Top 10 Villainesses in Jane Austen's novels

[@anowlonedge1815]

I had Mrs Norris at 2. She made Fanny's live hell. I also had on my list the Governess of Georgiana Darcy who tried to help Wickam elope with Gorgiana and then was helping him to elope with Lydia. I think it's a pretty bad character.

[@mallorycarpinski1160]

Truth. Most of the villainesses you can see as being kind of victims of their time, trying to find their way to not be spinsters or let their children be such. But Aunt Norris is just a jerk.

[@elainechubb971]

Thank you! I'd put Mrs.Norris up there at or near the top. She is actively malevolent. And not only does she make Fanny's life miserable, she ruins Maria's life by warping her character as she grows up and then encouraging her into betraying her husband. I would add that Mrs. Norris is an active villainess. Her sister Lady Bertram is a kind of passive one, by neglecting her duties s parent to her two daughters.

[@LB-gz3ke]

I never thought of that governess! She was a terrible person. If it had only been Georgiana that she helped ruin, I could accept that she was charmed by Wickham and convinced that he was a noble young man. But when she sees his true character and helps him with Lydia, that seals her character as a baddie.

[@Anna-tj7mp]

Mrs Norris is actively malevolent, far worse than Mary Crawford who is not totally bad. I would put her at number 1.

[@LK-se2ju]

Austen definitely illustrates that mean girls are an age old phenomenon rather than a modern high school invention. Mrs. Elton at the ball reminds me of every queen bee that makes the event about her and isn’t satisfied until someone is crying .

[@EllieDashwood]

That’s so true! It’s amazing how people haven’t really changed since then.

[@Adwnpinoy310]

“There is nothing new under the sun.” Ecclesiastes 1:9

[@lilacgirl-z8w]

​@@EllieDashwoodcan you do a top 10 or 12 of jane austen heroines.

[@dottiewi661]

I think the greatest villainess in Austen’s works is Mrs Ferrars? She has a lot of power over her children, especially financially. She should be here

[@galois6569]

I agree.

[@mausicute8804]

Yesss

[@mausicute8804]

And mrs norris

[@mallorycarpinski1160]

@@mausicute8804 Aunt Norris is one here, and I totally agree. She's one of the worst in my opinion.

[@mahtra2372]

When thinking about psychological trauma and lasting effects "Aunt Norris" should be way higher on the list. I mean Caroline Bingley is not a nice person, sure; but the documented harm she does, is minor compared to the long time psychological impact Aunt Norris has on her niece by putting her down ALL THE TIME. Even Fanny, who never complains, voices her apprehension, when it comes to living with Mrs. Norris. Every time I read/listen to Mansfield Park, I want to send Fanny to a psycho-therapist😊 Also, I am not a fan of the suggestion that (regency) men finally take their sister in hand. She is her own person, who makes her own choices and should be responsible for it herself...

[@Zaft_K]

Oh, I agree! Mrs. Norris is emotionally abusive to Fanny - horribly so - and also to her siblings. While the other villianesses operate from selfishness and greed, Mrs. Norris is actively cruel, which is why I would place her at No. 1.

[@DaisyNinjaGirl]

I would rank Aunt Norris quite a lot higher on the list - she's so vicious and deliberate in her meanness. Mrs Clay can be forgiven quite a lot, in my book. Yes, she's trying to marry up, but she was left indigent with two children to support. And she might be insincere in her flattery, but she's also perfectly civil to Anne.

[@elizabethwoolnough4358]

I had an 'aunt' who was at least as nasty as Aunt Norris, possibly worse.

[@DaisyNinjaGirl]

@@elizabethwoolnough4358 You have my sincere sympathies.

[@elizabethwoolnough4358]

@@DaisyNinjaGirl Aunt Peggy is no longer with us. She's probably in Heaven because the other place wouldn't tolerate her.

[@lilacgirl-z8w]

Aunt Norris treated fanny as a slave not to mention an emotional punching bag. She blamed Maria's affair on Fanny. Definitely deserves top 4.

[@yaaramargalit8590]

Mrs Norris is the obvious number one for me! She is the meanest of them all.

[@lindadaheim3412]

I do not consider Lady Catherine a villainess, because she is not bad to Elisabeth because she hates her or wants do do her harm. She is just very status-centered and very sure that she is right, she means to protect her family and what the thinks to be the claims of her daughter, of whom she is very protective. She also wants to protect her nephew from a gold digger. She might be old fashioned and snobbish, but she speaks her mind freely and does not work out any "evil plans". So: an unpleasant woman, yes. An antagonist to our heroine - yes. A villainess - no! Nothing like these evil, sceming Bingley-sisters!

[@mahtra2372]

Hmm, I was thinking about Lady Catherine as well. The thing is, that she also belittles her tenants and "argues them out of their disagreements" seemingly wothout hearing their concerns and has an encroaching attitude towards Mr. Collins home life as well as Darcy's and the Bennet's lives. Imagine the life of her daughter. Anne de Bourgh is one of those Austen characters I dearly want to send to a psycho-therapist.

[@jmarie9997]

Let's not forget how she treats her daughter; the girl was probably locked up and never allowed to have a life because her mother was obsessed with marrying her to Darcy.

[@rachelport3723]

I would put Mrs. Norris first, with no real competition. She does not only mistreats Fanny, whom she scorns, but she does great harm to her favorite Maria, whom she pushes into a marriage with a rich idiot while Maria is clearly attracted to another man. Of course the result is that Maria ends up leaving her husband with that other man. There is nothing comical about Mrs. Norris, and she ruins lives by her actions. All the others are caricatures, comic characters, who don't really make anything terrible happen, though they may cause unhappiness.

[@EllieDashwood]

Mrs Norris definitely ruins a lot of lives. :(

[@MsJubjubbird]

Mariah had the option to leave though. Her father said she could pull out. But she wanted Mr Rushworth's money so she could peacock her wealth. What I hate the most about Mrs Norris is she makes herself out to be the hero. Like "we should bring Fanny to stay out here." then "no she can't stay with me because Mr Norris is really busy." but then "aren't I so generous offering charity to this girl"

[@OkGoGirl82]

@@MsJubjubbird Yes! It's infuriating!

[@michaelodonnell824]

@@MsJubjubbird In a more recent video on Bad Marriages in Austen, Dr Octavia Cox points out that the main reason Mariah rushes into marrying Mr Rushworth was to escape from the rule of her father. It's worth watching.

[@jxlol1]

Same.

