Posted by Cassia on July 16, 1997 at 18:12:12:
In reply to Re: MARY Crawford posted by Cassia on July 16, 1997 at 18:06:22
] ] I see we have been discussing only Henry Crawford, and find we've neglected Mary. I would be interested in everyone's opinion--here's mine:
] ] It is quite possible to like one Crawford and dislike the other intensely. I like Henry, but dislike Mary. I'm not entirely sure why, except that (being female) I find Henry charming and aquit him most of the time. At least he shows spark. But Mary is just a tenacious little worm, with only one view in mind-marrying well. She shows no feelings at all, aside from affection for her brother, which also seems shallow since she could have prevented the Maria disaster quite easily. I don't know if she ever really loved Edmund, but frankly, I think they deserve each other.
] ] Then Henry would have married Fanny, and things would be better.
]
] ________
] I like Mary Crawford nearly as much as her brother, I don't hold her being female against her. I don't beleive that the morality of the community should lie on female shoulders. I like that Mary is the one woman that JA creates who still had an apparent masculine side. I like that she is intelligent and witty. I think her much along the lines of Jean in Preston Sturges's The Lady Eve. Falling in love wasn't "in the cards for her either" but in the end Jean(Barbara Stanwick) gets Henry Fonda.
] I think that she does genuinely love Edmund, or she wouldn't have hung on for so long. During this time she goes on to learn the differnces between Town and Country life and she does show some appriciation for them. Her real fault seems to be one you share: she can forgive Henry anything. Even his elopement with Maria.
________
I think this is why so many people find it difficult to like MP, they think Fanny is too wishy-washy, and Mary Crawford too pushy, so they don't have a rooting interest.
Posting followups to old messages is disabled; instead go to the main index and post a new message which mentions this one.