Pride and Prejudice, Parenting

However, Elizabeth’s active nature and her refusal to be passive, “You give your opinion very decidedly for a woman of your age” (Austen 159), overshadow the traditional qualities she possesses. Her personality makes her very disagreeable to Lady Catherine and Mr. Bingley's sisters. When Jane falls ill, Elizabeth walks miles through the mud to visit Netherfield. Upon arriving, Elizabeth shocks the Bingley sisters, “I shall never forget her appearance this morning. She looked almost wild.” (Austen 35). Lady Catherine also plays a role in contrasting Elizabeth with more traditional women of the time. The confrontation between the two at Longbourn shows Elizabeth’s willingness to stand up for herself against people of higher social standing, “`I have said no such thing. I am only resolved to act in that manner, which will, in my own opinion, constitute my happiness, without reference to you, or to any person so wholly unconnected with me.''(Austen 332). Austen’s use of a limited social structure highlights the clear message about the expectations of women in Regency England and Elizabeth’s refusal to

In the book the Bennets are considered and unhealthy couple. Reason is because Mr. Bennet shows no respect of love for his wife. There are many faults to this marriage, but that is the main reason. He also shows no love to her or even spend time with her, he spends most of his time in his study alone and does not want to be disturbed. “I would like to have the library to my self, as soon as maybe” (said by Mr. Bennett). I believe he seems to act sarcastically and arrogant to his wife. The way he makes rude comments to her is not really being a true man. Marriage means that you love the person that you have giving everything to, that you need to show them the care and compassion that they need. However, when we, the people from this time period, look upon this marriage, we see it as an unhealthy and a marriage that will go down the toilet basically, but back then to that time period is was a normal and typical marriage because back then, marriage was based on money, not love

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

While moral Jane remains an invalid, captive at the Bingleys, her satirical sister Elizabeth walks two miles along muddy roads to help nurse her…While Jane remains at home, lovesick but uncomplaining, Elizabeth accompanies the Gardiners on a walking tour of Derbyshire. Jane’s docility, gentleness, and benevolence are remarkable, for she suffers silently throughout the entire plot… (Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, 65)

One of the most obvious attitudes that is shown throughout the book is Mrs Bennet's expectations. Her main aim is to get her daughters married to men with fortune. I think her reason for this is because as Mr and Mrs Bennet do not have any sons, their estate will not be entailed onto the daughters, and so Mrs Bennet wants to secure them a good future. She is arranging their marriages to pick someone suitable for them and also she may want them married to rich men for the society aspect. It would make them look higher class and would gain respect, as at that time people with more money were treated better.

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

Bennet exclaims, “Oh! Single, my dear, to be sure! A single man of large fortune; four or five thousand a year. What a fine thing for our girls” (2). Considering Mrs. Bennet’s lines, the reader acknowledges Austen’s first claims on marriage. Mrs. Bennet not only exemplifies the opening statement of the novel, but also justifies the effect it has on mother figures. As Mrs. Bennet’s character develops, the reader recognizes her obsession with the marriage of her daughters. Mrs. Bennet understands the importance of marrying ‘well’ in order to maintain a high standing in the social realm. However, understanding the consequences directly affects Mrs. Bennet’s desperate behavior. This interpretation becomes an inevitable experience for each of Mrs. Bennet’s daughters.

Mrs. Bennet, another integral character in the novel is known for her bubbly, ditzy, and vivacious personality. It is easy to say that Mrs. Bennet only cares about her daughters and ensuring that they are married. She insists that her daughters marry men in a high social class with a lot of money. Because of this, many would agree that Mrs. Bennet is extremely prejudice in various aspects, but primarily when it comes to the marriage of her daughters. For example, when the Bennets first meet Mr. Darcy, Mrs. Bennet thinks that he is nice looking and likes that he has such a large amount of money. However, she ignores him after she realizes he is rude and snobbish. But the moment that Mr. Darcy proposed to Elizabeth, Mrs. Bennet treated him as well as she treated Mr. Bingley, simply because her daughter was potentially marrying him. She didn’t care if Elizabeth was happy or if she didn’t love him. This proves that Mrs. Bingley is prejudice towards others solely for her daughter’s and her own benefit. Many would agree that Mrs. Bennet is so extremely prejudice because her daughters are truly the only thing that she has in life. The Bennets aren’t incredibly rich and she and her husband aren’t truly in

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.

Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice examines and critiques a society built upon gender roles. Austen does this by examining the obstacles women experienced in the Regency Period. Austen expresses how women were controlled, and objectified by men through their need to get married to a man. Additionally, the novel ridicules how women who could not afford to live without men were shadowed by their partner. This commentary is seen through the portrayal of the Bennet sisters. The females of the family are forced to marry because they do not inherit any wealth. The family is forced to comply with the same boundaries Austen was governed by. Therefore, Austen focuses on how the Bennet sisters overcome a society that suppresses them. This allows the reader to comprehend the strength, perseverance, determination, and assertiveness of the women in this time. Overall, Jane Austen addresses gender issues throughout the story. This is seen in the progressive image of Elizabeth, as she combats the inequality women experience. Although it was not common for women to criticize the patriarchy, the overall depiction of females is progressive. Elizabeth represents Austen’s feminist views, and the depiction of women in the novel is seen through her feminist image as she deals with Mr. Collins and Mr. Darcy.

The progress between Elizabeth’s and Darcy’s relationship, in Jane Austen’s novel Pride and Prejudice (1813) illustrates and explores several the key themes in the novel. Their relationship highlights class expectations, pride and prejudice, and marriage, and how they play a major role in determining the course of their association. These are outlined through their first prejudiced dislike of each other when they first meet, the stronger feelings for Elizabeth that develop on Darcy’s side, her rejection in Darcy’s first proposal, then her change of opinion and lastly the mutual love they form for one another. Pride and Prejudice is set up as a satire, commenting on human idiocy, and Jane Austen

"In such cases as this, it is , I believe, the established mode to express a sense of obligation for the sentiments avowed, however unequally they may be returned. It is natural that obligation should be felt , and if I could feel gratitude, I would now thank you. But I cannot- I have never desired your good opinion, and you have certainly bestowed it most unwillingly. I am sorry to have occasioned pain to anyone." (Austen 162) Later Elizabeth sees how she could have been a part of Mr.

“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 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.

In the novel Mrs. Bennet begs her husband to introduce their girls to Charles Bingley, even though Mr. Bennet already met up with Mr. Bingley and already had plans for him to meet his daughters. A girl or mother were not allowed to introduce themselves to a man, when Mrs. Bennet says to her husband “It will be no use to us, if twenty such come, since you will not visit them” (Austen 32) Only being able to meet someone through a father’s approval and introducing of his daughters shows how powerless women were in the fact they could not make their own decisions. At the town ball the Bingley’s and Mr. Darcy arrive late but almost instantly noticed by every family, with a daughter, in the room. Mr. Bennet took this opportunity to introduce all his daughters in front of his wife. After Mr. Darcy,