Anusha's Post: Morality, Money and Thomas Bertram

“Life seems but a quick succession of busy nothings.” 

“A large income is the best recipe for happiness I ever heard of.”
― Jane Austen, Mansfield Park

Morality is a predominant theme in Mansfield Park. What is morality? Rules governing right conduct. But in Mansfield Park, particularly in the case of Thomas Bertram, morality is a construct of society designed to facilitate the smooth running of an upper-middle class society primarily to the advantage of men. This precept becomes evident when you consider the actions undertaken by Thomas Bertram in relation to his daughter, Maria Bertram and his ward, Fanny Price.

Thomas Bertram’s consent on the ‘unquestionably advantageous’ alliance between Maria and Mr. Rushworth indicates that his idea of a moral gentlemen is one who has both status and wealth. In this case his acceptability is based on financial measure and not other considerations like compatibility, honesty and a proper sense of character. Even when he is  conscious of his error in judgment and offers to release Maria from her engagement he is immediately satisfied once she refuses and does not press the matter further. Quite the contrary he is ‘… happy to escape the embarrassing evils of such a rupture, the wonder, the reflections, the reproach that must attend it, happy to secure a marriage which would bring him such an addition of respectability and influence…’.

In relation to Fanny Price, from the beginning, his decision to ward Fanny is motivated not by genuine concern but rather his interest ‘which, from principle as well as pride, from a general wish of doing right, and a desire of seeing all that were connected with him in situations of respectability…’. When Fanny rejects Henry Crawford’s proposal for marriage Thomas Bertram is livid and outraged and tries to bully her into accepting the proposal claiming that it is Fanny’s duty to act out of consideration of the advantage or disadvantage of her family.  

Here again, there is complete absence of emotional sentiment or consideration of Fanny’s feelings in this regard but instead he undertakes a ‘medicinal project upon his nieces understanding’ where he sends her to her home in Portsmouth so that she can reconsider her decision. This instance, along with that of Maria, gives credence to the idea present in Mansfield Park that there is a constant need on part of the patriarch or leading male to control and dictate female actions which are a direct reflection on the figure and address of the male. In the case of Thomas Bertram of Mansfield Park moral integrity represents a conscious claim to a high social standing in society. And his moral compass is dictated by economic sensibility and stability which is evident from his desire to see Maria and Fanny married to men of a respectable and influential status.