Maria Bertram
Encyclopedia
Maria Bertram is a fictional character in Jane Austen
's 1814 novel, Mansfield Park
.
nor her brother Edmund
's compassion, especially for her cousin, Fanny Price
. She is condescending and gives Fanny the toys of the least value to her. She would also mock Fanny for her lack of knowledge and reports on Fanny's apparent deficiencies to her Aunt Norris. When she grows to adulthood, her attitude towards Fanny is not improved.
comes to the neighbourhood with his sister, Mary
. Because Maria has no real affection for Mr. Rushworth, she does not scruple to flirt with Henry. Henry Crawford also favours her over her unattached younger sister Julia because of her engagement although Julia, too, is attracted to crawford. This puts Maria and her sister in competition with one another. When Maria's father returns from his journey to Antigua
, Maria is married Mr. Rushworth, due to her belief that Henry had only used her for his own amusement and with the approval of Mr Rushworth by her parents and aunt. She goes to Brighton
on her honeymoon and invites Julia.
Jane Austen
Jane Austen was an English novelist whose works of romantic fiction, set among the landed gentry, earned her a place as one of the most widely read writers in English literature, her realism and biting social commentary cementing her historical importance among scholars and critics.Austen lived...
's 1814 novel, Mansfield Park
Mansfield Park
Mansfield Park may mean:* Mansfield Park by Jane Austen* Mansfield Park , based on the novel, directed by Patricia Rozema, starring Frances O'Connor, Embeth Davidtz, and Sheila Gish in 1999...
.
Character
Maria Bertram is not depicted as a sympathetic character. She does not have her father's disciplineDiscipline
In its original sense, discipline is referred to systematic instruction given to disciples to train them as students in a craft or trade, or to follow a particular code of conduct or "order". Often, the phrase "to discipline" carries a negative connotation. This is because enforcement of order –...
nor her brother Edmund
Edmund Bertram
Edmund Bertram is a major protagonist in Jane Austen's 1814 novel Mansfield Park. He is Sir Thomas's second son and plans to be ordained as a clergyman.-Character:...
's compassion, especially for her cousin, Fanny Price
Fanny Price
Fanny Price is the heroine in Jane Austen's 1814 novel Mansfield Park. Austen describes Fanny Price as "extremely timid and shy, shrinking from notice", and repeatedly reinforces that Fanny is shy, timid, and afraid of everyone and everything....
. She is condescending and gives Fanny the toys of the least value to her. She would also mock Fanny for her lack of knowledge and reports on Fanny's apparent deficiencies to her Aunt Norris. When she grows to adulthood, her attitude towards Fanny is not improved.
Maria and Mr. Rushworth
When Maria's father, Sir Thomas Bertram, goes to Antigua to improve the profits from his plantations, Maria, believing herself to have no prospects and being at the age to marry, becomes engaged to a young man named Mr. Rushworth at the prompting of Aunt Norris. Although Mr. Rushworth was not very intelligent or handsome, Maria agreed to his proposal of marriage for his estate of 700 acres was worth about 12,000 pounds per annum, a very large sum at the time.Maria and Mr. Crawford
Immediately after Maria's engagement to Mr. Rushworth, a young man named Henry CrawfordHenry Crawford
Henry Crawford is one of the main characters in Jane Austen's 1814 novel, Mansfield Park. He is depicted as a man who only attempts to amuse himself, and at the end is proven to be a reprobate.-First Arrival to Mansfield Park:...
comes to the neighbourhood with his sister, Mary
Mary Crawford (Mansfield Park)
Mary Crawford is an antagonist in Jane Austen's 1814 novel, Mansfield Park.-First Appearance:Mary Crawford is introduced in the fourth chapter of the novel. She comes from London in company with her brother, Henry Crawford, and arrives in the country with urbane airs, tastes, and manners, with a...
. Because Maria has no real affection for Mr. Rushworth, she does not scruple to flirt with Henry. Henry Crawford also favours her over her unattached younger sister Julia because of her engagement although Julia, too, is attracted to crawford. This puts Maria and her sister in competition with one another. When Maria's father returns from his journey to Antigua
Antigua
Antigua , also known as Waladli, is an island in the West Indies, in the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region, the main island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua means "ancient" in Spanish and was named by Christopher Columbus after an icon in Seville Cathedral, Santa Maria de la...
, Maria is married Mr. Rushworth, due to her belief that Henry had only used her for his own amusement and with the approval of Mr Rushworth by her parents and aunt. She goes to Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
on her honeymoon and invites Julia.
Maria and Henry reunited
Maria goes to London with her husband, where she encounters Henry at a party. Her infatuation for him was quickly renewed, and the two of them soon elope, bringing shame to her family and disgrace on her. Henry does not marry Maria, and Mr. Rushworth divorces her for adultery. She moves to "another country" with her Aunt Norris, who has always favoured her of all of her nieces.Notable Portrayals
- Samantha Bond portrayed the adult Maria in the 1983 BritishUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
television serialMiniseriesA miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
(Mansfield Park (1983 TV serial)Mansfield Park (1983 TV serial)Mansfield Park is a 1983 British television drama serial, made by the BBC, and adapted from Jane Austen's novel of the same name, originally published in 1814. The serial was the first screen adaptation of the novel...
)
- Elizabeth Eaton as the young Maria, and Victoria HamiltonVictoria HamiltonVictoria Sharp is an English actress who performs under the stage name Victoria Hamilton.-Early life:Hamilton was born on 5 April 1971 in Wimbledon, London, England, and grew up in Godalming, Surrey. She trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.-Career:Hamilton is best known for her...
as the teenage Maria in the 1999 film adaptationMansfield Park (film)Mansfield Park is a 1999 British romantic comedy-drama film loosely based on Jane Austen's novel of the same name, written and directed by Patricia Rozema. The film differs sharply from the original novel in many respects. For example, the life of Jane Austen is incorporated into the film and the...
- Tara Berwin as the younger Maria, and Michelle RyanMichelle RyanMichelle Claire Ryan is an English actress.She is best known for portraying the role of Zoe Slater on BBC soap opera EastEnders. In 2007, she starred in the short lived American television series Bionic Woman...
in the 2007 BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
television serialMansfield Park (2007 TV drama)Mansfield Park, an adaptation of the classic Jane Austen novel of the same name, premiered on 18 March 2007 on the UK network ITV at 9 p.m., as part of their Jane Austen Season. It was filmed at Newby Hall, North Yorkshire, England. It made its TV debut in Canada on 23 December 2007 and in the...
, aired on PBS as The Complete Jane Austen