#elliot crawford

[bethanydelleman]

Do you think the Austen heroines will get along with each other? Who do you think will become close friends and whose personalities will clash? (please include secondary heriones like Jane Bingley, Marianne, Jane Fairfax, Miss Crawford etc.) in your analysis as well

To be honest, I think most of them would get along because of the societal demands of mixing and their solid moral base, but here are some predictions:

Best friends:

Marianne Dashwood & Fanny Price, both of them are super into poetry and rhapsodizing about the outdoors. Marianne can stand up to Fanny's attackers and Fanny can teach Marianne some temperance.

Elinor Dashwood & Jane Bennet, they both are carrying the family in times of need, both disappointed in love through no fault of their own. Elinor's clearer-eyed view of the world would help Jane take off those rose-coloured glasses, but Jane's love and hope would be warm to Elinor.

Elizabeth Bennet & Fanny Price, extrovert/introvert adoption. Elizabeth is delighted when Fanny finally starts to talk and it turns out she's super smart, but she would have kept her anyway.

Jane Fairfax & Fanny Price, in very similar situations and similar personalities, they get each other. Fanny is very worried about this Frank Churchill character.

Catherine Morland & Emma Woodhouse, a healthier and more equal version of the Harriet/Emma dynamic. And given social class, this is one that can be sustained long term. Catherine starts by admiring Emma and then catches up with her.

Harriet Smith & Catherine Morland, they would get so deep into novels together it'd be amazing. The fanfics these girls would write together.

Caroline Bingley & Emma Woodhouse, they would enjoy making fun of Miss Bates behind her back... they would make each other worse. Eventually Emma would look at herself in the mirror with disappointment.

Anne Elliot & Anyone, please anyone who is an intellectual equal. Do you see the people that she has to put up with? It's literal torture. I could see Fanny Price, Elizabeth Bennet, or Jane Fairfax.

Mentor/Mentee:

Catherine Morland & Anne Elliot, Anne is the oracle of all knowledge and Catherine admires her exceedingly. (Fanny Price would also work here)

Elizabeth Bennet & Anne Elliot, Elizabeth could learn so much from her! Anne would see through Wickham in a minute. They could play some duets too!

Georgiana Darcy & Anne Elliot... just send everyone over to Anne Elliot. She's the group mentor.

Instant Hatred:

Elizabeth Bennet & Emma Woodhouse, Emma would be too much like Darcy and Elizabeth would hate her snobbiness. They would likely become friends in time, but it would be after a good deal of dislike.

Marianne Dashwood & Emma Woodhouse, Emma is not impressed by the drama and HOW DARE YOU CALL MR. KNIGHTLEY OLD! Marianne doesn't like Emma's attitude.

Elizabeth Bennet & Mary Crawford, they are similar and their personality tends not to like each other. Also, Mary C would probably try to take a mentor role with Elizabeth (as one who knows about town) and Elizabeth would hate her for it.

Catherine Morland & Marianne Dashwood, Marianne is astounded by Catherine's ignorance, because it tends in a different direction than her own.

(Honestly, the most clashing personalities are Marianne Dashwood and Emma Woodhouse, someone like Elinor Dashwood, Anne Elliot or Fanny Price can put up with almost anything placidly)

Bonus: Miss Bates & Mrs. Jennings would LOVE each other. They would totally talk at the same time. Another older lady pairing that would work is Lady Bertram and Mrs. Allen.

Feel free to add!

[hotjaneaustenmenpoll]

Propaganda:

Mr Elliot :

Henry Crawford:

[curiousb]

The Elton Family Album: Volume XIV

Chase has become a regular fixture in Ellen's life.

And is there to welcome Olivia and Elliot's second child to Merybury. Hello, Philippa! Named after her deceased grandfather, of course.

