Mansfield Park, Part 8 of 36
The Sleepy Bookshelf: Just Jane
Elizabeth continues her audio reading of Jane Austen's 'Mansfield Park,' focusing on Chapters 10 and 11. The episode captures a pivotal moment in the story as Fanny Price is
Key takeaways
- Fanny Price's solitude underscores her role as an observer and moral compass within the narrative.
Main topics
- Moral judgment in social behavior
- Fanny Price's internal perspective
Notable quotes
"Here's harmony, here's repose. Here's what may leave all painting and all music behind..."
Conclusion
The episode ends with Fanny reflecting in solitude under a starlit sky, her inner peace
Transcript preview
Speaker 1 (0:01) Good evening, and welcome to the sleepy bookshelf, Just Jane, where we put down our worries from the day and pick up a good Jane Austen book. I'm Elizabeth, your host, and I'm so pleased to welcome you here tonight as we continue with Mansfield Park. But just before we do, as usual. Take a moment here to leave the day behind you with a deep breath in through your nose and out through your mouth. Lovely. Now, last time we were together, the group were at Southerton Park, currently touring the chapel. Speaker 1 (0:55) Fanny made a remark to Edmund about how she was disappointed at its lack of medieval grandeur, and he reminded her that this was just a simple family place of worship. Julia made a comment about Maria and Mr. Rushworth looking ready to marry on the spot as they stood at the pulpit together, and Mary was surprised to find that Edmund had plans to take orders. Speaker 1 (1:27) As they exited the church and found themselves in the summer heat upon the terrace, Fanny, Edmund and Mary split from the group and took a stroll in the shade of the wilderness area. Mary and Edmund argued about the merits of the clergy and Mary was baffled as to why that would be anyone's first choice of a career. When Fanny began to get fatigued, Speaker 1 (2:01) They led her to a bench in order for her to take a seat, and together, Mary and Edmund wandered back into the wilderness and promised to return shortly for her. And that is where we pick up tonight, with Fanny waiting for her two friends to come back to the bench. So... Without further ado, why not lie back and relax as I turn to the next pages of Mansfield Park. Chapter 10 A quarter of an hour, twenty minutes passed away, and Fanny was still thinking of Edmund, Miss Crawford and herself, without interruption from anyone. Speaker 1 (3:06) She began to be surprised at being left so long, and to listen with an anxious desire of hearing their steps and their voices again. She listened, and at length she heard. She heard voices and feet approaching. Speaker 1 (3:27) But she had just satisfied herself that it was not those she wanted when Miss Bertram, Mr. Rushworth, and Mr. Crawford issued from the same pie which she herself had trod and were before her. Miss Price all alone and, my dear Fanny, how comes this, were the first salutations. She told her story. Speaker 2 (3:59) Poor dear Fanny, cried Speaker 1 (4:02) her cousin. Speaker 2 (4:03) How ill you have been used by them. You had better have stayed with us. Speaker 1 (4:11) Then seating herself with a gentleman on each side, she resumed the conversation which had engaged them before and discussed the possibility of improvements with much animation. Speaker 1 (4:26) Nothing was fixed on, but Henry Crawford was full of ideas and projects, and generally speaking, whatever he proposed was immediately approved, first by her, and then by Mr. Rushworth, whose principal business seemed to be to hear the others, and who scarcely risked an original thought of his own, beyond a wish that they had seen his friend Smith's place. Speaker 1 (4:58) After some minutes spent in this way, Miss Bertram, observing the Iron Gate, expressed a wish of passing through it into the park, that their views and their plans might be more comprehensive. It was the very thing of all others to be wished. It was the best, it was the only way of proceeding with any advantage, in Henry Crawford's opinion. and he directly saw a knoll not half a mile off, which would give them exactly the requisite command of the house. Go therefore they must to that knoll, and through the gate, but the gate was locked. Mr. Rushworth wished he had brought the key. He had been very near thinking whether he should not bring the key. He was determined he would never come without the key again. Speaker 1 (5:59) But still, this did not remove the present evil. They could not get through. And as Miss Bertram's inclination for doing so did by no means lessen, it ended in Mr. Rushworth's declaring outright that he would go and fetch the key. He set off accordingly. It