While (re-)reading Chapter 20 (featuring Mr. Bennet's "stranger to one of your parents" ultimatum), a thought occurred to me. When it comes to marriage, Mrs. Bennet is always focusing on the material prospects of the match. Her husband, on the other hand, seems to be the one who more addresses the emotional aspects of marriage; ie. can these two people be happy together?

At first, I found this rather ironic--of the two, Mrs. Bennet is the more emotional one. But then it hit me--each parent wants for their daughters what they feel is most lacking in their own marriage. Mrs. Bennet lives under the shadow of having her home entailed away from her when her husband dies, and wants her children to have more security. Mr. Bennet is entirely unable to admire or esteem his wife, and wants his daughters to be spared that same grief. Once again, both represent oposing extremities, and the ideal is to be found somewhere in the middle.