In Defence of Mansfield Park [1814] & Review

Mansfield Park, aside from Northanger Abbey, is probably the least appreciated of all Jane Austen's works. And you know, I can see why that is. Fanny is introverted and shy, and the love interest, Edmund Bertram is maybe a little on the bland side. It's also a good deal more serious than Austen's more popular works, like Emma or Pride and Prejudice. But Mansfield Park is a very good book in it's own right! It's probably not the 'best' Jane Austen book, but hey! Jane Austen books are kind of relative, and I think that people like the ones that speak to them. I personally don't care for Pride and Prejudice, but I loved Emma, Northanger Abbey, and Persuasion. Which one is the best one just depends on who you are and what you're looking for in a book. But yikes, holy diversion, Batman!
Ahem, let's tackle some of the reasons why Mansfield Park is commonly regarded as the least-good Jane Austen book, and refute them!

Fanny Price
Unfortunately, Fanny is usually the number one reason people don't like this book. She's shy and doesn't express her feelings very often, because she doesn't want to offend anybody or make herself seem more important than she thinks she is. She isn't a vibrant and passionate Marianne Dashwood, and she isn't an energetic and witty Emma Woodhouse. But in the vast and wonderful world of literature, there is room for ALL sorts of fictional characters, not just the funny and outspoken ones.
Fanny isn't a heroine who goes with the flow. Mansfield Park is an unusual story in that it is more about staying still than moving quickly. And imagine how hard it is to stay still when everyone else is moving around you! That's how Fanny feels in the story. All around her are people who aren't acting the way they should, and Fanny is trying to be steadfast in the midst of all that confusion.
And because she is usually so timid and afraid of offending people, the occasions where Fanny stands up for herself are all the more satisfying.

What Does Edmund Bertram See In Mary Crawford? Why Doesn't He Love Fanny Right Away?
In all honesty, I think that Edmund Bertram is a little bland. That having been said, I understand why he wanted to marry Miss Crawford. She's pretty, she's intelligent, and she's good humored. Problems arise however, when Mary Crawford is disrespectful of Religion and the Clergy. Why on earth would Edmund put up with that? Both Mary and Edmund thought they could change each other to fit their own needs. Edmund thought that marriage would 'pin' Mary down a bit, and Mary just figured that Edmund was being kind of old-fashioned.
Edmund also had no idea that Fanny loved him. Remember, Fanny doesn't like to be open with her feelings. If the book were told from Edmund's point of view, we'd probably see him be very surprised when he at last discovers that Fanny loves him!

It's Just Not as Delightful or Fun as The Others
Remember what I said about there being room for all different kinds of fictional characters? Well, the same applies with stories, too! Not all stories can be funny and delightful. Some stories are just going to be more serious in tone than others. Of course, there is no one book in literature that EVERYBODY has to like. Everyone has different tastes, so not everyone will like every book. By writing this little review/rant, I hope that I cleared up a little bit of haze and if you didn't like the book, I hope that I at least inspired you to read it again someday. But I am by no means suggesting that we all fall down and worship Mansfield Park. Cuz' we all know that Emma is the best Austen novel. ;) Kidding, kidding, that's just my opinon. :D

The Verdict: B+
I don't know if I would consider this one of my favorite books, but I definitely liked it. :) It was very sweet and moving at times, and even though it wasn't really lighthearted, there were still many moments where the good ol' Austen snark showed through.

In Defense of Marius

... Yeah, that's a weird post title. The fact is, I'm not a huge Marius fan, but I think he's a good character who doesn't deserve quite all the flack he gets. So let's get started, shall we? And for added fun, let's see if I can refrain from dissing Marius in the post that's supposed to be defending him. ;)



