Desperate Dames: An Analysis of the Satire of Mrs. Bennet and Lydia Bennet in Pride and Prejudice
Vivian Lundy
English 12 AP
Mrs. Murphy
December 9, 2013
Desperate Dames:
An Analysis of the Satire of Mrs. Bennet and Lydia Bennet in Pride and Prejudice All women of the world know what it feels like to have that longing to be married. This desire is exactly what drove Mrs. Bennet and Lydia Bennet to act the way they do. In Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, the author utilizes the crazy and ridiculous acts of Mrs. Bennet and her daughter Lydia Bennet to satire the desperate acts women will go through for marriage. In the beginning, as soon as she hears news of a new, rich, handsome man move into town, Mrs. Bennet constantly bugs her husband about meeting the new man, since her husband must first introduce himself for her daughters to be able to interact with the gentleman. Constantly worrying about her neighbors’ daughters engaging with the fellow first, she nags Mr. Bennet to do so out of her obsessiveness to have her daughters have a better chance of marrying, already introducing Mrs. Bennet as a fanatic mother and satirizing the focus women have on marriage. Later on, a country ball takes place where the new man, Mr. Charles Bingley, attends and meets Mrs. Bennet’s oldest daughter, Jane Bennet. At the ball, Bingley shows a particular favoring for the eldest daughter and dances two dances with her. Noticing such an interaction, Mrs. Bennet is thrilled and is already ready to enforce their relationship. When Jane is invited to visit Mr. Bingley at his estate, her mother sends Jane on horse, knowing that it will rain; as a result, Jane would be forced to stay at Bingley’s estate longer. Although her plan works, Mrs. Bennet also made her daughter ride her horse in the rain, causing Jane to become very ill with the flu. Not even taking into account that her daughter’s health was affected, Mrs. Bennet believes that her execution of such a “clever” act to have Jane spend more time with Bingley was brilliant and another step toward the marriage of Charles
English 12 AP
Mrs. Murphy
December 9, 2013
Desperate Dames:
An Analysis of the Satire of Mrs. Bennet and Lydia Bennet in Pride and Prejudice All women of the world know what it feels like to have that longing to be married. This desire is exactly what drove Mrs. Bennet and Lydia Bennet to act the way they do. In Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, the author utilizes the crazy and ridiculous acts of Mrs. Bennet and her daughter Lydia Bennet to satire the desperate acts women will go through for marriage. In the beginning, as soon as she hears news of a new, rich, handsome man move into town, Mrs. Bennet constantly bugs her husband about meeting the new man, since her husband must first introduce himself for her daughters to be able to interact with the gentleman. Constantly worrying about her neighbors’ daughters engaging with the fellow first, she nags Mr. Bennet to do so out of her obsessiveness to have her daughters have a better chance of marrying, already introducing Mrs. Bennet as a fanatic mother and satirizing the focus women have on marriage. Later on, a country ball takes place where the new man, Mr. Charles Bingley, attends and meets Mrs. Bennet’s oldest daughter, Jane Bennet. At the ball, Bingley shows a particular favoring for the eldest daughter and dances two dances with her. Noticing such an interaction, Mrs. Bennet is thrilled and is already ready to enforce their relationship. When Jane is invited to visit Mr. Bingley at his estate, her mother sends Jane on horse, knowing that it will rain; as a result, Jane would be forced to stay at Bingley’s estate longer. Although her plan works, Mrs. Bennet also made her daughter ride her horse in the rain, causing Jane to become very ill with the flu. Not even taking into account that her daughter’s health was affected, Mrs. Bennet believes that her execution of such a “clever” act to have Jane spend more time with Bingley was brilliant and another step toward the marriage of Charles