Mansfield Park Reread Chapter 8

[tigerlily]

There is no explanation for Mrs. Norris. The other characters don't have all their flaws traced to something by the narrative, but they have positive traits too. Where are those of Mrs. Norris? I suppose maybe an affection for her nieces; the lack of other qualities makes me question even that.

I don't have much to say on Fanny's lovesickness. It's very painful.* The text uses it to suggest Mary's increasing attachment, as well as to highlight the differences between her and Mary. Like she showed in that earlier conversation, Fanny does have interests and a personality of her own, more introverted than Mary's and in some ways more romantic. And interestingly enough, she doesn't seem insecure about their worth. That must be partly because Edmund shares and would have introduced her to them, but still. Her lack of regard for herself is felt only when she thinks about her relationships to other people.

Relationships to other people are also a way for Maria to take on her own feelings in this chapter. She's unhappy if she thinks of her lack of a relationship to Henry Crawford, even if at the moment it's just the lack of a seat. This can be forgotten if the thinks of the social worth her relationship to Mr. Rushworth gives her; as Henry said before, an engaged woman has nothing to worry about. Maria is drawing on the confidence this status gives her, as future lady of the property. Knowing she matters for external factors, and being in a situation where that is the most obvious fact about her, means it doesn't matter what brief internal losses she's experiencing. If only it had stayed that way.

*It makes me think that I'm glad Edmund doesn't return her feelings until after his family in general begins to appreciate her and she connects with Susan. I feel like that reinforced her self-worth and faith in herself before they married, so she didn't go into it with no self-esteem and feeling like he was the only one who ever cared. Granted, William's letters and those few visits were also important, but it's just not the same as being with her.