Fanny Price - an unlikely heroine?

OK, so I am rereading Mansfield Park right now. I remember really liking it before. This time around, I’m realizing that Fanny is not my favorite of Jane’s heroines. She’s meek and humble, sure. But she’s got no backbone and completely lacks confidence and spunk. As I continue to write my thoughts on her, I may change my mind, I don’t know. She just seems so naïve, I guess. And I guess what it all comes down to, is that she has been brought up to believe that she is less than she really is.

I guess Fanny is a prime example of a lovely and virtuous woman who doesn’t understand her self-worth because the people around her have raised her to believe that she isn’t as good as those around her and have done so in order to oppress her.

Just for a little background for those who have not yet read this novel: Fanny Price is the daughter of a woman who has two sisters. Fanny’s mother did not marry as well as her two sisters and lots of kids later, ends up sending one of her children (Fanny) to live with her sister who married a Baronet. Needless to say, they live much better than what Fanny was used to (she was ten when she left home) and had 4 cousins to get used to (though she was being raised WITH them, they felt it was important to make sure that she knew she was not at their level). The third aunt lives nearby and played a key role in bringing Fanny to live at Mansfield Park, though wants credit for the idea of doing a good deed rather than actually DOING a good deed. Anyway, being that Fanny was not born the daughter of a Baronet, she is treated in a way that she won't confuse her “station” or whatever.

Fanny has a natural strong sense of propriety and goodness - which is a great quality to possess. Though, like I said, she lacks confidence and it is leaving a less than good taste in my mouth. For those who have read it, I am just finishing the part where the young people of the house were working on getting this scandalous play together. A play which Fanny would have no part, even at their begging. She keeps lucking out, though, every time she starts to reluctantly give in to do something she'd rather not do, situations tend to happen to get her out of it. She can only handle so much pressure, I guess. Though, she seriously just keeps lucking out. Don’t get me wrong, I can completely relate to so many of Fanny’s passive aggressive ways, but I guess I’m just realizing that she’s more of an unlikely heroine - at least at this point of the story. Perhaps I will change my mind again once I get to the end. I don’t recall the details of my previous reading of the novel. Those of my [like 4] readers who are familiar with the story – what do you think of Fanny? Pray, tell!

This is my random rambling from today. As I am reading, I’m underlining passages for future blog entries. So hopefully I can continue to maintain some sort of regularity with my blogging!