Mr. Bennet
Posted by Donna on November 20, 1997 at 09:57:43:
In response to The enigmatic Mr. Bennet, written by Mark on November 19, 1997 at 13:19:47
] I was reading the second chapter and was struck once again by the cruelty Mr. Bennet displays at times. Witness the following exchange:
]
The girls stared at their father. Mrs. Bennet said only, ``Nonsense, nonsense!''] ``What can be the meaning of that emphatic exclamation?'' cried he. ``Do you consider the forms of introduction, and the stress that is laid on them, as nonsense? I cannot quite agree with you there. What say you, Mary? for you are a young lady of deep reflection I know, and read great books, and make extracts.''
] Mary wished to say something very sensible, but knew not how.
] ``While Mary is adjusting her ideas,'' he continued, ``let us return to Mr. Bingley.''
] Here we see him putting Mary on the spot, asking her to say something sensible about a subject that makes no sense. Notice that not even Jane or Elizabeth can make sense of it. When Mary is left speachless, he snidely moves on. That is not being witty. That's just being plain cruel.
] This side of Mr. Bennet was brought out much better in P&P1 than P&P2, IMO. P&P2 barely showed it, which is too bad.
] Mark
There are a few missings scenes in P&P2 that show Mr. Bennet and all of his ungentlemen like qualities.
Mr. Bennet created much resentment in his family. He didn't value his family as a father should.
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