Mansfield Park. BBC 1983

it is a story where not much seems to happen

it is full of strange contrasts, one example is that life at Mansfield Park, the large estate where Fanny goes to live with her rich cousins, is quiet and peaceful and orderly

her home in Portsmouth is chaotic and there are constant small disagreements and dramas

But Mansfield Park is cruel and mean, peace is only maintained when no one defies cruelty and thoughtlessness

and Portsmouth is a normal household where there is no ill will, just ordinary people living together and sorting things out in a respectful way

the main character, Fanny doesn’t seem to do anything other than grow as a person and develop strength of character to resist peer group pressure and see manipulation.

The other aspect, all the references to slavery and abolition and people living lives knowing they profit from exploitation still rings true today.

I know there is terrible exploitation in China and yet I buy. And there is exploitation here too. I always have feelings of guilt deep down.

I’m going to give 3 out of 4 hobbits because the series didn’t show all of the issues written by Austen. It seems to drag too.