Can He Change?
Mansfield Park and the Henry Crawford Question
If you’re new to this Substack, one of the things I’m offering subscribers in 2023 is A Year with Jane. We’re reading through Austen’s six novels this year and Mansfield Park is our read for May and June.
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A note regarding last week’s This Week’s Miscellany: I meant to send it out Saturday, but I went blueberry picking instead. It won’t happen again (this summer because the blueberries are all picked). But I did wake up at 4:30am this morning thinking about Jane Austen so here we are with our weekly reflection!
The Big News at Mansfield
After the long-awaited visit from Fanny’s beloved brother William and interest in Fanny from the Grants and Crawfords, the neglect of Fanny by the Bertrams starts to be noticeable to Sir Thomas. A dance in her honor is scheduled! But the growing attachment between Mary and Edmund unsettles her. And the attentions of Henry Crawford do, too.
After telling his sister, Mary, that he would idle away a few days at Mansfield and entertain himself by making Fanny fall in love with him, Henry Crawford has been hit by the tried and true romcom plot twist: he has accidentally fallen in love with his prey. It’s that tale as old as time about the popular guy who is fascinated by the only girl who has no interest in him. She’s a challenge! After a few weeks of Fanny ignoring him, Henry is enchanted and has decided to marry her.
In any romcom, he would win her over. But as we see in last week’s reading, Fanny isn’t having this. She remembers his behavior with Maria and Julia very well. She does not respect Henry. The most you can say for his efforts to weasel his way into her affections is that she dislikes him slightly less than she used to. She is determined to turn him down.
But consider this: Fanny is mostly ignored by the Bertrams. Sometimes she’s exploited by Lady Bertram and Mrs. Norris. She’s neglected, rarely praised except by Edmund, and is in the unenviable position of knowing that she is a financial drain on her uncle and is only maintained by the Bertrams out of pity. She has no money of her own. Her parents are not connected with society in a way that could lead to an advantageous marriage for her. Edmund, the only person who has ever cared about her, is probably going to marry that snake, Mary Crawford, and move away to his new parish.
Where does that leave Fanny? She will likely be fetching and carrying for Lady Bertram and Aunt Norris to the end of her days. Powerless to pursue her own desires. Helpless to make decisions about her own life. She is entirely beholden to relatives who have shown little interest in her happiness (or like Mrs. Norris, seem intent on belittling and bullying her).
A proposal from Henry Crawford, a wealthy and independent gentleman, is an out. She would have money, social standing, and freedom. She could have a home of her own. He’s charming, well-liked, and not physically repulsive. What more could a girl ask for? And after all, doesn’t his attraction to someone as good and virtuous as Fanny signal that he is reformed?
That’s the big question. Can Henry Crawford change? I think that Austen believes any of us are capable of reform, but whether we will make the effort to do it is another matter. Mr. Darcy gains humility and gets over his insufferable arrogance. Emma gains compassion and overcomes her infuriating selfishness. Will Henry Crawford gain faithfulness, self-sacrifice, and constancy? It’s possible. He has been impressed by Fanny’s brother William’s fortitude, work ethic, and determination. He admires Fanny’s goodness. He expends a great deal of time and energy orchestrating William’s promotion in the military—something that he knows will make Fanny very happy.
But there are some red flags, too. Notice that when Henry is telling Mary about his intention to propose to Fanny he is still talking about Maria Rushworth nee Bertram! And not only is he talking about her, but he’s gleefully describing how his marriage would hurt her.
And note that Mary Crawford has no very romantic views of Henry’s future constancy for Fanny if she becomes his wife. She mentions that he will love Fanny very much but when he ceases to love (as all men do at some point?) he will still be sure to be nice to her and all that. Yikes!
What do you think? Can someone like Henry change? Can loving a good woman like Fanny reform him? What is required for him to actually become a better person? And would you blame Fanny for accepting his proposal considering how it would practically benefit her? Let’s discuss in the comments!
Reading schedule:
Week of May 7th:
Gather your books. There are many editions out there, so just grab what’s on your shelf or at the local library. And if you enjoy audiobooks, this is an excellent novel to enjoy with a great narrator. My favorite for this novel is Juliet Stevenson’s audiobook version. Grab Jane Austen’s Genius Guide to Life from Ave Maria Press (use STEWART20 for 20% off) or from Amazon.
If you didn’t start reading with us in January, you may want to catch up by reading the Introduction and Chapters 1-3 of Jane Austen’s Genius Guide to Life to set the stage.
Week of May 14th:
Chapters 1-9 of Mansfield Park
Week of May 21st:
Chapters 10-18 of Mansfield Park
Week of May 28th:
Chapters 19-24 of Mansfield Park
Week of June 4th:
Chapters 25-31 of Mansfield Park
Week of June 11th:
Chapters 32-40 of Mansfield Park
Week of June 18th:
Chapters 41-48 of Mansfield Park
Week of June 25th:
Chapter 4 of Jane Austen’s Genius Guide to Life
TBA: Zoom Discussion with special guests.
Caveat:
On the reading schedule I have suggested reading the chapter about Mansfield Park after finishing the novel. This is because as a reader I hate spoilers. But if you’ve already read the novel or are familiar with the story and want a resource to help you dive deeper as you re-read it, feel free to read Chapter 4 of Jane Austen’s Genius Guide to Life first.
I’ll be sending out weekly reflections and discussion questions to consider as you read. If you want to read faster or slower, go for it. This is fun, not homework.
If you know someone who would enjoy reading Austen with us for our Year of Jane, please share this post with him/her!
And I postponed our live Zoom on Emma because one of our special guests has had two unexpected deaths in her extended family (please keep her in your prayers). I’ll be in touch about that event when we’re ready to reschedule.
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Looking forward to discussing Mansfield Park with you!
Haley
(Editor of Word on Fire Spark, Author, Former Podcaster)
Haley’s Children’s Mystery Series about Mouse Nuns
Haley’s Book on Jane Austen’s Novels
Haley’s Book about Radical Simplicity
This weekend I cut down a very large thistle that had grown behind a hedge. I left the roots there because a branch lopper can cut through a thistle stem but cannot uproot it. In the neighbor's yard they recently had a tree removed and then the stump as well... that tree will not be coming back.
Henry's initial attempt to live a virtuous life, if he stuck to it, would eventually result in the same thing as our attempts to lead a virtuous life: we have cut down a tree, or a large thistle, or pulled off the leaves of a dandelion, but the roots of disorder (a character's particular flaws and long ingrained habits of mind) are still there and the same thing will start sprouting from them, to be cut down again in smaller form if a person is watching for it. This is something he would have to confront. It's not impossible (all things are possible with the right help, which was apparent with the neighbor's tree) but it would be a lot more work for a lot longer than he anticipated (or if it was condensed in time frame, it would be a lot more intensely painful, as when someone "hits bottom" and then reverses direction completely and with finality). But also the reward in the end would be greater than what he had initially desired.
I don't think it's enough to "reform" out of love or attraction for someone when there is no other foundation. Henry is certainly CAPABLE of reform, but I'm not sure a marriage to Fanny is enough. He hasn't left his superficial friends nor cultivated friendships that would help him, nor has he pursued better habits or started going to church or something. And Haley you rightly point out that he even has some mixed motivations for proposing to Fanny.
As for whether she should take the proposal, Fanny could not even stop Edmund from joining the play, so I imagine she knows the limits of her own influence on other people's morality. We know she won't and I know she shouldn't. It would be more torture for her to live a life inconsistent with her moral character than to live it serving the old ladies.