My Poor Fanny!: Abuse in Mansfield Park and the Marriage Market

by Jamie Freeman

Overview

Many kinds of abuse are present in Mansfield Park, including physical, mental, emotional, and, I would argue, sexual. If we look at the literal pun of Fanny Price’s name, it means “Vagina Price”. This article begs the question of “what is the price of Fanny’s fanny?” and teases out this very fruitful metaphor. Through it, Fanny shows psychological symptoms of domestic violence and sexual abuse. Her marginalization is so extreme that it impacts her personality and her actions throughout the novel. Mansfield Park could be seen as a microcosm of women’s role in society, and the abuse that exists in the marriage market during the Regency period in which Jane Austen was writing.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940012567475
Publisher:	Witchful Thinking
Publication date:	11/24/2010
Series:	Essays on Jane Austen , #4
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	211 KB

About the Author

Jamie is a teacher, counselor and writer. Her authorship varies wildly from fiction to poetry, from literary criticism to self-help advice columns--all in the pursuit of answering questions about the human condition. Jamie holds a BA in English Literature from WWU, has done graduate work in education, and is an MA candidate in Professional Counseling. Jamie lives in Puyallup with her partner and her cats.