My Book Review > Jane Austen: 'Mansfield Park'

I love everything about Jane Austen’s novels; each book is a living source of inspiration, romantic dreams, and intense emotion: ‘Pride and Prejudice’, ‘Sense and Sensibility’, ‘Emma’, 'Persuasion' are among my favorite books. But ‘Mansfield Park’ is very special! It’s the purest diamond of the royal diadem! Fanny is indeed a beautiful character: “The gentleness, modesty, and sweetness of her character were warmly expatiated on, that sweetness which makes so essential a part of every woman’s worth in the judgment of man…”; her natural shyness, inner beauty, and ‘mental superiority’ despite her modest position make her so very attractive! However, if 'Mansfield Park' is known as “a powerful portrayal of [-] scandalous misdemeanors and true integrity”, and if it is obvious that Henry Crowford behaved most disgracefully, I cannot condemn his sister for she is rather ‘modern’ in her judgment of things. But of course, that couldn’t fit the moral values of the time. Anyhow, Fanny’s morality, her beautiful feelings, her romantic and ‘hopeless’ dreams, her timid and anxious nature are her major strengths, and I believe every woman or girl will feel close to her. She’s both weak and strong; hence, she’s every woman… The only disillusion comes from some sort of ‘archaism’, i.e. the fact that women are sometimes seen as being chiefly responsible for the evils that people suffer. It's particularly true with regard to the way Henry Crowford and Mrs Rushworth’s affair is treated… Nevertheless, 'Mansfield Park' is a wonderful book, full of ups and downs, and emotions. Hence, after a long period of uncertainty, the happy conclusion was most welcomed… Yay! I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!