#mr. rushworth

[bethanydelleman]

If Mr. Rushworth had taken an interest in Fanny, do you think they would have been married and compatible?

This is an interesting question. There is nothing really wrong with Mr. Rushworth's character, we know he's shallow and lustful, but he properly waits to marry Maria and otherwise his most obvious fault is being easily influenced and unintelligent.

However, even though Fanny helps Mr. Rushworth during the play and pities him, I don't think she could love him. Annoying and blind as Edmund Bertram is, he is intelligent and well read. However, it would be harder for Fanny to refuse because she doesn't have such strong objections as she does to Henry Crawford. And Sir Thomas does understand Rushworth's character, so he could be a more effective advocate for the marriage. He didn't get why Fanny refused Crawford.

If they did marry, it would be a very Lady Elliot/Sir Walter or Mr. Collins/Charlotte sort of affair, with Fanny providing the prudence and Mr. Rushworth providing the embarrassment and money. I think Fanny could easily influence Rushworth, but I don't know if it would have a lasting effect or make him a loved companion.

The real thing here is, how did Mr. Rushworth take a interest in Fanny? Because I don't think he would be able to look past her two super hot cousins to see her. If the cousins were out of the way, I don't even know if that would help, he's not going to appreciate her character in the same way that Henry Crawford did. We're told not even his divorce has he really learned his lesson, the next pretty girl will convince him to marry again...

Mr. Rushworth had no difficulty in procuring a divorce; and so ended a marriage contracted under such circumstances as to make any better end the effect of good luck not to be reckoned on. She had despised him, and loved another; and he had been very much aware that it was so. The indignities of stupidity, and the disappointments of selfish passion, can excite little pity. His punishment followed his conduct, as did a deeper punishment the deeper guilt of his wife. He was released from the engagement to be mortified and unhappy, till some other pretty girl could attract him into matrimony again, and he might set forward on a second, and, it is to be hoped, more prosperous trial of the state: if duped, to be duped at least with good humour and good luck...

[bethanydelleman]

I thought it was that Maria "rushed" into a imprudent engagement, but this explanation is so much better!

Oh my god.

OH MY GOD.

It was very popular in the 18th century to give fictional characters names that literally represented their traits. For instance, the sexual predator Mr. Lovelace (pronounced "loveless"), or Mrs. Malaprop (from malapropos, or inappropriate), who is constantly using words she clearly doesn't know the meaning of.

Well, Jane Austen doesn't usually go in for this kind of obviousness. Except....

In Mansfield Park, Maria Bertram marries Mr. Rushworth.

In ye olden days, if you wanted to say that something wasn't worth a hill of beans, you said it "wasn't worth a rush" (a rush being a cheap grass-like plant that anybody could gather for free, and which were used to make cheap, poor-quality candles).

Despite being so rich Mr. Rushworth is, quite literally, worth about as much as a rush.

[besotted-with-austen]

Edmund Bertram: what is Aunt Norris doing?

Maria Bertram: *disinterested* she is courting Mr Rushworth for me.

Edmund Bertram: but she is talking to his mother.

Maria Bertram: she is speeding up the process.

[hotjaneaustenmenpoll]

[themalhambird]

Mansfield Park: your OTP + a reunion hug/kiss after having been apart? 👀

“Edmund!” 

His name flies from Mrs Crawford’s lips with all the warmth and delight owing to an unexpected encounter with a- a very old, dear friend. A warm summer’s breeze stirs the air and the scent of roses wafts through Vauxhall Gardens as Fanny drops her husband’s arm and steps forward to greet her cousin-turned-brother-by-marriage. Mr. Bertram starts a little, and then sombre, shadowed eyes light with recognition and a genuine smile spreads across his face. “Fanny.” He takes her outstretched hand with a familial squeeze and

(They linger, for a split second too long, entirely unaware that they’ve done so and the whole world too, spins on oblivious. In the trees and bushes, the birds sing their mating calls)

then turns to shake the hand of his brother in law and friend. 

(If his smile becomes a little more forced than it used to be, on seeing Henry Crawford, neither man is aware.)

“Crawford.”

“Bertram!” Henry remarks cheerfully. “My sister dragged you to Town at last, did she? Well done, Mary.”

