Mansfield Park in my opinion throws better light on human nature than pride and prejudice, sense and sensibility, though they are my one time favourites. I can connect the character of Mrs. Norris to my neighbour in Chennai, though in actual story she is from different nation and times.
Now to the story. Miss Fanny Price is the poor cousin of Bertrams family brought up in their house out of charity though it gives her an opportunity to develop her sense of aesthetics, superior culture and better judgement with the advantage of good education and comfort offered by luxury. Same circumstances spoiled the elder cousins of Bertrams family because of the pampering and indulgence received by their aunt and reluctance of mother and though good but too strict father.
Craw field brother and sister are the visitors of their neighbous whose basic nature is good but spoiled characters with a distorted value base due to their upbringing. The story revolves around the triangular love situations. Fanny loves and adores her cousin Edmund but he fancies that he only loves Miss Mary Crow field whom Fanny understands that she does not deserve Edmund due to her low taste and poor understanding of life.
Brother of Mary, Henry Crow field claims Fanny’s hand in marriage but She understands his flirting with her cousins too clearly and understands superficial character of Henry.
The ending of the story can be very well predicted. But that is not the essence of the story. It depends upon how the characters are evolved. She gives a meesage that young people do deserve fun, entertainment but not to forget the boundaries. Elders should trust youngsters who are more courageous and intelligent and be a guide and support them instead of trying to be severe. On the whole it is a plesant love story with a good psychological drama