Mr. Bennet (Pride and Prejudice)

The Bennet family is a fictional family created by the English novelist Jane Austen, in her 1813 novel, '' Pride and Prejudice''. The family consists of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, and their five daughters: Jane, Mary, Catherine, Lydia, and Elizabeth, the novel's protagonist

Set in the Regency era, the family belongs to the landed gentry of Hertfordshire. The complex relationships between the Bennets influence the evolution of the plot as they navigate the difficulties faced by young women in attempting to secure a good future through marriage.

The Bennets' daughters

Jane and Elizabeth show irreproachable conduct and are appreciated by their father. Their sister Mary is described as less physically attractive and displays intellectual and musical pretensions. The two youngest daughters, Lydia and Kitty (Catherine) are supervised very little by their parents and are portrayed as immature, fickle young girls.

The other members of the family are Mrs Bennet's brother and sister-in law (Mr and Mrs Gardiner), and her sister Mrs. Philips, and the designated heir of Mr. Bennet's estate, his distant paternal second cousin, the pompous and foolish Mr. William Collins.

Mr. Gardiner and Mrs. Philips contribute significantly to the progress and outcome of the story, but at a level and in a different register, reflecting their respective social belonging.

Collins' character serves as a link between the gentry of Hertfordshire, to which the Bennets belong, and the large property owners Lady Catherine de Bourgh and Mr. Darcy who later marries Elizabeth.

Paternal branch

The Bennet couple do not assume their role as educators: the mother repeatedly makes a spectacle of herself. She is overly eager to find husbands for her daughters. This eagerness is displayed in her behaviour, and she fails to understand that this behaviour is likely to dissuade young men from marrying her daughters. The father, who seems to be an indifferent husband, makes no effort to change his wife's behaviour. He is more intent on 'enjoying the show' than in correcting her behaviour, and the behaviour of his younger daughters.

The narrator does not elaborate on the ancestors of Mr Bennet. This is only established for the Collinses, father and son, who are described as Mr. Bennet's 'distant' cousins.

The presumption is that a younger Collins son (possibly an ancestor of Mr. Bennet's) once changed his name to ''Bennet'', possibly in anticipation of receiving an inheritance (as Jane Austen's own brother did; it was a common practice in Georgian England), or vice versa. Readers of the time would have recognized the impossibility of Mr. Collins being the descendant of a female relative of Mr. Bennet's, as inheritances always descended through a strict male line (although this would not account for how the Bennets and Collinses came to be related to each other in the first place). However, as a grandson born to a daughter would be a closer relative, it is possible that the Collinses ''do'', in fact, descend from a female - they are next in line because his daughters aren't married and there are no other male heirs to inherit, so it passes to the "son via daughter of a distant Mr Bennet ancestor", like it would for Mr Bennet's own grandson.

Mr. Bennet

Mr. Bennet, the patriarch of the now-dwindling Bennet family (a family of Hertfordshire landed gentry), is a landed gentleman of a comfortable income. He is married to Mrs Bennet, the daughter of a Meryton attorney, the late Mr Gardener Sr.Baker, William. "Critical Companion to Jane Austen: A Literary Reference to Her Life and Work". Facts on File, 2008, p.407. Together they have five daughters; Jane, Elizabeth ("''Lizzy''"/"''Eliza''"), Mary, Catherine ("''Kitty''"), and Lydia Bennet. None of the daughters is married at the beginning of the novel, much to Mrs Bennet's dismay.

Mr Bennet's family estate, Longbourn House, comprises a residence and land located within the environs of the fictional township of Meryton, in Hertfordshire, just north of London. From his family estate, Mr Bennet derives an annual income of £2,000. This was a very respectable income for a gentleman of the time (but certainly not on the same scale to Mr Darcy's annual income of £10,000). Longbourn House has an entailment upon it, meant to keep the estate intact and in the sole possession of the family, down the male line, rather than being divided also amongst younger sons and any daughters; it is to be passed down amongst first male heirs only. For years, Mr Bennet had the hope and intention of fathering a son who was to inherit the entire estate; which would see to the entail for another generation and potentially provide for his widow and any other children he might have. Additionally, Mr Bennet did not get along with his then-closest living male relative and male heir, his distant cousin, Mr Collins (Sr.), who is described as an "''illiterate miser''" (this possibly results from some disagreement over the entail), and did not want the estate to be given to him. Sadly, after 23 or 24 years of marriage, Mr. Bennet remains the last male scion of the Bennet family, meaning that his death will be the end of the Bennet name.

