With respect to morality in Mansfield Park, it is obvious that Edmund is the basic moral compass throughout the plot, not the least for his being associated with the clergy. Sir Thomas, in comparison it is shown is the master of the house and directs almost all aspects of the life of Mansfield, and pays special emphasis on conduct and propreity. What is significant is that this is however not synonymous with morality, perhaps the reason why, perchance, Edmund is the only one out of his siblings with a strong sense of moral principles. In this aspect Sir Thomas also has “sufficient confidence” in Edmund’s judgement when he leaves for Antigua, but it is to be noticed that the fears are for the conduct of his daughters, rather than what they essentially must stem from, which is strong moral principles.
It is also interesting to notice that the men seem to have more moral agency than the women in the book. With specific reference to Edmund, he tries to influence his siblings, makes an effort to dissuade everyone from the idea of the play, tries to reform Mary Crawford as well, however mistaken his judgement of her moral sense he may have had. It is a different chain of thought that his influence is limited, but it is not as strongly felt anywhere else, as in Fanny’s character, who arguably derives her sense of not just propriety, but morality and what must and is ‘right’ as opposed to not, as is mentioned in multiple places in the book, that her mind was, “in so great a degree formed by his care”. Fanny herself rarely exhibits as much agency, even in her morality, which is very often in approval and building upon Edmund’s established notions of morality.
On the other hand, there is Henry Crawford, who in some ways acts as a foil to the character of Edmund, and yet his effect on the morals of the characters, gives him moral agency, despite and perhaps due to his complete lack of morality. He first arouses feelings of jealousy and competition in Maria and Julia, and obviously has more influence than Edmund in this regard, and he is arguably, the only reason for the ultimate fall of morality, in the act of adultery.
It is also interesting to notice that the men seem to have more moral agency than the women in the book. With specific reference to Edmund, he tries to influence his siblings, makes an effort to dissuade everyone from the idea of the play, tries to reform Mary Crawford as well, however mistaken his judgement of her moral sense he may have had. It is a different chain of thought that his influence is limited, but it is not as strongly felt anywhere else, as in Fanny’s character, who arguably derives her sense of not just propriety, but morality and what must and is ‘right’ as opposed to not, as is mentioned in multiple places in the book, that her mind was, “in so great a degree formed by his care”. Fanny herself rarely exhibits as much agency, even in her morality, which is very often in approval and building upon Edmund’s established notions of morality.
On the other hand, there is Henry Crawford, who in some ways acts as a foil to the character of Edmund, and yet his effect on the morals of the characters, gives him moral agency, despite and perhaps due to his complete lack of morality. He first arouses feelings of jealousy and competition in Maria and Julia, and obviously has more influence than Edmund in this regard, and he is arguably, the only reason for the ultimate fall of morality, in the act of adultery.
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