MANSFIELD PARK BY JANE AUSTEN

Summary
Analysis
Austen opens her novel with the stories of the marriages of the three
Ward sisters. One had the “good luck” to marry Sir Thomas Bertram, thus
enjoying a large income and becoming Lady Bertram. Another sister
became Mrs. Norris when she married Reverend Mr. Norris, who earned
only a small income. The last sister became Mrs. Price, deigning to marry
a naval lieutenant and disgracing her family in doing so.
For the Ward sisters, marriage determines everything from
their wealth to their names. Austen attributes Lady Bertram’s
marriage to Sir Bertram to luck rather than love (and the fact
that it’s “good” luck is entirely based on his money), showing
how marriage, although so important in shaping women’s
lives, is often the result of chance rather than merit, choice,
or emotion.
Active Themes

Mrs. Price’s unsuitable marriage angers her sisters, and resulted in a long
period of total estrangement between them, which continues easily and
uninterrupted for eleven years. Finally, Mrs. Price writes her sisters a
letter, worrying about her inability to provide for all of her offspring. Mrs.
Price asks if Sir Thomas can help her oldest boy, William, find a job.
The fact that Mrs. Price’s marriage is what drives Lady
Bertram and Mrs. Norris away from their sister shows how
marriage (and the “manners” associated with what is an
appropriate or inappropriate marriage) strains and
dismantles female relationships that might otherwise provide
support to women in difficult situations.
Active Themes
The letter establishes friendlier terms between the sisters, and they
send Mrs. Price baby linens, advice, money, and letters. Mrs.
Norris decides that someone should take care of Mrs. Price’s oldest
daughter and thus relieve Mrs. Price of the expense of raising her.
The importance of letters in the novel is clear from the very
first chapter, when this letter from Mrs. Price to Lady
Bertram catalyzes the plot, and improves the relationships
between the Ward sisters.
Active Themes

Sir Thomas, however, is not so keen on this plan, recognizing the

commitment and investment it would require. Mrs. Norris, however,
implies that she would bear the brunt of the burden, suggesting that Sir
Thomas would play only a small part in the arrangement.
At first Mrs. Norris appears to be kind and altruistic. Here,
Austen sets up the irony that she reveals later, when it turns
out that Mrs. Norris does not intend to take Fanny in
whatsoever.

Summary
Analysis
The child, named Fanny like her mother, travels safely to Mansfield Park
(the home of the Bertrams). The narrator describes Fanny as a fragile,
shy, unremarkable ten-year-old with a sweet voice and an awkward
air. Sir Thomas attempts to make her comfortable, but his stoic manner
prevents his success. Lady Bertram, meanwhile, makes no effort to do so,
but her smile and calmness appeal to Fanny.
In this section, the reader meets Fanny, the protagonist, for
the first time. Her meek character contrasts with the
grandeur of Mansfield Park. Meanwhile, Sir Thomas’s failed
attempt to be kind to Fanny shows how manners can get in
the way of human connection and create discomfort.
Active Themes
Fanny meets the Bertram children: two teenaged sons, Edmund and Tom,
aged sixteen and seventeen, and two daughters, Maria and Julia, three
and two years older than Fanny respectively. The girls’ fine manners and
good looks contrast with Fanny’s discomfort and plainness.
Here, Austen introduces both the reader and Fanny to the
Bertram children. Well-bred Maria and Julia serve as foils
(characters that contrast with another character in order to
highlight certain qualities in them) to Fanny.
Active Themes

Fanny, who is frightened, homesick, and tired, is quiet and avoids eye
contact. Mrs. Norris scolds Fanny for being insufficiently grateful, leaving
Fanny feeling uncomfortable and guilty. She begins to cry and then is
taken to bed. Later, Mrs. Norris complains that Fanny was sulky and rude,
thinking her sadness was excessive. The narrator acknowledges that no
one tried especially hard to make Fanny comfortable.
Mrs. Norris cements her hypocrisy and the gap between her
manners and her morals when she harangues Fanny for
being insufficiently grateful, undermining the fact that
adopting Fanny was meant to be a kind gesture and totally
failing to empathize with Fanny’s situation.
Active Themes