However, Mr Collins is not assured of inheriting Longbourn, as he could be displaced by a son born either to Mrs Bennet or to a subsequent wife of Mr Bennet were Mrs Bennet to die and he to remarry. He cannot however be displaced in any way, shape, or form by a son born to any of Mr Bennet's daughters, as the estate is entailed 'in the male line' ie. to a son's son, son's son's son, etc. of whoever set the entail in place.

Emily Auerbach criticises Mr Bennet for ignoring the fate of his daughters and suggests that he possesses "too little sense of duty or responsibility". It is also possible that when he speaks of 'ivingfor making sport for ne'sneighbours, and laughing at them in our turn', he is also saying the same of himself and his folly of having married Mrs Bennet in the first place. It is likely that this mistake he made back as a bachelor is why he is the way he is now ( see below).

"So odd a mixture"

Mr. Bennet is described by the narrator in his first appearance in the book as "''so odd a mixture of quick parts, sarcastic humour, reserve, and caprice, that the experience of three and twenty years had been insufficient to make his wife understand his character''", and it is this same ironic, cynical, dry, wry sense of wit and humour that irritates his wife (both because she cannot understand it, and because he does not comply with her every wish and whim).

The authorial Narrator points out Mr Bennet's many acts of negligence regarding his duties as husband and father. If he draws the sympathy of the reader by his skill at irony, he has nevertheless a certain number of faults: indifferent and irresponsible, self-centred, stubborn, indolent, and a dislike of company. According to author Phyllis Ferguson Bottomer, Mr. Bennet may suffer from a form of autism. Mr Bennet admits he married a silly girl, but he has, for his part, completely given up his social role as pater familias and does not care about the needs of his family. His disengagement is symbolized by his withdrawing into his library and hiding behind his cynical mockery.

Although Mr Bennet is an intelligent man, his indolence, lethargy, and indifference results in him opting to spend his free time ridiculing the weaknesses of others (ironically) rather than addressing his own problems. His irresponsibility has placed his family in the potentially devastating position of being homeless and destitute when he dies. He does recognize this fact, but has still done nothing to remedy the situation by for instance saving money from the estate's income to provide a non-entailed capital sum for his widow and daughters. Mr Bennet seems to spend most all of his time (if not all of it) in his personal sanctuary, Longbourn's library/book room/study; a physical retreat from the world (signifying his emotional retreat from his family).

He regards the world with an ironic detachment. When he is involved in a social event, such as the ball at Netherfield, he is a silent and amused witness of the blunders of his family. Even the discovery of Darcy's role in Lydia's marriage only draws from him a selfish exclamation of relief: "So much the better. It will save me a world of trouble and economy". Though he does love his daughters (Elizabeth in particular), he often fails as a parent, preferring instead to withdraw from the never-ending marriage concerns of the women around him rather than offer help ( not knowing how to handle them). In fact, he often enjoys laughing at the sillier members of his family.

Relationship with wife

Mr. Bennet has a closer relationship with Mrs Bennet's "poor nerves" than Mrs Bennet herself. It is worth noting that Mr Bennet refers to her nerves as his 'old friends, stating: "''You mistake me, my dear. I have a high respect for your nerves. They are my old friends. I have heard you mention them with consideration these twenty years at least''".

Later in the story (Volume 2, Chapter 19), it is revealed that Mr Bennet had only married his wife based on an initial attraction to her:

"r. Bennetcaptivated by youth and beauty, and that appearance of good humour, which youth and beauty generally give, had married a woman, whose weak understanding, and illiberal mind, had, very early in the marriage, put an end to any real affection for her. Respect, esteem, and confidence, had vanished forever; and all of his views of domestic happiness were overthrown. But Mr. Bennet was not of a disposition to seek 'comfort' for the disappointment which his own imprudence had brought on, in any of those pleasures which too often console the unfortunate of their folly or vice. He was fond of the country and of books, and from these tastes had arisen his principal enjoyments.

