The plot in six lines
Fanny Price leaves her poor family in Portsmouth to grow up at Mansfield Park, where Edmund Bertram offers kindness while others remind her of her dependent place.
During Sir Thomas Bertram's absence, Henry and Mary Crawford arrive, Henry flirts with Maria and Julia Bertram, while Edmund falls for Mary despite their different values.
A visit to Sotherton exposes Maria's attraction to Henry despite her engagement to Mr Rushworth, while Fanny is neglected as Edmund spends time with Mary.
The young people rehearse a private play despite Fanny's objections, but Sir Thomas returns unexpectedly and stops it, after which Maria marries Mr Rushworth.
Henry pursues Fanny and proposes, but she refuses because she neither loves nor trusts him, prompting Sir Thomas to send her to Portsmouth hoping poverty will change her mind.
Henry Crawford runs away with the married Maria Rushworth, and Edmund rejects Mary's response to the scandal, while Fanny is welcomed home to Mansfield and eventually marries Edmund.
Themes
Charm and conscience: Henry and Mary's charm attracts others, but Fanny's judgement exposes the distance between entertaining company and responsible behaviour.
Money and rank: Fanny's dependence, Maria's marriage and Tom's debts show how wealth and social position shape choices within the family.
Upbringing: The Bertram daughters learn manners and accomplishments without firm principles, while Fanny develops the judgement their education fails to provide.
Duty: Edmund's commitment to the clergy clashes with Mary's values, testing whether affection can overcome a serious difference in principle.
Quiet resistance: Fanny's refusals reveal strength in someone accustomed to obedience, especially when her relatives treat disagreement as ingratitude.
Characters
- Fanny PriceA shy, poor girl taken in by her rich relatives, she holds to her own sense of right and longs for Edmund's esteem.
- Edmund BertramThe kind younger son, bound for the church, who befriends Fanny and is drawn to the charming Mary Crawford.
- Sir Thomas Bertram
- Mrs NorrisFanny's bossy aunt, who loves managing others, flatters the rich and reminds Fanny constantly of what she owes.
- Henry CrawfordA witty, handsome man from London who loves to charm, and who sets out to win Fanny as a game.
- Mary CrawfordHenry's lively sister, who plays the harp, jokes about the clergy and wins Edmund's heart.
For the A level coursework
- AQA (Literature A): recommended text for the A level non-exam assessment (coursework).
- Pearson Edexcel: listed in its coursework guidance among the texts judged suitable for the A level coursework (not an approved list).
From the boards' own documents (the specifications and coursework guidance listed under Sources), read on 24 October 2026. Your school chooses the coursework texts: ask your teacher before you start.
Questions
What is Mansfield Park about?
Mansfield Park is about Fanny Price's struggle to hold to her principles among wealthy relatives who underestimate her. The arrival of Henry and Mary Crawford tests the family's values through attraction, marriage and the pursuit of pleasure.
Who are the main characters in Mansfield Park?
The main characters are Fanny Price, her kind cousin Edmund Bertram, and the charming visitors Henry and Mary Crawford. Sir Thomas Bertram, Lady Bertram, Mrs Norris and Maria Bertram shape the household in which Fanny grows up.
What are the main themes of Mansfield Park?
The main themes are conscience, charm, upbringing, money, rank and duty. Austen contrasts outward manners with inward principles and asks how character survives dependence, attraction and pressure from others.
Which boards mention Mansfield Park for A level English Literature?
AQA (Literature A): recommended text for the A level non-exam assessment (coursework). Pearson Edexcel: listed in its coursework guidance among the texts judged suitable for the A level coursework (not an approved list). Your school chooses the coursework texts, so ask your teacher before you start.