The following day, Julia and Maria are perplexed by Fanny’s lack of
knowledge of French, her limited amount of clothing, and other
differences that arise from Fanny’s less privileged upbringing. Fanny,
meanwhile, feels unwelcome among the Bertram family and their
servants, especially due to their critical comments about her manners,
appearance, and general inferiority. The grand house and its lavish
furnishings make her anxious.
Clearly, Julia, Maria, and the adults in their lives believe
Fanny lacks knowledge of certain subjects because she is
stupid, not because she hasn’t had access to education. This
shows how the aristocracy attributes its success to inherent
superiority, rather than to the benefits of its immense
privilege.
Active Themes
After one week of Fanny’s severe discomfort, her cousin Edmund finds her
crying on the stairs. Edmund consoles Fanny, and then, changing tactics,
asks Fanny to tell him about her siblings. Fanny describes them, focusing
on her brother William, the oldest, with whom she is closest. Edmund
supplies Fanny with paper and postage to write to him. Fanny is
extremely touched by Edmund’s kindness, and Edmund, realizing how
challenging the move is for Fanny, resolves to treat Fanny with active
kindness and pay special attention to his forlorn little cousin.
In contrast to Mrs. Norris’s actions, Edmund’s attention to
Fanny is the first real kind deed that occurs in the novel
without an ulterior motive. Moreover, letters appear here as
a force that comforts and creates human connection— not
just between the letter writers, William and Fanny, but also
between Fanny and Edmund, who helps her find the
necessary materials.
Active Themes

Fanny begins to feel more comfortable in her new home and with her new
companions. She plays with Maria and Julia. Edmund continues to be
extra kind to her, while Tom, the oldest, teases her jovially and brings her
presents.
As Fanny adjusts, Edmund’s attention is portrayed as more
meaningful and genuinely kind than the physical gifts that
Tom gives to Fanny.
Active Themes

Sir Thomas and Mrs. Norris are satisfied with their scheme to
adopt Fanny. However, Fanny’s education is somewhat difficult, because
she is so far behind her cousins. The girls are shocked the Fanny does not
know where Isle of Wight is, the names of Roman Emperors, etc. Mrs.
Norris explains to the girls that Fanny is not as smart as they are.
Once again, Austen shows how the adults in Fanny’s life see
her lack of an education as a personal failing. This ironic
incapacity to grasp the real reason (that is, unequal
opportunity) for this “achievement gap” makes the adults
look stupid rather than Fanny.
Active Themes
Lady Bertram, meanwhile, has no interest in the girls’ education. Austen
mockingly describes her as a person who “spent her days in sitting, nicely
dressed, on a sofa.” Lady Bertram expresses sympathy for Fanny,
however—she likes her because Fanny fetches her letters.
Lady Bertram’s languidness is a source of comedy
throughout the book, and her inattention to her daughters
leads to their later mistakes. Once again, letters help foster a
sense of closeness between people, this time Lady Bertram
and Fanny.
Active Themes

Sir Thomas helps Mrs. Price find employment for William. The two siblings
spend an extremely happy week together before William, now a sailor,
sets out on a journey. William’s new career path worries Fanny,
but Edmund sets her mind at ease by telling stories of sailing adventures.
William, who is around the same age as Edmund, serves as a
foil to his cousin, showing the different paths that young men
may take depending on their status: to university to read
about adventure, or straight to work to live it.
Active Themes

Edmund continues to be especially kind to Fanny. He gives her attention

and books that she loves. Because of his affection toward her, Edmund
rises in Fanny’s opinion until he is second only to William in Fanny’s heart.
The reader sees Fanny’s affections for Edmund increasing,
which will lead to her later romantic interest in him.
Active Themes

Summary
Analysis
Mr. Norris dies when Fanny is fifteen, and, as a result, Mrs. Norris moves
to a smaller house. She is not especially aggrieved by her husband’s
death, but regrets the smaller income she will receive now that he is
dead. Dr. Grant takes Mr. Norris’s place as the reverend at Mansfield
Park’s parish. He brings with him his wife, Mrs. Grant, and no children.
Mrs. Norris’s inner nastiness comes through again when her
husband dies, as Mrs. Norris’s main concern is her decreased
income, not the loss of her partner. Mrs. Norris’s apathy
suggests their marriage was not a love match, and not
especially happy.
Active Themes