His indolence is a major point of friction between Mr and Mrs Bennet, as Mrs Bennet is constantly fretting about potential suitors for her five single daughters while he pays no attention to their future welfare. It may be also safe to say that, when he speaks of 'ivingfor making sport for ne'sneighbours, and laughing at them in our turn', he is referring to his own culpability (certainly, he speaks from real-life experience).

Mr. Bennet openly favours Jane and Elizabeth due to their much steadier temperaments; he actively distances himself from his wife and younger daughters' activities whenever possible, even at social gatherings like assemblies, which he should be attending in order to supervise them all.

Relationship with Elizabeth

From the beginning of the novel, it is very apparent that Elizabeth is her father's favourite daughter. The two have a close "sarcastic" bond, which is apparent to everyone in the family. Mrs. Bennet, in one of her many quasi-hysterical moments, turns on her husband and exclaims: "I desire you will do no such thing. Lizzy is not a bit better than the others, and I am sure she is not half so handsome as Jane, nor half so good-humoured as Lydia. But you are always giving her the preference". To which he replies; "''They have none of them much to recommend them ... they are all silly and ignorant like other girls, but Lizzy has something more of quickness than her sisters''".

Despite the fact that his daughter must marry in order to be able to continue living the life of a gentlewoman, Mr. Bennet appears, for the most part, unconcerned. After Elizabeth rejects Mr. Collins' marriage proposal, Mrs. Bennet is beside herself and proclaims that she shall "never see lizabethagain". Yet her father trusts Elizabeth's reasoning for not wanting to marry Mr. Collins, who would have been able to provide for her, and sarcastically declares "An unhappy alternative is before you, Elizabeth. 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."

Though his indolent parenting style and manners are suggested to be questionable at several times in the novel, he loves his daughters (Elizabeth in particular), and ultimately, Mr. Bennet blames himself for having been insufficiently disciplining with them, which ultimately had enabled Lydia to run away with Mr. Wickham, and nor does he resent Elizabeth for her having advised him against letting Lydia go to Brighton with Colonel Forster's regiment (as the newly married Mrs. Forster's "''particular friend''" (Mrs. Forster being barely older than Lydia)) in the first place.

Economic shortcomings

Though Mr. Bennet appears to be an agreeable character, for he does not become involved with Mrs. Bennet's plans, he does have shortcomings which have a real possibility of affecting his wife and daughters' futures. Early in his marriage, his view was that "''economy was... perfectly useless''". Instead of saving for the future interests of his family, he allows his entire annual income to be spent; this choice was supported by his wife, a spendthrift who "''had no turn for economy''". While Mr. Bennet has done nothing to put sums of money away for his family in the event of his death, he has nonetheless made the effort to keep them out of debts ("''and her husband's love of independence had alone prevented their exceeding their income''").

This lack of economic foresight did not bother Mr. Bennet. He originally assumed his wife would eventually bear him a son, who would join him to cut off the entail and secure the financial future of the rest of his family; later on, he possibly considered the matter unimportant because he personally would never be affected. Since a son was never born, his wife was at risk of impoverishment should he predecease her, and he had no resources to attract suitors for his daughters by means of sizable dowries (which he considers bribery), nor had he educated his daughters to be useful or attractive wives.

Maternal branch

Mrs. Bennet, born a Gardiner and married for twenty-three years (at the start of the novel), is the daughter of an attorney of Meryton in Hertfordshire. She has a brother and a sister, both married. Though equally vulgar, ignorant, thoughtless, tasteless and gossipy, the marriages of the two sisters have resulted in them revolving in different circles - one married a member of the local gentry, the other is wed to one of her late father's law clerks (doing so was probably what made him the successor to his employer's local town law firm) - while their naturally genteel brother has gone on to acquire an education and a higher social status in general trade (''in a respectable line of trade'') in London.