Mrs Bertram laughs, her eyes sparkling. “You know me, Henry. I always get my way at last.” She squeezes her husband’s elbow, or perhaps digs her nails into the flesh beneath his coat. Edmund’s expression turns a little blank, and Fanny stares at him with not a little sorrow and concern.

“It is good to see you,” she offers gently. “You were missed at Christmas.”

“I had a duty to Thornton Lacy.”

“Of course,” Fanny says; Mary’s lips tighten briefly. Christmas at Wimpole Street with Mr and Mrs Rushworth had been- something, Fanny supposed- neither awful nor good. She would have been glad of Edmund’s company. 

“Well, we are all together now,” Mary says, a little too brightly. “Shall we take a stroll together?” She moves away from her husband, and towards her brother- it is a rational enough move; they were always close and they have not seen each other for nearly a six-month. They go before, leaving Mrs Crawford and Mr Bertram to follow behind.  Fanny takes Edmund’s arm and he supports her weight, the smile returning a little to his face. 

“I have missed,” he says, “our walks in the shrubbery at Mansfield Park.”

“Yes,” Fanny agrees softly. “I have as well.”

[thatscarletflycatcher]

Inspired by @kajaono's post the other day about Victoria Hamilton, JLM and Austen adaptations, have a list of the actors that have been in at least 2 Austen adaptations:

Hat trickers:

Victoria Hamilton played Henrietta Musgrove in Persuasion (1995), Julia Bertram in Mansfield Park (1999), and Mrs. Foster in Pride and Prejudice (1995)

Johnny Lee Miller played one of Fanny's brothers in Mansfield Park (1983), Edmund Bertram in Mansfield Park (1999), and Mr. Knightley in Emma (2009).

Doubles:

Joanna David played Elinor Dashwood in Sense and Sensibility 1972; she also played Mrs. Gardiner in Pride and Prejudice (1995)

Samantha Bond played Maria Bertram in Mansfield Park (1983); she later on played Mrs. Weston in Emma (ITV, 1996)

Bernard Hepton played Sir Thomas Bertram in Mansfield Park (1983); he later on played Mr. Woodhouse in Emma (ITV, 1996)

Sylvestra Latouzel played Fanny Price in Mansfield Park (1983); she later on played Mrs. Allen in Northanger Abbey (2007)

Nicholas Farrell played Edmund Bertram in Mansfield Park (1983); he later on played Mr. Musgrove in Persuasion (2007)

Irene Richard played Charlotte Lucas in Pride and Prejudice (1980); she then played Elinor Dashwood in Sense and Sensibility (1981)

Robert Hardy played General Tilney in Northanger Abbey (1987); he later on played Sir John Middleton in Sense and Sensibility (1995)

Sophie Thompson played Mary Musgrove in Persuasion (1995), and then the following year she played Miss Bates in Emma (Miramax, 1996)

Kate Beckinsale played Emma Woodhouse in Emma (1996); later on she played Lady Susan in Love and Friendship (2016)

Blake Ritson played Edmund Bertram in Mansfield Park (2007) and later on Mr. Elton in Emma (2009)

Jemma Redgrave played Lady Bertram in Mansfield Park (2007); she later on played Mrs. DeCourcy in Love and Friendship (2016)

Lucy Robinson played Mrs. Hurst in Pride and Prejudice (1995); the following year she played Mrs. Elton in Emma (ITV, 1996)

Carey Mulligan played Kitty Bennet in Pride & Prejudice (2005) and then Isabella Thorpe in Northanger Abbey (2007)

Lucy Briers played Mary Bennet in Pride and Prejudice (1995); she also played a minor role as Mrs. Reynolds in Emma (2020)

If we include Austen-adjacent pieces:

Hat tricks:

Hugh Bonneville played Mr. Rushworth in Mansfield Park (1999) and later on played Rev. Brook Bridges in Miss Austen Regrets (2007) and then Mr. Bennet in Lost in Austen (2008)

Doubles:

Olivia Williams played Jane Fairfax in Emma (ITV, 1996); she later on played Jane Austen in Miss Austen Regrets (2007)

Also, Greta Scacchi played Mrs. Weston in Emma (Miramax, 1996) and went on to play Cassandra Austen in Miss Austen Regrets (2007)

Guy Henry played John Knightley in Emma (ITV, 1996), and later on played Mr. Collins in Lost in Austen (2008)

Christina Cole played Caroline Bingley in Lost in Austen (2008) and then Mrs. Elton in Emma (2009)