Edmund is supposed to be entitled to inherit his uncle’s wealth upon his

death. However, Tom, who has a gambling habit, needs to pay back his
debts, and Edmund uses his inheritance for that purpose. Sir
Thomas feels that Tom has wronged Edmund by robbing him of part of his
inheritance. Tom feels somewhat remorseful, but quickly rationalizes his
poor decisions.
Austen begins to comment more directly on the problems
with the inheritance system in 19th century England as she
shows how Tom, despite his irresponsibility, is set to inherit
Sir Thomas’s fortune. Edmund, meanwhile, will be left with
nothing after helping his brother.
Active Themes

Now that Mr. Norris is dead, Sir Thomas expects that Mrs. Norris will
take Fanny into her household, desiring company. Lady Bertram, hearing
Sir Thomas’s musings, tells Fanny. Fanny finds the idea very distressing,
and discusses it with Edmund, who soothes her.
Much of Fanny’s distress at Mansfield is due to Mrs. Norris’s
cruelty. The other characters, however, fail to see this,
because Mrs. Norris shows her good manners around them.
Active Themes

Ultimately, Fanny’s fears turn out to be unnecessary, because Mrs.

Norris intends to do everything she can to avoid taking Fanny in. She
tells Sir Thomas that the White House, where she lives, is too small for
another person since she must have an extra bedroom for guests, and
that due to her grief and her reduced income, she is utterly incapable of
caring for Fanny. She says she is trying to put money away for Lady
Bertram’s children to inherit one day.
Austen has already shown the reader that Mrs. Norris’s
excuses for not taking Fanny in are not true—she hardly
grieves her husband, and never hosts guests. Mrs. Norris’s
hypocrisy is comedic, but also shows how two-faced Mrs.
Norris is, illustrating how good manners do not always
correspond to good morals.
Active Themes

Sir Thomas is perplexed, since Mrs. Norris indicated otherwise when they
first discussed adopting their niece. However, he believes Mrs. Norris
when she insists it is for the good of his children that she saves an
inheritance, and is content to continue hosting his niece. Fanny learns
that plans to move her to the White House are off, much to her
happiness. Mrs. Norris completes her move into the White House and the
Grants move into the parsonage.
Mrs. Norris’s insistence that she is saving money for her
nieces and nephews is what convinces Sir Thomas to keep
Fanny. This shows how the problem of the male
primogeniture inheritance system pervades all aspects of life,
including domestic decisions that might seem otherwise
unrelated.
Active Themes

The Grants are extremely friendly, pleasant people, prompting Mrs.

Norris to make it her mission to find out their faults. She learns that Dr.
Grant is an indulgent eater, which satisfies her. Lady Bertram feels
threatened that Mrs. Grant, who is not especially beautiful, has married
so well.
Austen uses comedy to reveal the gap between Mrs. Norris’s
outer charm and inner rottenness. Lady Bertram, meanwhile,
shows she is still preoccupied with marriage long after her
own marriage.
Active Themes
Sir Thomas, needing to settle business matters in Antigua, decides to go
there himself, and takes Tom with him in an attempt to set the young
man straight. They leave England for what they anticipate will be a year.
Sir Thomas is sad to leave his family, and concerned about leaving his
daughters in the less-than-attentive hands of Lady Bertram.
Sir Thomas, clearly worried about Tom’s ability to manage
his estate once he dies, hopes to encourage responsibility in
his son by showing Tom his investments, interesting him in
the business, and removing Tom from the bad crowd he
circulates with in London.
Active Themes

Lady Bertram is displeased that her husband is leaving, but, because she
is so self-centered, is not especially concerned for his
safety. Julia and Maria are not sad whatsoever, and instead are excited to
benefit from the looser oversight of their mother.
Austen mocks the family’s lack of sadness at Sir Thomas’s
departure, pointing to the lack of real love in the household
through Lady Bertram’s dispassionate manner and her
daughters’ excitement.
Active Themes

Fanny, likewise, is happy that Sir Thomas is leaving, but feels bad about
then. Then Sir Thomas says something critical of her, and his coldness
prevents Fanny from feeling too bad.
Sir Thomas’s stiff, cold, brusque manner prevents Fanny
from developing a loving relationship with her uncle.
Active Themes

