Blog 8- LAU

Satirical Art of Characters in Pride and Prejudice

Thesis: How the author used daily conversation to emphasize the irony of the characters: intelligent, humorous but escapist, Mr Bennet; moody Mrs. Bennet and the absurd and shameless Mr. Collins?

1st part: “Her father, captivated by youth and beauty, and that appearance of good humour which youth and beauty generally give, had married a woman whose weak understanding and illiberal mind had very early in their marriage put an end to all real affection for her. [...] But Mr. Bennet was not of a disposition to seek comfort for the disappointment which his own imprudence had brought on, in any of those pleasures which too often console the unfortunate for their folly of their vice. He was fond of the country and of books; and from these tastes had arisen his principal enjoyments.[8] ”

“Mr. Bennet was not of a disposition to seek comfort for the disappointment which his own imprudence had brought on, in any of those pleasures which too often console the unfortunate for their folly or their vice”
To his wife he was very little otherwise indebted, than as her ignorance and folly had contributed to his amusement.

Mr. Bennet is a squire living in the countryside in England. He spends most of the time in his room and loves to read books. He is intelligent however he married with a “good” wife. He always feels helplessness of his wife so that he would call her “Kitty”. However, this is not the nickname to show the love but an irony about his wife’s behaviors. For his daughters, he showed the deep love with his second daughter. When his wife forced Elisabeth married with Mr. Collins. He gave his daughter the freedom of marriage.

2nd part: “Her mind was less difficult to develop. She was a woman of mean understanding, little information, and uncertain temper. When she was discontented, she fancied herself nervous. The business of her life was to get her daughters married; its solace was visiting and news.” She tried to let her daughters get married and tried to find a wealthy people that could solve the future problem of their family. If they did not follow her ideas, she would suddenly turn to the sad mood and crazy to complain her life.

3rd: “MR. COLLINS was not a sensible man, and the deficiency of nature had been but little assisted by education or society; the greatest part of his life having been spent under the guidance of an illiterate and miserly father.” The author created Mr. Collins to make a contradiction. Mr. Bennet did not have a son so Mr. Collins would inherit his property. Mrs. Bennet hurried to push her daughter to be married because they would be in poor if Mr. Bennet passed away. However, the cousin Mr. Collins showed arrogant and unreasonable in Mr. Bennet’s house. In his mind, the decision of getting married with one of Mr. Bennet’s daughters was a great charity. At first, he wanted to get married with Jane. However, when Mrs. Bennet told him Jane would be soon married with Mr. Binley and she suggested that Elisabeth would be a good choice. How ironic that Mr. Collins immediately agreed. When Elisabeth refused, he said that: “that it is usual with young ladies to reject the addresses of the man whom they secretly mean to accept, when he first applies for their favour; and that sometimes the refusal is repeated a second or even a third time. I am therefore by no means discouraged by what you have just said, and shall hope to lead you to the altar ere long." This totally showed his impudence and overconfident.