Elliot has yet to meet his new daughter. He's been dispatched to lay Harley to rest, and in so doing bumps into his brother-in-law Ambrose. Seeing a chance to build some bridges, Elliot tries to engage him in conversation. Ambrose, however, still hasn't forgotten how Elliot humiliated his family, and has no time for him - Olivia might have forgiven her now-husband, but he certainly hasn't!

The pet cemetery is a regular hunting ground for the Unsavory Charlatan - he has no respect for the dead! Poor unsuspecting Edward!

Impatient Olivia has take surprisingly well to motherhood, and is currently embracing her role.

Although it's good to see the little ones growing up.

~ Virgo 6 / 3 / 10 / 7 / 3

~ Adventurous / Equestrian

~ OTH: Nature

And while she has been happy to continue the family line, two tots are quite enough, thank you, and it's time to start progressing her career plans.

Especially as their oldest child Phineas is becoming more independent by the day.

~ Scorpio 4 / 3 / 10 / 4 / 3

~ Slob / Dog Person / Computer Whiz

~ OTH: Games

~ Favourite Colour(s): Orange

Ellen is also making some changes in her life. Interestingly, neither she nor Philip ever felt the need to put their relationship on a more formal footing, so something is different with her new love Chase - perhaps just the fact that neither of them is getting any younger!

But cruelly, her intuition was correct, and their newfound happiness is snatched away from them almost immediately!

Poor Ellen - it really does seem most unfair that she's been deprived of companionship twice in her elder years!

[xspiderchloe]

The Erebonian’ Trails arc becomes much better if, instead of worrying yourself with the whole “Rean’s harem problem” and whatever ship war may have come from there, you forget about all that jazz and just see Class VII; both og and new, as what they are: The funniest found family ever to exist.

[self-agency]

Elliot

Jerome Warburton, @matryoshka2001 Ursula Crawford, Ella Worrall

[queerstuffonscreen]

Glee (2009-2015) [I]

Episode length: 40-58 min.

Country: USA

Genre: Music, Comedy, Drama

Language: English

In this musical comedy, optimistic high school teacher Will Schuester tries to refuel his own passion while reinventing the high school's glee club and challenging a group of outcasts to realize their star potential as they strive to outshine their singing competition while navigating the cruel halls of McKinley High.

