Mrs. Bennet is one of the main charaters in the novel who Jane austen has portrayed as a woman who cares for nothing more than to have her daughters married off. A refernce from the last chapter book which supports this statement is "Happy for all her maternal feelings was the day on which Mrs. Bennet got rid of her two most deserving daughters." [emphasis on the word "rid"]
We also see that Mrs. Bennet is extremely fickle and changes her mind quickly. In the course of the book we see two examples of this, the first one is in the beginning of the book after the foolish Mr. Collins chooses to marry Jane instead of Elizabeth. "...and the man whom she could not bear speak of the day before was now high in her good graces" Another example is when Mrs Bennet called Mr. Darcy a "disagreeable man" while discussing the Netherfield Ball with their friends, the Lucases and later on in the last few chapters of the book called him "such a charming man! -so handsome! -so tall!" after hearing the news that her daughter, Elizabeth, was to marry him.
Mrs Bennet is a woman who THRIVES on gossip. It is almost all she cares about.Even the guidance of her daughters is not on the top of her priority list, and this bad desicion is shown to us by Austen by the flirtaious daughter that is Lydia. What she doesn't realise is how the 18th century society looks down upon her. She is quite unaware of her class and is downright silly. In her eyes Lydia, the shallow and insensitive daughter of the five is her favourite because of her liveliness and good humor. If you have read the entire novel, you will see that Lydia marries Wickham. Wickham, at first is a charmer who has all the good qualities a man should have: Good looks, humor, liveliness and is INSTANTLY accpeted into the society. However, we later find out that Wickham is insinuating and sly. To add to that he is a womaniser and a gambler. And yet, when Mrs. Bennet finds out that Lydia is marrying him, she is absolutely ecstatic and her main focus is on the dress that Lydia will wear on her wedding.
These are only the most obvious points of Mrs. Bennet. For a more indepth study, I would suggest you read the book and while reading list down all the adjectives that come to your mind while reading about Mrs. Bennet or about any of the charcters in the book. It really helps because not only areyou abreast with the goings onof the book but you also are able to understand Austen's sarcasm throughout the book. If you are strapped for time, sites like Sparknotes and Wikipedia will probably have what you are looking for.
We also see that Mrs. Bennet is extremely fickle and changes her mind quickly. In the course of the book we see two examples of this, the first one is in the beginning of the book after the foolish Mr. Collins chooses to marry Jane instead of Elizabeth. "...and the man whom she could not bear speak of the day before was now high in her good graces" Another example is when Mrs Bennet called Mr. Darcy a "disagreeable man" while discussing the Netherfield Ball with their friends, the Lucases and later on in the last few chapters of the book called him "such a charming man! -so handsome! -so tall!" after hearing the news that her daughter, Elizabeth, was to marry him.
Mrs Bennet is a woman who THRIVES on gossip. It is almost all she cares about.Even the guidance of her daughters is not on the top of her priority list, and this bad desicion is shown to us by Austen by the flirtaious daughter that is Lydia. What she doesn't realise is how the 18th century society looks down upon her. She is quite unaware of her class and is downright silly. In her eyes Lydia, the shallow and insensitive daughter of the five is her favourite because of her liveliness and good humor. If you have read the entire novel, you will see that Lydia marries Wickham. Wickham, at first is a charmer who has all the good qualities a man should have: Good looks, humor, liveliness and is INSTANTLY accpeted into the society. However, we later find out that Wickham is insinuating and sly. To add to that he is a womaniser and a gambler. And yet, when Mrs. Bennet finds out that Lydia is marrying him, she is absolutely ecstatic and her main focus is on the dress that Lydia will wear on her wedding.
These are only the most obvious points of Mrs. Bennet. For a more indepth study, I would suggest you read the book and while reading list down all the adjectives that come to your mind while reading about Mrs. Bennet or about any of the charcters in the book. It really helps because not only areyou abreast with the goings onof the book but you also are able to understand Austen's sarcasm throughout the book. If you are strapped for time, sites like Sparknotes and Wikipedia will probably have what you are looking for.
