Do you consider Mr and Mrs Bennet to be good parents? Essay

I do non consider Mr or Mrs white avens to be good p arnts. Jane Austen does not present them in a palmy fall down and I think any 1 who reads this novel would get the concept that they argon not good parents.A responsibility of mystifys in society in Austens day was to provide financi all in ally for his children so they mother bushel futures. However, Mr white avens does not do this. He pays little thought to the girls futures and seems to be a man who does not really consider anything seriously. We k immediately this because Austen tells us, afterward Lydia had run a elan and Mr bennet believes himself in the debt of Mr Gardiner, that Mr bennet had often wished that he had saved an annual sum for the better provision of his children, and of his wife and that now he wished it more than ever. This shows us he is unthoughtful and makes foolish decisions, which afterward on he regrets.Mr Bennet does not take anything seriously or talks to Mrs Bennet with respect or seriousn ess. This means the girls do not grow up in a very happy or secure home. The parents marriage has not gone well and Mr Bennet solo married Mrs Bennet on account of her y tabuh and good biliousness. We learn of his lack of respect for her as he tells her, after comprehend her complain approximately her nerves, that he respects her nerves and opines, They are my onetime(a) friends. I have heard you mention them with consideration these twenty years at least.He enjoys tea blab unwrap his wife and pretends that he hasnt visited Bingley just to see the shock on his wifes locution when he tells them. He is actually very cruel to Mrs Bennet, as she does not understand his sarcastic wit. This lack of understanding is reflected in Lydia, who has grown up to believe that jokes, even cruel ones, are the way to stand, thanks to her fathers behaviour and influence. In her letter obese of her elopement as she wrote to Mrs Forster, she sys that she depart laugh and what a good joke it lead be.A female parent in Austens day should be responsible for serving her daughters find husbands. This seems to be Mrs Bennets strong point scarcely she seems to let this objective take over. Rather than considering their present state, she is perpetually persuasion about the future and is prepared to embarrass her girls in order to disclose them a chance to marry well. For example, on page 27, Mrs Bennet makes Jane torment on a horse in the hope that it might come down so she would become ill and stay all night in Bingleys house. Austen writes that Mrs Bennet was delighted when a downpour started. This shows inconsideration, little motherly love and that Mrs Bennet is obsessed with Bingley marrying Jane. Jane could have been taken seriously ill. This does not show that Mrs Bennet is a good parent.Another responsibility of the mother was to bring up her children in a well-bred manner. I bequeath explain in the following paragraphs how clearly Mrs Bennet does not do thi s.Mrs Bennet is an attention seeker. This is shown in her continual frustrated complaints about her pitiable nerves. After Lydia has run away she tells anybody who will listen that she is f righten out of my witsuch spasms in my side, and pains in my head, and beatings at heart that I can get no rest She in any case predicts her future in such a sorrowful way as to gain attention she says to the Gardiners that Mr Bennet will die in a fight with Wichkam and the Collinses will turn her out of her home. She tonicitys sorry for herself and states notwithstanding I was over-ruled, as I always am. This is resulting from the lack of respect Mr Bennet shows her.We can see this reflected in Mary at the Netherfield ball, where she gets up to sing and play the piano. She is seeking attention and is proud of her accomplishments, although Austen tells us her voice is irresolute.At the Netherfield ball, Mrs Bennet embarrasses Lizzy by talking loudly near Darcy about Jane and Bingley and th e Lucases. When entreated by Lizzy to quieten down, she replies, I am sure we owe him (Darcy) no such particular civility as to be obliged to say nothing that he may not like to hear. In Austens day this behaviour would have been absolutely unacceptable and looked on with contempt as Mrs Bennet shows ill breeding. This encourages the girls to be gossips, tactless(prenominal) and rude. Mrs Bennet does nothing throughout the novel to nurture and instruct her five girls of how to behave in society, that is, apart from how to find husbands.Mrs Bennet has violent mood swings. When she premiere heard of Lydias elopement she was in hysterics and complained of tremblingsspasms in my side and pains in my head and said Mr Bennet would be killed and they would be turned out of their home. When she heard that Lydia and Wickham were to be married, she immediately forgot her pains and sorrows and told everyone I knew how it would be.Mrs Bennet withal does not show gratitude a bad influence on her daughters. When apparently Mr Gardiner pays Wickham to marry Lydia, she says that who else should do it but her own uncle. This quality is reflected in Lydia, who is never grateful for anything.We can also look at the way the parent treat their daughters directly, as well as subtly influencing them. both(prenominal) parents show favouritism. Mr Bennet to Lizzy because of her sense and wit, Mrs Bennet to Lydia for being like herself, and also to Jane for her beauty. Mr Bennet also insults his children, instead of gently putting them on the right path. He tells them they are silly, especially Lydia and Kitty you must be two of the silliest girls in the coun taste. Mr Bennet does not seem to try all at being a good father. He ignores all his children but Lizzy. Mrs Bennet does not seem to have time for her daughters tho Lydia and Jane.We can also look at the Mr Bennets chemical reaction to Lydia running off with Wickham. He blames himself for he let Lydia go to Brighton althoug h Lizzy warned him against it. rase in his guilt, Mr Bennet is sarcastic by telling Lizzy to allow him to feel guilty for once and then says, I am not appalled of being overpowered by the impression. It will pass away soon equal. Then he tells Kitty that she cannot go out of the house until she has turn out herself to be sensible and Kitty bursts unto tears at this.Previously, I have looked at what the Bennet parents are like to see how good parents they are, but if we look at the Bennet sisters, we can see how they have been brought up, and the parents qualities will reflect in the daughters.Lydia is a flirt, has no self-awareness and is very immature. We see this in the way she pleads to go to Brighton so she can mix with the officers there. When she is invited, Austen tells us in her imagination, Lydia sees herself seated beneath a tent, tenderly flirting with at least six officers all at once. Mrs Bennet encourages Lydia by telling her of her own childhood flirtations I cr ied for two days when Colonel Millars control went away. I thought I should have broke my heart In Austens day flirting would have been looked upon as unacceptable behaviour. And Lydia is fifteen, which is untold to young to go to Brighton with the officers and this is proven by her immature elopement.Kitty has a very weak character resulting from a lack of teaching and subject from the Bennet parents. We see this in the way she constantly follows and copies Lydia. She backs her up when rivalry about going to Brighton, and only when she is completely separated from Lydia does she improve. Austen tells us distant from the influence of Lydias example, she became, by proper attention and management, less irritable, less ignorant, and less insipid.Only two out of the five girls are really a credit to Mr and Mrs Bennet Jane and Lizzy. Jane is very caring and always sees the best in people. Even when she knows Wickhams true character she refers to him as Poor WickhamTowards the mid dle of the novel, Lizzy is beginning to see her family in the same light as outsiders would and becomes aware of their many failings. She also develops more self-awareness, which her parents did not teach her. Lizzy does show one of her fathers traits her humour. Lizzy makes a joke out of the hurt Darcy caused by slighting her. Austen writes, she had a lively, playful disposition, which delighted in anything ridiculous. This is shown in her father at the Netherfield ball, where Mr Collins embarrasses the family and Austen writes, no one looked more amused than Mr Bennet himself.To conclude, from Austens use of language and the impression she gives, I believe Mr and Mrs Bennet are not good parents.