Season 1

Episode 1: Pilot

Episode 2: Showmance

Episode 3: Acafellas

Episode 4: Preggers

Episode 5: The Rhodes Not Taken

Episode 6: Vitamin D

Episode 7: Throwdown

Episode 8: Mash-Up

Episode 9: Wheels

Episode 10: Ballad

Episode 11: Hairography

Episode 12: Mattress

Episode 13: Sectionals

Episode 14: Hell-O

Episode 15: The Power of Madonna

Episode 16: Home

Episode 17: Bad Reputation

Episode 18: Laryngitis

Episode 19: Dream On

Episode 20: Theatricality

Episode 21: Funk

Episode 22: Journey to Regionals

Season 2

Episode 1: Audition

Episode 2: Britney/Brittany

Episode 3: Grilled Cheesus

Episode 4: Duets

Episode 5: The Rocky Horror Glee Show

Episode 6: Never Been Kissed

Episode 7: The Substitute

Episode 8: Furt

Episode 9: Special Education

Episode 10: A Very Glee Christmas

Episode 11: The Sue Sylvester Shuffle

Episode 12: Silly Love Songs

Episode 13: Comeback

Episode 14: Blame It on the Alcohol

Episode 15: Sexy

Episode 16: Original Song

Episode 17: A Night of Neglect

Episode 18: Born This Way

Episode 19: Rumours

Episode 20: Prom Queen

Episode 21: Funeral

Episode 22: New York

Season 3

Episode 1: The Purple Piano Project

Episode 2: I Am Unicorn

Episode 3: Asian F

Episode 4: Pot o' Gold

Episode 5: The First Time

Episode 6: Mash Off

Episode 7: I Kissed a Girl

Episode 8: Hold On to Sixteen

Episode 9: Extraordinary Merry Christmas

Episode 10: Yes/No

Episode 11: Michael

Episode 12: The Spanish Teacher

Episode 13: Heart

Episode 14: On My Way

Episode 15: Big Brother

Episode 16: Saturday Night Glee-ver

Episode 17: Dance with Somebody

Episode 18: Choke

Episode 19: Prom-asaurus

Episode 20: Props

Episode 21: Nationals

Episode 22: Goodbye

Season 4

Episode 1: The New Rachel

Episode 2: Britney 2.0

Episode 3: Makeover

Episode 4: The Break Up

Episode 5: The Role You Were Born to Play

Episode 6: Glease

Episode 7: Dynamic Duets

Episode 8: Thanksgiving

Episode 9: Swan Song

Episode 10: Glee, Actually

Episode 11: Sadie Hawkins

Episode 12: Naked

Episode 13: Diva

Episode 14: I Do

Episode 15: Girls (and Boys) On Film

Episode 16: Feud

Episode 17: Guilty Pleasures

Episode 18: Shooting Star

Episode 19: Sweet Dreams

Episode 20: Lights Out

Episode 21: Wonder-ful

Episode 22: All or Nothing

Watch on Disney+

See Glee post II season 5-6

[isabelpsaroslunnen]

[Original date: 17 March 2018]

Sadly ignored moments from Austen novels:

In Northanger Abbey, Catherine Morland visits Henry Tilney at home in his parsonage. It turns out that, while he's super outgoing, at home his bffs are his terriers and NEWFIE PUPPIES. Relatably, she ends up playing with the puppies and wondering where all the time went.

In Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth is stuck handling the coffeepot at a party. She gets angry at people actually wanting coffee, because she wants to exchange longing glances with Darcy and hate everyone else he talks to. Will he come back for a second cup or not? DUN DUN DUN

In Mansfield Park, Fanny doesn't understand why she keeps thinking about how pretty and charismatic and talented her very morally objectionable rival is, or why she keeps visiting her even though she(Fanny) doesn't like her. She confusedly calls it 'a kind of fascination.'

The eighteenth century's version of Discourse Hell was incessant arguments about the value of modern literature compared to the classics. But by Persuasion, the characters are perfectly aware of living in the Romantic era of poetry and think it's GREAT. (In an addictive sort of way.)

The last villain Austen wrote, in Sanditon, is a proto-dudebro who regards himself as a rakish intellectual, but in reality just plots ineffectually while making inaccurate literary references.

[truessences]

Who is on you Hollywood/celebrity boyfriend list hahaha 😂

Okay!

So lol, there are some levels to this. I have a husband and then the rest are boyfriends or (formerly lol or those who never quite made the list but I have my eye on) lol. It's a little crazy but meh I don't care lol. I would never disrespect these people if I ever got to meet them as a fan of their work. Not to mention, some are married or dating and I'm not delusional lol.

Husband: Michael B. Jordan (since 2014 when I saw him in That Awkward Moment. I will watch whatever he is in even if it's not great lol. I'm supportive lol)

Boyfriends Tier 1:

James McAvoy (since 2005 when he was Mr. Tumnus in The Chronicles of Narnia, I remember my reaction to seeing him on screen lol)

Rami Malek (since 2006 when he took those wrappings off as Ahkmenrah in Night at the Museum)

Chris Evans (since about 2005, when he was Johnny Storm in Fantastic Four, then I saw Cellular and Not Another Teen Movie)

Oscar Isaac (2015- I'd seen him in many things prior to him being Poe Dameron but he's such a chameleon I never knew. But Poe Dameron did it for me lol. He is actually my hall pass 🤣. You can ask me why lol)

Boyfriends Tier 2:

Daniel Kaluuya- My gosh, I find him so sexy, soft spoken, intelligent... whew lol

