Under the trees and red umbrellas of the The Reading Room this week in Bryant Park,
book club members and Janeites gathered to hear a delightful lecture on Mansfield Park by author and Professor of English at Columbia University, Jenny Davidson.
The series of lectures is sponsored by HSBC Bank and Oxford University Press.
As I had forgotten to bring a copy of Mansfield Park along with me, I was gratefully able to look over the shoulder of JASNA’s Meg Levin and read from her copy.
Focusing on Volume III Chapter 8 and Volume II Chapter 6, Davidson spoke of Fanny Price’s point of view and Fanny’s opinion (we sometimes think that Fanny — being shy and reserved — has no opinion when, in fact, she does).
It was refreshing to hear someone focus on Fanny’s inner strength. One must remember that Fanny rejected Henry Crawford’s proposal; an impressive act of strength to be sure.
That slim streak of inner strength is boosted considerably in Patricia Rozema’s movie version of Mansfield Park (which Davidson cited). It’s a delightful movie — full of Austenisms — but not true to the book.
Discussing Mansfield Park in Bryant Park while sipping on an an iced-coffee on a warm breezy day in New York City….
Who could ask for more?
Jenny Davidson speaking at NYC’s Bryant Park
Gothic novel, The Mysteries of Udolpho and John Muir’s Wilderness Essays.
Mary C. M. Phillips 