[@JudeDefensor]

Lucy Steele! Imogen Stubbs' fake smile in the 1995 adaptation was just the face of pure evil.

[@fantasticomundodejaneauste7684]

I was so happy at the end, I was thinking you'd forget about Lady Susan at all. She is the best mean girl that Jane has ever written and I just love her - but I also love the way Frederica gets a happy ending in spite of such a mother. And I totally agree with Fanny Dashwood being number one. Even though her conversation with her husband trying to convince him to give less money to his sisters is actually such a funny part of the book.

[@EllieDashwood]

It is a funny part of the book. She's just so unbelievable that it would border on hilarious if it didn't cause such problems for the Dashwood sisters!

[@jmarie9997]

And the 1995 movie. That scene was brilliantly written.

[@JaneHornsby-iz9ob]

I also love that Fredricka gets a happy ending. But I love Lady Susan in a different way. An anti-heroine is not quite the same a a villian.

[@kendracrispin5327]

Mary Crawford did more things to merit inclusion than you mentioned: 1. She could have subtly warned the Miss Bertrams to be cautious about her brother, and warned Fanny that her brother was (at first) playing with her. She didn't, which shows a lack of respect towards fellow women. 2. She broke with society's rules of courtship in helping her brother slip Fanny the necklace, which - based on my grasp of the era's standards - would've made Sir Thomas very displeased with both Crawfords. 3. She grasped the danger that her uncle - a man she knows isn't a good person and fled the house of - posed to Fanny's happiness, and said nothing about it after trying to get Henry to agree to keep Fanny away from him. 4. She - knowing her brother's past and that Fanny must have seen some of the flirting - tries hard to persuade Fanny to marry him anyway, and even tries guilt-tripping Fanny. 5. She lets her brother break another strict courtship rule about not writing to a person you're not engaged to or at least related to, on multiple occasions. 6. She practically admits to Fanny, via letter, that she wishes for Tom Bertram's death. Regardless of Tom's earlier actions towards Fanny, this couldn't have sat well with her kind, gentle heart. 7. She blames Fanny for her brother's running off with Maria, and she won't place the real blame on him - when he royally deserves it.

[@JaneHornsby-iz9ob]

Yep, her fantasizing about Tom's death - and committing it to paper, in her letter to Fanny! - is not just callous and selfish, bordering on sociopathy, really kind of surprisingly lacking in awareness!

[@michaelodonnell824]

Thank you for mentioning Lady Susan. She is one of the most ruthless people in any Jane Austen novel. She even (spoiler alert coming) deliberately sets out to ruin her only daughter's life. How more horrible can you get? I would also like a "Dishonourable" mention for Mrs Bennet, who through her complete inability to keep her mouth closed, seems to go out of her way to drive away the desirable suitors for her daughters. Meanwhile, she does her best to force Lizzy into a completely inappropriate marriage with Mr Collins AND it is her failure to in any way control Lydia that leads to Lydia's elopement, for which she not only NEVER accepts any responsibility, but she tries to put the blame on Everyone else. I cannot believe I am writing this part but allow me say a word in defence of Lady Catherine, at least in her attempts to break up Darcy and Elizabeth. Think what she knows: Elizabeth may be the daughter of a Gentleman, but on her Mother's side her lineage isn't in any way the equal to Darcy's. Also, the Fortune that Elizabeth will bring to the marriage isn't in any way substantial enough to compensate for the faults her lineage will bring. And then she is also aware of Lydia's elopement (though not of Darcy being the one to "Fix" it) and may even be completely aware of Wickham's vicious character, though probably not the attempt to persuade Georgiana to elope. Even if she did not intend Darcy for Anne de Bourgh, her intervention with Elizabeth is, possibly, well intended, if somewhat lacking in Propriety.

[@jediping]

I would flip Fanny and Lucy personally. Fanny is horrible and encourages her husband in his selfishness, which is bad, but Lucy is actually actively cruel even knowing just how much pain she is inflicting. Fanny makes me roll my eyes. Lucy makes me rage.

[@Mai2727]

but Lucy at least had a motive - to marry well. She was poor. Fanny had nothing to gain from her cruelty.

[@jediping]

@@Mai2727 I dunno, marrying well didn’t mean she had to attack Eleanor with the whole story of her engagement. If she didn’t assume everyone else to be as selfish as she was, she would have know she didn’t have to fear Edward breaking up with her, because he couldn’t and still be a gentleman, but also because his own sense of integrity wouldn’t allow it. She has no scruple wrapping his brother around her pinky, and she assumed Edward would be the same and find a way to leave her if he wanted to. So she had to keep Eleanor at bay. Fanny is awful, but she’s also more open about her aims, which cannot be said of Lucy. And she has motives, too, also of selfishness and to keep her station in life. But she doesn’t try to manipulate anybody. She comes out and says what she thinks and takes what is, by law, rightfully hers. (Or at least her husband’s, cuz ugh.) Not saying she is doing the morally right thing. She still belongs on the list. But Lucy deserves to be above her. IMO of course. :)

[@Mai2727]

@@jediping I mean, Fanny does manipulate her husband. And Lucy told Elinor to keep her away from Edward. I'm just more "sympathetic" towards Lucy because of her situation in life, Fanny has a better position. So I can "understand" her a bit more (even though she's still awful). She's evil towards people of a higher class, but Fanny is ungenerous towards people of a lower class than her, which makes her to me less likable.

[@BethDiane]

I bet that if you asked Lady Catherine's daughter, in her heart of hearts, Lady Catherine would top the list.

[@Celebwen21]

The other thing about Isabella is that she also exposes Katherine to her obnoxious brother despite knowing of her interest in Henry Tilney early on. So she’s encouraging and pressuring a bad relationship to meet her own ends.

[@Nerdmaid]

Omgawsh! Fanny Dashwood is definitely top of the list.

[@EllieDashwood]

She’s the worst!

[@OkGoGirl82]

I just knew Fanny Dashwood would be #1. She's awful and is the sole reason Elinor and her sisters and mother are left so poor. If not for her raging greed, her husband would've fulfilled his father's dying wish, but nooooo. But I would have put Mrs. Norris much higher - like top 5. She was so bitchy and for no good reason. I wonder if she hated her sister and thus her sister's children, aka Fanny. There was no need to be so rude and abusive to Fanny Price. None! It makes me so mad whenever I read it.

