Is Mr. Bennet a successful father thus far in the novel? Why or why not? Discuss his parenting style and its effectiveness using examples from the novel.
Mr. Bennet has a mix of success and failure as being a father in the novel. He is successful as that he presents his wisdom onto his daughters. His failure from this is that it is not exactly equally divided amongst them. He instead treats Elizabeth Bennet with higher regards than the other’s, which gives consequence to being a father. He does though have good intentions of being present for his children and wishes the best for each of them. Mr. Bennet’s parenting style is more of a relaxed style: he wishes to have sanctuary in his study, steps in only when requested or needed, and does not seem to dole out punishment like that of Mrs. Bennet. His children respect his wishes which does suggest to mean that he is doing something correct in his being a father. One specific example of his being respected is when he politely asks Mary Bennet to stop playing the harpsichord to which she does but very sad-like. An example to him being reserved can be seen on any of the occasions when they are having dinner and sits quietly as the mother does all of the talking.
While I agree that Mr. Bennet’s reputation as a parent is polarizing at best, I disagree with your more negative thoughts on him. While admittedly he does seem to favor Elizabeth and Emma over his younger children, this is pretty understandable considering the age of the girls. While Elizabeth and Emma have gone through puberty already, the other girls are just getting accustomed to the aspects of adult life, including the opposite sex. Emma and Elizabeth both are capable of intelligent discussion, while their younger siblings either suddenly become extremely pretentious as a defense mechanism or abandon the conversation entirely unless it pertains to boys. Ultimately, Mr. Bennet seems to be much more in favor of the girls’ well being over financial matters as is the case with Mrs. Bennet. He exists as the perfect contrast to his more neurotic wife, making for an almost perfect family unit.
In some ways Mr. Bennet has been a successful father thus far in the novel, however, he takes a very bystander approach to parenting. In general, he lets Mrs. Bennet primarily take care of the children, as well as groom them for marriage. Mr. Bennet does not do much in the way of interacting directly with his children, unless need be. He spends most of his time alone in his study, and only is engaged in his childrens life during major events. For example, when Elizabeth declined Mr. Collin’s marriage proposal, he was there to help Elizabeth make her decision clear to her mother. Along with that, he writes to Elizabeth while she is away at Mr. & Mrs. Collin’s saying that he misses Elizabeth. These are all very fatherly actions, that a good father may do. Mr. Bennet takes an interest primarily in Elizabeth, and seems nicer and more fatherly to her, although we don’t get a great look at the personal interactions between him and his other children very much.
Mr. Bennet is a great father for his daughters. His laid-back personality is what sets him apart from all the drama and gossiping his wife indulges in. While Mrs. Bennet spends her time desperately trying to get her daughters married, Mr. Bennet spends his time engaged in books and expanding his intellect. What’s important is that his presence is there when it needs to be such as the time Mrs. Bennet was aggravating Elizabeth to accept Mr. Collin’s proposal. When Elizabeth’s annoying mom stated she would never want to see her again if she did not take this opportunity, Mr. Bennet supports her decision and replies, "An unhappy alternative is before you, Elizabeth. From this day you must be a stranger to one of your parents. Your mother will never see you again if you do not marry Mr. Collins, and I will never see you again if you do." The only negative aspect of Mr. Bennet’s parenting is his slight favoring of Elizabeth and how he interacts with her the most out of his four other daughters. Other than that though, you can’t expect much more from a man who married an annoying wife and has to spend the majority of his adulthood taking care of not only his wife, but a household surrounded with five other women.
I would agree with you that he does have some good point not necessarily that he is being a good father to all of his children. I would agree that to Elizabeth he is being a better father. Like Lillie pointed out after this post, that his inattentiveness towards the Lydia and Kitty duo presents some problems. They are capable of roaming outdoors free and wild to do as they wish. A better father would put more order on them and possibly indulge into teaching them certain etiquette or practice that would make them more desirable for marriage. Even broadening into education would make them more agreeable towards men. This same inattentiveness has an opposite effect on Mary, as to which she indulges herself into analytic state and works at the musical aspect instead of becoming more social and likable towards males. Therefore Mr. Bennet isn't the best father and his technique isn't the best.