Austin Butler- Newly Officially Added (I've liked him and his work for a long time, got a little obsessed back when I first watched The Shannara Chronicles but he's not in enough stuff for me to go and obsess over him but after Elvis, gotta add him lol. I've rewatched the movie and will continue to rewatch it for him specifically)

Sebastian Stan- Not sure when exactly lol (I first saw him The Covenant, which I watched for Chace Crawford lol, but he didn't grab me then. I'd seen him in lots of stuff after but I think him as Jefferson in OUAT was what got me, then officially him as Bucky specifically in The Winter Soldier and I've been down that rabbit hole ever since lol)

Mena Massoud- Lower Tier 2 (Aladdin obviously lol but I want to see him in more stuff... I want him and Rami Malek to play brothers. I'ma supportive girlfriend lol)

Former Boyfriends of My Roster (or they're not quite on there but I can get a little obsessed with them or I have in the past)

Orlando Bloom- Former (first celeb crush I can remember, I was obsessed)

Chace Crawford- Former (How I got here was interesting but also obsessed)

Elliot Knight- Not sure if I ever made this official lol (when he took that hood off and smiled as Merlin in OUAT, I was smitten lol and I was quickly down the rabbit hole because then I found Sinbad, which was unjustly cancelled on that ending)

Jensen Ackles- Attractive (I can get a little obsessed but he's never made it officially on my list... it might be more Dean Winchester than anything lol)

Tom Hiddleston- Attractive mostly (Obviously because of Loki lol but he was never officially on the list but I did go and watch everything he was in I could find after Avengers (2012)

Kit Harrington- Attractive (from GOT obviously and I also went and watched things he was in outside of GOT)

Chai Hansen- Saw him in Mako Mermaids but didn't fully look at him different till New Legends of Monkey lol (I went and watched Shadowhunters from the beginning because he was in S3 lol and I can't just jump into the middle of the story 😆)

Anyways, that's a lot but yep!

[voughthq]

The Boys season 4: New Couples revealed

What better way to celebrate Valentine's Day than introducing new romantic possibilities for #TheBoysTV season 4? Some returning couples included! #karenfukuhara #elliotknight #antonystarr #theboys

Valentine’s Day…  A day to celebrate couples and what better way to introduce some new possibilities for The Boys season 4?  Every season there is a new couple (often a super one) but this season, you will see almost every character matched up with another and some more than one…  So let’s take a look at some mock-ups of familiar couplings and new ideas in celebration of this day.  First up…

[bethanydelleman]

The Times Women Don’t Know Their Hearts

I was thinking about my proposal analysis and it occured to me that there are two instances in Jane Austen’s novels where women don’t know how to respond to a proposal, and in both, cases, the problem is actually the influence of other women.

Emma has already been trying to turn Harriet off the Martins and on to “real gentlemen” by the time Harriet gets the proposal from Robert Martin. She ends up not knowing her own mind:

She [Harriet] was so surprized she did not know what to do. Yes, quite a proposal of marriage; and a very good letter, at least she thought so. And he wrote as if he really loved her very much—but she did not know—and so, she was come as fast as she could to ask Miss Woodhouse what she should do.—” Emma was half-ashamed of her friend for seeming so pleased and so doubtful.

Emma then clearly influences Harriet’s decision and it is implied that she also supplies her with the words of refusal. (One high point of Emma 1972 is that she actually begins to dictate Harriet’s response). So Harriet’s inability to know her own heart was Emma’s doing. It’s pretty clear by the end that if Harriet had not been led astray by Emma, she’d have accepted.

We also have Janet Ross in Mansfield Park (a friend of Mary’s):

Poor Janet has been sadly taken in, and yet there was nothing improper on her side: she did not run into the match inconsiderately; there was no want of foresight. She took three days to consider of his proposals, and during those three days asked the advice of everybody connected with her whose opinion was worth having, and especially applied to my late dear aunt, whose knowledge of the world made her judgment very generally and deservedly looked up to by all the young people of her acquaintance, and she was decidedly in favour of Mr. Fraser.

