Posted by Barbara on June 08, 1997 at 01:41:17:
In reply to Re:settling for Fanny? posted by Kathy F. on June 08, 1997 at 00:46:29
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] I was bitterly disappointed the first time I read MP because I thought that JA was truly reforming the Crawfords, and I set myself up for Fanny Crawford and Mary Bertram to be the "happily ever after." I fell hard, I admit. On a second reading (just a few days ago), it was still hard to think that Henry was all that bad, after it seemed like he had reformed.
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Kathy, I don't know that I could say I'm bitterly disappointed, but I am thinking along the same lines about Henry Crawford. Yes, he was a cad to Julia and Maria, and yes his role in the elopment is shocking, but I also had the impression that he truly wanted to reform. He does seem to truly want to make Fanny love him or at least accept him.
Fanny obviously seems to think that his pleasure is in the pursuit, no matter who the object of it is. I just don't know. I'm happy for Fanny that she gets Edmund, but I'm not convinced she would have been as miserable with Henry as she seems to think.
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