Womens Education in Mansfield Park Essays -- Mansfield Park Essays

Womens Education in Mansfield Park In Mansfield Park, Jane Austen presents terce different kinds of formal learning for women. Two of these have the ultimate design of marriage, while the third is, possibly, as close to a gentlemans education as a womans could be. Although there is some overlapping of these three types, each adept is, basically, embodied in one of the major female characters -- Maria Bertram, bloody shame Crawford, and Fanny Price -- to show the follies and the triumphs of each. Unlucky Marias education teaches her next to nothing, and Marys has no straightforward substance below the bright surface. The timid, mousy Fanny Price, however, whitethorn be partly in debt to her progressive education for the happiness that she earns at the end of the novel. In Austens world, a girls education was almost inseparable from her category animation. What she learned and, consequently, her conduct, was often a reflection of what her household w as like, and this is certainly uncoiled of Maria and Mary. Maria, brought up by a distant father, an indolent mother, and an effete aunt, doesnt learn until too late that selfish actions can bring bleak consequences. (What is said for Maria in the subject of education is, of course, also true up for Julia -- however, for the sake of brevity, and as Maria is the more prominent character of the two, she is the copy of comparison in this essay.) Sir Thomas regrets his neglect of his daughters moral education after Marias character is exposed He had meant them to be good, still his cares had been order to the understanding and manners,... ... Fanny fares the best of the three characters discussed, by being true to herself, and by being considerate of others. She receives what is due to her, as a virtuous hero does -- she is torn away from her rightful place as first sister, to be thrust into a lowly position where she must advance herself worthy bef ore returning to her first home. There, she finds things have changed for the worst, but helps treated things right before riding away to a new life of domestic felicity. The way Fanny was brought up, her moral and formal education, are equivalent to tools and amulets carried by mythical heroes -- they may not always be obvious, but they are a source of strength and comfort in the heros time of need. Works Cited Austen, Jane. MansfieldPark. 1814. London Oxford University Press, 1966.