[@wanderingteacup39]

This list was fun and so glad to see that Lucy Steele ranked so high. She is the worst of all friends and very spiteful. I think another fun list to suggest might be who has the best “Best Friend” in Jane Austen’s books? If you think about it, Emma has Harriet. Lizzie has Jane and Charlotte. Etc. Just an idea.

[@michaelodonnell824]

There is a potential to include Emma as a Villainess. Jane Austen deliberately wrote her as an unlikeable character, (rich, selfish, spoilt, manipulative Queen Bee) and worried about whether the book would fail because Emma was so unlikeable. Modern audiences clearly don't see such character flaws as unlikeable!

[@juliancain3872]

@@michaelodonnell824 Character flaws give the character some depth. But modern day female characters get dragged through the mud for flaws.

[@JaneHornsby-iz9ob]

Lucy doesn't come close to Isabella. Lucy is snide and sneaky, but not really duplicitous. She never fools Eleanor, and she KNOWS she never fools Eleanor. She's smart enough not to even try. (She keeps the mask up, by "confiding" about Edward rather than telling Eleanor directly to keep away. She knows better than to put herself in the wrong by being direct and humiliating Eleanor. Out for what she can get, but a poor girl, with only her wits for her fortune, can you blame her? And Eleanor isn't hurt by her behavior in the end - in fact, Eleanor benefits from it, once she ends Edward's bondage by running off with his (now) richer brother. She goes WAY down on the list. As admirable as she is villainous. Not quite Lady Susan, but close.

[@aucourant9998]

I have a secret liking for Mary Crawford. And the fact that she educated stuff-shirt, goody-goody Edmund about real life just adds to her attraction.

[@verobarrionuevo]

The number one should be Lady Susan. And I think Mrs. Norris is really mean, she deserves to be closer to number one. She just lives to ruin Fanny's life.

[@wanderlost7707]

Mrs Norris should be at the very top. Nothing any of these other women have done compares with abusing and gaslighting a child for several years, and destroying her confidence and self-esteem. She's practically a character from a Bronte novel.

[@dominaevillae28]

Mrs. Clay isn’t Sir Walter’s girlfriend, she’s the daughter of Sir Walter’s financial advisor and is invited to Bath as Elizabeth’s companion, but secretly has designs on Sir Walter.

[@gigiwoodlawn2142]

Right!! Sir Elliott would be "As If!! When it came to Mrs Clay

[@טליאבישי-ר7ת]

I liked your list, but a couple of comments: First: I agree with Dottie Wi - Mrs. Ferrars should be on the list, and pretty high up! Secondly: I think Mrs. Norris should be number one, Lucy Steele number two and Fanny Dashwood number three. My reasoning: All three of these ladies are deliberately cruel to people who are good and have done them no harm - Mrs. Norris to Fanny Price, Lucy and Fanny to Elinor Dashwood. The reason I put Mrs. Norris as number 1 is that her cruelty spans 9 years - from Fanny's coming to Mansfield till Mrs. Norris leaves Mansfield. She causes her to be put in an attic room, she encourages the Bertram girls to be contemptuous to Fanny, she makes a servant of her, she blames her and calls her ungrateful for refusing to take part in the play, and it goes on and on. Fanny's behaviour is typical of a person who has been abused as a child, and the abuser is Mrs. Norris. As for Lucy Steele - as you said, she deliberately torments Elinor - not satisfied with staking her claim by revealing her engagement to Elinor, she does everything she can to make Elinor jealous and miserable. You missed her last cruelty - pretending that she is married to Edward, when she is actually married to Robert, just to give Elinor a few extra days of misery. As for Fanny Dashwood - here it gets pretty comic. She invites the Steele girls for a visit, just to get out of inviting Elinor and Marianne, because after blocking her husband from giving them financial help, she doesn't want them near her (guilt feelings, maybe?). The comic element comes in when Elinor, who rightly interpreted Fanny and Mrs. Ferrars' politeness towards Anne and Lucy as only designed to insult herself and Marianne, and who isn't aware of Fanny's motives in inviting the Steeles for a visit, thinks at this point that maybe Lucy is getting to be a favourite and has a chance with Edward. Actually, this invitation is again only designed to avoid showing attention to the Dashwood girls, and culminates at a catastrophe when Anne reveals the engagement. Over all - as I said, three deliberately mean people - not just selfish, not just bothersome, not just possessive and protecting what they perceive to be their territory, but deliberately mean.

[@OnBleeckerStreet]

Mrs Norris should definitely be number 1 for me! Regarding Fanny Dashwood, an interesting thing I’ve learned recently is that one of Jane Austen’s brother, Edward, who was adopted by rich cousins, was only able to home his sisters and mother after his wife had passed away, when they had been in distress for some time. I wonder if she somehow inspired the character of Fanny Dashwood…

[@musicalcolin]

The fact that Fanny Dashwood tried to hurt Ellie Dashwood alone qualifies her for the top of this list.

[@cferracini]

Let's put Mrs Norris in number 1 position. The rest of the order I agree. Fanny Dashwood is number 2. and so on

[@michaelodonnell824]

My only issue with this is that that would put the uber "Mean Girl/Frenemy" Lucy Steele lower than second. I'm barely on board with her being behind Fanny Dashwood, but she's definitely either Worst or Second worst for her utter ruthlessness!

[@dcb774]

Aunt Norris is the worst, hands down. She wasn’t mean to Fanny, she was abusive and mentally beat Fanny down for years. She was manipulative to her sister and brother-in-law, Sir Thomas realized at the end of the book. Finally, her abuse of Fanny is contrasted by her lavishly spoiling the sisters, which probably set Mrs Rushworth up for her debacle. She doesn’t even care when her husband dies,since she can get along fine without him.Aunt Norris is the definition of TOXIC

[@vineethg6259]

Would have loved to see you do a poll on the Austen villainesses we all love to hate, and the Austen heroines we all love to love. But I guess that restriction on 5 choices would complicate matters. Badly done, YT!! 🙄

[@EllieDashwood]

That’s true! What is YT doing to us? 😭😭😭 Hmmm... there must be a way... 🤔

[@Blissblissbliss87]

I've checked out a few of your videos, they're really great. You can't beat seeing enthusiasm for great books! Great adaptations too! I have huge shelves full of both, so it's nice to find a fellow fan! Great amount of depth too!

[@michaelodonnell824]

I don't think Marianne Dashwood is a "Heroine". She is completely caught up in her own feelings and is utterly contemptuous of anyone who doesn't share her exuberances. Elinor suffers an enormous amount of pain in S&S but the only one who brings her to tears is Marianne!

