Pride And Prejudice By Jane Austen

Just as the characters unknowingly follow Darcy's example of pride, they commit Elizabeth's crucial mistake, prejudging people (especially Darcy) according to horribly inadequate experience. Elizabeth's positive judgement of Wickham and negative one of Darcy prevent her from seeing Wickham's devious and whimsical nature and Darcy's honest efforts to improve despite the apparent lack of incentive. Like Elizabeth, the rest of the Bennets, and indeed the rest of those living in the vicinity of Meryton, believe Darcy to be a wholly disagreeable man. (In fact, he began as such, but even when he began to change, everyone refused to realize it, and maintained their dislike of him because of their previous judgements.) Mrs. Bennet is prejudiced against all other mothers with young daughters, believing them to be just as ambitious and scheming as she herself is. When told that Mrs. Long promised to introduce the Bennet sisters to Bingley, Mrs. Bennet hisses

From this day you must be a stranger to one of your parents. ---Your mother will never see you again if you do not marry Mr. Collins, and I will never see you again if you do’” (97). Mrs. Bennet makes a fuss over trivial things and is partial to exaggeration. These attributes prompt her children and husband to see her as unimportant and harmless. Although her word is ineffective in her household, Mrs. Bennet’s persistence to marry her daughters is ceaseless: “Not yet, however, in spite of her disappointment in her husband, did Mrs. Bennet give up the point. She talked to Elizabeth again and again; coaxed and threatened her by turns” (97). Mrs. Bennet can’t see past her marital ideals for her daughters and can’t understand why they don’t concern themselves as ardently as she does with them. In a fit of anger, Mrs. Bennet claims to disown Elizabeth for refusing Mr. Collin’s proposal by stating, “’But I tell you what, Miss Lizzy, if you take it into your head to go on refusing every offer of marriage in this way, you will never get a husband at all --and I am sure I do not know who is to maintain you when your father is dead’” (98). Elizabeth’s mother thinks that her threats have weight but all the Bennet children know her warnings are hollow. Even when Lydia runs away with Wickham and brings shame to the Bennet family, Mrs. Bennet is only concerned with the fact that Lydia is getting married: “She was now in an irritation as violent from

Mrs. Bennet’s desperation is especially noticeable when Elizabeth, the protagonist, is given the opportunity to marry Mr. Collins, a distant cousin and a wealthy land owner. After learning of Elizabeth’s refusal to marry Collins, she implores Mr. Bennet to force Elizabeth to change her mind. In her final efforts to convince Elizabeth, Mrs. Bennet addresses,

Mrs. Bennet is in the movie very hard for her girls, she says in front of them that she wishes she had had sons. This is never mentioned in the book.

In Jane Austen's book, Pride and Prejudice, Mrs. Bennet is frantic, single minded, and she inconsistently believes what she hears. Elizabeth is prejudiced, reserved, and has a firm belief in her “abilities” of “discernment.” The opposition of Mrs. Bennet and Elizabeth’s personalities brings out Elizabeth's prejudice. The illumination of the motif, Prejudice, is central to the book so that it can contrast with the motif, Pride, through out the book. Mrs. Bennet is a foil character to Elizabeth. Whenever Elizabeth and her mother are together it becomes blatantly obvious how different they are from each other. Simply at the dinner table, Elizabeth is quiet and her mother is usually talking non-stop about marriage. Throughout the book, Mrs. Bennet's

Bennet's character is portrayed when his youngest daughter runs off to elope with Mr. Wickham. The whole scandal could have been avoided if Mr. Bennet refused to let Lydia go to but instead Mr. Bennet thinks of himself and how annoying Lydia will be and that there "Shall be no peace at Longbourn if Lydia does not go to Brighton." (209), so he gives his permission. Elizabeth tried to reason with her father and warn him that Lydia would only bring disgrace to the family name. To this Mr. Bennet shows how little he cares about his youngest daughter when he says "At Brighton she will be of less importance even as a common flirt than she has been here. The officers will find women better worth their notice. Let us hope, that her being there may teach her her own insignificance. At any rate, she cannot grow many degrees worse, without authorizing us to lock her up for the rest of her life." (209). Talking this way about his own children illuminates how emotional inattentive he actually is. After Lydia runs away with Wickham, Mr. Bennet follows what one hopes is a paternal instinct to protect his family. When he returns from London without any news of Lydia, Elizabeth goes to comfort him he only replies " No, Lizzy, let me once in my feel how much I have to blame. I am not afraid of being overpowered by the impression. It will pass away soon enough. (265). This simple response sheds so much light on the true nature of Mr. Bennet and how his is a great risk to the Bennet family because Mr. Bennet knows he should feel miserable that he has not educated his daughters enough for them not to do such foolish things, like running away and eloping, but Mr. Bennet cannot wallow in sorrow for long because his emotional ineptitude prohibits him from worrying about his family for

