Posted by kathleen (elder) on July 11, 1997 at 07:54:11:
In reply to Henry is a louse posted by Ann on July 11, 1997 at 00:15:54
] I saw Henry as a total louse from beginning to end, and I hoped that Fanny wouldn't fall for his two-faced charm. He was a creul man in the beginning, when he was toying with the Bertram sisters. When he decided to intentionally break Fanny's heart, I wrote him off as a scoundral.
________
I don't disagree with your overall opinion, Ann. But, we get so much of Henry's dialogue that I find myself falling for his charms. He is one of the more complex villains that JA created.
On the first few readings I really wanted to believe that he had reformed. But, ultimately I see that he hasn't. He lets Mary talk him into going to a party that he knows he should avoid. (I wish JA had been able to include the conversation between them in the book -- I can just imagine how Mary would have appealed to Henry's vanity in getting him to attend Maria's party.) His vanity was what got him started falling in love with Fanny, but his vanity is what lost him the chance with her.
Posting followups to old messages is disabled; instead go to the main index and post a new message which mentions this one.