is undoubtedly the best thing we can do now, as we are so far from the house already. said Mr. Crawford when he was gone. Speaker 2 (6:34) Oh, yes, there is nothing else to be done. But now, sincerely, do you not find the place altogether worse than you expected? Speaker 1 (6:45) No, indeed, far otherwise. I find it better, grander, more complete in its style, though that style may not be the best. And to tell you the truth, speaking rather lower. I do not think that I shall ever see Southerton again with so much pleasure as I do now. Another summer will hardly improve it to me. After a moment's embarrassment, the lady replied, Speaker 2 (7:17) You are too much the man of the world not to see with the eyes of the world. If other people think Southerton improved, I have no doubt that you will. Speaker 1 (7:29) I am afraid I am not quite so the man of the world as might be good for me in some point. My feelings are not quite so evanescent, nor my memory of the past under such easy dominion as one finds to be the case with men of the world. This was followed by a short silence. Miss Bertram began again. Speaker 2 (7:55) You seemed to enjoy your drive here very much this morning. I was glad to see you so well entertained. You and Julia were laughing the whole way. Speaker 1 (8:05) Were we? Oh yes, I believe we were, but I have not the least recollection of what. Oh, I believe I was relating to her some ridiculous stories of an old Irish groom of my uncle's. Your sister loves to laugh. Speaker 2 (8:23) You think I'm more light-hearted than I am? Speaker 1 (8:25) More easily amused. He replied. Consequently, you know. Smiling. Better company. Speaker 1 (8:36) I could not have hoped to entertain you with Irish anecdotes during a ten miles drive. Speaker 2 (8:42) Naturally, I believe. I am as lively as Julia, but I have more to think of now. Speaker 1 (8:48) You have, undoubtedly, and there are situations in which very high spirits would denote insensibility. Your prospects, however, are too fair to justify want of spirits. You have a very smiling scene before you. Speaker 2 (9:06) Do you mean literally or figuratively? Literally, I conclude. Yes, certainly the sun shines and the park looks very cheerful. But unluckily that iron gate, that ha-ha, gave me a feeling of restraint and hardship. I cannot get out, as the starling said. Speaker 1 (9:33) As she spoke, it was with expression. She walked to the gate. He followed her. Speaker 2 (9:41) Mr. Rushworth is so long-fetching this key. Speaker 1 (9:45) And for the world you would not get on without the key. And without Mr. Rushworth's authority and protection. I think you might with a little difficulty pass around the edge of the gate here with my assistance. I think it might be done if you really wished to be more at large and could allow yourself to think it not prohibited. Speaker 2 (10:07) Prohibited? Nonsense. I certainly can get out that way, and I will. Mr. Rushworth will be here in a moment, you know. We shall not be out of sight. Speaker 1 (10:19) Or if we are, Miss Price will be so good as to tell him that he will find us near that gnom. The Grove of An Oak, on the gnom. Fanny, feeling all this to be wrong, could not help making an effort to prevent it. Speaker 2 (10:35) You will hurt yourself, Miss Bertram, she Speaker 1 (10:39) cried. Speaker 2 (10:40) You will certainly hurt yourself against those spikes. You will tear your gown. You will be in danger of slipping into the ha-ha. You had better not go. Speaker 1 (10:51) Her cousin was safe on the other side while these words were spoken, and smiling with all the good humour of success, she said, Speaker 2 (11:00) Thank you, my dear Fanny. At high and my gown are alive and well. And so goodbye. Speaker 1 (11:08) Fanny was again left to her solitude, with no increase of pleasant feelings, for she was sorry for almost all that she had seen and heard. Astonished at Miss Bertram, and angry with Mr. Crawford, by taking a circuitous and, as it appeared to her, very unreasonable direction to the knoll, they were soon beyond her eye. and for some minutes longer she remained without sight or sound of any companion. She seemed to have the little wood all to herself. She could almost have thought Edmund and Miss Crawford had left it, but that was impossible, for Edmund to forget her so entirely. She was again roused from disagreeable musings by sudden footsteps. Somebody was coming, at a quick pace, down the principal walk. She expected Mr. Rushworth, but it was Julia, who, hot and out of breath, and with a look of disappointment, cried out on seeing her. Speaker 2 (12:19) Hey, Day. Where are the others? I thought Mariah and Mr. Crawford were with you. Speaker 1 (12:25) Fanny