“But Mrs Bennet’s obsession with marrying off her daughters at all costs stems from real practical parental concern—if they do not marry, they may starve, especially given that Mr Bennet himself has made no provision for his daughters' futures but seems instead to be in a form of denial—he retreats to his library” (Jones). Readers sympathize with Mrs. Bennet’s aggravating personality when they realize her actions stem from a place of worry for her daughetrs’ future. Since Mrs. Bennet is a woman, she can provide no other form of security but marriage for her daughters. Mrs. Bennet’s actions also originate from a deeply personal part of her life- her marriage. Compared to other men during this time period, Mr. Bennet has done little to give his daughters a financially sound future and sees the search for a husband as silly and dismisses it. Mrs. Bennet has no other way to support her daughters, causing her to obsess over the idea and constantly push her daughters to act proper in order to get a husband. “Mrs. Bennet makes herself ridiculous in her attempts to be overly feminine; she fancies herself a victim of others’ cruelty, constantly complaining that no one regards her ‘nerves’. She has little respect for decorum…her marriage, built on physical attraction, is now a loveless union” (Guggenheim). Mrs. Bennet’s desperation to find her daughters’ spouses can be attributed to the unaffectionate

In some novels, women either have a trivial role or contribute to the overall meaning of the work. In some fashion, women have an obvious or underlying hand in the grand scheme of the storyline. Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is centered around the character of Elizabeth Bennet. Elizabeth’s character in itself is the embodiment of independence and non-conformity. In every aspect and trait of Elizabeth’s being, she constantly goes against the grain of what society perceives to be proper and correct. Through the use of Elizabeth’s appearance, adherence to social status, and concept of marriage, Jane Austen paints a character that has enough strong-will to challenge the strict social rules.

They worry about the things they do, and the people they associate themselves with. We eventually understand and come to appreciate them. In Mrs. Bennet's case, financial security and status outweigh her daughters. When Mrs. Bennet first hears about Jane's invitation to Mr. Bingley's home (Netherfield Park) she tells Jane to "go on horseback" (Austen 26). Knowing that the rain will make Jane severely sick, she disregards it and proceeds with her scheme. From this, it shows Mrs. Bennet as a selfish person. She hardly ever considers her daughter's well-being unless it benefits her financially. Some argue that Mr. Bennet's eventual death caused Mrs. Bennet to risk Jane's health. It makes sense because if Mr. Bennet dies, then Mrs. Bennet loses her comfortable lifestyle. On the other hand, most people that read this novel and delve deep into Mrs. Bennet's character understand that her actions remain inexcusable. Her irresponsible actions show that she is desperate to keep her high status. Moreover, her disregard for Jane shows that she is not suited to be a mother. Overall, Mrs. Bennet's actions throughout the novel reveal that she will only cause more trouble in our society than help

In Jane Austen’s novel, Pride and Prejudice, Mrs. Bennet, the mother of the protagonist, Elizabeth, is generally portrayed as a buffoon who is an adversary for he daughter that is trying to force her into a marriage she does not want. One may wonder how she can be justified in any way, considering that she is known to embarrass her family members and behave idiotically. However, in the time period they live in, a marriage is necessary for all of the family to avoid a terrible fate. Mrs. Bennet, while often behaving improperly, does try to do the best for her daughters based on the world she lives in.

Mrs. Bennet’s motivation for all of her daughter’s well-being or more her well-being comes into action when Mrs. Bennet forces Jane to ride horse back to Mr. Bingley’s so she can stay longer with her potential spouse. Jane asks her mother, “ Can I have the carriage?” but Mrs. Bennet responds with, “No, my dear, you had better go on horseback, because it seems likely to rain; and then you must stay all night,” in the quote, Mrs. Bennet is risking Jane’s life for a possible marriage (Austen 19). In Pride and Prejudice, Mrs. Bennet is a prime example of mothers in London because they are promoting and trying to gain their daughters a wealthy man and a respectable status. The gender roles differentiate with men and women because of their different desires and the different goals each gender is striving

parts, sarcastic humor, reserve, and caprice, that the experience of three-and-twenty years had been insufficient to make his wife understand his character. Her mind was less difficult to develop. She was a woman of mean understanding, little information, and uncertain temper. When she was discontented she fancied herself nervous. The business of her life was to get her daughters married; its solace was visiting and news," (Chapter 3, Austen). This quote showed direct characterization, the readers are given a foreshadow of how Mrs. Bennet's personality is oversensitive but as well passionate towards her daughters. Also the quote gives an explanation for the

She is also very smart in trying to marry off all of her daughters as soon as possible. The key reason was that women at this time depended on the men in their life to survive, it may have been their father or their husband but they relied heavily on the males in their lives. Because Mrs. Bennet and her daughters were so heavily reliant on Mr. Bennet, Mrs. Bennet was completely justified in trying to have her daughters married off to the richest and most socially advanced bachelors. She was also very aware of a women's role in society and knew that marriage was what society had in stall for them.

In the exchange, Mrs Bennet’s overzealous attitude towards gossip and the marrying off of her daughters is first revealed. Her attitude however is not reflected in her husband, as Mr Bennet appears nonchalant throughout the entire exchange. Mr and Mrs Bennet are used by Austen to show the reader the result of marrying in accordance to something other than love. During this first conversation, and throughout the rest of the novel, Mr Bennet frequently appears to take pleasure from subtly teasing and mocking his apparently oblivious wife. The enjoyment Mr Bennet gets from this seems to be an attempt by Austen to show the results of marriage outside of love.

Throughout Jane Austen’s novel Pride and Prejudice , there are many references to the unusual character of Elizabeth Bennet ; she is seen to be an atypical female during those times. Wit , bravery , independence , and feminist views all describe a most extraordinary model for women.