From Mary’s overall behaviour (the wish to marry for wealth and consequence), we can infer that the late Mrs. Crawford said from Mary’s words: “We were all delighted. She could not do otherwise than accept him, for he was rich, and she had nothing” What Mary doesn’t seem to grasp is that Janet must have known on some level before accepting the proposal that she wouldn’t have been happy with Mr. Fraser. Yet, she is able to be influenced and all her friends assured her it was a good idea so she went for it.

And then we have Anne Elliot, who does accept Wentworth’s first proposal, but then on the advice of Lady Russell (we know that Sir Walter didn’t have a huge hand in this), was convinced to break it off. This decision is a little trickier because in all honesty, I think Lady Russell was giving good advice. Like, maybe don’t marry a penniless sailor at 19, you might be a widowed mother in the next year... but it is ultimately a decision that Anne regrets. In hindsight, we know she would have been happier if she married him.

I also want to mention Maria Bertram, who raised by aunt Norris, has been taught to value wealth above her own happiness. We are not directly told that Mrs. Norris influenced the match, but she was instructed by Sir Thomas to conceal the engagement until he returned and then did the opposite, making it harder for Maria to call it off the marriage if that was her preference.

The only man who influences a marriage decision is Mr. Brandon Sr., who locks Eliza Brandon away until she agrees to marry his eldest son (Colonel Brandon's older brother). Jane Austen never really shows a heroine father manipulate their daughter/ward so directly, forcefully, and obviously. The closest is Sir Thomas with Fanny but even he isn't ruthless. The bigger danger for women in these novels is much more subtle influence.

I feel like the overall message here is that you need to be careful who you let influence your decisions. Or who you befriend. Anne is able to reject her father’s disapprobation, but she has more trouble with her mother figure. She forgets, perhaps, that Lady Russell is also a little too conscious of rank. Harriet and Janet both have friends who lead them down the wrong path. Fortunately Harriet gets back on track, but Janet ends up in a very unhappy marriage. 

And the worst part is, all of these influencers, Emma, Mrs. Crawford, and Lady Russell (and even Mrs. Norris), think they are doing the best thing for their friend. They cannot see their own folly.

[curiousb]

The Crawford Family Album: Volume XXV

When the kids were younger, the youngest Matthew was often the odd one out - his older twin siblings having their own particular bond - but now that they're growing up, they're all starting to appreciate family much more, and are becoming a tight-knit little unit. (All the kids have turned out to be Primary/Secondary Family Sims - according to my own Aspiration calculator. Who would have thought it, given that their parents are Romance/Pleasure/Fortune Sims!)

So, the first free weekend they get, they all head out together to Sanditon, where they're meeting their grandparents, Frederick and Anne, for a family bowling trip.

(It was just fortuitous that they happened to be there at the same time, but let's pretend it was by design. 😉)

Harsh, Frederick - ridiculing your own granddaughter!

Matthew is determined to show those pins who's the boss. (At last I've found a hair that suits him - he was a real challenge!)

Oh yes!

Anne and Frederick are having a great afternoon too. (I'm not sure that Jonathan - in the background - ever got his turn.)

Oops - looks like someone was having such a good time that they neglected their bathroom needs. To be honest, I have no sympathy for his embarrassment - not after he mocked Cecilia's efforts earlier!

Some cute pictures, to remember the occasion by.

Meanwhile, Frank and Sister Agnes are going head to head.

Matthew's efforts to get to know Georgia are a little clumsy, to say the least.

Yeah, I think I'd have the same expression if I'd been manhandled like that by a Sim I hardly know! (I think she looks so much like her dad Samuel.)

And look who else is here - it's runaway kitty Dolly! Still exerting her independence.

Matthew also grabs the opportunity to say hi to his dad Walter, when he happens to walk past. (He literally ran outside to greet him.) But sadly, Walter doesn't seem to have much interest in getting more involved in his older kids' lives. His focus now is entirely on his new family.

