Mansfields Park (Week 6)

"Can I speak with you, Fanny, for a few minutes?" said he.

"Yes, certainly."

"I want to consult. I want your opinion."

"My opinion!" she cried, shrinking from such a compliment, highly as it gratified her.

"Yes, your advice and opinion. I do not know what to do. This acting scheme gets worse and worse, you see. They have chosen almost as bad a play as they could, and now, to complete the business, are going to ask the help of a young man very slightly known to any of us. This is the end of all the privacy and propriety which was talked about at first. I know no harm of Charles Maddox; but the excessive intimacy which must spring from his being admitted among us in this manner is highly objectionable, the more than intimacy—the familiarity. I cannot think of it with any patience; and it does appear to me an evil of such magnitude as must, if possible, be prevented. Do not you see it in the same light?"

"Yes; but what can be done? Your brother is so determined."

"There is but one thing to be done, Fanny. I must take Anhalt myself. I am well aware that nothing else will quiet Tom."

Fanny could not answer him.

The passage Represents Edmund’s thought process about a personal dilemma. It shows his feelings between not wanting to participate in the play, and also not wanting to sacrifice his position with Mary allowing a stranger who is more pacifically a neighbor to estate to play the opposite role of Mary.   With the confusion of the dilemma Edmund seeks out Fanny’s opinion in solving the current problem showing that he values her opinion and what she thinks t. “I want your opinion.”  Fanny Replies with emotion and frustration showing a sense of jealously when she replies, "My opinion!” and because of the vibe of jealousy, Edmund may have had a second motivation behind asking Fanny for her opinion hoping to get objection from her so that he will not take part of the play due to the emotional distress of Fanny so that it reviled Fanny’s true feelings for him.

Edmund begins stating the clear fact that “I do not know what to do” symbolizing that his complete feelings toward the play as a whole because he has taken the leadership role behind his irresponsible brother and organized a traditional father. The dilemma is between being responsible or letting his feelings getting in the way to allow him to participate in the play so that no one else can gain the affection of Mary.  He is clearly aware that the play is inappropriate because he then describes it as a “scheme”. This show he is conscious of the true intentions of some of those who are participating in a play stating “They have chosen almost as bad a play as they could,” allowing some to act sexually inappropriate being disguise as acting but the reality is that true feelings are involve. Being aware of this and the idea of a “a young man slightly known to any of us” strikes fear in Edmund knowing what the play contains “excessive intimacy which must spring from his being admitted among us in this manner is highly objectionable”. This also shows the level of secretsy Edmund would like to keep everyone actions on knowing that everything is inappropriate. But the biggest concern is Mary and the thought of the possibility of her using these inappropriate actions on another man “I cannot think of it with any patience; and it does appear to me an evil of such magnitude”.  This Makes Edmund Debate and think on whether or not he should places values aside and takes the place so that no one else can. But the bigger picture that I get from the text is that the true dilemma is choosing between supporting Fanny’s non participation or supporting Mary by acting in the play instated of another man taking his place.