Edmund Bertram - Adult Life

Adult Life

Edmund's wishes to become a clergyman, for he is the second son without prospect of inheriting a large fortune. Edmund was to be given the living of the local parish when his uncle died. His father is unable to accommodate him as his elder brother, Thomas Bertram's extravagance requires his father to sell the living to Dr. Grant to raise some money to pay off Tom's debts. All that remains is a smaller, poorer parish which Edmund is promised. Dr. Grant is high living man and his wife. Mrs. Grant has a half-brother and sister, Henry and Mary Crawford. Edmund's father, Sir Thomas and his brother Tom have to travel to the family's estates in Antigua to settle some problems with the estate. Sir Thomas places Edmund in charge of the English estate in his absence.

Henry and Mary Crawford prove to be a disruptive influence on the Bertram family when they come to stay with their half-sister in the parsonage. They are both wealthy and attractive and both the Bertram sisters both become infatuated with Henry while Edmund falls in love with Mary, even neglecting Fanny sometimes in his attempts to please Mary.

Tom Bertram returns from Antigua before his father but Edmund still seems to be in charge of the estate while Tom amuses himself visiting people and taking part in horse races. When Tom comes up with the plan of putting on a play, Lovers' Vows at Mansfield Park, both Edmund and Fanny are opposed. Eventually Edmund is persuaded that bringing in a person from another family would be worse than his participating in a rather suggestive scene with Mary as Anhalt to her Amelia. Sir Thomas returns just before the play is due to be staged and is greatly displeased. Edmund admits his culpability and emphasises Fanny's constant opposition to the play.