Posted by Ann on July 13, 1997 at 00:52:28:
In reply to Re: Fanny posted by Luisa on July 11, 1997 at 17:43:31
] Just one more thing, I think the main reason why she doesn`t marry Henry is that she´s still in love with Edmond and it`s in her nature to suffer for him. She could find Henry`s actions unacceptable and still marry him in hopes that he would reform. That would also be something that she might do, but she doesn´t. Edmond`s the one, not Henry.
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But according to Austen, if Henry hadn't run off with Maria, and Edmund had married Mary (and was therefore unavailable), Fanny would have married Henry. It is as much Henry's unreformed character that she can not accept as it is holding out to the last possible moment concerning Edmund. Fanny hopes that something might happen to turn E away from Mary. She holds onto that hope through everything, and in the end she gets her wish. Now Edmund might be too much of a sap to deserve such devotion, but I can not fault Fanny for hoping.
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