Nick- I see where you and Lillie are coming from on the whole inattentiveness part that Mr. Bennet displays but his daughters are all old enough and have the competency to make decisions. At ages 15, 20, 22, etc. I don't think it's necessary for your father to be looking over your shoulder at all times, knowing what you are doing 24/7. I believe giving his daughters just enough space to grow up but also being there for them in critical situations fulfills the role, making him a great father. The only fault Mr. Bennet could improve on is more conversing with his daughters like he does with Elizabeth, but after-all, nobody is perfect and he's doing just fine considering his position, taking care of six women.
Evan, I believe that your evaluation of Mr. Bennet as a father is mostly correct. His laid back demeanor allows his daughters to have the freedom they need to become who they want to be, which was not always customary in the time period. However, I believe he his a little too inattentive towards them, especially Kitty and Lydia, allowing them to be perceived as wild and lacking manners by some. I also agree with your statement that Mr. Bennet is a successful father because he is there when his daughters need him. For example, he realized the importance of Mr. Bingley being in town, so he went to meet with him even though he may not have outwardly expressed his desire for his daughters to meet him.
I like Mr. Bennet a lot, but I don’t think that he has been the most successful farther so far. I think that he is too idle when it comes to bringing Kitty, Lydia, and Mrs. Bennet down a notch. Those three are the silliest and most obnoxious and as said by Mr. Darcy in his letter to Elizabeth, they bring shame on their family. People don’t respect Jane, Elizabeth, and her father as much because of Kitty and Lydia’s incessant flirting and Mrs. Bennet’s pushiness. Along with their lack of money, that shame brought on by those three is one of the main reasons Jane was denied Mr. Bingley and I think that Mr. Bennet is too shut up in his library to fully realize that. That being said, I also think that Kitty, Lydia, and Mrs. Bennet are the ones that suffer the most, in a way, from the family’s lack of money and superior spot in society so in that way I think that Mr. Bennet doesn’t really know how to interfere because they want most what he can not give them.
I agree with your statements on his inconsistent successes. While he clearly did well in raising Jane and Elizabeth, he dropped the ball when it came to Kitty and Lydia, allowing Mrs. Bennet's crazed and out of control perspective on marriage to be bestowed upon them. He also has made a challenging situation out of his obvious favoritism regarding Elizabeth. His actions with her could set a precedent that may not be met when it comes time for the younger ones to seriously pursue marriage. It is definitely reckless to his family's name by allowing for Kitty and Lydia to run wild as Mrs. Bennet simply encourages them. I think it will be most interesting to see how Mary turns out ans she is often forgotten. One would also think that she would be the favorite of Mr. Bennet because the two are very similar in their love for books.
Throughout the book so far, I enjoy whenever Mr. Bennett is involved in a scene. I like his satirical musings at his wife and their conversations together. Although I like his character, I do not believe he has been the best father figure. He is too hands off, and allows his mother too much control in his daughters lives. Kitty and Lydia could very well not be old enough to be out in society, but their mother's anxiety of getting them married has forced them to be. He does not have a very good presence, shutting himself up in his library to escape the incessant worries of his wife. He is incredibly partial to Elizabeth, prompting his defense of her when Mrs. Bennett threatens to not talk to her when she declines Mr. Collins. I like this demonstration of his character because he defends what his child truly wants, but the only reason he did this was because he was approached rather than him seeking it out himself. Overall, he is a nice father that loves his children, but is not involved enough in their lives to be a commanding and decisive force in their household.
Mr. Bennet is generally detached from the worlds of his daughters and keeps himself isolated and occupied in the library. Although he cares for them, the overwhelmingness and constant drama emanating from Mrs. Bennet and his two youngest daughters repels him from being present in their affairs. He favors Elizabeth and has a deep care for her. He supports her in her refusal to marry Mr. Collins because she doesn’t love him. When confronted by Elizabeth to deal with Lydia and prevent her from going to Meryton and flirting with every soldier in sight, he disregards its importance by saying that she won’t be satisfied until she does. While he has both good aspects and flaws in parenting, his love makes him a successful father, though not always a perfect one.
I really like what you said about him being a successful father, but not a perfect one; I feel like that explains Mr. Bennet perfectly! He doesn't always act like he probably should, but it is hard for his voice to be heard, especially by Lydia, Kitty, and Mrs. Bennet who aren't usually willing to listen. His absence in his daughter's lives may be considered good because then they could develop on their own without influence. However, leaving them alone to observe and learn from Mrs. Bennet's behavior is far from being considered good, it almost encourages their bad behavior! I wish he would spend more time with Mrs. Bennet, so that the daughters could stay away from her obnoxious behavior.
