Student Essay on The Marriage of the Bennets in "Pride and Prejudice"

The Marriage of the Bennets in "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen

Essay

The marriage of Mr and Mrs Bennet in Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice" is the first marriage in the novel. There were many faults in this marriage. One of the faults is that Mr Bennet does not show respect towards his wife, Mrs Bennet. One instance of this is in chapter twenty after Elizabeth rejects Mr Collin's proposal of marriage. Mrs Bennet was a typical mother of the time and wanted to marry of all her daughters. Elizabeth rejecting Mr Collins made her very upset at Elizabeth. Mr Bennet on the other hand seems not to care and says to 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."

He seems to making a joke out of the situation in which Mrs Bennet is taking very serious.

Mr Bennet does not spend much time with his wife he usually spends his time sitting by himself in his study. "I will be glad to have the library to myself as soon as maybe."

From this I get the impression that Mr Bennet does not want to spend very much time with his wife.

I think he seems sarcastic and quite cocky towards his wife. Think this as in chapter one when Mrs Bennet is trying to persuade Mr Bennet to go and visit the newly arrived Mr Bingley, Mr Bennet replied, "I see no occasion for that. You and the girls may go, or send them by themselves.....for you are as handsome as any of them, Mr Bingley might like you the best."

I find this statement very insulting towards Mrs Bennet. Although this marriage may seem very unsuccessful in the time we are living in, it was a typical marriage at that time and would have been considered successful as it was based upon money and not love or respect.