Mansfield Park seems to be much more critical of women than her other works due to the fact that there are no likable female characters. Although this novel is lacking overall in good-natured people, male or female, Austen's choice of Fanny as the only representative of a heroine, portrays women in a poor light. Edmund is the savior of men in this novel and Austen creates a man which readers identify with and admire while with Fanny the reader is constantly unimpressed with her actions or rather lack of action. Fanny is uneducated, introverted, and naive. Although Fanny is depicted in this unflattering way, Austen still expects readers to get behind this heroine and hate the other women for their pettiness and selfishness. Fanny is so underwhelming as a heroine that I found myself drawn to Mary Crawford because at least she exhibits some agency. Fanny is constantly being controlled by her environment and is unable to move through the world purposefully but instead lets herself be taken advantage of by nearly every other character. Unfortunately, Austen has left readers with no other female character to admire. The sisters are vapid and petty, Mary is deceitful and selfish, Mrs. Norris is cruel to Fanny and Lady Bertram is oblivious to everyone. What could have been Austen's purpose in representing women in such a way?
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