In analyzing the character Mrs. Bennet from Jane Austen’s book Pride in Prejudice, she is portrayed as noisy, foolish and lacking in social graces. Mrs. Bennet as described in the novel is ‘a woman of mean understanding, little information, and uncertain temper.’ (Austen 3). One may wonder how she can be justified in any way, considering that she is known to embarrass her family with her personality and how she publicly presents herself. Despite Mrs. Bennet’s crass personality, unrefined mannerisms, and disregard towards her daughter’s personal feelings, she proves to not be absurd, but a mother of her time trying to do the best for her daughters.
As readers begin the book they are struck instantly with the boldness of Mrs. Bennet’s crass personality. The way she carries herself in the first few chapters already leaves readers in a strongly opinionated state of mind. When reading the first chapter of the book you dive into dialogue between Mr. and Mrs. Bennet pertaining to Mr. Bingley—the new possible prospect of a husband for one of their eldest daughters. Her crass personality shines in this section of the book through her attitude towards the marriages of her daughters. With Mr. Bingley new in the area, this is Mrs. Bennet’s chance to see her dream of having one of her daughters marry a rich man come to life.
Although the Bennet’s are not bad off, Mrs. Bennet still feels the need to push not only herself, but her daughters into a higher social class. Mrs. Bennet’s father had a dowry for her which assisted in getting her married off to someone of a higher class; but one may ask did this help her personality or did it harm her? Her unattached attitude towards her daughters’ personal feelings in whom they marry proves not only her crassness but her selfishness. Readers can see that Mrs. Bennet has this craving for attention from the upper-class society that she wants to be in, but because of the excessively desperate way that she carries herself she must use her daughters instead.
Together with her crassness and unrefined mannerisms, Mrs. Bennet is widely known in this novel for her disregard towards her daughter’s personal feelings towards marriage. What has to be understood, is that based on the world they are living in, Mrs. Bennet is trying to do what is best for her daughters. In the beginning of chapter 13, Mrs. Bennet’s husband receives a letter from his cousin Mr. Collins. He begins with announcing who cousin Mr. Collins is, “It is from my cousin, Mr. Collins, who, when I am dead, may turn you all out of this house as soon as he pleases.”(Austen 43). Because Mr. Bennet had no sons, his family were at risk for losing their estate due to the entailment, a law of their period, which restricted inheritance to male heirs.
Mrs. Bennet honestly cannot help but to wish for her daughters to marry off wealthy because if they did not they will have nothing. When the family is introduced to the cousin of their father they are also introduced to his snobbish, annoying personality. Though when Mr. Collins offers a marriage proposal to Elizabeth, Mrs. Bennet is quick to be in support, despite its absurdity. When Elizabeth refuses his proposal, Mrs. Bennet is besides herself with anger.
In response to Elizabeth actions she tells her husband to force Elizabeth to marry Mr. Collins. It all boils down to say that despite his ill mannered and disgusting personality, Elizabeth would not marry him because she did not love him. What this section of the novels shows is that Mrs. Bennet is not interested in her daughters’ feelings towards men, she is only interested in the high social standards and wealth. Even though her thought process is insensitive, she does rightfully stress that without the marriage to a well off man, her daughters’ will have nothing, which in turn is true.
We further encounter Mrs. Bennet’s desperate agenda to marry her daughters’ off to wealthy men when Jane,the eldest daughter, is invited to stay at Netherfield Park, where Mr. Bingley and his company reside. Mrs. Bennet, knowing that it will rain, sends Jane by horse rather than coach, in hopes that Jane will consequently have to spend the night at Mr. Bingley’s house. (Austen 20-21). To Mrs. Bennet’s delight her schemed worked and Jane is asked to stay at Netherfield to be treated and get better. When observing this part of the chapter readers are shown the extent Mrs. Bennet is willing to take to ensure the wealthy certainty of her daughters’ futures.