Throughout the first two volumes of the novel, Mr. Bennet is, for the most part, a successful father. He understands that his daughter must eventually be married in order for them to not become spinsters. The main reason Mr. Bennet can be considered a successful father is because he keeps the happiness of his five daughters in mind, unlike his wife who only cares about them getting married. The only main fault in Mr. Bennet's success as a father is his sometimes lackadaisical attitude towards controlling his younger daughters Lydia and Kitty. Their characters often rub off on Elizabeth, and the whole group is characterized by some at "wild," as described by Mr. Darcy. He allows his daughter to be a little too "country" for many of the distinguished bachelors living in the town or in estates. Other than this, Mr. Bennet is usually patient and loving towards his daughter, which naturally categorizes him as a successful father.
Personally I really like Mr. Bennet up to this point, but his effectiveness as a father might not be completely up to par. Although his witty, funny personality might be appealing to me as a reader, I think that it takes away from his authority as the only man in the household because it gives Mrs. Bennet and some of the daughters to push him around or do whatever they want. I think that he should try a bit harder to find suitors for his daughters because of the lack of money his family has and because they do need an heir to the estate besides Mr. Collins, whom I don't like at all. That being said I don't think he should take it to the level that Mrs. Bennet does and I do gain respect for him as a father when he stands up for Elizabeth when she declines to marry Mr. Collins. Overall, I think that while he is a very entertaining character, his parenting style might not be aggressive enough to be able to stop Mrs. Bennet from her shenanigans, but then again I don't know what I would do if I was married to someone like Mrs. Bennet and had five daughters.
The job of any parent is simple: to provide, to support, and to love unconditionally. In Mr. Bennet’s case, he provides sufficiently for his children through his money. They eat meals everyday, attend balls often, and are dressed in good attire; however, he is far from spoiling them. For support, Mr. Bennet isn’t around very often to interact with his daughters. Although, whenever something extreme happens, he is always one of the first people there. He doesn’t force his opinion onto his daughter’s about the situation, but rather supports them in whatever decision they make. This is displayed specifically on page 107 of the novel when Mrs. Bennet tells him to force Elizabeth to marry Mr. Collins, but when she enters the room, he simply agrees with and supports her decision and sends them both away. Besides his occasional support, he does seem to love his daughters unconditionally. Throughout the first two volumes, it is seen through his constant admiration of Elizabeth and her decision-making skills. However, it can be seen near the end of Volume II when Elizabeth tries to convince him to change the way he parents Lydia and Kitty, but he refuses to act harshly towards them because he loves them too dearly. Overall, I would say that his laid-back parenting style seems to be working for him because the daughters prefer him over Mrs. Bennet quite a bit; but then again, any parent would look good standing next to Mrs. Bennet.
Emma, I agree 100% with what you are saying about Mr. Bennet's parenting style. Due to Mrs. Bennet's over controlling ways I think his parenting style is the perfect counterpart to that. From your examples, you can see that he still cares greatly for his daughters, however, he doesn't feel like he needs to be hovering over them at all times. His style of parenting is successful partly because of Mrs. Bennet, which you mention in your post, and I completely agree. Although, if in any other situation he may not be viewed as successful, in this one I think that he is, and agree wholeheartedly with your view point.
Overall, I’d say Mr. Bennet is by far the most level headed of the characters in the novel thus far, with Elizabeth being perhaps the only exception. He often seems to serve a as foil to his more comedic if hectic wife, but ultimately this seems indicative of him having a greater character. While it’s true he doesn’t seem to be too invested in his daughter’s romantic affairs, he still seems to show a secure love for his wife and family. Though he may not seem to be interested, that however, does not stop him from being active. Technically, he is the one to invite Mr. Bingley, after his wife first brings the matter up, then seems to let it go. I do realize that this might not be the description of a good father back then, but I believe he is a good father at least by today’s standards.
