"Henry Crawford, you're no Mr.Darcy"

Every Jane Austen novel has the capacity to leave upon its reader an impression of the leading female alongside a dash of romance thrown in for good measure by the hero. Though, the male characters play significant roles in the stories, they are never the main focus of attention and are far more important in terms of their relationship to the leading female. Hence, we see Henry Crawford’s involvement increasing as his interest in the heroine rises. Henry Crawford is the charming flirt who has the Bertram sisters under his spell but, Fanny is sensible enough to see the real shallowness of his character. And, yet, she is the one he falls for and declares his love to her in a scene that is reminiscent of Mr. Darcy’s proposal to Elizabeth Bennet.

Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy are two universally acclaimed characters with strong personalities who leave a lasting impact on the reader. Henry Crawford and Fanny Price though, interesting, do not leave the same mark as the aforementioned couple but, are nonetheless provide an interesting parallel. And I feel that looking at Henry Crawford in comparison to Mr.Darcy can bring aspects of his character to light.

Both Henry Crawford and Mr.Darcy are among eligible bachelors of Austen’s time; they have it all: image, fortune and character. However, while Mr.Darcy is honourable, Henry Crawford just puts up an appearance of being so while actually being underhanded and manipulative. However, in the eyes of Lord Bertram, he is, “a young man of sense, of character, of temper, of manners, and of fortune, exceedingly attached to you, and seeking your hand in the most handsome and disinterested way; and let me tell you, Fanny, that you may live eighteen years longer in the world without being addressed by a man of half Mr. Crawford’s estate, or a tenth part of his merits.” This clearly shows how successful Henry Crawford has been in portraying a favourable image of himself to the rest of the world and how easily he has deceived everyone. It also highlights the theme of social mobility since marrying Henry Crawford would cement Fanny's status in the elite.

Mr. Darcy and Henry Crawford both indulge in acts which leave the women they love feeling indebted to them. However, the motives behind their actions make all the difference. Mr. Darcy finds Lydia and forces Wickham into marrying her because, he felt it was his duty for not making Wickham’s character known and leaving others vulnerable to fall prey to him. On the other hand, Henry Crawford secures for William, a position as a lieutenant with the sole purpose of gaining Fanny’s admiration. He wants to use Fanny’s immense gratitude to secure her hand in marriage which shows highlights his manipulative nature.

Both men are similar in the aspect that they believe their proposals will be accepted but, to their dismay, they both face rejection. However, the manner in which they both deal with rejection also says a lot about their character. Elizabeth’s rejection reforms Mr. Darcy; it humbles him and his good principles clearly shine through. On the other hand, while, Henry Crawford’s transformation is clearly observable, there is still doubt in Fanny’s mind about how genuine it is.Though, she could not forget his former behaviors, Fanny does acknowledge the positive change in him and appreciates it as she remarks, “He was decidedly improved.” Yet, he shows his true colours and we see that Fanny's doubt was not ill-founded when he runs away with Mrs. Rushworth. Finally, Henry Crawford's facade is dropped and others see him for who he really is.

Henry Crawford is charming and he knows it. However, despite all his material possessions and apparent character, he still lacks in his principles which is what clearly sets him apart from Mr. Darcy. Even when readers initially share Elizabeth’s distaste for Darcy in the beginning of the novel, they grow to love him. However, distaste for Henry Crawford increases as the novel progresses since, as more of his character is revealed, the more flawed his personality seems.