[@hannahleigh1219]

I completely agree that Fanny Dashwood is in the number one spot. I'm currently reading Sense and Sensibility for the first time and I'm just screaming because Fanny is making me so angry!

[@elainechubb971]

I'd put Mrs. Norris much, much higher, maybe even no. 1--certainly no.2, because the Dashwood sisters' sister-in-law is really nasty. She doesn't care if they are destitute. And I wouldn't put Mary Crawford as high. There's some truth in Edmund's observation that she was ruined by her upbringing. Mary has clung to her brother through their rather ramshackle childhood and he seems to be the only person she really loves. She tries to manipulate Fanny for what Mary perceives as Henry's good--reprehensible, but not actively malicious toward Fanny. I think she is amoral rather than immoral. One little quibble: Anne Elliot's father is Sir Walter, not Sir Elliot. Baronets and knights are known by "Sir" plus their first name. (Just as Sir Lancelot was not Sir du Lac.)

[@colettecristofini4445]

The worst for me remains Mrs Norris.

[@MsJubjubbird]

The Harry Potter character was named after her. Because of how nosy she is.

[@michaelodonnell824]

@@MsJubjubbird I did not realise that, but now that you've said it makes total sense!

[@bighoss1031]

Lady Susan was dreadful and a heroine? Rather principal character. Couldn't stand her. There was some lightness and humor with the other villains.

[@sarahmwalsh]

I can't remember where I read this, but someone pointed out that Emma Woodhouse is the villain in Harriet Smith's story and that blew my mind!!!

[@JaneHornsby-iz9ob]

True! Heroine and villainess is one! And aren't we all someone's villainess when you get down to it. Hopefully not to our friends, But you never know. . .

[@JaneHornsby-iz9ob]

AND Emma is the villainess in Jane Fairax's story are well! (2 for the price of 1!)

[@kallandar13]

I don’t feel like Mrs. Clay is really a villain. She’s a gold digger, yeah, but there’s no evidence that she and Sir Elliot were in any kind of formal relationship. It’s all supposition, really. And a girl’s gotta eat. If Mr Elliot was a sure thing, why shouldn't she accept his deal, when Sir Elliot was not committing?

[@Vogelkinder]

So much sass against Mary Crawford. Loved it.

[@iloveprivacy8167]

Why is Lady Susan only an afterthought? It's not an unfinished work (maybe you've confused it with Sanditon?), just very short. Still certainly long enough to establish Lady Susan Vernon as the greatest villainess of Jane Austen!

[@mikespangler98]

The Lady Susan is a great book. Every woman in it is running at least one scheme, even sweet young Frederica, (who uses a loophole to evade a direct order from her mother. ) And except for Alicia's husband, all the men seem to unaware of scheming going on around them. On a different but related topic, Maria Bertram's husband did successfully divorce her, but will Mrs Mainwairing manage to divorce her lout? And how much will it cost her? I gather she had the money.

[@michaelodonnell824]

Lady Susan was only published in 1871, many years after Austen's death or any of her other novels. It's more part of her "Juvenilia" and the only extant evidence of her writing an Epistolary novel. In the history of English Literature, Jane Austen is famous for being the person to move English novels away from the Epistolary to the narrative form we are familiar with today, so not including Lady Susan in the top 10 is perfectly understandable (after all, there's no characters from "Sanditon" the unfinished novel in either list). Mentioning Lady Susan was the perfect compromise.

[@ccburro1]

Both Elizabeth Elliot and Mary Musgrove should be a “twin-pack” on this list for being selfish, snobby, shallow, lazy, and, mainly, this, treating Anne horribly the past decade. They dump on her and disrespect her.

[@michaelodonnell824]

I think you mistake Mary Musgrove. She, like Charlotte Palmer in Sense & Sensibility have always seemed to me like Mrs Bennet as a young Mother. Many modern audiences seem to excuse Mrs Bennet's excesses as her concern for her unmarried daughters. I don't think Jane Austen saw her in that way and sought to portray her if she was younger, had no concerns re inheritance nor re daughters. Charlotte Palmer and particularly Mary Musgrove show this.

[@menchualcarazmoreno1743]

I think the problem with Mary is more she is thick than she is evil.

[@jmarie9997]

OK, I have to say a few things regarding Lucy Steele. I don't like her, but I don't see her as the villain that Fanny is. 1) Edward proposed to her of his own free will. Sure, was young, but she didn't hold him at gunpoint. He regretted it, but he proposed of his own free will. (If Edward was eighteen at the time, she was probably that or younger. 2) IIRC, her position in life was as bad, if not worse, than Elinor's. She was merely doing what most girls in her position would do, securing her future by marriage to a man with a promising future. 3) When they got engaged, she had no knowledge that Elinor existed. From her point of view, she saw another woman, more intelligent, better birth, who might disrupt her future. She could hope, but not KNOW beyond a shadow of a doubt that he would keep his private word to her. She's... Charlotte Lucas, just a little more manipulative.

[@michaelodonnell824]

NO. Charlotte accepted a proposal from a man she knew to be stupid but who had good prospects. Lucy Steele manipulated the young, naïve Edward into an engagement, basically because he was potentially the heir. She specifically "befriends" Elinor so she can torture her by destroying Elinor's hopes, and then keeps twisting the knife. Finally when the secret engagement comes out (by her deliberately saying it to Fanny Dashwood, in order to "Push" the marriage, while Edward remains faithful to the promise he made, even though he is disinherited as a result of his Fidelity, Lucy IMMEDIATELY dumps him and manipulates his, now wealthier younger Brother into marrying her. Mean, nasty, cruel, conniving, ruthless, vicious and utterly amoral: I don't think there's a worse character in any Austen novel, than Lucy Steele One could suggest that Fanny is just looking out for her son (I don't think so, but her argument is not utterly implausible). Lucy Steele is clearly looking out for ONLY herself.

[@ninaruthie]

Glad you included Mrs. Hurst... ugh!

[@Keats1987]

I really like how the self-centeredness in most of Jane Austen's villains is paired with them being clever, but somehow not intelligent enough to truly complete their plan (provided they have a plan at all). I think that it's an educational example on how selfishness is often born out of lack of intelligence.

[@isabelhovig]

In reading Persuasion, Jane Austen does not indicate Mrs. Clay was Lord Elliott’s girlfriend, nor was there romantic interest alluded to. She was a widow who became Elizabeth Elliott’s companion/friend, who it was feared would eventually be seen as a marriage prospect for Lord Elliott due to how much she spent time with the Elliotts. Lord Elliott was too self-centered that the only possible way he might marry again was by an eligible woman being in his proximity of some beauty nearly equal to his so much, so close and so often.