I agree with you that Mr. Bennet would be a good father in modern times, but like you said, in the time period where Pride and Prejudice is set I don't think he is a a very successful father. He lets his wife do pretty much whatever she wants and his family loses respect in the community because of Mrs. Bennet and her younger daughters antics. Because of the Bennet's financial status and lack of heir to the estate other than Mr. Collins, I think that Mr. Bennet should be chomping at the bit to marry off his daughters, but obviously in a more uniform way than Mrs. Bennet. The times were different back then and I think Mr. Bennet's lackadaisical way of "leading" his family is hurting the family more than helping.
I agree with your statement that Mr. Bennett is the most level headed character (and admittedly, one of the my favorites) but yet I feel his detachment from his family's antics has hurt their reputation, opportunities, and dynamic to an extreme. His unsatisfied marriage with his wife is a horrible example for his daughters in their plight to find husbands. It should also be noted that he basically lets Lydia run amok to Brighton to chase after officers which could lead to unfortunate results in the future as well as supplying encouragement to her ditzy behavior. I agree with Casey in the case where Mr. Bennet would be a good father set to modern standards but for the time period, his detachment directly affects his daughters' futures, especially Lydia and Kitty as their rudeness is never disciplined and they slowly morph into absent-minded caricatures of their mother.
Though some may criticize Mr. Bennet's lenient and detached parenting style, he successfully fulfills the cardinal role of a parent in loving and wishing the best for his children. He provides boundless amenities towards the girls and defiantly believes in allowing his own children to take reign of their own interests and education, letting them do as they please and learn through experience. He provides dry wit and sarcasm in the presence of his wife's neurotic tendencies making him sympathetic and likable but as the novel progresses, his detachment becomes more evident as his foolish indulgence of Lydia's behavior can be highly criticized for inflating her absent-mindedness. Despite this instance, he encourages Elizabeth to pursue her own heart rather than concede to the dull future of Mr. Collins' proposal. Though detached, he is the parental figure needed for Jane and Elizabeth in contrast to Mrs. Bennett's dim-wittedness and provides much needed consolation and advice to follow their own heart. While not a perfect parent, he is a valuable one.
Mr. Bennet’s success is solely dependent on whom one sympathizes with. Through Mrs. Bennet’s eyes Mr. Bennet has been of little help in getting his daughters married. Though he has met with various gentlemen, like the meeting he had with Mr. Bingley, he has not pushed them into marriage when they had cold feet. This can be seen when Elizabeth rejects Mr. Collins’ hand in marriage and Mrs. Bennet then turns to her husband for assistance in changing her mind. His response to her threats of never again speaking to Elizabeth should she not marry her cousin is simple. If Elizabeth does give in and choose to marry Mr. Collins, he will never again speak to his daughter. Though this contradicts Mrs. Bennet’s opinion, it couldn’t be more supportive of Elizabeth. This simple act establishes the closeness of Elizabeth and her father, as well as the fact that above all, he wants Elizabeth to make the right choice for her.
Mr. Bennet’s success is solely dependent on whom one sympathizes with. Through Mrs. Bennet’s eyes Mr. Bennet has been of little help in getting his daughters married. Though he has met with various gentlemen, like the meeting he had with Mr. Bingley, he has not pushed them into marriage when they had cold feet. This can be seen when Elizabeth rejects Mr. Collins’ hand in marriage and Mrs. Bennet then turns to her husband for assistance in changing her mind. His response to her threats of never again speaking to Elizabeth should she not marry her cousin is simple. If Elizabeth does give in and choose to marry Mr. Collins, he will never again speak to his daughter. Though this contradicts Mrs. Bennet’s opinion, it couldn’t be more supportive of Elizabeth. This simple act establishes the closeness of Elizabeth and her father, as well as the fact that above all, he wants Elizabeth to make the right choice for her.
Mr.Bennett has not been all that successful as of yet, but I feel as if it is unfair to call him a failure yet. He seems to have one job in this time period, to wed his daughters and butter up possible suitors for them, and if you look at it only from this point of view, I believe that it is fair to say that he has a bit of a shortcoming in this area. On another note, he has definitely helped his daughters to overcome obstacles and teaches them some things that their overbearing mother cannot. I find it interesting that he favors the eldest of his two daughters, although i cannot blame him. One of the reasons he does this is because is was seen as socially unacceptable to have more than 2 girls "out" at a time, or because his other children are just really really annoying.
