Pride and predjudice

             When first reading Pride and Prejudice one is likely to find at least some sense of admiration for the perceptive and witty Mr. Bennet, contrasted as he is with his dim and inept wife. However, under closer scrutiny it becomes abundantly clear that he is lazy, mean spirited, and that he has failed as a father. There are, however, those who disagree with this, and see Mr. Bennet as a man working to make the best of a bad situation. Critic Susan Fraiman falls into this category.
             Fraiman asserts that Mr. Bennet fulfills his duty as a good father simply by being present in his girls lives as a tight-lipped father figure. Her assertion is based on his use of language and information, or rather the lack thereof, to control and rule his family. Unfortunately, it takes more than tight lips and a penchant for books to run a family of seven, as we will see.
             Mr. Bennet does little physically for his family and seems content to sit by the sidelines as his daughters pursue their prospective husbands. Fraiman argues that this is sufficient and that his leadership, though not iron handed or tight fisted, is equally as effective as any other style of parenting. The first example of Mr. Bennet's attempt to control his situation through his "tight-lipped" use of language comes early in the novel when Darcy moves into town. Mrs. Bennet begs him to go and speak with Darcy to make sure that the girls all have a chance of meeting him (4), but Mr. Bennet "refuses", when in fact he has already spoken with Darcy. Here, Fraiman suggests that by controlling the information during his interactions with his family he is acting as a good father. In reality he is simply a lazy man who seems to revel in tormenting the women in his life by withholding information from them.
             While Mr. Bennet is successful in "marrying off" three of his daughters it is not due in any part to actions taken by him. In fact, not onl...

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Pride and predjudice. (1969, December 31). In MegaEssays.com. Retrieved 17:15, March 28, 2024, from https://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/37020.html