Edmund’s Sober judgement (Ch. 20)

Edmund’s first object the next morning was to see his father alone, and give him a fair statement of the whole acting scheme, defending his own share in it as far only as he could then, in a soberer moment, feel his motives to deserve, and acknowledging, with perfect ingenuousness, that his concession had been attended with such partial good as to make his judgment in it very doubtful. (20.1)

Edmund’s dilemma as to whether he should join in the theatricals is almost perfectly balanced so that his integrity hinges entirely on his motivation. If the reason he had given to Fanny (16.4-27) were his motivation for taking part (and there was a good case for him taking part despite his principled opposition to the scheme) then he could have proceeded with a clear conscience. But as he says himself ‘If you [Fanny] are against me, I ought to distrust myself’.

Fanny’s opposition to Edmund taking part is equally doubtful, of course, being contaminated by her jealousy of Mary, but in judging that Edmund was being inconsistent, she, Tom, Maria and Edmund himself were quite right, as was Mary:

Say what you would, Fanny, it should be that; for I never knew such exquisite happiness in any other. His sturdy spirit to bend as it did! Oh! it was sweet beyond expression. (36.9)

The ethical question rests on the state of mind, which can require careful deliberation.