Mr. Bennet has a mix of success and failure as being a father in the novel. He is successful as that he presents his wisdom onto his daughters. His failure from this is that it is not exactly equally divided amongst them. He instead treats Elizabeth Bennet with higher regards than the other’s, which gives consequence to being a father. He does though have good intentions of being present for his children and wishes the best for each of them. Mr. Bennet’s parenting style is more of a relaxed style: he wishes to have sanctuary in his study, steps in only when requested or needed, and does not seem to dole out punishment like that of Mrs. Bennet. His children respect his wishes which does suggest to mean that he is doing something correct in his being a father. One specific example of his being respected is when he politely asks Mary Bennet to stop playing the harpsichord to which she does but very sad-like. An example to him being reserved can be seen on any of the occasions when they are having dinner and sits quietly as the mother does all of the talking.
ReplyDeleteWhile I agree that Mr. Bennet’s reputation as a parent is polarizing at best, I disagree with your more negative thoughts on him. While admittedly he does seem to favor Elizabeth and Emma over his younger children, this is pretty understandable considering the age of the girls. While Elizabeth and Emma have gone through puberty already, the other girls are just getting accustomed to the aspects of adult life, including the opposite sex. Emma and Elizabeth both are capable of intelligent discussion, while their younger siblings either suddenly become extremely pretentious as a defense mechanism or abandon the conversation entirely unless it pertains to boys. Ultimately, Mr. Bennet seems to be much more in favor of the girls’ well being over financial matters as is the case with Mrs. Bennet. He exists as the perfect contrast to his more neurotic wife, making for an almost perfect family unit.
DeleteIn some ways Mr. Bennet has been a successful father thus far in the novel, however, he takes a very bystander approach to parenting. In general, he lets Mrs. Bennet primarily take care of the children, as well as groom them for marriage. Mr. Bennet does not do much in the way of interacting directly with his children, unless need be. He spends most of his time alone in his study, and only is engaged in his childrens life during major events. For example, when Elizabeth declined Mr. Collin’s marriage proposal, he was there to help Elizabeth make her decision clear to her mother. Along with that, he writes to Elizabeth while she is away at Mr. & Mrs. Collin’s saying that he misses Elizabeth. These are all very fatherly actions, that a good father may do. Mr. Bennet takes an interest primarily in Elizabeth, and seems nicer and more fatherly to her, although we don’t get a great look at the personal interactions between him and his other children very much.
ReplyDeleteMr. Bennet is a great father for his daughters. His laid-back personality is what sets him apart from all the drama and gossiping his wife indulges in. While Mrs. Bennet spends her time desperately trying to get her daughters married, Mr. Bennet spends his time engaged in books and expanding his intellect. What’s important is that his presence is there when it needs to be such as the time Mrs. Bennet was aggravating Elizabeth to accept Mr. Collin’s proposal. When Elizabeth’s annoying mom stated she would never want to see her again if she did not take this opportunity, Mr. Bennet supports her decision and replies, "An unhappy alternative is before you, Elizabeth. From this day you must be a stranger to one of your parents. Your mother will never see you again if you do not marry Mr. Collins, and I will never see you again if you do." The only negative aspect of Mr. Bennet’s parenting is his slight favoring of Elizabeth and how he interacts with her the most out of his four other daughters. Other than that though, you can’t expect much more from a man who married an annoying wife and has to spend the majority of his adulthood taking care of not only his wife, but a household surrounded with five other women.
ReplyDeleteI would agree with you that he does have some good point not necessarily that he is being a good father to all of his children. I would agree that to Elizabeth he is being a better father. Like Lillie pointed out after this post, that his inattentiveness towards the Lydia and Kitty duo presents some problems. They are capable of roaming outdoors free and wild to do as they wish. A better father would put more order on them and possibly indulge into teaching them certain etiquette or practice that would make them more desirable for marriage. Even broadening into education would make them more agreeable towards men. This same inattentiveness has an opposite effect on Mary, as to which she indulges herself into analytic state and works at the musical aspect instead of becoming more social and likable towards males. Therefore Mr. Bennet isn't the best father and his technique isn't the best.
