Throughout
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen we
experience many life events occurring to the Bennet family. While Austen describes each of the Bennet
sisters and many friends and family, looking back my perspectives of the book
focus mainly on two themes. These include how Mr. Darcy and Miss. Elizabeth
Bennet have an evolving relationship from almost hatred to love, and the way
Mr. and Mrs. Bennet seem to focus on different desires for their daughters,
happiness versus wealth. These two themes including Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth as
well as Miss. Bennet’s mother and father cross paths at the end of the novel
and bring two important aspects together.
Early on, Elizabeth gets an off-putting feeling towards Mr. Darcy when she overhears him at the ball. Mr. Bingley inquires why Darcy does not dance with anyone, and suggests Miss. Bennet, “She is tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me” (13). Hearing a rude remark about how she is not seen as pretty enough to dance with makes Elizabeth somewhat hostile towards Darcy. She stays this way until Darcy proves himself to her otherwise. Elizabeth has an epiphany after receiving a letter from Darcy, “How humiliating is this discovery! Yet, how just a humiliation” (202). Through this letter Mr. Darcy’s actions and views were much more justified, and Elizabeth realized how she had let her initial distaste overpower his recent actions. With a renewed opinion of Darcy, the novel took a turning point with their relationship while teaching readers to be cautious when acting upon first impressions.
Further into the novel, Mr. Darcy proposes to Elizabeth, which she accepts and turns to her parents for their blessings. It is clear from Elizabeth’s conversations with Mr. and Mrs. Bennet that they hold different priorities for their daughters. Elizabeth speaks with her father shortly after Mr. Darcy breaks the news himself, when Mr. Bennet asks, “He is rich, to be sure, and you may have more fine clothes and fine carriages than Jane. But will they make you happy” (356)? Part of his initial response was to acknowledge she will become wealthy yet made sure to inquire of his daughter if this marriage will indeed bring her happiness. His caring thoughts on the engagement show how Mr. Bennet is primarily concerned for his daughter’s wellbeing. When talking with her mother, Elizabeth receives a different response, “I can think of nothing else! Ten thousand a year, and very likely more” (358). Mrs. Bennet repeats Darcy’s wealth multiple times to Elizabeth, focusing more on what he will materially provide such as ‘what jewels, what carriages you will have’ than on her happiness. Her response differs from Mr. Bennet’s by focusing on materiality over wellbeing, and the two extremes can show readers how it is important to focus on happiness over riches and marry for the right reasons.
Early on, Elizabeth gets an off-putting feeling towards Mr. Darcy when she overhears him at the ball. Mr. Bingley inquires why Darcy does not dance with anyone, and suggests Miss. Bennet, “She is tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me” (13). Hearing a rude remark about how she is not seen as pretty enough to dance with makes Elizabeth somewhat hostile towards Darcy. She stays this way until Darcy proves himself to her otherwise. Elizabeth has an epiphany after receiving a letter from Darcy, “How humiliating is this discovery! Yet, how just a humiliation” (202). Through this letter Mr. Darcy’s actions and views were much more justified, and Elizabeth realized how she had let her initial distaste overpower his recent actions. With a renewed opinion of Darcy, the novel took a turning point with their relationship while teaching readers to be cautious when acting upon first impressions.
Further into the novel, Mr. Darcy proposes to Elizabeth, which she accepts and turns to her parents for their blessings. It is clear from Elizabeth’s conversations with Mr. and Mrs. Bennet that they hold different priorities for their daughters. Elizabeth speaks with her father shortly after Mr. Darcy breaks the news himself, when Mr. Bennet asks, “He is rich, to be sure, and you may have more fine clothes and fine carriages than Jane. But will they make you happy” (356)? Part of his initial response was to acknowledge she will become wealthy yet made sure to inquire of his daughter if this marriage will indeed bring her happiness. His caring thoughts on the engagement show how Mr. Bennet is primarily concerned for his daughter’s wellbeing. When talking with her mother, Elizabeth receives a different response, “I can think of nothing else! Ten thousand a year, and very likely more” (358). Mrs. Bennet repeats Darcy’s wealth multiple times to Elizabeth, focusing more on what he will materially provide such as ‘what jewels, what carriages you will have’ than on her happiness. Her response differs from Mr. Bennet’s by focusing on materiality over wellbeing, and the two extremes can show readers how it is important to focus on happiness over riches and marry for the right reasons.
I like the themes you’ve identified from Pride and Prejudice, and I think they are significant to watch develop throughout the novel. However, I do question Mr. Bennett’s genuine wish for happiness, if not for Elizabeth then for her other sisters. While Mr. Bennett is undoubtedly less materialistic than Mrs. Bennett, I don’t know that he cares much for the happiness of his youngest three daughters more than he cares for his own peace. Throughout the novel, it seems that all he wishes for is quiet and lack of disturbance from his family. He does show legitimate interest in Lizzie’s happiness and wellbeing, but it seems like he simply wishes for his other girls to leave him alone as opposed to achieve a happy marriage. The one exception to this may be Jane. He does wish for her happiness in her marriage to Bingley. However, I believe that his concern for Lydia upon her intended elopement was for her reputation as opposed to her happiness. If he were truly concerned for her happiness, I do not think he would’ve pushed for a marriage and would rather forcibly remove her from Wickham. Of course, he is still a parent and wants her to be safe, but her happiness does not seem to be of upmost concern.
ReplyDeleteI like the juxtaposition you have shown between Mr. and Mrs. Bennet’s reactions to Elizabeth’s news regarding her engagement. I agree, both parents are motivated by different things in regard to their daughters – in Mr. Bennet’s case, particularly for Elizabeth, since he regularly refers to her as his favorite, citing her having “something more of quickness than her sisters” (7). I think their reactions to Elizabeth’s engagement speak to their overall character and countenance.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I think is also important to mention is the immediate change the reader notices in Mrs. Bennet upon hearing about the engagement, and how her change contrasts with that of her husband. After Darcy dismisses Elizabeth during the first ball, Mrs. Bennet does not hesitate to condemn him, saying, “I would not dance with him, if I were you” (21). After the engagement, however, she can think only of his money and what the marriage means to the family, as you mention. Mrs. Bennet is shallow in this way, easy to forget her initial displeasure with Darcy now that his riches have become her daughter’s. Mr. Bennet’s skepticism, though, likens him to Elizabeth. He is hesitant to believe a real change has occurred in Darcy, just as Elizabeth is hesitant to let go of her first impression of the same man. This further characterizes the Bennets; Mrs. Bennet is singularly-focused, while Mr. Bennet is more cynical and strong-willed (just like Lizzie).
Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. Penguin Classics, 1996. Print.