Henry Crawford - Henry and Fanny

Henry and Fanny

When Henry returns to Mansfield Park, he decides to amuse himself by making Fanny Price, the poor cousin of the Bertrams, fall in love with him. However, because of Fanny's sweet conduct and forbearance, Henry gradually falls genuinely in love with her. To try to make himself seem better in her eyes, he intercedes with his uncle, an admiral, to use his influence in the Royal Navy to obtain a promotion for Fanny's brother William from midshipman to lieutenant. He then proposes to Fanny, but to his surprise, she refuses him, for several reasons. She is secretly in love with her cousin Edmund Bertram and she believes Crawford to be improper in his conduct with Maria Bertram and that he would not be a serious and constant lover. Fanny's uncle, Sir Thomas, is very displeased and demands that she marry Crawford as he believes that this would be a most advantageous marriage for her. Fanny remains resolutely opposed to the marriage although her uncle reproaches her very severely. However, Henry is not discouraged. He continues to solicit her love. Sir Thomas Bertram decides to send Fanny back to her own family who live in relatively poor circumstances in Portsmouth so that she might see how marriage to Crawford would be a better option. While she is there Henry visits her and proves that he is more constant than she believed as well as demonstrating his acceptance of her family's state.