Anna Maxwell Martin played Cassandra Austen in Becoming Jane (2009), and then went on to play Elizabeth Bennet in Death Comes to Pemberley (2014)

JJ Feild played Mr. Tilney in Northanger Abbey (2007) and later on played Mr. Nobley in Austenland (2014)

If we include radiodramas/radioplays:

Hat tricks:

Blake Ritson gets it as he played Colonel Brandon in the 2010 S&S radio drama

Doubles:

Amanda Root played Anne Elliot in Persuasion (1995); she also played Fanny Price in the 1997 radio drama for Mansfield Park

Felicity Jones also played Fanny in the 2003 radio drama for Mansfield Park, and later on played Catherine Morland in Northanger Abbey (2007)

Robert Glenister played Captain Harville in Persuasion (1995); he also played Edmund Bertram in the 1997 radio drama for Mansfield Park

Amanda Hale played Mary Musgrove in Persuasion (2007) and later on Elinor Dashwood in the 2010 radio drama for Sense and Sensibility.

David Bamber played Mr. Collins in Pride and Prejudice (1995); he later on played Mr. Elton in the 2000 radio drama for Emma

Robert Bathurst played Mr. Knightley in the same adaptation of Emma; later on he played Mr. Weston in Emma (2009)

Also in that adaptation, Tom Hollander played Frank Churchill; he later on played Mr. Collins in Pride & Prejudice (2005)

Juliet Stevenson played Anne Elliot in the 1986 radio drama for Persuasion; later on she played Mrs. Elton in Emma (Miramax, 1996)

And I'm very likely still forgetting someone.

[cuchufletapl]

Not that Mrs. Rushworth running off with Crawford isn't a huge deal that tarnishes the Bertrams' reputation possibly irreparably, but

"the best thing that could happen to everyone involved right now would be to just drop dead" LMAO the Mansfield Park narrator only knows dramatics, hyperbole is just her normal way of talking, 10/10 no notes

[bethanydelleman]

I think there is also an element of adaptations trying to play into "mother pushes daughter towards a gross arranged marriage to the disgust of the audience", which is annoying with Mr. Collins because he isn't supposed to be gross. He's fine. I've had people respond with shock when I point out he was 25, because adaptations have leaned so hard into making him much older than Elizabeth.

Also thinking about how Mr Rushworth and Mr Collins are such similar characters, yet Mr Collins is frequently if not always mischaracterized in adaptations while Mr Rushworth is… so easy to get right?

[bethanydelleman]

Down with Edmund! I'm not biasing the results at all. No sireee.

[nthattemptatit]

I read some fanfic out of curiosity and now I ship Tom Bertram x Fanny Price. It requires a lot of canon-divergence, starting at least before Edmund falls in love with Fanny, but somehow I find it easier to get behind than Fanny being with Edmund or Henry. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t hate Edmund at all. But I’m a romantic at heart and the book gave me close to zero on that front. Henry Crawford, even without the Mrs. Rushworth incident was just plain icky! He had no understanding of Fanny as a person and did NOT respect her boundaries. Tom, on the other hand, is as close to being a blank slate as possible, especially considering his life-altering serious illness and changing his ways. If Edmund comes to appreciate Fanny’s talents after heartbreak, why can’t Tom after almost dying? And yeah, he’s still a cousin but at least it’s not someone who ignored her as a romantic partner despite being her closest confidant other than a physically absent brother. I guess I can excuse Tom more readily than I can Edmund.

[whenthegoldrays]

Two episodes in and I’m really enjoying this version of Mansfield Park so far. It is slow, which might normally bug me, but after the hectic pace of the two film adaptations, I’m really liking this one for all the little scenes from the book that were omitted from the movies, especially including the field trip to Sotherton and the scene of solidarity between Fanny and Mr Rushworth.

Speaking of which, Fanny is the right mix of shy and quiet and kind and lively, which is such a breath of fresh air. Edmund is actually pretty likable (though not as handsome as he is per the book). He’s kind to Fanny, yet unlike his successors, he’s neither secretly in love with her nor creepy. He’s just a good dude who’s being slowly blinded by Miss Crawford’s beauty.

Though I must say, I feel like this adaptation lowkey wants me to ship Fanny and Tom. They’ve only had a handful of moments, but they’ve been sweet and you can tell they’re friends.