[@isabelhovig]

Sorry- I meant to say SIR Walter Elliott, not Lord. Had just binged Season 2 of Downton Abbey, so “Lord” is the first title that I thought of when making my original comment.

[@MMC-jp1gl]

Somewhere on that list I would add Lydia Bennet. Her crimes? 1) Being an obnoxious, out of control, embarrassment to her family in public 2) Running off with Wickam who she knows was involved with her own sister 3) Running off with Wickam and thus potentially destroying her family, especially her sisters futures 4) Costing large sums of money to be paid out on her behalf to track down and legitimize her evil behavior 5) Having the unmitigated nerve to not only show her face again to her family but to arrogantly assert herself now as "above" her older sisters for having been married, not apologizing for having almost ruined them and caused them so much suffering and then acting as if she was blameless and in a high status now. Lydia deserves a good slap in the face and more. It would have done her good if done during her childhood. Scripture doesn't say "spare the rod spoil the child" it says "spare the rod, HATE the child". Lydia could have benefited from a rod or two. God bless~

[@glendodds3824]

You write very well.

[@michaelodonnell824]

While in no sense condoning ANY physical abuse of children, I don't think you are wrong in suggesting that Lydia's behaviour and attitudes should have been corrected when she was younger. However, Lydia is utterly clueless. She has been brought up by her mother to believe that Marriage is the be all and end all of everything. She absolutely does not realise the effect her actions might have on her sisters. But this is not Lydia's fault. I don't believe she does any of this out of Malice. This is merely her acting out what she believes her mother wants - and her mother never disabuses her of her wrong opinions. In Elizabeth's intervention with her father, seeking him to prevent Lydia going to Brighton, she says, "She will be beyond the reach of amendment". Though Lizzy could not know it, Lydia was already beyond that reach and even when, after the marriage had been arranged and Lydia went to stay with the Gardiners, both she and Mrs Gardiner separately admit that Lydia refused to hear how close she had come to ruining the family. In conclusion, I repeat, Lydia was Clueless but without Malice. Lucy Steele was knowing, utterly ruthless, cruel, and completely Malicious. No Contest!

[@staffanlindstrom576]

@@michaelodonnell824 I don´t believe Lydia is acting out what she believes what her mother (or anyone else) wants. She is completely self-centered and never gives a thought to the opinions or feelings of others.

[@josephmayo3253]

You really underestimate the villainy of Mrs. Norris. Her treatment of Fanny is utterly despicable. And it starts with Fanny at a very young age. She's the worst villain of all Austen.

[@bookmouse2719]

What about Mrs. Ferres? A piece of work.

[@MsJubjubbird]

I guess she doesn't interact with the female protagonists enough. She only meets Elinor once so that'snot enough for the bitchiness to come out.

[@bookmouse2719]

@@MsJubjubbird No-one was quite sure what had happened as she disowned Edward for being engaged to Lucy, and then were mixed up as to why Robert who was married to Lucy should have the money and power of the eldest.

[@MsJubjubbird]

​@@bookmouse2719 She initially didn't like Elinor when she met her because she knew from Fanny that Edward and Elinor had a thing for each other. She wanted Edward to marry Miss Morton and her 40k. Plus Robert was her favorite son. He was vain and overconfident- everything she wanted her eldest son, who she hoped would go into something like politics, would be. Instead her disappointment of a younger son was shy, humble and wanted to be a priest. So she was prepared to indulge Robert more. She basically ran out of heirs when Robert married Lucy. As he was the favorite she didn't change it- though she did relent into giving Edward and Elinor a decent sum of money to live on.

[@jmarie9997]

@@bookmouse2719 She didn't change her will, she settled a large amount of money on Robert in a fit of temper, and couldn't take it back. After the marriage, Lucy charmed her because Robert was the favorite son.

[@casmonido]

What did you think about Sanditon and the characters of Esther Denham and Clara Bereton? I'm speaking about the tv series, of course.

[@K_P_R]

I’m glad Lady Susan made it onto the list! She deserves the #1 spot for all the people she hurt, especially her daughter.

[@Jill-jb1jg]

Great video! I agree with your number 1, but I’d have Mrs Norris as number 2. She did a lot of harm.

[@yanan4249]

My choice is Lucy Steel #1 and mrs Norris #2. Lucy is manipulative and psychopathic in a way, she doesn't care about the feelings of others ( not even her sister's) and takes pleasure in torturing Elinor. Mrs Norris is clearly a covert narcissist. She is manipulative, she always represses or should I say abuses Fanny and makes her unsure about herself. Also her attitude towards the eldest miss Bertram also made a girl into a narcissist and led to her unhappiness in the end. The third place goes to Isabella Thorp. Though I have a feeling that she is just young, not smart, deceitful and very fickle more than a calculated villain.

[@AnnaIvanova-Galitsina]

I agree with Fanny Dashwood being #1. Thanks for the video)

[@patriciatolliver4057]

I totally agree with #'s 1&2. I think Aunt Norris should be #3.

[@Cat_Woods]

I love the lady Catherine line, "and if I had ever learnt, I would be a true proficient." Says everything about her delusion, her power, and her character. I often quote it. The other classic is "Are the shades of Pemberly to be thus polluted?" But Fanny Dashwood is definitely the worst.

[@O-Demi]

I would also include whoever Willoughby in S&S married to. It was mentioned that she seemed to have 'helped' him wrote that mean letter to Marianne, and that's freaky mean behavior.

[@JaneHornsby-iz9ob]

Isabella Thorpe should absolutely be number one on the list. A false friend, through and through, she's the only one of the villainesses who actually targets the heroine. The others on the list act out of self-interest, and may mistreat, thwart, and make them miserable; may be snobs, or self-absorbed, but they don't deliberately set out to take advatage of the heroines or trick them, as Isabella does. In the end, she reveals a very low opinion Catherine's intelligence. (Isabella's letter hintining that Carherine should intervene to get Isabella back with James). Fortunately, Catherine is not QUITE as naive Isabella thinks her!

[@kansmill]

Would MrsClay’s actions mean her father could no longer work for the Elliots? She’s committed a fairly offensive act, deserting her friends to become the mistress of their cousin.