[limalosersads]

SAY HELLO TO THE MIDWESTERN SHOW CHOIR CIRCUIT !

It's the start of a new show choir season and the blogs are all the rage! After another dazzling Nationals win for Carmel's VOCAL ADRENALINE, things are sure to be heating up big time as William Schuester continues to steer NEW DIRECTIONS into, well, new directions. Will this be the year McKinley's glee club finally makes it past Regionals? And what about those DALTON ACADEMY WARBLERS? Could it be THE TROUBLETONES that finally give the unbeatable champions a run for their money? Better keep your friends close and your enemies even closer! Sign up for the Midwestern Show Choir blogosphere TODAY and become a part of the lively action!

LIMALOSERSHQ is a semi-canon glee ask rp set in our favorite students’ college era. It takes place mostly online through the infamous show choir blogosphere.

[thatscarletflycatcher]

The problem with discussions about Henry Crawford is that there are two different questions being asked at the same time: 1) Can Fanny reform Henry? and 2) Can Henry reform?

Austen answers negatively to the first one, but I'd argue she's very ambivalent in her answer to the second.

Austen is not in the habit of "punishing" her villains; none of them are struck by accidents of fortune or anything the like, but we commonly perceive the downgrade between what they could have had and what they end up having. Edward Ferrars is an infinitely preferrable husband to Robert Ferrars, but Lucy Steele never seems to become aware of that fact. Isabella tries to get Captain Tilney over James Morland. Mr. Elliot is not crying by the corners over the fact that he lost Anne Elliot. Even Willoughby's regret is not about Marianne's actual goodness, but his personal convenience. Austen's "villains" as a rule are morally stupid people.

When Aristotle says that no one can be good who is stupid, he doesn't have in mind things like being good at Math or being well read or quick-witted; he's thinking of a certain intuition, clear-sightedness about what is good, what contributes to human flourishing, and this seems to be a strong component of what Austen calls sense. Sense is almost convertible (if not completely) with prudence, and prudence is a rather intuitive virtue, as it regulates the when, the how, the how much, etc of the other moral virtues. (and there goes my first thesis topic that I never did!).

In that way it is interesting that only 4 characters are said to possess sense in Mansfield Park: Edmund, Fanny, Henry, and Tom (and Tom doesn't even fully count, because his is expressed negatively: instead of having sense, he doesn't lack it). Here are the Henry instances:

"He did not want them to die of love; but with sense and temper which ought to have made him judge and feel better, he allowed himself great latitude on such points." "Henry Crawford had too much sense not to feel the worth of good principles in a wife, though he was too little accustomed to serious reflection to know them by their proper name; but when he talked of her having such a steadiness and regularity of conduct, such a high notion of honour, and such an observance of decorum as might warrant any man in the fullest dependence on her faith and integrity, he expressed what was inspired by the knowledge of her being well principled and religious." "That punishment, the public punishment of disgrace, should in a just measure attend his share of the offence is, we know, not one of the barriers which society gives to virtue. In this world the penalty is less equal than could be wished; but without presuming to look forward to a juster appointment hereafter, we may fairly consider a man of sense, like Henry Crawford, to be providing for himself no small portion of vexation and regret: vexation that must rise sometimes to self-reproach, and regret to wretchedness, in having so requited hospitality, so injured family peace, so forfeited his best, most estimable, and endeared acquaintance, and so lost the woman whom he had rationally as well as passionately loved."

(I'm not counting the one time Edmund calls him a man of sense, and the one time Sir Thomas does the same, for obvious contextual reasons).