Excited to continue!

[besotted-with-austen]

Henry Crawford: Miss Price, I wonder what will be of Julia and Maria now! Well, of Julia and Mrs Rushworth, even if that name does not sound right at all. He is really not husband material, that Rushworth-

Fanny Price: *to herself* do not encourage him. Do not talk to him. He is not worth it. Do not encourage him. Do not talk to him. He is not worth it.

Henry Crawford: *talking for the sake of talking* at least we have the memories of our little show that never was to keep us company, right? And what a grand time it was! I reckon me and Mrs Rushworth had incredible chemistry!

Fanny Price: *to herself* do not encourage him. Do not talk to him. He is not worth it. Do not encourage him. Do not talk to him. He is not worth it-

Henry Crawford: it is truly a shame that we did not have the possibility to act, but I do not delude myself in thinking the master of this household would have an appreciation for theater. Miss Price, I do not think I am alone in wishing that his return would have been postponed!

Fanny Price: actually, I am glad that he is here now!

Henry Crawford:

Fanny Price: *oh no* I-I mean-

Henry Crawford: *open delight and condescending sorprise for being critised* oh, did you think that I was rude? Perish the thought, I would never defy Sir Thomas! Not when someone is so ticked at my impertinence! That will teach me, talking in the presence of such innocent, pure ears! Say, what do you-

Fanny Price: *to herself* why did I talk? Why?

[hotjaneaustenmenpoll]

Round One Master List

Mr Darcy (1995) Vs Robert Martin (2009)

Mr Darcy (2005) Vs Mr Collins (1995)

Mr Darcy (1940) Vs Mr Collins (2005)

Mr Darcy (P&P&Z) Vs Mr Collins (P&P&Z)

Mr Knightley (1996) Vs John Knightley (2009)

Mr Knightley (1996) Vs Mr Elliot (2007)

Mr Knightley (2009) Vs Edmund Bertram (1999)

Mr Knightley (2020) Vs Mr Elton (2009)

Captain Wentworth (1995) Vs Captain Benwick (2007)

Captain Wentworth (2007) Vs Frank Churchill (1996)

Captain Wentworth (2022) Vs Captain Harville (2007)

Mr Tilney (2007) Vs Henry Crawford (2007)

Edmund Bertram (2007) Vs Mr Elton (2020)

Edward Ferrars (2008) Vs Edward Ferrars (1971)

Edward Ferrars (1995) Vs Frank Churchill (2022)

Colonel Brandon (1995) Vs Colonel Fitzwilliam (1995)

Colonel Brandon (2008) Vs Colonel Brandon (1981)

Wickham (1995) Vs Frederick Tilney (2007)

Wickham (2005) Vs Denny (1995)

Wickham (1940) Vs Mr Elton (1996)

Willoughby (1995) Vs Mr Elliot (1995)

Willoughby (2008) Vs Mr Rushworth (1999)

Henry Crawford (1999) Vs Captain Harville (2022)

Henry Crawford (1983) Vs Frank Churchill (1996)

Mr Elliot (2022) Vs Captain Benwick (1995)

Frank Churchill (2009) Vs Mr Palmer (1995)

Tom Bertram (1999) Vs William Price (2007)

Mr Sidney Parker (2019) Vs Mr Bingley (P&P&Z)

Robert Martin (2022) Vs Robert Martin (1996)

Mr Bingley (1995) Vs John Thorpe (2007)

Mr Bingley (2005) Vs Charles Musgrove (2022)

Reginald DeCourcy (2016) Vs Mr Collins (1940)

[themalhambird]

I don't think Maria Bertram believed in romantic love as a concept before she met Henry Crawford. She doesn't really have any examples of it- Sir Thomas shows Lady Bertram respect and she shows him deference, but whatever spark might have existed there once is long gone before Fanny arrives at Mansfield. Her Aunt Norris probably spends more time at the Park than the Parsonage, we never *meet* Mr Norris- their partnership isn't going to inspire Maria with hopes of being able to emulate it. She gets engaged to Rushworth because he is rich, because he's handsome enough to look at, because her aunt wants her to and society expects it, and because she wants out of her father's house. She has no reason to think of marriage as a partnership, or anything other than a transaction that allows a woman to move in society independent of her father. And on that score, she can be pleased with the prospect that Rushworth offers her. The problem is that, unbeknown to herself as much as anyone else, Maria *is* a romantic, she *is* capable of falling hard, she just didn't have the opportunity to learn that about herself before she got engaged. And I can't help but feeling it must have come as a nasty shock when she realised, too late, that she found Crawford more than generically agreeable. Which doesn't excuse what happened- and she really should have taken the out when Sir Thomas offered it- but its fascinating to think about....