Summary
Analysis
Without Sir Thomas, the family gets along fine. Edmund takes care of the
logistics of managing Mansfield Park to Lady Bertram’s satisfaction.
Austen shows Edmund managing the family estate,
suggesting that he would be a better heir than Tom.
Active Themes

Mrs. Norris indulges in obsessive, neurotic fantasies of the men’s journey

resulting in disaster. She pictures herself as the center of attention as she
breaks the news to the others. When the family learns that Sir
Thomas and Tom have arrived in Antigua safely, Mrs. Norris is sad her
imaginings are ruined.
Mrs. Norris’s inner vanity and cruelty continue to be a source
of frustration and comedy, as the narrator suggests that she
would like Sir Thomas and Tom’s ship to sink just to get
more attention for herself.
Active Themes

Winter passes without incident. Mrs. Norris pays lots of attention

to Maria and Julia, who have blossomed into young women renowned in
the area for their accomplishments, their good manners, and their beauty.
Maria and Julia are evaluated on the traits (manners,
accomplishments, beauty) that make them desirable as
wives, showing how female identity becomes centered on
marriage.
Active Themes

Unlike Mrs. Norris, who takes a great interest in the girls’ social
engagements, Lady Bertram is too lazy to socialize. Fanny stays in and
keeps Lady Bertram company when the other girls go out. She loves to
hear about the balls that Maria and Julia attend. She also looks forward to
her brother William’s impending visit.
Fanny’s obligation to stay at home with Lady Bertram allows
her to form an identity that is not centered on marriage,
since she is being groomed for other things. Still, she longs
for the romance, balls, and courtship that her cousins
experience.
Active Themes
In the spring, Fanny’s beloved pony dies. As a result, Fanny feels her
health suffering from lack of exercise. Lady Bertram and Mrs. Norris tell
Fanny to ride Maria or Julia’s horses when they do not want them, but
Fanny has few opportunities to do so.
This section shows how not just Mrs, Norris, but also Lady
Bertram, who is usually relatively nice to Fanny, neglects her
needs due to her lower status.
Active Themes

When Edmund returns to Mansfield and sees that Fanny has no

opportunities to ride, he insists that Fanny get a horse. Mrs. Norris, ever
frugal and mean, believes that Fanny owning her own horse would be
improper since it would elevate her to the status of her cousins. She
insists that Sir Thomas would think the same, and to purchase a horse
without his permission and given his financial troubles would not be
appropriate.
Mrs. Norris’s insistence that Fanny owning a horse would be
improper shows how class divides her from her cousins, and
also shows how arbitrary and cruel those class distinctions
can be. The birthright of her cousins appears to be
maintained only for the sake of appearances and as an
excuse to neglect Fanny and maintain a sense of superiority.
Active Themes

Edmund rejects all of these arguments. Lady Bertram sides with her son,
but thinks they should wait until Sir Thomas returns to make the
purchase. Edmund concedes that point, and so he exchanges one of his
own horses for one suitable for Fanny, and lets Fanny use it whenever she
wants. Fanny is thrilled and extremely touched by Edmund’s kindness.
Edmund, unlike Mrs. Norris or even Lady Bertram, exhibits
genuine kindness to Fanny, even sacrificing one of his own
possessions for her comfort. Edmund becomes a standard for
genuine kindness in the novel, always being good without
ulterior motive.
Active Themes

Sir Thomas, who intended to return in September, sends word that he

must stay in Antigua longer, but will be sending Tom home. Tom arrives
back in England and reports that Sir Thomas is in good health, but Mrs.
Norris, ever dramatic, returns to her obsessive worrying and fatalist
fantasies.
Mrs. Norris returns to her fantasies of disaster, once again
showing her love of sick, self-centered drama masquerading
as concern for her loved ones.
Active Themes

Once social events start up again, Mrs. Norris becomes preoccupied with
marrying off Maria. Mr. Rushworth, a rich man, is courting her. Maria, age
21, is satisfied with Mr. Rushworth’s interest in her, since he is rich and
has a house in London. Mrs. Norris approves of the match, and tries to
manipulate social situations in order to make the couple’s success more
likely.
Maria’s desire to marry Mr. Rushworth comes not from a love
connection between them, but rather from his material
wealth and access to the city. This shows how marriage is
primarily a transactional institution in the novel rather than a
romantic and emotional one.
Active Themes

To this end, Mrs. Norris befriends Mr. Rushworth’s mother. Mrs.

