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Lea, Laraine,


 Posted by Bonny on May 15, 1998 at 05:18:05:


In response to Your comments are right on target!, written by Lea on May 14, 1998 at 11:44:06


Back to the Library ]  ] I think the reason that Mary and Henry are drawn to Edmund and Fanny is really rather simple: Edmund and Fanny are good, intelligent, and interesting people...Until coming to Mansfield, they had hung about with too many people like Maria -- good looking and rich, perhaps, but also spoiled, self-indulgent, and petty. Our hero and heroine are none of the latter list.
 ] 
 
 ] Laraine,
 ]   
 ]   I really liked reading your comments. Your answer is succinct and 
 ] insightful (and I think right on target). As you said, "I think it's pretty simple" why Mary and Henry are drawn to them.
 ]   I thought about answering Bonny's question, but since I am probably
 ] "notorious" around here for "sticking up" for Fanny and Edmund, I was a 
 ] little hesitant to reply to her post.  
 ]   I glad you took the time to post such a thoughtful answer.
 ] --Lea :-)
My post didn't intend to put down Fanny or Edmund, nor to suggest that they do not have qualities which are attractive. I just find it interesting that they are attractive to Henry and Mary. I admit what I said was rather incoherent. I think I have a question, now, based on your responses. I am interested in the position of JA in this novel, how she positions us with the Henry Mary - Edmund Fanny attractions. Also the idea of education, the very different educations of the Crawfords and F and E. And how these two ideas interact. I aimed at asking whether you think they respond to the qualities "good intelligent interesting" and moral, because some of them are qualities the Crawfords had potential to possess had they been educated differently. Is JA saying this with her comments on education. I think I want to be able to account for the the fact that they (Crawfords)are capable of appreciating them. Both Crawfords seem, and in fact profess to be, cynical about people, their responses maybe indicate that  F and E realise (possess and put into action in real life)the qualities M and H can admire, and thought couldn't exist in people. It does seem the Crawfords are not as materialistic/shallow as the friends they've been keeping, the ones like Maria. (This is not a Crawford defence!, and I'm not saying they have the same substance as Fanny and Ed) 
Also what about Edmund liking Mary C over Fanny? I see that he overlooks her because she is his cousin, but to me the ending smacks somewhat of Sense and Sensibility, Fanny and Col. B. have their steadfastness and suffering rewarded with their heart's desire, but their partners enter into the marriage state with feelings much less warm (but in time come to love them whole heartedly). Austen even puts an alternative ending in stating that had circumstances been different Edmund would have married Mary and Fanny, Henry and she makes no judgement on it, and even points out at one time Fanny's bias in judgement of the marriage, and says that MAry would have changed (or at least that "older sages" could fortell that she would.)Hang on, just realised those circumstances are Henry's reciprocal seduction of Maria, which Mary doesnt condemn, where the Crawfords reveal a morality the cousins, and I presume JA couldn't approve, so I guess she does make a judgement- forget that last argument. I'll finish up now but I'd like to hear your thoughts.        
 

 





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