DeleteNick-
DeleteI see where you and Lillie are coming from on the whole inattentiveness part that Mr. Bennet displays but his daughters are all old enough and have the competency to make decisions. At ages 15, 20, 22, etc. I don't think it's necessary for your father to be looking over your shoulder at all times, knowing what you are doing 24/7. I believe giving his daughters just enough space to grow up but also being there for them in critical situations fulfills the role, making him a great father. The only fault Mr. Bennet could improve on is more conversing with his daughters like he does with Elizabeth, but after-all, nobody is perfect and he's doing just fine considering his position, taking care of six women.
Evan,
DeleteI believe that your evaluation of Mr. Bennet as a father is mostly correct. His laid back demeanor allows his daughters to have the freedom they need to become who they want to be, which was not always customary in the time period. However, I believe he his a little too inattentive towards them, especially Kitty and Lydia, allowing them to be perceived as wild and lacking manners by some. I also agree with your statement that Mr. Bennet is a successful father because he is there when his daughters need him. For example, he realized the importance of Mr. Bingley being in town, so he went to meet with him even though he may not have outwardly expressed his desire for his daughters to meet him.
I like Mr. Bennet a lot, but I don’t think that he has been the most successful farther so far. I think that he is too idle when it comes to bringing Kitty, Lydia, and Mrs. Bennet down a notch. Those three are the silliest and most obnoxious and as said by Mr. Darcy in his letter to Elizabeth, they bring shame on their family. People don’t respect Jane, Elizabeth, and her father as much because of Kitty and Lydia’s incessant flirting and Mrs. Bennet’s pushiness. Along with their lack of money, that shame brought on by those three is one of the main reasons Jane was denied Mr. Bingley and I think that Mr. Bennet is too shut up in his library to fully realize that. That being said, I also think that Kitty, Lydia, and Mrs. Bennet are the ones that suffer the most, in a way, from the family’s lack of money and superior spot in society so in that way I think that Mr. Bennet doesn’t really know how to interfere because they want most what he can not give them.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your statements on his inconsistent successes. While he clearly did well in raising Jane and Elizabeth, he dropped the ball when it came to Kitty and Lydia, allowing Mrs. Bennet's crazed and out of control perspective on marriage to be bestowed upon them. He also has made a challenging situation out of his obvious favoritism regarding Elizabeth. His actions with her could set a precedent that may not be met when it comes time for the younger ones to seriously pursue marriage. It is definitely reckless to his family's name by allowing for Kitty and Lydia to run wild as Mrs. Bennet simply encourages them. I think it will be most interesting to see how Mary turns out ans she is often forgotten. One would also think that she would be the favorite of Mr. Bennet because the two are very similar in their love for books.
DeleteThroughout the book so far, I enjoy whenever Mr. Bennett is involved in a scene. I like his satirical musings at his wife and their conversations together. Although I like his character, I do not believe he has been the best father figure. He is too hands off, and allows his mother too much control in his daughters lives. Kitty and Lydia could very well not be old enough to be out in society, but their mother's anxiety of getting them married has forced them to be. He does not have a very good presence, shutting himself up in his library to escape the incessant worries of his wife. He is incredibly partial to Elizabeth, prompting his defense of her when Mrs. Bennett threatens to not talk to her when she declines Mr. Collins. I like this demonstration of his character because he defends what his child truly wants, but the only reason he did this was because he was approached rather than him seeking it out himself. Overall, he is a nice father that loves his children, but is not involved enough in their lives to be a commanding and decisive force in their household.
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ReplyDeleteMr. Bennet is generally detached from the worlds of his daughters and keeps himself isolated and occupied in the library. Although he cares for them, the overwhelmingness and constant drama emanating from Mrs. Bennet and his two youngest daughters repels him from being present in their affairs. He favors Elizabeth and has a deep care for her. He supports her in her refusal to marry Mr. Collins because she doesn’t love him. When confronted by Elizabeth to deal with Lydia and prevent her from going to Meryton and flirting with every soldier in sight, he disregards its importance by saying that she won’t be satisfied until she does. While he has both good aspects and flaws in parenting, his love makes him a successful father, though not always a perfect one.
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DeleteI really like what you said about him being a successful father, but not a perfect one; I feel like that explains Mr. Bennet perfectly! He doesn't always act like he probably should, but it is hard for his voice to be heard, especially by Lydia, Kitty, and Mrs. Bennet who aren't usually willing to listen. His absence in his daughter's lives may be considered good because then they could develop on their own without influence. However, leaving them alone to observe and learn from Mrs. Bennet's behavior is far from being considered good, it almost encourages their bad behavior! I wish he would spend more time with Mrs. Bennet, so that the daughters could stay away from her obnoxious behavior.