Rushworth is also in favor of the match, and the two make it clear that
they have a mutual understanding. After dancing together at several
balls, Maria and Mr. Rushworth enter into a tentative engagement,
contingent on Sir Thomas’s consent.
Mrs. Norris showcases her two-faced personality when she
strategically befriends Mr. Rushworth’s mother. That Maria
and Mr. Rushworth’s romance is boiled down to a few dances
shows the shallowness of their engagement.
Active Themes

Edmund is the only family member who is skeptical of the arrangement,

as he is concerned that the match seems to be, on his sister’s end, more
about money than love. Edmund also thinks Mr. Rushworth is rather
stupid.
Edmund’s skepticism towards the match between Maria and
Rushworth indicates his resistance to the monetization
marriage, and his generally upright moral principles.
Active Themes

Sir Thomas, though, indicates via letter that he is thrilled by the match.
He insists that Maria wait until he returns home to hold the wedding so
that he can attend. Sir Thomas tells them he hopes to leave Antigua by
the end of the summer.
Sir Thomas, meanwhile, supports the match without ever
even having met Maria’s fiancé, underlining the fact that
marriage is a numbers game in his aristocratic world.
Active Themes

In July, Mrs. Grant wealthy, charming, and attractive half

siblings, Henry and Mary Crawford, come to stay with her. Henry and
Mary previously lived with an uncle, the Admiral, and his wife. Mary was
close with Mrs. Crawford but did not like her uncle, while Henry had a lot
of affection for him. When the Admiral’s wife died, Mary moved out of his
house and in with Mrs. Grant. Mrs. Grant, being childless, was happy to
accept the company.
In addition to introducing the reader to the very important
characters Henry and Mary, this section also shows how
Mary, as an unmarried woman, must be shuffled around
between her relatives because she is unable to possess any
fortune of her own, despite her parents’ wealth and her
pedigree.
Active Themes

Mrs. Grant does, however, worry that Mary, who is used to the
excitements of life in London, will be bored in the country. Mary shares
these fears, which is why she previously tried to get Henry to move in to
his own country house and take her with him. But Henry, who does not
like stay in one place, refused. Instead, to help her settle in, her
accompanies her to the Grants’ house, and promises to come get her if
she dislikes it there. Mary, however, finds Mrs. Grant and the house
satisfactory. Mrs. Grant, likewise, is thrilled to reconnect with her half-
siblings, who fell out of touch with her after their uncle’s remarriage.
Austen’s characters here describe London and city life as
fast-paced and stimulating, coding the environment as more
exciting than a countryside environment like Mansfield Park.
This section also shows how marriage can destroy
nonromantic relationships, when it discusses how, after the
Admiral remarried, Mrs. Grant was unable to see her beloved
half-siblings for a long time.
Active Themes

Summary
Analysis
When the Bertrams and the Crawfords meet for the first time, they
immediately like each other. Though Maria and Julia don’t
find Henry especially attractive, his charm quickly wins them over. Julia
begins to think she is in love with him. Maria also finds herself drawn to
Henry, but feels conflicted because she is engaged to Mr. Rushworth.
Henry, who is actively flirting with both young women, rationalizes his
flirtation by telling himself he means no harm, and is only trying to get
them to like him.
As Henry’s charm and flirtation win Maria over, Austen shows
how love, rather than being the driving force for marriage,
can actually be a threat to it in the highly monetized system
of marriage of 19th century England. Moreover, Henry has
excellent manners, but his inner thoughts reveal that he
lacks moral fiber.
Active Themes
After Henry and Mary dine with the Bertrams, Henry, Mrs. Grant, and
Mary discuss the relative merits of each Bertram girl. Henry implies that
he prefers Maria, and Mary waves him off, tells him she likes Julia best,
and reminds him that Maria is engaged.
Henry Crawford clearly does not especially respect the rules
of courtship and the marriage process, as shown by his
willingness to go after Maria despite her engagement.
Active Themes