[@Eloraurora]

I hope not, because a) he seems reasonably competent and principled, if hampered by class-consciousness, and b) Mrs. Clay's two kids fall off the plot pretty early, but presumably they're still with Grandpa when their mom runs off with Mr. Elliott.

[@kaylahall1219]

Mrs. Ferrars is on par with Lady Catherine in my opinion. She is so mean to Eleanor.

[@tasi4372]

Aunt Norris should've been much higher given how mean and horrible she is for no reason.

[@songsayswhat]

Mary Musgrove (nee Elliott) was far worse than Elizabeth IMO. She feigned illness just to be the center of attention, was more concerned with being in the limelight than she was with her injured son and basically demanded Anne wait on her hand and foot, throwing tantrums whenever it looked like she wasn't in the limelight herself. Elizabeth was mean girlish and arrogant. Mary was far worse because she preyed on Anne's sense of duty and charity.

[@Rebecca_English]

They were both awful sisters, but I think Elizabeth was the worse of the two. Elizabeth was always attacking Anne. There was never a moment's peace with her. Mary was definitely manipulative and attention seeking, but once she got what she wanted, she subsided for a time. Mary didn't intentionally get in Anne's way or try to ruin her prospects like Elizabeth did.

[@silvermoonknits]

I agree. Can’t stand Mary Musgrove.

[@michaelodonnell824]

@@Rebecca_English I agree with you. And Anne preferred being with Mary to being with Elizabeth. Mary was definitely "Hard Work" (after all, in addition to her hypochondria, she had to arbitrate between Mary and the Musgroves) but Anne seemed to enjoy being with Mary far more than she did being with Elizabeth.

[@rachelparradelong]

Totally agree with your rankings.

[@quaesitrix881]

Lady Susan definitely deserves to be number 1, she is just the best ! :D

[@EllieDashwood]

She’s in a league all her own. 😂

[@quaesitrix881]

@@EllieDashwood Speaking of contest... now I keep imagining one of these "versus" and "who would win" series of videos, this time with Lady Susan versus each of the villains... Lady Susan vs Captain Tilney, Round One ! The battle starts with general conversation, under the cover of which both adversaries send a few pointed barbs to test the defenses of the other. Having assessed his foe, Captain Tilney is confident. He is done testing his prey and ready to start the hunt in earnest, opening with a wave of his best seduction lines... however, Lady Susan is unimpressed. She has already heard it all before... each one dozens of times... and all this by the time she was 20 -she stopped counting afterwards. She keeps her composure and parries with ease, her ripostes witty and graceful. Captain Tilney is forced to retreat... for now ! Keeping at a distance, he adjusts his strategy. Calculating that the weak point of his opponent's armour must be vanity, he selects the most fitting compliments from his quiver and takes aim ! Lady Susan catches the first ones, acknowledging them with perfect modesty before letting them falling to the floor. It will take more to hit her ! But Captain Tilney is not discouraged, he continues the assault. He starts to add more pointed and slightly flirty compliments to his volleys, mixed with innocuous ones, hoping to keep his foe off balance ! Lady Susan notices the danger but is undaunted, nonchalantly deflecting the perilous darts with skilled moves of her fan, and catching the inoffensive ones in a dainty gloved hand. Impressive, but her foe quickens his attacks ! It is a superb display of skill on both sides ! How long will they be able to keep up the pace ? It would only take one mistake ! For Captain Tilney, the wrong comment chosen in haste would be disastrous ! Will he stand firm ? For Lady Susan, an inoffensive compliment deflected by mistake would make her guilty of impoliteness, and a dangerous one caught by mistake would make her guilty of flirtation ! Will she hold ? The stakes are high and keep rising ! Who will make the first mistake ? Tune in next week to know !

[@MsJubjubbird]

Most of the women who are mean are women who have come from new money, rather than being born into gentry. Like they need to cement their status that only exists through wealth by being mean. Lady Catherine, Elizabeth Elliot and Fanny would be exceptions but for Elizabeth it is insecurity about her looks while Fanny and Catherine are a combination of things.

[@EllieDashwood]

That’s a good point! I think that is a huge factor for women who are new money.

[@b0tias]

I believe Lady Catherine was 'new money'. There was something about how she married way out of her sphere and proceeded to out-snob the snobs. Classic strategy.

[@MsJubjubbird]

​@@b0tias She wasn't married into the title if you are called Lady Christian Name then it means you inherited the title. If she married into it then she would be Lady de Burgh. She was also Darcy's aunt and his mother, her sister, was also titled in the same way. Plus his uncle, her brother and Col. Fitzwilliam's father is an an earl going back a few generations

[@b0tias]

@@MsJubjubbird You are right. I was confusing her with Mrs. Ferrars.

[@MsJubjubbird]

@@b0tias yeah Mrs Ferrars definitely a social climber.

[@brandyloutherback9288]

Fanny Dashwood is happy to let you starve in the hedgerows! :P!

[@Adwnpinoy310]

Meaning a mean girl or a social climber is one thing, especially as a symptom of youth that perhaps can be overcome or attributable to a not yet fully formed front lobe. However, continued verbal child abuse is inexcusable. Mrs. Norris needs to at least be on the podium of revulsion.

[@lauramontague8543]

I would place mrs Norris higher than Isabella Thorpe . Mrs Norris made Fanny’s life hell and grudges her sister for marrying sir Thomas. Because mrs Norris is the eldest . Fanny dashwood I would place before Lucy Steele .

[@patty8991]

Lucy Steele is my #1. She's a straight up psycho in how she tortured Eleanor, and all just for the love of the game.

[@denisematos2335]

I actually like Mary Crawford. Edmund is so boring, and Fanny, as someone said, insipid, I think she did well not marrying Edmund, she would die bored.

[@denisematos2335]

But totally agree with Fanny Dashwood being first. She's awful.

[@lllowkee6533]

I don’t rem much of any of the books except P&P so Carolina Bingly and Lady Catherine tie as my horrible villainesses …

[@nathanalbright]

No Lady Susan?

[@kaylahall1219]

I also think Mr. Whiloughby's lady Ms.Gray should be on the list, too.

[@michaelodonnell824]

Why? Ms Grey marries Willoughby knowing of no prior attachment. She certainly hadn't heard of his abandoning Eliza. We have only Willoughby's account of their interactions and we all know that Willoughby is an automatically deceitful person. I think Ms Grey is just the latest of Willoughby's victims, but in her, he finds a woman who refuses to put up with his antics. We never get a word from her in the novel, but she is heroic!

[@mausicute8804]

General Tilney!!