There was no good reason for Cosette and Eponine to fall in love with him.
Well, there actually are good reasons, you just have to read the book to find them. Cosette and Marius were both secluded people, and for that reason they unconsciously identified with each other. Plus, Marius also wrote her a very sweet and romantic letter, and you know how much Cosette loves stuff like that. :) Eponine is a little more complicated. She fell in love with him because he was the first man who had treated her with basic respect and courtesy in a really long time. It didn't matter that he barely even knew her and vice versa, because he was kind to her. So Eponine clung to that like a lifeline.
Marius is a jerk!
Marius does not have the most appealing personality. He's maybe a little self-centered, but name me the perfect Les Miserables character. At his heart, Marius is a decent man. Yeah, he kicked Jean Valjean out of his house because he thought he had murdered a guy. But when Marius learned of his mistake, he hurried to make amends as fast as he could. I'd say that Marius' redeeming quality is his gallantry. Even when he doesn't like a person, he's relatively courteous to them, and that's something that's really hard, and at least a little admirable.
Marius is a dork.
What? Is it because he's indecisive? Because he's socially awkward? Because he doesn't look like some archangel who fell from heaven? I suppose by those standards Marius is kind of a dork, but he's also relatable, and don't we love characters who are 'relatable'? Please tell me I'm not the only who relates to Marius.
Yes. Marius is stubborn, tactless, and short-tempered, but he's a decent person, and he can break his curse on his own! Oops, slipped into Howl's Moving Castle mode again. That'll happen. But you get my drift.
Something I really liked about Les Miserables is that you have characters all over the map when it comes to morality status. You can have 'good guys' who are unpleasant and a little rude (Like Marius), and you can have sympathetic 'bad guys' with understandable motivation (Like Javert). Then there's some characters you can't even classify (Like Eponine or Enjolras). It's very realistic, and definitely one of the book's strong points.
Stay frosty, my friends.

In Defense of Cosette

Okay. So, up until about a year ago, I didn't like Cosette. I totally hated her. I thought she was selfish, annoying, and really pointless. I've since come around, and though I don't particularly love her character, I think that if you hate Cosette for the aforementioned reasons, you maybe need a few things explained.

I just wanted to put a picture into the post.

Cosette Stole Eponine's Man!

Here's the thing. Cosette didn't 'steal' Marius from Eponine because she didn't even know there was another girl in love with him! She had no idea about Eponine, and if she did, knowing Cosette, she probably would have felt very sorry about the whole thing.
The other characters suffer so much, while Cosette just sits around and gets married.
Other characters like... Fantine? Fantine suffered because she loved Cosette so much. She would have done anything to give Cosette a good life. Jean Valjean knew that, so when he rescued Cosette from the Thenardiers, he gave her the life her mother wanted for her. Fantine would have wanted it that way.
Cosette was spoiled.
When Marius first sees Cosette in the film, she's giving money to a poor person. When he sees her in the musical(depending on the production, I suppose), she and her father are going out of their way to help people. And in the book, Valjean and Cosette go to Gorbeau Manor to help a family of poor people(Who just so happen to be the Thenardiers). Cosette is very kind and compassionate, and does her best to help a girl who was injured. Cosette was pampered, and had everything she wanted. But she wasn't spoiled, and she felt compassion for those less fortunate than her, maybe because of what she went through as a child.
Cosette isn't Relatable.
Yeah, maybe not in the unrequited love department, no, she's not. But anyone with protective parents and a rather sheltered life might identify with Cosette. I know my sister feels like she can relate to Cosette. Sure, those aren't things everyone can relate to, but then again, not everyone has suffered unrequited love, or a breakup. One of the reasons Les Miserables is cool is because there are dozens of characters, and there's always at least one that you feel you can relate to.
Cosette is boring, and unimportant.
Yeah, I can't offer much of a persuasive argument for this, because one's perception of what's boring varies. If you mean that she's boring because she doesn't do anything but get married, than, yeah. Maybe you would rather skim until you reach the barricade. But her purpose as a character is interesting to me. She brought out a rather soft side to Valjean. She's what keeps him going, because to Valjean, Cosette is like the whole world. It took real strength for him to let her marry Marius. And what's more, he didn't just have to give them his blessing and send them on their merry way- he also had to actively go out and save Marius' life! Almost losing his own in the process, I might say. At one point, Valjean and Marius are almost out of the sewers, but can't get out because the gate is locked. There, alone with a dying man, Valjean doesn't think about his death. He doesn't even think about Marius' death. He thinks about Cosette. It doesn't have much to do with her actual personality, but Cosette is the center of Valjean's world. That makes her a very important character. I mean, there's a reason she's the logo for the musical.

Ahem. If you made it through these huge chunks of paragraph, I congratulate you!
I have to say, Cosette is better portrayed in some adaptations than others. In the musical, depending on how the actress plays the part, she can come across as vapid and airhead-y. Or she can be on the other side of the spectrum, and seem whiny and ungrateful to Valjean. I thought that she was very well portrayed in the 2012 film, a good balance between inquisitive about her father's past and respecting him.
So! I suppose it's time for me to stop ranting now. :)
I hope I didn't come across as arrogant or rude while arguing my points.
G'day!
-Xochitl