Mary considers her romantic options in the Bertram brothers, deciding she
prefers Tom, since he has been to London more often and is older, and so
stands to inherit his father’s title and estate. In order to try to win Tom’s
favor, Mary tries to learn about horse racing, on which Tom often bets.
Unlike Henry, Mary must think about marriage more
seriously, since it is her only means to gaining wealth and
power. Her preference for Tom emphasizes the role of
inheritance in another seemingly unrelated field: romance.
Active Themes

Mary is puzzled by Fanny’s reserve and lack of interest in Henry,

commenting to Tom and Edmund that she does not understand whether
Fanny has debuted in society yet or not (which is to say, whether she is
looking for a fiancé). Edmund replies that Fanny is an adult, but that he
doesn’t concern himself with questions of “outs or not outs.” They discuss
debutantes at length.
The idea of debuting and the difference in behavior between
women who are looking for fiancés and those who are not
shows how the institution of marriage even affects women’s
personalities, shaping their manners and determining who
they should talk to and how.

Summary
 Analysis
Tom leaves Mansfield. Mary anticipates that, with Edmund as the head of
the household, their social events with the Bertrams will be much less
fun.
Mary lacks enthusiasm about Edmund as a romantic partner
because she likes the idea of Tom’s inheritance.
Active Themes

Mr. Rushworth visits Mansfield for the first time

since Henry and Mary have arrived. Mr. Rushworth plans to renovate the
grounds of his estate, Sotherton Court, and talks of little else. The party
discusses who might be best able to help Mr. Rushworth plan the
changes.
Mr. Rushworth is incredibly boring, as evidenced by the fact
that he can’t talk about anything but his renovations. This
emphasizes how important money was in Maria’s decision to
marry him.
Active Themes

Mrs. Norris praises Mr. Rushworth’s wealth, commenting that she

imagines he will spare no expense. She then rambles about her own
improvements to the Parsonage when she lived there with Mr. Norris,
including the planting of an apricot tree. Dr. Grant tells her that the tree
is still there but that it bears bad fruit, which offends Mrs. Norris, who
says the tree comes from a good orchard. Mrs. Grant smoothes over the
awkward moment by telling Mrs. Norris that Dr. Grant hasn’t even eaten
many of the apricots.
Mrs. Norris meets her match in Dr. Grant, who checks her
ego by telling her that her apricot tree bears bad fruit. Mrs.
Norris’s insistence that the tree comes from a good orchard
could be read as a metaphor for not overestimating the role
of hereditary traits in determining someone or something’s
quality— in other words, Mrs. Norris should judge on merit
rather than birth.
Active Themes
But then Mr. Rushworth againbrings up the grounds at Sotherton,
comparing them to other estates in the area. As they
talk, Fanny tells Edmund she wishes she could see Sotherton before Mr.
Rushworth makes the improvements. Edmund, surprised she has never
been, wishes they could find a way to show her.
Each time he returns to the renovations, Mr. Rushworth
shows himself to be more and more tiresome. Edmund’s
kindness shines through once again when he tries to think of
ways for Fanny to go to Sotherton.
Active Themes

Mary asks what style of building Sotherton is, and Edmund describes the
house. Mary is impressed by his genteel manner in replying. They discuss
improving estates, and Mary says something negative about her uncle
(the Admiral) and mentions that Henry has excellent design taste.
Edmund is disappointed that Mary would speak so negatively of her uncle.

Mary begins to notice Edmund, despite his calm nature and

lack of a fortune. Edmund, meanwhile, is surprised when
Mary speaks negatively of her uncle in mixed company.
Mary’s manners are generally very good, but the remark
seems to Edmund to reveal bad character.
Active Themes

Mary talks about her harp, which she is having sent to the Parsonage and
arrives the next day. Edmund expresses his desire to hear her play. Mary
discusses the difficulty she had in transporting her instrument because
the farmers were in harvest season, a problem that surprised her.
Mary, who has spent most of her life in the city, reveals her
total lack of knowledge of country ways and the lives of
lower class rural people when she expresses surprise about
the harvest season.
Active Themes