[@dawnrobbins7066]

I have to disagree on Mrs Clay, she's a penniless widow with 2 kids, girl's gotta do what she has to do to survive. If she even deserved to be on this list at all, she's definitely not worse than Mrs Norris who deliberately brought Fanny to Mansfield Park to spite her sister (by robbing her of her eldest daughter who would be expected to help around the house by that age) and proceeded to emotionally abuse and gaslight her for near on a decade. That's way worse than sleeping with two rich guys to feed your kids.

[@HRJohn1944]

Not knowing what your criteria are by which you judge degrees of villainy, I can't really assess your list. However, I find it odd that Nos 2 and 3 are penniless young women whose main fault seems to be that they are penniless and in search of a rich husband; that No 5 is a rich young woman who wants a similarly wealthy husband, preferably one who is ambitious; and that No 6 is a rich older woman (the hero's aunt) who wants to prevent a penniless young woman from marrying a very rich man; and that No 8 is a really vicious woman who makes the life of the heroine an absolute misery (when No 5 witnesses this cruelty, she very cleverly takes on not just No 8, but all of the rest of the Mansfield gang, another guest and her own brother in getting them to lay off the heroine). Very odd! But can I suggest another list? Which of JA's heroines - all of whom are, in their different ways, wonderful* - displays the least saintly characteristics? *Though I can't stand at least one of them!

[@elizabethwoolnough4358]

Fanny Price is my least favourite. She's just such a drip.

[@lilacgirl-z8w]

Wish you would focus on the other 5 novels especially since pride and prejudice as been talked about to death.

[@kimp7160]

I would have put Mrs Norris near the top. She went out of her way to torment Fanny and there was never any reason for it.

[@JudithOpdebeeck]

i didnt even realise lady Susan was unfinished...

[@k.h.6991]

That's because it WAS finished.

[@wednesdayschild3627]

Fanny is such a weird name. I like Frances though.

[@mikespangler98]

Fran or Franny is a more common short version around here.

[@michaelodonnell824]

@@mikespangler98 In the early 19th Century Fanny or Fan were far more common, as in Ebenezer Scrooge's sister (and Fred's mother).

[@XeaRae]

Lucy Steele makes my blood boil. She is top of the list for me.

[@moonbeam3362]

Mrs. Eliot is the worst ... ugh ... but I agree that she's maybe not as much of a "villain" as the others. But she's soooo annoying!

[@EllieDashwood]

She annoys with the best of them. lol!

[@michaelodonnell824]

No Lydia Bennett or the rest of the cast of Mansfield Park?!!

[@EllieDashwood]

It’s true. I think I’d have to do a separate video on immature and vain characters to cover all of them. 😂

[@dorothywillis1]

I think immature and vain don't equal villain.

[@Rebecca_English]

I don't really think that Lydia was really a villain. She never had an agenda to ruin anyone. She just young and very stupid. She was careless and irresponsible, but she wasn't intentionally mean.

[@JaneHornsby-iz9ob]

Mrs. Clay - if she goes on this list at all - should be in last place! She's out for herself, but she's a poor widow and needs to have her wits about her! She does nothing to hurt Anne, or any other inocent character, but gives the stuck-up, mean-girl Elizabeth her deserved comeuppance! Yeah Mrs Clay! (Loses points as she appears to have abandoned her children - but only 2 of them, not 13 or so like Moll Flanders)

[@sabrinamitchell1852]

Fanny Dashwood! Boo, hiss.

[@ThanksHermione]

I hate Mrs. Norris. It's too bad nobody in her family told her off like Elizabeth to Lady Catherine. I wanted Fanny to learn to be assertive, better at realizing her worth, and grow in confidence. I don't understand what Edmund saw in Mary Crawford.

[@HRJohn1944]

"I don't understand what Edmund saw in Mary Crawford." Very simple: each was "taken in" by the looks of the other - not something so unusual, either in real life or JA's novels - Mr Bennet (P&P), Mr Palmer (S&S) (and, respectively, the former Miss Gardiner and Miss Jennings presumably felt the same way). What Edmund and Mary would eventually realise was that marriage to each other would have been an A-One disaster (much as I dislike Edmund, he is intelligent enough to realise this - and Mary certainly is similarly intelligent). He would have wanted to spend all his time on pastoral duties and would have wanted her to be his "helpmeet" in some rural backwater (or even at Mansfield Parsonage) and she would have wanted to be with him in London - at the theatre, or opera, or a concert - as often as possible. It could never have been a "marriage of true minds".

[@panchitaobrian1660]

how can anyone be worse than Mrs Norris? Who basically abused the orphan child? Emma with her houghtiness, selfishness and total disregard to the lives of people that she consider be beneath her in social status - is one serious competitor to Mrs Norris though. She also tried to destroyed other people´s lives and in a real life, not in a classical novel, she would have all the chances to succeed

[@robertthomson1587]

Lord Bertram? Sir Elliot? You need to read up on British titles.

[@dorothywillis1]

She did a video on the subject, so I was surprised both at "Lady and Lord Bertram" and "Sir Elliot." Maybe this is an early video.

[@michaelodonnell824]

@@dorothywillis1 It absolutely is. It's from 2017. The excellent videos she did on the British Aristocracy and the Regency Era Class System are from earlier this year.

[@Lucares]

Lady Susan is hilarious to be honest. She is a horrible person but utterly entertaining. 😁

[@missnodrama11]

To me, Mrs. Norris is the worst. but that's just my opinion.

[@isabellemartin9779]

Count me as another who would rank Mrs Norris higher! She is truly awful. I suppose she is ranked low because she appears largely ineffective - probably because she has no real influence over the real master Sir Bertram, she has to satisfy herself with agreeing with him and being mean to Fanny when he doesn't notice. However Jane Austen clearly makes her responsible for Maria's corruption and that is pretty bad too.

[@elizabethwoolnough4358]

Not 'Sir Elliott'. It's Sir + first name.

[@judelbugsrutter6727]

Oh yeah agree. Mrs clay is evil with a smile I think she would be higher than Lucy but totally agree with Mrs fanny dashwood.

[@dorothywillis1]

I disagree. Mrs. Clay is not a nice person, but she's not in the same league with the others.

[@kogotokLenok]

I don't get what Mrs Clay did that was so bad. Yea, she's clearly two-faced, but at the end her actions hurt only Elizabeth (who totally deserved it).

[@airborneranger-ret]

Love the pearl necklace :)

[@deeboneham2738]

I think Lucy Steele is the nastiest!

