a different way... and you also might want to mark a comment like that as slightly spoilery? Like I said though, it's my first time through.

Re: Henry Crawford's new hobby

[sventhelost]

Oooh, maybe I shoulda marked it as a spoiler. Was one of those fine-line things, I thought. But I could be wrong. Hopefully I didn't spoil anything, and the thing you think I'm thinking of isn't the thing that actually I was thinking of. (Are you confused enough now that you can keep reading?) :D

In several books I've been reading lately, there've been times when the characters make some random suggestion like that, and you know, it really would solve all the problems if they took it, like Henry going to sea. In such alternate worlds in my head, odd things happen, like him running into Captain Wentworth. Which mostly means it's past my bed-time. :)

Re: Henry Crawford's new hobby

[feech]

In looking at further comments, I see you're not the only one mentioning it; I think that what I think you mean is maybe what you mean! Which kinda does affect my first response to Henry-- but I read the part before I read the comments, so. :)

Heehee, what-ifs are great.

[stellar_dust]

... Henry reminds me of Valmont from Les Liaisons Dangereuses (which I really should get around to finishing sometime) ... I'll have to wait and see if I like him as well.

Valmont

[kcobweb]

Exactly what I was about to write!!

I'm surprised - I didn't remember that Henry was quite so.... overt about his intentions.

Re: Valmont

[stellar_dust]

At least Mary isn't a Merteuil!

Re: Valmont

[_niece]

Aha, so I'm not alone in this. I do think the Henry - Mary conversastion suspiciously resembles the Valmont - Merteuil exchange in letters 4 - 5, when he confides to her his plan of seducing the Presidente: Vingt autres peuvent y réussir comme moi. Il n'en est pas ainsi de l'entreprise qui m'occupe; son succès m'assure autant de gloire que de plaisir l'Amour qui prépare ma couronne hésite lui-même entre le myrte et le laurier, ou plutôt il les réunira pour honorer mon triomphe. Vous-même, ma belle amie, vous serez saisie d'un saint respect, et vous direz avec enthousiasme: " Voilà l'homme selon mon cœur. " Vous connaissez la Présidente Tourvel, sa dévotion, son amour conjugal, ses principes austères. Voilà ce que j'attaque; voilà l'ennemi digne de moi; voilà le but où je prétends atteindre

and hers

Vous, avoir la Présidente de Tourvel! mais quel ridicule caprice! Je reconnais bien là votre mauvaise tête qui ne sait désirer que ce qu'elle croit ne pas pouvoir obtenir. Qu'est-ce donc que cette femme? des traits réguliers si vous

[elliejgirl]

The 'revelation' about Miss Crawford's character is interesting here. Her brother plainly tells her that he's going to use Fanny to bolster his own ego, and she gives nothing more than a token scolding. And the way she talks of love -- as if it were a tube of lipstick used merely to make a woman appear prettier.

I do like the description of Fanny, though, as she 'succumbs' to Mr. Crawford:

"She had by no means forgotten the past, and she thought as ill of him as ever; but she felt his powers: he was entertaining; and his manners were so improved, so polite, so seriously and blamelessly polite, that it was impossible not to be civil to him in return."

Instead of outright loathing him, she quietly tolerates him. It is nice to see that the more he spends time with her, though, the more he realizes how great she is and it becomes more about her than feeding his own ego.