Edmund says that the harp is his favorite instrument, and Fanny says that
she has never heard the harp, but would like to very much. Mary offers to
play for them. Mary tells Edmund to write to Tom and tell him the harp
has arrived.
Mary offers to play her harp as a way to attract romantic
attention. She continues to focus on Tom, which she makes
clear when she asks Edmund to write to him.
Active Themes

Edmund tells Mary has no plans to write to Tom soon. Mary then launches
into a rant about how brothers are bad at correspondence, and only write
to each other when absolutely necessary. She comments that there is a
“manly” style to writing these letters that is curt and unemotional. Fanny,
who has a long, fulfilling correspondence with William, pushes back on
this idea, and Edmund explains that Fanny’s brother is a sailor and a
devoted correspondent.
Mary’s insistence that there is a “manly” style of writing
shows that she believes that letters can reveal an essential
truth about the person writing them. Fanny, however, rejects
this one-to-one view of letters as reliable windows to the
truth of character. The reliability of letters continues to be a
thematic focus throughout the rest of the book.
Active Themes

Mary asks questions about William, making Fanny uncomfortable. Mary

and Edmund discuss the navy men they know. Mary, having lived with her
uncle the Admiral, is well acquainted with navy men, and makes a risqué
joke about them, causing Edmund to feel uncomfortable. The
conversation reverts to a discussion of Mary’s harp.
Once again, Mary reveals what Edmund and Fanny perceive
as a character flaw when she makes an off-color joke about
the navy. This demonstrates how, despite her good manners,
Mary might harbor some unsavory personality traits (or at
least a lack of the kind of prudence that Edmund and Fanny
so cherish).
Active Themes

Meanwhile, the rest of the party is still discussing Mr. Rushworth’s

landscaping. Mrs. Grant asks Henry if he has any thoughts on the matter,
since he has experience in design on his own estate, Everingham, which is
known to be extremely beautiful.
That Mr. Rushworth continues to dominant the conversation,
despite the fact that he is very boring, shows how his money
gives him social influence and power.
Active Themes

Julia and Mrs. Grant encourage him to share his opinion,

and Henry agrees to give it. Mr. Rushworth invites him to come to
Sotherton to take a look at the place, and Mrs. Norris suggests that they
all go, saying they can either dine at Sotherton or back at Mansfield Park
afterward, and Fanny will stay home with Lady Bertram. Everyone agrees
except Edmund, who is quiet.
As the group makes plans to visit Sotherton, Fanny is once
again left out because her lower social status obliges her to
be the one to stay at home with (the ever couch-bound)
Lady Bertram. Edmund, kind as usual, seems unhappy with
this arrangement.

Chapter 6

Summary
Analysis
Tom leaves Mansfield. Mary anticipates that, with Edmund as the head of
the household, their social events with the Bertrams will be much less
fun.
Mary lacks enthusiasm about Edmund as a romantic partner
because she likes the idea of Tom’s inheritance.
Active Themes
Mr. Rushworth visits Mansfield for the first time
since Henry and Mary have arrived. Mr. Rushworth plans to renovate the
grounds of his estate, Sotherton Court, and talks of little else. The party
discusses who might be best able to help Mr. Rushworth plan the
changes.
Mr. Rushworth is incredibly boring, as evidenced by the fact
that he can’t talk about anything but his renovations. This
emphasizes how important money was in Maria’s decision to
marry him.
Active Themes

Mrs. Norris praises Mr. Rushworth’s wealth, commenting that she

imagines he will spare no expense. She then rambles about her own
improvements to the Parsonage when she lived there with Mr. Norris,
including the planting of an apricot tree. Dr. Grant tells her that the tree
is still there but that it bears bad fruit, which offends Mrs. Norris, who
says the tree comes from a good orchard. Mrs. Grant smoothes over the
awkward moment by telling Mrs. Norris that Dr. Grant hasn’t even eaten
many of the apricots.
Mrs. Norris meets her match in Dr. Grant, who checks her
ego by telling her that her apricot tree bears bad fruit. Mrs.
Norris’s insistence that the tree comes from a good orchard
could be read as a metaphor for not overestimating the role
of hereditary traits in determining someone or something’s
quality— in other words, Mrs. Norris should judge on merit
rather than birth.
Active Themes