It's not only interesting that he is the only rake to be called a man of sense by the narrator (Mrs. Smith calling Mr. Elliot a man of sense in Persuasion is clearly not meant to be taken straight), but that it is always specifically tied to moral perceptiveness; he was morally perceptive enough to know he shouldn't have played the way he did, and he chose to ignore it. He perceives Fanny's moral worth, and it is the core reason why he wants to marry her.* He also perceives William's moral worth as something both good and desirable:

"To Henry Crawford they gave a different feeling. He longed to have been at sea, and seen and done and suffered as much. His heart was warmed, his fancy fired, and he felt the highest respect for a lad who, before he was twenty, had gone through such bodily hardships and given such proofs of mind. The glory of heroism, of usefulness, of exertion, of endurance, made his own habits of selfish indulgence appear in shameful contrast; and he wished he had been a William Price, distinguishing himself and working his way to fortune and consequence with so much self-respect and happy ardour, instead of what he was!"

Both here and at the end of the novel, Henry's moral perceptiveness leads to remorse for his own moral wrongdoings. Compare this to Willoughby's regret over Marianne:

"Willoughby could not hear of her marriage without a pang; and his punishment was soon afterwards complete in the voluntary forgiveness of Mrs. Smith, who, by stating his marriage with a woman of character, as the source of her clemency, gave him reason for believing that had he behaved with honour towards Marianne, he might at once have been happy and rich. That his repentance of misconduct, which thus brought its own punishment, was sincere, need not be doubted;—nor that he long thought of Colonel Brandon with envy, and of Marianne with regret. But that he was for ever inconsolable, that he fled from society, or contracted an habitual gloom of temper, or died of a broken heart, must not be depended on—for he did neither. He lived to exert, and frequently to enjoy himself. His wife was not always out of humour, nor his home always uncomfortable; and in his breed of horses and dogs, and in sporting of every kind, he found no inconsiderable degree of domestic felicity."

This sense/moral perceptiveness of Henry Crawford, and his experiencing remorse for his own wrongdoings sets him apart from the other Austen rakes. He's also not a drinker or a gambler; he does take at least minimal care of Everingham ("Everingham could not do without him in the beginning of September. He went for a fortnight") and did some modifications to it as soon as he got it. The same way Darcy's character is revealed as we see Pemberley, so the inflexion point of Henry's redemption attempt is his trying to become a better master of his estate:

For her approbation, the particular reason of his going into Norfolk at all, at this unusual time of year, was given. It had been real business, relative to the renewal of a lease in which the welfare of a large and—he believed—industrious family was at stake. He had suspected his agent of some underhand dealing; of meaning to bias him against the deserving; and he had determined to go himself, and thoroughly investigate the merits of the case. He had gone, had done even more good than he had foreseen, had been useful to more than his first plan had comprehended, and was now able to congratulate himself upon it, and to feel that in performing a duty, he had secured agreeable recollections for his own mind. He had introduced himself to some tenants whom he had never seen before; he had begun making acquaintance with cottages whose very existence, though on his own estate, had been hitherto unknown to him. This was aimed, and well aimed, at Fanny. It was pleasing to hear him speak so properly; here he had been acting as he ought to do. To be the friend of the poor and the oppressed! Nothing could be more grateful to her; and she was on the point of giving him an approving look, when it was all frightened off by his adding a something too pointed of his hoping soon to have an assistant, a friend, a guide in every plan of utility or charity for Everingham: a somebody that would make Everingham and all about it a dearer object than it had ever been yet. She turned away, and wished he would not say such things. She was willing to allow he might have more good qualities than she had been wont to suppose. She began to feel the possibility of his turning out well at last; but he was and must ever be completely unsuited to her, and ought not to think of her.

