MRS. BENNET
Mrs. Bennet's main ambition in life is "to get her daughters married",
her main solace "visiting and news". She is very pleased when Bingley proposes
to Jane and indeed does all she can to ensure privacy for that proposal.
She is overjoyed when Elizabeth and Darcy become engaged, "My dearest child
I can think of nothing else", and she even forgets Lydia's disgrace in
the thought of her marriage. "She will be married at sixteen !... In a
short time I shall have a daughter married.”
She is indeed so obsessed by finding eligible sons-in-law that she even
welcomes Mr. Collins as a possibility and is furious when Elizabeth refuses
him. His attitude towards her daughter on this occasion provokes her husband's
memorable retort.
"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"”.
Mrs. Bennet is what is generally known as "common" woman, whose remarks
often made her daughters blush for her and whose stupidity and irritability
drove her husband into cynicism. Her joy at the engagement of Darcy and
Elizabeth must necessarily be tinged with shame at the memory of the rude
remarks about this gentleman that she had made in his hearing, and indeed
we learn that she was stunned by the news ant sat for a moment "quite still"
even bereft of words. In moments of stress as Lydia's elopement she is
quite incapable of being helpful; in fact she adds to other people’s burdens
by retailing her own imaginary sufferings. Still, in spite of her selfishness,
her loud manners and her commonplace conversation, we are more inclined,
with her husband, to laugh at her than to despise her.
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