[@p_nk7279]

I agree with most of this! However on this and the villain one, I wish you would be more descriptive than just he/she is ‘not nice’ ! There is a lot more to describe on each character and just saying they are not nice is way too simple and not as satisfying in such a countdown as it would be to hear more reasons and description on their behavior. Thanks!

[@KevTheImpaler]

Mrs Norris was the most horrible. I am not sure I'd put Lucy Steele in that list. It's a tough world and she's just looking out for number 1.

[@michaelodonnell824]

If she was only looking out for number 1, one might not put her as high/low on the list, BUT 1 She seeks out Elinor and deliberately and repeatedly torments her. If she was only looking out for number 1, there was no need to do that. 2 After Edward is disinherited, she immediately seeks out Robert, and the first thing Edward knows about the relationship is when they Marry. Not even a "Dear John" letter. Lucy Steele is utterly ruthless and wantonly cruel, verging on Sadistic. Mrs Norris, for all her faults, was only trying to "improve" Fanny, as she saw it; not being Deliberately cruel!

[@ecoulter96]

Lady Susan is the worst

[@Rebecca_English]

Agreed! I have such a hard time getting through Lady Susan because I hate her so much. It's the only Austen novel I dislike.

[@michaelodonnell824]

She is certainly Ruthless and Amoral. But I found it delightful to read her concoct and carry out her schemes. She's the only villain of any sex in Jane Austen so bad she's good - and I don't usually love Epistolary novels

[@dori2558]

Lady Susan was the worst. The book is a great read and very different from Austen others. I wouldn’t have Lucy Steele so high on list: I felt she was being self protective for her future security and she had a very silly, stupid sister to take care of; otherwise perfect list villains .

[@rrboost6151]

I disagree with fanny price if I remember right she did not know about Elenore and Edward. Also being away from Edward and with Robert could have changed things.

[@Rebecca_English]

Oh, I think you've got your Austen mixed up! It's easy to do! Fanny Price was the heroine of Mansfield Park. You're thinking of Lucy Steele, in Sense and Sensibility. Lucy had definitely known Edward Ferras was attracted to Elinor Dashwood. That's why she singles Elinor out to become her frienemy. Later she "transfers her affections" to Edward's brother because Edward is disinherited (because of Lucy)!

[@rrboost6151]

@@Rebecca_English the names but Lucy Steele was not there when Elenore and Edward met. She could not have known unless Edward told him and I doubt he did that Elenore and Edward fell for each other. And being away from Edward could have changed the dynamics. It is also possible that she found out about Edward and Elenore and transfered her affections so that Edward and Elenore could be together.there is no way of knowing for sure but it is probable and definitely possible

[@Rebecca_English]

@@rrboost6151 Actually, Lucy explains to Elinor that Edward came to see her after visiting Norland Park, that she suspected Edward had formed an attachment to Elinor because he talked about her so much.

[@rrboost6151]

I forgot that part. Makes sense. Also makes her less of a villain

[@michaelodonnell824]

@@rrboost6151 Actually, Lucy comes to live with Sir John Middleton by accident, but soon after arriving she becomes aware that there was some "intimacy" between Elinor and an "Edward F", who she soon realises is Edward Ferrars. It is only after that that she takes Elinor into her "confidence" by revealing that she and Edward are secretly engaged. She not only binds Elinor to secrecy about this engagement but every time they are alone, she constantly repeats the details of the engagement and even seeks Elinor's advice as to how best to win Mrs Ferrars's approval of the engagement, though she knows that Elinor has never met Mrs Ferrars. "Frenemy", "Mean Girl", "Ruthless Social Climber", "Gold-digger": None of these terms do full justice to the nature of Lucy Steele's amorality.

[@zappawench6048]

I hate, hate, HATE Lucy Steele!

[@chloemaxwell2628]

Totally disagree about your order. Lucy Steele should be at the end, if even considered a villainess at all. She isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer, but her actions were not mean spirited. Better order is worst to least worse - Mrs Norris, Lady Susan, Mrs Dashwood, Isabella, Lady Catherine., Caroline Bingley. Maria from Mansfield Park, Elizabeth Elliot, Mary Crawford are all selfish and self serving, but not really villainesses.

[@sarahanan7015]

*Spoilers* We must read Sense and Sensibility differently--Lucy Steele seems very clever and the novel makes it very clear that she knows how to manipulate certain people and work situations to her advantage, street smart if not book smart. She plays every one of the Ferrars like a lute, Edward included. And not mean-spirited? She twists the knife in Elinor every chance she gets! She purposefully twists it again even after she's won--sending a message by Thomas to make Elinor think she's married Edward. Do agree about the "villainesses" thing, though. Most of these ladies qualify easily as antagonists, but "villainess" has a modern connotation that frankly seems out of place in a Jane Austen novel. So, I suppose, in the language of 1820, "villainess" is accurate, it just feels out of place in a 2020 KZbin video.

[@mikespangler98]

I sort of like Lucy. She starts with nothing, being the second daughter and orphaned, and raised by her uncle, who is a tutor for the well off, but somehow he never bothers to teach her a thing beyond the basics. Even Elinor mentions she is quite clever, but the lack of education does show. So yes she does grab on to Edward and hang on for dear life until a richer and dumber target falls in her lap. I do fault her for not sending a letter to Elinor letting her know that Edward was now available.

[@dorothywillis1]

Lucy had her knife into Eleanor every chance she got!

[@michaelodonnell824]

@@sarahanan7015 I completely agree with you regarding Lucy Steele. I'm not sure if I agree with you regarding the term "Villainess", Mozart certainly sees the "Queen of the Night" as a Villainess and Jane Austen would have been familiar with similar characters in Plays, novels and probably opera. Antagonist seems the more modern word. I've always been fascinated how Jane Austen rarely shows her Villains coming to a "Bad End" as they would in Fairy Tales or even in other 19th Century fiction (see Dickens or the Brontes). Jane Austen's concern with Realism shines through in how, while her heroines inevitably find Mr Right, her antagonists, male or female, aren't necessarily stuck with Mr(s) Wrong.

[@staffanlindstrom576]

@@mikespangler98 I sort of like Nancy Steele. She is a great comic character.

[@jimt6498]

There's no Lord Bertram in Mansfield Park. However, maybe there's a Lord Bertram in the movie. After your Mary Crawford comments, I'm guessing you haven't read Mansfield Park. Come on, do better. You're making cash of these videos.