Women on Wednesday - Fanny Price

Women on Wednesday visit Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park.

Fanny Price:


Fanny is the second eldest of nine children is sent to live with her mother's sisters at Mansfield Park. Her mother married her father a lieutenant of marines for love. When her father is hurt and disabled during his service, he is released on half pay, making life for the Price family very hard indeed.

Fanny is a sensitive, shy, intelligent young woman with a good sense of morals. She falls in love with her cousin Edmund at an early age. When the Crawford’s show up at Mansfield Park, Henry Crawford pursues Fanny as an amusing pastime, but ends up falling in love with her. She rejects his proposal much to the dismay of the Bertram’s; they pack her back to her poorer family as punishment. However when Tom Bertram becomes ill, Fanny is send for, she cares for Tom as well as being there to support her aunt and uncle. She and Edmund declare their love for each other, and as they say, the rest is history. (Well in the novel it is).

Fanny Price 1:
Sylvestra le Touzel

Sylvestra played the role of Fanny in the 1983 BBC mini-series adaptation of Mansfield Park. I haven’t seen this version of Mansfield Park, but I will try to find it to watch. You can watch a scene here.

In 2007, Sylvestra played the role of Mrs. Allen in Northanger Abbey.

Fanny Price 2:
Frances O’Connor

Frances starred as Fanny in the 1999 movie adaptation of Mansfield Park. I love Frances in this, she play a great part opposite Jonny Lee Miller.

From Wikipedia

This film alters several major elements of the story and depicts Fanny as author of some of Austen's actual letters as well as her children's history of England. It emphasizes Austen's disapproval of slavery.

Fanny Price 3:
Billie Piper

Billie was chosen for the role of Fanny for the Company Pictures production of Mansfield Park. Again, I haven’t seen this version and after seeing Billie in ‘The Secret Diaries of a Call Girl’, I’m not sure I’d believe her as Fanny. LOL.

So do you think Miss. Austen would approve of the women who portrayed Fanny? I’m going to stick with Frances O’Conner, maybe because she’s an Aussie.

Sandie