[cynicalclassicist]

Huh. That is kind of interesting about Mansfield Park and terms from the 18th century.

Oh my god.

OH MY GOD.

It was very popular in the 18th century to give fictional characters names that literally represented their traits. For instance, the sexual predator Mr. Lovelace (pronounced "loveless"), or Mrs. Malaprop (from malapropos, or inappropriate), who is constantly using words she clearly doesn't know the meaning of.

Well, Jane Austen doesn't usually go in for this kind of obviousness. Except....

In Mansfield Park, Maria Bertram marries Mr. Rushworth.

In ye olden days, if you wanted to say that something wasn't worth a hill of beans, you said it "wasn't worth a rush" (a rush being a cheap grass-like plant that anybody could gather for free, and which were used to make cheap, poor-quality candles).

Despite being so rich Mr. Rushworth is, quite literally, worth about as much as a rush.

[thatscarletflycatcher]

So, there's this famous quote (and source of many memes) from Northanger Abbey, where Henry Tilney says:

“and this is a very nice day, and we are taking a very nice walk, and you are two very nice young ladies. Oh! It is a very nice word indeed! It does for everything. Originally perhaps it was applied only to express neatness, propriety, delicacy, or refinement—people were nice in their dress, in their sentiments, or their choice. But now every commendation on every subject is comprised in that one word.” (chapter 14)

Indeed, Jane doesn't seem to like the word that much, at least in this novel: of the 14 times it is used, 3 happen before this exchange, 10 during it, and then one last time in chapter 29.

It appears

7 times in Pride and Prejudice (used mainly by Lydia, but also by Mrs Bennet, Mrs Gardiner and Lady Catherine);

12 in Sense and Sensibility (by sir John, Marianne, Edward, Mrs Palmer, and Mrs Jennings most of all);

17 in Emma (by Harriet, Mr Woodhouse, Emma, Miss Bates, Mrs Elton, and Mr Weston);

15 in Mansfield Park (by Mrs Grant, Mrs Norris, Mary, Tom, Mr Crawford, Maria, and Edmund);

12 in Persuasion (by Elizabeth, Wentworth, Admiral Croft, Mr Elliot, Mary

But of those, none are used by the narrator in NA; 2 in P&P; 3 in S&S; 5 in Emma; 4 in MP; and 6 in Persuasion (and I'm including all indirect speech). Very nice.

But you know what generic, vague descriptor our beloved Jane loved? fine.

NA: 33 times (18 from dialogue: used my Mrs Thorpe, Mr Allen, Mrs Allen, John Thorpe, Catherine, a miss Thorpe, Isabella, Tilney, and Mrs Morland.)

P&P: 40 times (21 in dialogue: used by Mrs Bennet, Charlotte, Lizzy, Darcy, Caroline, Mrs Gardiner, Mrs Reynolds, and Mr Bennet)

S&S: 29 times (17 in dialogue: used by Willoughby, Marianne, Edward most of all, Mrs Palmer, Anne Steele, and Mrs Jennings)

Emma: 48 times (33 in dialogue: used by Harriet, Mr Woodhouse, Mr Knightley, Emma, Miss Bates, Jane Fairfax, Mr Weston, Frank, Mrs Cole, Mrs Elton)

MP: 67 times (38 in dialogue: used by Mr Rushworth, Lady Bertram, Edmund, Mrs Norris, Fanny, Mrs Grant, Dr Grant, Mr Crawford, William, Mrs Price, Mr Price, and Mary)

Persuasion: 35 times (17 in dialogue: by Mrs Musgrove, Mrs Croft, Charles Musgrove, Sir Walter, Admiral Croft, Captain Wentworth, lady Dalrymple, Harriet Smith).

Not only is fine used much, much more than nice, but nice is most often used by silly or unrefined characters, whereas fine sees more representation of all sorts of characters, and it is used by the narrator specifically, much, much more, not only to describe weather, but to describe people, places, clothes, and so on and so forth.

So, dear Jane, I think we need to talk...