Of Silence, Slavery and Mansfield Park

"Did not you hear me ask him about the slave trade last night?"

"I did - and was in hopes the question would be followed up by others. It would have pleased your uncle to be inquired of farther."

"And I longed to do it - but there was such a dead silence!”

This exchange between Edmund and Fanny holds immense important especially in relation to Austen’s reference to Antigua and subject of slavery. Edward Said interprets it “as to suggest that one world could not be connected with the other since there simply is no common language for both.”

At first this simply seems to suggest that similar to Austen’s novel the Bertham household has nothing to say about remark about slavery when in fact that organization of both is premised upon unfree people.

Interestingly this theme of silence is integral to understanding the hypocritical and profound disorder at Mansfield-where sisters wage an unspoken battle over Henry Crawford, where an intimidating father who exploits his daughters and where adultery occurs. All these events occur yet no one speaks about them or mentions them to others. It is remarked that “no sounds of contention, no raised voices, no abrupt bursts, no treads of violence were ever heard” at Mansfield Park. Yet when Fanny is in Portsmouth she craves this silence.

Said argues that “what assures the domestic tranquility and attractive harmony of one, is the productivity and regulated discipline of the other.” This is could imply the successful silencing of the “other” at the hands of the oppressor.  This is again reflected where Said mentions the phrase “complete subordination of colony to the metropolis”, the phrase itself has connotations of a forceful act which led to the silencing of the colony.

Silence is one of the most instrumental tools at the hands of the oppressor. By silencing the oppressed, the barbaric treatment of ‘others’ become the norm and no one questions it. The ‘other’ start some level start believing that they are responsible for their own treatment. And the silence of the masses continues to exacerbate the problem. 

Throughout the novel, the voice of the slaves is silenced as we never really get their perspective. Austen’s focus remains on the slave owners and their lives. The name of Antigua is mentioned a mere nine times in the novel again suggesting the silent role of the slavery in the novel and Austen’s lack of ability to openly criticize it.