
Mansfield Park
by Jane Austen
'Mansfield Park' Summary
Fanny Price, at age ten, is sent from her impoverished home in Portsmouth to live as one of the family at Mansfield Park, the Northamptonshire country estate of her uncle, Sir Thomas Bertram. There she is mistreated by all but her elder cousin Edmund. Her aunt Norris, the wife of the clergyman at the Mansfield parsonage, makes herself particularly unpleasant.
When Fanny is fifteen, Aunt Norris is widowed and the frequency of her visits to Mansfield Park increases, as does her mistreatment of Fanny. A year later, Sir Thomas leaves to deal with problems on his plantation in Antigua, taking his spendthrift eldest son Tom. Mrs Norris, looking for a husband for Maria, finds Mr Rushworth, who is rich but weak-willed and considered stupid, and Maria accepts his proposal.
The following year, Henry Crawford and his sister, Mary, arrive at the parsonage to stay with their half-sister, the wife of the new incumbent, Dr Grant. With their fashionable London ways, they enliven life in Mansfield. Edmund and Mary then start to show interest in one another.
On a visit to Mr Rushworth's estate, Henry flirts with both Maria and Julia. Maria believes Henry is in love with her and so treats Mr Rushworth dismissively, provoking his jealousy, while Julia struggles with jealousy and resentment towards her sister. Mary is disappointed to learn that Edmund will be a clergyman and tries to undermine his vocation. Fanny fears that Mary's charms are blinding Edmund to her flaws.
After Tom returns, he encourages the young people to begin rehearsals for an amateur performance of the play Lovers' Vows. Edmund objects, believing Sir Thomas would disapprove and feeling that the subject matter of the play is inappropriate for his sisters. But after much pressure, he agrees to take on the role of the lover of the character played by Mary. The play provides further opportunity for Henry and Maria to flirt. When Sir Thomas arrives home unexpectedly, the play is still in rehearsal and is cancelled. Henry departs without explanation and Maria goes ahead with marriage to Mr Rushworth. They then settle in London, taking Julia with them. Sir Thomas sees many improvements in Fanny and Mary Crawford initiates a closer relationship with her.
Book Details
Language
EnglishOriginal Language
EnglishPublished In
1814Genre/Category
Tags/Keywords
Authors

Jane Austen
England
Jane Austen was an English novelist known primarily for her six major novels, which interpret, critique and comment upon the British landed gentry at the end of the 18th century. Austen's plots often...
Books by Jane AustenDownload eBooks
Listen/Download Audiobook
Related books

Topaz Story Book: Stories and Legends of Autumn, Hallowe'en, and Thanksgiving by Ada M. Skinner
This charming collection of stories, legends, and poems celebrates the changing seasons and the special holidays of autumn. From the beauty of the har...

Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm by Kate Douglas Wiggin
Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm is a classic American 1903 children's novel by Kate Douglas Wiggin that tells the story of Rebecca Rowena Randall and her a...

Work and Win; Noddy Newman on a Cruise by Oliver Optic
This book follows the journey of Noddy Newman, a young boy with neglected education and poor morals, as he embarks on a cruise that transforms his lif...

Pepper and Salt by Howard Pyle
One must have a little pinch of seasoning in this dull, heavy life of ours; one should never look to have all the troubles, the labors, and the cares,...

Alice Pleasance Liddell by Lewis Carroll
LibriVox volunteers bring you 23 different recordings of Alice Pleasance Liddell by Lewis Carroll. This was the weekly poetry project for the week of...

Pink Fairy Book by Andrew Lang
The Pink Fairy Book is a collection of 37 classic fairy tales from around the world, compiled by Andrew Lang. The stories in this book are full of mag...

The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams
The Velveteen Rabbit is a British children's book written by Margery Williams and illustrated by William Nicholson. It chronicles the story of a stuff...

Stories for God's Little Ones by Father John Koenig
A charming collection of nine short stories for children with a moral weaved in each. These were originally published as separate booklets, under the...

The Blue Lagoon by H. De Vere Stacpoole
The Blue Lagoon is a romance novel written by Henry De Vere Stacpoole and was first published by T. Fisher Unwin in 1908. It is the first novel of the...

New Faces and Old: Short Stories by Francis J. Finn, S.J.
An anthology of short stories written by the Catholic Jesuit priest, Fr. Finn, primarily intended for a young audience. The stories feature some of hi...
Reviews for Mansfield Park
No reviews posted or approved, yet...