I have half an idea of going into Norfolk again soon. I am not satisfied about Maddison. I am sure he still means to impose on me if possible, and get a cousin of his own into a certain mill, which I design for somebody else. I must come to an understanding with him. I must make him know that I will not be tricked on the south side of Everingham, any more than on the north: that I will be master of my own property. I was not explicit enough with him before. The mischief such a man does on an estate, both as to the credit of his employer and the welfare of the poor, is inconceivable. I have a great mind to go back into Norfolk directly, and put everything at once on such a footing as cannot be afterwards swerved from. Maddison is a clever fellow; I do not wish to displace him, provided he does not try to displace me; but it would be simple to be duped by a man who has no right of creditor to dupe me, and worse than simple to let him give me a hard-hearted, griping fellow for a tenant, instead of an honest man, to whom I have given half a promise already. Would it not be worse than simple? Shall I go? Do you advise it?” “I advise! You know very well what is right.” “Yes. When you give me your opinion, I always know what is right. Your judgment is my rule of right.” “Oh, no! do not say so. We have all a better guide in ourselves, if we would attend to it, than any other person can be.

This is even more hammered in by the narrator: "Had he done as he intended, and as he knew he ought, by going down to Everingham after his return from Portsmouth, he might have been deciding his own happy destiny."

All these elements seem to point towards his being redeemable; he almost managed it! If only he'd gone to Everingham instead of London, catastrophic failure would have been averted! And yet at the same time we are told this:

Henry Crawford, ruined by early independence and bad domestic example, indulged in the freaks of a cold-blooded vanity a little too long. Once it had, by an opening undesigned and unmerited, led him into the way of happiness. Could he have been satisfied with the conquest of one amiable woman’s affections, could he have found sufficient exultation in overcoming the reluctance, in working himself into the esteem and tenderness of Fanny Price, there would have been every probability of success and felicity for him. His affection had already done something. Her influence over him had already given him some influence over her. Would he have deserved more, there can be no doubt that more would have been obtained, especially when that marriage had taken place, which would have given him the assistance of her conscience in subduing her first inclination, and brought them very often together. Would he have persevered, and uprightly, Fanny must have been his reward, and a reward very voluntarily bestowed, within a reasonable period from Edmund’s marrying Mary.

Ruined by early independence and bad domestic example. Mansfield Park is in a way a rather pessimist novel: it is a novel about education, and once your education has "set", your character is fixed, and your fate determined. Much of Maria and Julia's disgrace was also directly caused by their upbringing in a household where all importance was given to superficial qualities, and very little effective affection was shared; one can compare the restrained calm of Mansfield as a reflection of Sir Thomas' own unwillingness to see reality and give himself some discomfort in making others comfortable, with the bustle of the Musgrove household, and connect the dots to what makes the relationship between sisters Maria and Julia so different from the one between Louisa and Henrietta in similar situations.

In the end, it's a bit of a Schröedinger's cat situation. Can Henry reform? Yes, says Austen, he has the qualities needed for moral improvement, but no, his upbringing ruined him, and his character is fixed.

While this idea is the strongest in MP, it is present one way or another in all Austen's novels. Characters reforming is usually more about one specific quality or moral tone not being fine tuned than proper metanoia. Darcy was taught to do right, and did right; what he needed was to add proper humility and kindness to his practice. There is an exception, though, the one thing Charlotte Brontë and Jane Austen agree upon: a close brush with death is the best recipe for moral cure in the otherwise incurable.

Maybe the key is to wish Henry a good pneumonia, or a strong horsefall-induced concussion.

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*On a side note, it's interesting that before he proposes, he considers how attached Fanny is to Mansfield, as undeserving as he thinks the Bertrams to be of her affection, and even draws a plan that contemplates giving her pleasure that way too: "I will not take her from Northamptonshire. I shall let Everingham, and rent a place in this neighbourhood; perhaps Stanwix Lodge."

[firawren]

I think I'm going to start doing a series of silly Jane Austen character polls, treating them as if they were real people living today.

Keep in mind that I can only put 12 options per poll, and there are WAY more characters than that, so please don't yell at me if your character isn't there, just choose "other."

For this first one, it would also be fun if you would reblog and put in the tags what you think your chosen character's Tumblr blog would be focused on.

[smolfangirl]

Just randomly thought, huh, we tend to discuss which Austen men we'd marry, but what about the opposite?