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ReplyDeleteThroughout the first two volumes of the novel, Mr. Bennet is, for the most part, a successful father. He understands that his daughter must eventually be married in order for them to not become spinsters. The main reason Mr. Bennet can be considered a successful father is because he keeps the happiness of his five daughters in mind, unlike his wife who only cares about them getting married. The only main fault in Mr. Bennet's success as a father is his sometimes lackadaisical attitude towards controlling his younger daughters Lydia and Kitty. Their characters often rub off on Elizabeth, and the whole group is characterized by some at "wild," as described by Mr. Darcy. He allows his daughter to be a little too "country" for many of the distinguished bachelors living in the town or in estates. Other than this, Mr. Bennet is usually patient and loving towards his daughter, which naturally categorizes him as a successful father.
ReplyDeletePersonally I really like Mr. Bennet up to this point, but his effectiveness as a father might not be completely up to par. Although his witty, funny personality might be appealing to me as a reader, I think that it takes away from his authority as the only man in the household because it gives Mrs. Bennet and some of the daughters to push him around or do whatever they want. I think that he should try a bit harder to find suitors for his daughters because of the lack of money his family has and because they do need an heir to the estate besides Mr. Collins, whom I don't like at all. That being said I don't think he should take it to the level that Mrs. Bennet does and I do gain respect for him as a father when he stands up for Elizabeth when she declines to marry Mr. Collins. Overall, I think that while he is a very entertaining character, his parenting style might not be aggressive enough to be able to stop Mrs. Bennet from her shenanigans, but then again I don't know what I would do if I was married to someone like Mrs. Bennet and had five daughters.
ReplyDeleteThe job of any parent is simple: to provide, to support, and to love unconditionally. In Mr. Bennet’s case, he provides sufficiently for his children through his money. They eat meals everyday, attend balls often, and are dressed in good attire; however, he is far from spoiling them. For support, Mr. Bennet isn’t around very often to interact with his daughters. Although, whenever something extreme happens, he is always one of the first people there. He doesn’t force his opinion onto his daughter’s about the situation, but rather supports them in whatever decision they make. This is displayed specifically on page 107 of the novel when Mrs. Bennet tells him to force Elizabeth to marry Mr. Collins, but when she enters the room, he simply agrees with and supports her decision and sends them both away. Besides his occasional support, he does seem to love his daughters unconditionally. Throughout the first two volumes, it is seen through his constant admiration of Elizabeth and her decision-making skills. However, it can be seen near the end of Volume II when Elizabeth tries to convince him to change the way he parents Lydia and Kitty, but he refuses to act harshly towards them because he loves them too dearly. Overall, I would say that his laid-back parenting style seems to be working for him because the daughters prefer him over Mrs. Bennet quite a bit; but then again, any parent would look good standing next to Mrs. Bennet.
ReplyDeleteEmma, I agree 100% with what you are saying about Mr. Bennet's parenting style. Due to Mrs. Bennet's over controlling ways I think his parenting style is the perfect counterpart to that. From your examples, you can see that he still cares greatly for his daughters, however, he doesn't feel like he needs to be hovering over them at all times. His style of parenting is successful partly because of Mrs. Bennet, which you mention in your post, and I completely agree. Although, if in any other situation he may not be viewed as successful, in this one I think that he is, and agree wholeheartedly with your view point.
DeleteOverall, I’d say Mr. Bennet is by far the most level headed of the characters in the novel thus far, with Elizabeth being perhaps the only exception. He often seems to serve a as foil to his more comedic if hectic wife, but ultimately this seems indicative of him having a greater character. While it’s true he doesn’t seem to be too invested in his daughter’s romantic affairs, he still seems to show a secure love for his wife and family. Though he may not seem to be interested, that however, does not stop him from being active. Technically, he is the one to invite Mr. Bingley, after his wife first brings the matter up, then seems to let it go. I do realize that this might not be the description of a good father back then, but I believe he is a good father at least by today’s standards.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that Mr. Bennet would be a good father in modern times, but like you said, in the time period where Pride and Prejudice is set I don't think he is a a very successful father. He lets his wife do pretty much whatever she wants and his family loses respect in the community because of Mrs. Bennet and her younger daughters antics. Because of the Bennet's financial status and lack of heir to the estate other than Mr. Collins, I think that Mr. Bennet should be chomping at the bit to marry off his daughters, but obviously in a more uniform way than Mrs. Bennet. The times were different back then and I think Mr. Bennet's lackadaisical way of "leading" his family is hurting the family more than helping.
