Mr Bennet

General Biographical Overview

Mr Bennet is the father of Elizabeth Bennet, the protagonist of the novel Pride and Prejudice, a work of Jane Austen. He is married to Mrs Bennet, the daughter of a Meryton attorney.^[1] Together the couple has five daughters: Jane Bennet, Elizabeth Bennet, Lydia Bennet, Kitty Bennet, and Mary Bennet. None of the daughters are married at the beginning of the novel, much to Mrs Bennet's disapproval, but not necessarily that of Mr Bennet.

His occupation is given to be that of an attorney, though he spends the majority of his time in his library during the course of the novel. He holds an annual income of £2,000, which is a respectable income for a gentleman, but certainly incomparable to Mr Darcey's annual income of £10,000.^[2] Mr. Bennet is also the owner of Longbourn Estate, but because he has failed to produce a male heir, the estate is entailed to the next closest male relative, Mr. Collins.

Relationship with Wife

Elizabeth explains the disconnect in her father and mother's marriage by explaining that:

Her father captivated by youth and beauty, and that appearance of good humour, which youth and beauty generally vie, had married a woman whose weak understanding and illiberal mind, had very early in their marriage put an end to all real affection for her. 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 for their folly or their vice, He was found of the country and of books; and from these tastes had arisen his principal enjoyments.^[3]

From the previous quotation, the reader can also discern the reasons for the apathy Mr. Bennet repeatedly exhibits towards his daughters' marital statuses. This position is a major point of friction between Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, for Mrs. Bennet is constantly fretting about her five single daughters.

Relationship with Elizabeth

From the beginning of the text, it is very apparent that Elizabeth is her father's favorite 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".^[4] 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".^[5]

Despite the fact that his daughter must marry in order to be able to continue living the life of a lady, Mr. Bennet appears, for the most part, unconcerned. After Elizabeth rejects Mr. Collin's marriage proposal, Mrs. Bennet is beside herself and proclaims that she shall "never see [Elizabeth] again".^[6] Yet her father, without even pausing to ask Elizabeth her reasons for not wanting to marry Mr. Collins, who would have been able to provide for her, 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" ^[7]

Economic Shortcomings

Though Mr. Bennett appears to be an agreeable character, for he does not become involved with much of the Mrs. Bennett's hype, he does have shortcomings which have a real possibility of affecting his wife and daughters' futures. He freely acknowledged that when he married "economy was held to be perfectly useless".^[8] Basically, instead of saving for the future interests of his family, he elected to spend freely. In Mr. Bennett's defense, this choice was supported by his wife, who "had no turn for economy".^[9]

This lack of economic foresight did not bother Mr. Bennett because he assumed his wife would eventually bare him a son, which would stop the entitlement and secure the financial future of the rest of his family.^[10] Unfortunately,the much needed son was never born, thus leaving his family in a dangerously unstable situation.

References:

1. ^ Baker, William. "Critical Companion to Jane Austen: A Literary Reference to Her Life and Work". Facts on File, 2008, p.407.
2. ^ Baker, William. "Critical Companion to Jane Austen: A Literary Reference to Her Life and Work". Facts on File, 2008, p.407.
3. ^ Austen, Jane. "Pride and Prejudice". Broadview Press: Orchard Park, 2002, p.250.
4. ^ Austen, Jane. "Pride and Prejudice". Broadview Press: Orchard Park, 2002, p.44.
5. ^ Austen, Jane. "Pride and Prejudice". Broadview Press: Orchard Park, 2002, p.45.
6. ^ Austen, Jane. "Pride and Prejudice". Broadview Press: Orchard Park, 2002, p.142.
7. ^ Austen, Jane. "Pride and Prejudice". Broadview Press: Orchard Park, 2002, p.142.
8. ^ Austen, Jane. "Pride and Prejudice". Broadview Press: Orchard Park, 2002, p.314.
9. ^ Austen, Jane. "Pride and Prejudice". Broadview Press: Orchard Park, 2002, p.315.
10. ^ Austen, Jane. "Pride and Prejudice". Broadview Press: Orchard Park, 2002, p.315.