How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
Mr. Rushworth was from the first struck with the beauty of Miss Bertram, and, being inclined to marry, soon fancied himself in love (4.10).
Mansfield Park explores the idea of falling in love as a deliberate choice versus falling in love involuntarily. Mr. Rushworth is predisposed, or wants to, fall in love and get married and therefore he falls in love quickly with the first person he meets.
Quote #2
Edmund was sorry to heart Miss Crawford, whom he was much disposed to admire, speak so freely of her uncle. It did not suit his sense of propriety, and he was silenced, till induced, by further smiles and liveliness, to put the matter by for the present (6.32).
Edmund's confusing relationship with Mary begins very early on in the book. Edmund and Mary have a fascinating relationship – they alternately attract and repel one another and neither can completely sort out whether or not they love or dislike the other. What's interesting, and realistic, is that they end up doing both – loving one another in spite of certain "flaws," and often disliking aspects one another in spite of their love.
Quote #3
[Julia] had loved, she did love still, and she had all the suffering which a warm temper and high spirit were likely to endure under the disappointment of a dear, though irrational, hope, with a strong sense of ill-usage (16.21).
Heartbreak is a major theme in this book and Julia is one of the many sufferers. Mansfield Park presents love as very confusing and chaotic, filled with good and bad aspects.
Quote #4
[Maria] was a in a state of mind to be glad that she had secured her fate beyond recall – that she had pledged herself anew to Sotherton – that she was safe from the possibility of giving Crawford the triumph of governing her actions, and destroying her prospects (21.24).
While we don't get a lot of information on Maria's character, her actions are at least revealing about her feelings for Henry. In a sense, Maria marries Mr. Rushworth because she loves Henry too much. Her love for Henry is a little out of control and she's afraid of just how much power he has over her.
Quote #5
It was very vexatious, and she was heartily sorry for it; but so it was, and so far from now meaning to marry the elder, she did not even want to attract him beyond the simplest claims of conscious beauty required [...] (12.2).
Mary represents the idea of love being uncontrollable here. She falls in love with Edmund instead of Tom against her own inclinations and initial desires.
Quote #6
I have no inclination to believe that Fanny [...] could have escaped heart-whole from the courtship [...] of such a man as Crawford [...] had not her affection been engaged elsewhere (24.11).
The fact that Fanny is already in love with Edmund is one of the most crucial aspects of her character and distinguishes her from everyone else in the book who messily fall in and out of love rather than remain constantly with their feelings.
Quote #7
[Henry] was no longer in doubt of the capabilities of her heart. She had feeling, genuine feeling. It would be something to be loved by such a girl, to excite the first ardours of her young, unsophisticated mind! She interested him more than he had foreseen (24.20).
Even the flirt Henry finds himself falling for Fanny. However, the diction here, such as "it would be something" and "interested," imply that Henry's love for Fanny is still a bit like an exciting game to him. Fanny is a challenge to Henry and is something like a prize to win.
Quote #8
Did she love him well enough to forego what had used to be essential points – did she love him well enough to make them no longer essential? (26.11).
Falling in love may not be a choice, but what to do after falling in love often is a matter of choice. Here, Mary has to decide if she's willing to sacrifice certain desires and aspects of her character in order to be with Edmund.
Quote #9
"I cannot give her up, Fanny. She is the only woman in the world whom I could ever think of as a wife" (44.2).
Edmund's bold statement about Mary suggests that he's willing to work through whatever differences they have in order to marry her. As we discover by the novel's end, though, Edmund still really wants Mary to change and isn't ultimately willing to compromise himself.
Quote #10
She had probably alienated love by the helplessness and fretfulness of a fearful temper, or been unreasonable in wanting a larger share than any one among so many could deserve (37.17).
Given her upbringing, it's not surprising that Fanny sees love as conditional and doesn't deem herself as deserving of love. It's notable that this novel starts with an account of Fanny's childhood. Mansfield Park takes a rather psychological approach to the formation of Fanny's adult personality – her childhood experiences impact how she understands love as an adult.
Quote #11
Maria's notions on the subject were more confused and indistinct. She did not want to see or understand. "There could be no harm in her liking an agreeable man – everybody knew her situation – Mr. Crawford must take care of himself" (5.3).
Though the narrator doesn't come right out and say it, this passage implies that Maria is scared by her growing feelings for Henry and is starting to feel out of control. The dash marks, which suggest rapid, or fast, thoughts, reveal Maria's inner turmoil and panic.