DeleteI agree with your statement that Mr. Bennett is the most level headed character (and admittedly, one of the my favorites) but yet I feel his detachment from his family's antics has hurt their reputation, opportunities, and dynamic to an extreme. His unsatisfied marriage with his wife is a horrible example for his daughters in their plight to find husbands. It should also be noted that he basically lets Lydia run amok to Brighton to chase after officers which could lead to unfortunate results in the future as well as supplying encouragement to her ditzy behavior. I agree with Casey in the case where Mr. Bennet would be a good father set to modern standards but for the time period, his detachment directly affects his daughters' futures, especially Lydia and Kitty as their rudeness is never disciplined and they slowly morph into absent-minded caricatures of their mother.
DeleteThough some may criticize Mr. Bennet's lenient and detached parenting style, he successfully fulfills the cardinal role of a parent in loving and wishing the best for his children. He provides boundless amenities towards the girls and defiantly believes in allowing his own children to take reign of their own interests and education, letting them do as they please and learn through experience. He provides dry wit and sarcasm in the presence of his wife's neurotic tendencies making him sympathetic and likable but as the novel progresses, his detachment becomes more evident as his foolish indulgence of Lydia's behavior can be highly criticized for inflating her absent-mindedness. Despite this instance, he encourages Elizabeth to pursue her own heart rather than concede to the dull future of Mr. Collins' proposal. Though detached, he is the parental figure needed for Jane and Elizabeth in contrast to Mrs. Bennett's dim-wittedness and provides much needed consolation and advice to follow their own heart. While not a perfect parent, he is a valuable one.
ReplyDeleteMr. Bennet’s success is solely dependent on whom one sympathizes with. Through Mrs. Bennet’s eyes Mr. Bennet has been of little help in getting his daughters married. Though he has met with various gentlemen, like the meeting he had with Mr. Bingley, he has not pushed them into marriage when they had cold feet. This can be seen when Elizabeth rejects Mr. Collins’ hand in marriage and Mrs. Bennet then turns to her husband for assistance in changing her mind. His response to her threats of never again speaking to Elizabeth should she not marry her cousin is simple. If Elizabeth does give in and choose to marry Mr. Collins, he will never again speak to his daughter. Though this contradicts Mrs. Bennet’s opinion, it couldn’t be more supportive of Elizabeth. This simple act establishes the closeness of Elizabeth and her father, as well as the fact that above all, he wants Elizabeth to make the right choice for her.
ReplyDeleteMr. Bennet’s success is solely dependent on whom one sympathizes with. Through Mrs. Bennet’s eyes Mr. Bennet has been of little help in getting his daughters married. Though he has met with various gentlemen, like the meeting he had with Mr. Bingley, he has not pushed them into marriage when they had cold feet. This can be seen when Elizabeth rejects Mr. Collins’ hand in marriage and Mrs. Bennet then turns to her husband for assistance in changing her mind. His response to her threats of never again speaking to Elizabeth should she not marry her cousin is simple. If Elizabeth does give in and choose to marry Mr. Collins, he will never again speak to his daughter. Though this contradicts Mrs. Bennet’s opinion, it couldn’t be more supportive of Elizabeth. This simple act establishes the closeness of Elizabeth and her father, as well as the fact that above all, he wants Elizabeth to make the right choice for her.
ReplyDeleteMr.Bennett has not been all that successful as of yet, but I feel as if it is unfair to call him a failure yet. He seems to have one job in this time period, to wed his daughters and butter up possible suitors for them, and if you look at it only from this point of view, I believe that it is fair to say that he has a bit of a shortcoming in this area. On another note, he has definitely helped his daughters to overcome obstacles and teaches them some things that their overbearing mother cannot. I find it interesting that he favors the eldest of his two daughters, although i cannot blame him. One of the reasons he does this is because is was seen as socially unacceptable to have more than 2 girls "out" at a time, or because his other children are just really really annoying.
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