Mrs. Bennet

Mrs. Bennet ('' née Gardiner'') is the middle-aged wife of her social superior, Mr. Bennet, and the mother of their five daughters; Jane, Elizabeth ("''Lizzy''"/"''Eliza''"), Mary, Catherine ("''Kitty''"), and Lydia Bennet. She is the daughter of Mr. Gardiner Sr. (now deceased), a Meryton lawyer, and sister to Mrs. Phillips and Mr. Edward Gardiner, who is some years younger than both his sisters, and is both better natured and better educated than them ("''Mr. Gardiner was a sensible, gentlemanlike man, greatly superior to his sister, as well by nature as education''").

Like her favourite daughter, Lydia, Mrs. Bennet is shameless, frivolous, and very 'silly' ("'' rs. Bennet'smind 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' ... r. Bennetcaptivated by youth and beauty, and that appearance of good humour, which youth and beauty generally give, had married a woman, whose weak understanding, and illiberal mind, had, very early in the marriage, put an end to any real affection for her''").

She is susceptible to attacks of 'tremors and palpitations' (" erpoor nerves"), which happen whenever she is defensive or displeased. She is also prone to flights of fancy, flights of pique, and flights of melodrama, believing herself to regularly ill-used, talking loudly of it (hinting that she may be tone deaf), as well as having the bad habits of counting her chickens before they hatch (prophesying about her daughter, Jane's great marriage match, only for Mr. Bingley to fail to return from London when he said he would, and never took into account that she had been wrong, instead implying that the deficiency was either with Jane (for failing to 'catch' him) or Bingley (for not being 'caught')); and talking out of both sides of her mouth.

She is very much a child still; emotionally stunted and immature, but in an adult's body; likewise with her most favoured daughter, Lydia, with whom she shares a rapport, indulging all of her 'silly', forward and selfish behaviour, and has for years filled Lydia's head with tales of lace, bonnets, high fashions, men in regimentals ("'' ydiais very young; she has never been taught to think on serious subjects; and for the last half-year, nay, for a twelvemonth, she has been given up to nothing but amusement and vanity. She has been allowed to dispose of her time in the most idle and frivolous manner, and to adopt any opinions that came in her way. Since the ----shire were first quartered in Meryton, nothing but love, flirtation, and officers have been in her head. She has been doing every thing in her power, by thinking and talking on the subject, to give greater – what shall I call it? – susceptibility to her feelings, which are naturally lively enough''"). Following her marriage, her ascension to the ranks of the gentry has given her an inflated sense of entitlement. Mrs. Bennet is also just like her youngest daughter, in that, as a compulsive gossip and blabbermouth, she is completely incapable of keeping secrets and respecting confidences, even at the expense of her family when she made no effort to keep the news of Lydia's disgrace quiet, allowing it to get out around Meryton.

In the first chapter the narrator warns that Mrs. Bennet is "''a woman of mean understanding, little information and uncertain temper''". Seduced by her "''youth and beauty, and that appearance of good-humour which youth and beauty generally give''", Mr. Bennet married her quickly, discovering too late that she was stupid, narrow-minded and shallow. Although her first name is never mentioned, it is likely to be 'Jane', since it was customary to give the name of the mother to the eldest daughter. Her personal fortune inherited from her father amounted to £4,000 (invested at 4 per cent for a sum of £160 per annum which she squanders)), which is a lot of money for someone of her condition ("''and their mother's fortune, though ample for her situation in life, could but ill supply the deficiency of his. Her father had been an attorney in Meryton, and had left her four thousand pounds''").

From Mr Collins' proposal to Elizabeth - " [''"to fortune I am perfectly indifferent, and shall made no demands of that nature on your father, since I am well aware that it could not be complied with; and that one thousand pounds in the 4 per cent. which will not be yours till after your mother's decease, is all that you may ever be entitled to"''], it appears probable that her settlement had increased to £5,000 over the years (to allow for all five of her daughters to have the same fortune), but remains invested at 4 percent.

Marrying above her station, raising her social class, it has given her illusory superiority of her own worth. She repeatedly makes a spectacle of herself, incapable of realizing that her behaviour is more likely to be off-putting to any rich, eligible young man who would take notice of her daughters. Her vulgar public manners, her crude, artless and transparent efforts at social climbing and matchmaking, and her all-around 'silliness' are a source of constant embarrassment to both Jane and Elizabeth. But, if one good thing has come from her lacking of good social graces