But then Mr. Rushworth againbrings up the grounds at Sotherton,

comparing them to other estates in the area. As they
talk, Fanny tells Edmund she wishes she could see Sotherton before Mr.
Rushworth makes the improvements. Edmund, surprised she has never
been, wishes they could find a way to show her.
Each time he returns to the renovations, Mr. Rushworth
shows himself to be more and more tiresome. Edmund’s
kindness shines through once again when he tries to think of
ways for Fanny to go to Sotherton.
Active Themes

Mary asks what style of building Sotherton is, and Edmund describes the
house. Mary is impressed by his genteel manner in replying. They discuss
improving estates, and Mary says something negative about her uncle
(the Admiral) and mentions that Henry has excellent design taste.
Edmund is disappointed that Mary would speak so negatively of her uncle.
Mary begins to notice Edmund, despite his calm nature and
lack of a fortune. Edmund, meanwhile, is surprised when
Mary speaks negatively of her uncle in mixed company.
Mary’s manners are generally very good, but the remark
seems to Edmund to reveal bad character.
Active Themes

Mary talks about her harp, which she is having sent to the Parsonage and
arrives the next day. Edmund expresses his desire to hear her play. Mary
discusses the difficulty she had in transporting her instrument because
the farmers were in harvest season, a problem that surprised her.
Mary, who has spent most of her life in the city, reveals her
total lack of knowledge of country ways and the lives of
lower class rural people when she expresses surprise about
the harvest season.
Active Themes

Edmund says that the harp is his favorite instrument, and Fanny says that
she has never heard the harp, but would like to very much. Mary offers to
play for them. Mary tells Edmund to write to Tom and tell him the harp
has arrived.
Mary offers to play her harp as a way to attract romantic
attention. She continues to focus on Tom, which she makes
clear when she asks Edmund to write to him.
Active Themes

Edmund tells Mary has no plans to write to Tom soon. Mary then launches
into a rant about how brothers are bad at correspondence, and only write
to each other when absolutely necessary. She comments that there is a
“manly” style to writing these letters that is curt and unemotional. Fanny,
who has a long, fulfilling correspondence with William, pushes back on
this idea, and Edmund explains that Fanny’s brother is a sailor and a
devoted correspondent.
Mary’s insistence that there is a “manly” style of writing
shows that she believes that letters can reveal an essential
truth about the person writing them. Fanny, however, rejects
this one-to-one view of letters as reliable windows to the
truth of character. The reliability of letters continues to be a
thematic focus throughout the rest of the book.
Active Themes

Mary asks questions about William, making Fanny uncomfortable. Mary

and Edmund discuss the navy men they know. Mary, having lived with her
uncle the Admiral, is well acquainted with navy men, and makes a risqué
joke about them, causing Edmund to feel uncomfortable. The
conversation reverts to a discussion of Mary’s harp.
Once again, Mary reveals what Edmund and Fanny perceive
as a character flaw when she makes an off-color joke about
the navy. This demonstrates how, despite her good manners,
Mary might harbor some unsavory personality traits (or at
least a lack of the kind of prudence that Edmund and Fanny
so cherish).
Active Themes
Meanwhile, the rest of the party is still discussing Mr. Rushworth’s
landscaping. Mrs. Grant asks Henry if he has any thoughts on the matter,
since he has experience in design on his own estate, Everingham, which is
known to be extremely beautiful.
That Mr. Rushworth continues to dominant the conversation,
despite the fact that he is very boring, shows how his money
gives him social influence and power.
Active Themes

Julia and Mrs. Grant encourage him to share his opinion,

and Henry agrees to give it. Mr. Rushworth invites him to come to
Sotherton to take a look at the place, and Mrs. Norris suggests that they
all go, saying they can either dine at Sotherton or back at Mansfield Park
afterward, and Fanny will stay home with Lady Bertram. Everyone agrees
except Edmund, who is quiet.
As the group makes plans to visit Sotherton, Fanny is once
again left out because her lower social status obliges her to
be the one to stay at home with (the ever couch-bound)
Lady Bertram. Edmund, kind as usual, seems unhappy with
this arrangement.
Active Themes