Who’s who in Mansfield Park, the 1814 novel by Jane Austen, with a guide to every character in our retelling for ages 6–9 by Sean Lee.
Mansfield Park is the story of Fanny Price, a shy girl who grows up in her rich uncle’s grand house, and the people around her. Her kind cousin Edmund is her truest friend, and her brave sailor brother William is the person she loves best in her own family. Into their quiet world come Henry and Mary Crawford, a charming brother and sister from London whose wit and liveliness turn everyone’s heads.
For parents and teachers, this cast is a gentle way to talk about honesty, courage and the difference between charm and goodness. Fanny is quiet, but she stands firm when others give in. Edmund is kind but sometimes too easily dazzled. Henry and Mary are fun and clever, yet they do not take right and wrong seriously. Use the guides below to see each character’s part in Jane Austen’s original novel, and to find questions to ask your child after reading.
A gentle cousin • Quiet and true
Fanny Price is a shy, gentle girl from a crowded home in Portsmouth who is sent at ten years old to live with her rich uncle and aunts at Mansfield Park. She is quiet and often overlooked, but she notices everything and has a steady, honest heart. Again and again she quietly does what she knows is right, even when everyone around her disagrees.
Full character guide
The kind cousin • Caring and thoughtful
Edmund Bertram is Fanny’s kind cousin, the younger son of Sir Thomas, who plans to become a country clergyman. On Fanny’s very first lonely day at Mansfield Park, he finds her crying on the stairs and helps her write to her brother William. He is thoughtful and good, though for a long time he is dazzled by the lively Mary Crawford.
Full character guide
Charming Londoner • Clever and lively
Henry Crawford is a clever, charming young gentleman from London who comes to stay with his sisters at the Parsonage near Mansfield Park. He is witty, lively and a wonderful actor, and he loves to make people like him. But his charm hides a restless, careless heart, and his games with other people’s feelings cause a great deal of trouble.
Full character guide
Henry’s bright sister • Witty and grand
Mary Crawford is Henry’s witty, fashionable sister, who comes from London to live with their half-sister at the Parsonage. She plays the harp beautifully, laughs easily and charms everyone, especially Edmund. She is often friendly to Fanny, but she cares a great deal about money and grand positions, and she cannot understand why goodness matters more.
Full character guide
Fanny’s sailor brother • Brave and true
William Price is Fanny’s brave, cheerful older brother, a young sailor in the navy. He is only a year older than Fanny and has always been her best friend in the family. When he visits Mansfield Park after years at sea, his warm stories and loving heart make Fanny happier than she has ever been.
Full character guide