s the language Austen uses, which can give sexual connotations, but never be direct. The main character in Mansfield Park is the heroine, Fanny. It is through her that many gender issues are conveyed and men are able to demonstrate their authoritative power. Although Fanny is in love with Edmund, he talks about female vanity and her appearance in a condescending manner. We can see his stereotyping of women, as he embarrasses Fanny by teasingly complimenting her looks. He says that she is “worth looking at”1, giving the impression that she is the object if his sexual desire. Edmund also patronises Fanny when he mentions her “beauty of mind”2, as the purpose of emphasising her intelligence is to flatter Sir Thomas for information about his business abroad and the slave trade. Austen is therefore defining the roles of the two sexes, in which men give information and advice to be received by women. This is typical of the patriarchal family, where there is a social hierarchy and ‘belief in the gentleman as a leader’3, promoting the figure of the father to an almost God-like status, whilst women occupy a secondary position.Sir Thomas Bertram is also a central character in Mansfield Park, mainly because his authority influences the actions and language of other characters. When the play is being organised, Maria and Mrs Grant discuss Sir Thomas and the role he plays in the 5______________________________1&2 Mansfield Park, Jane Austen (Penguin, 1994), p1653 Romantics, Rebels & Reactionaries, Marilyn Butler (Oxford University Press, 1981), p98EL2 – Essay 2Angela BathgateTutor – Julie MarneyBertram family. Mrs Grant thinks that Sir Thomas is a fitting head of the family, and this shows that his influence defines the existence of the women under his patriarchal rule. For example, when Lady Bertram is not in Sir Thomas’s presence, she is called a ‘cypher’, but when he is around her,...
