Fanny Price

You took the words right out of my mouth (or the letters out of my fingers). I couldn't agree with all of your statements more.

I have just begun the part in the novel where Fanny has moved to stay with her parents and siblings for a few months. Her uncle's intention, guised under kindness, is to remind Fanny of the sufferings of poverty, with the hope that will help persuade her to marry Henry Crawford.

It is clear from his bumbling good natured attempts, that Sir Thomas really has no clue as to what kind of a person Fanny is, but it's apparent that his interest is out of affection and not in any way malice or deceit.

Nevertheless, what brings me to this point, is that at this point, as the reader, I'm fairly comfortable with Fanny. I understand her motivations. However, her rigid, proper, self-effacing personality just does not jive with her flat-out refusal to marry Henry Crawford. She consciously denies herself everything, whether a small luxury or a necessity. We are made to understand that she is sickly and given to headaches, but she will sit and suffer in her unheated apartments, rather than ask for wood or coal or whatever. She enjoys her self-inflicted suffering, I believe.

She contrasts much with her Aunt Norris who plays at martyrdom, but actually in fact never takes those extra steps to incur the suffering. Aunt Norris is louder and given to complaining, but she weighs whether the suffering she could incur would be worth the benefit of Lady Bertram's and Sir Thomas' expected generosity. Because Lady Bertram is completely blind to all but the needs of her dog, and Sir Thomas is slowly learning how much he dislikes Aunt Norris, Aunt Norris tends not to subject herself to the needless suffering. Fanny, on the other hand, willfully suffers, pretends not to complain about the suffering, but conveniently and conspicuously places herself in a position where it would most readily be observed by her cousin Edmund and Sir Thomas.

That said, from her extensive attempts at obtaining their good opinion of her, she has solidified in their and the reader's mind, that she would endure anything for the sake of helping others, especially her loved ones, especially where the endurance would be witnessed and the suffering made to her credit. Therefore, it seems unlikely that she would refuse Henry Crawford after he had assisted her brother William into obtaining a position as Lieutenant in the Navy. Additionally, that Edmund, Sir Thomas and the rest of her family all encourage the match offer up Fanny her opportunity to seize upon her biggest sacrifice yet. This is especially so, because Edmund would understand what an amazing sacrifice it is, which ultimately is her goal I believe.

Alas, she refuses Henry Crawford on the grounds that he inappropriately encouraged her engaged cousin's advances, thus she disappoints, her uncle, cousin, brother and family, all because in reality she is in love with Edmund. She needs to pick one.

Fanny can either be selfless and loving, or she needs to even out more. She comes across as setting a trap for Edmund, playing at martyr, until she catches him, in which case, he will see her true personality, which, while not as grating as Mary Crawford or Aunt Norris, or as spoiled as Julia and Maria, is probably akin to normal.