Mrs. Bennett

When first reading Jane Austin's 1813 novel, it is easy to judge Mrs. Bennet, but after finishing the novel and watching the 2005 movie, it is easy to see that Mrs. Bennet is an essential character within the story of Pride and Prejudice. While consumed by her obsession to marry her five daughters, she goes to great lengths in order to ensure that she will keep her property and fortune. When beginning the novel, specifically after Mrs. Bennet allows Jane to walk to Bingley's manor in terrible conditions, it was easy to believe that Mrs. Bennet was horrible for putting her beloved daughter in such danger. As it as shown within the 2005 movie, Mrs. Bennet is open with her meaning for making Jane walk while on her journey, where in the novel, I found her to be more hushed with her intentions. Within the film, Elizabeth argues with her mother, telling her that she is ridiculous in showing her want for Mr. Bingley propose to Jane, for she put Jane in great danger. 

When comparing the 2005 film and the 1813 novel, I found Mrs. Bennet's actions to be more crude and loud within the movie, and her intentions were very clear throughout the whole film. While in the novel, I believe that her plan for her actions, such as making Jane walk to Bingley's, were more subdued. I also believe that within the film, Mrs. Bennet's melodramatic statements, physical actions of fainting and falling over, and harsh looks and eye-rolls, made the story have a hint of comedy, for Mrs. Bennet's character is laughable. With her rude comments towards her daughters when they are at the ball, gawking over the soldiers walking into town with Lydia and Catherine, judgmental looks towards Mr. Darcy, and constant sweetness towards Jane, Mrs. Bennet's character was nothing less than I had imagined while reading the book, and everything about her character was heightened within the film. 

After finishing the novel and watching the 2005 film, I then began to realize that Mrs. Bennet is an essential character within the story, and although her techniques used to keep her fortune might be crude and intense, she is not wrong. Mrs. Bennet has good intentions in making sure that her fortune is kept, and she is ensuring future safety for her daughters, she just has harsh means of showing so. Within the story of Pride and Prejudice, I believe that the character of Mrs. Bennet is essential, for the story would be completely different without her. Mrs. Bennet's marriage to Mr. Bennet serves as a warning of what may happen if marriage is solely based upon need and not love, just as she wants her daughters to marry. Also, Mrs. Bennet represents everything that the protagonist, Elizabeth, does not want to be.  I believe that a lot of Elizabeth's actions and wants derive from her mother's attitude and beliefs, showing that Elizabeth's character might not be the same if her mother were not in the story. Without Mrs. Bennet, we would not have a specific warning, or picture of what Elizabeth is trying to avoid, justifying her want for true love and romance. Also, Mrs. Bennet is a reminder to the readers that within this time period and the novel, normally, girls did not have much say or power within their lives, specifically their love lives. For example, with statements such as, "It will be no use to us, if twenty such should come, since you will not visit them," while heckling Mr. Bennet for jokingly stating he will not visit Mr. Bingley, Mrs. Bennet is proving that the male within the family, her husband, must make the first move in order for her daughters to be seen by Mr. Bingley. Mrs. Bennet does not allow her daughters to much say, if any, within there lives, further justifying Elizabeths wants and actions, and making Mrs. Bennet a pivotal character within he story.