Jane Austen

• Jane Austen (16 December 1775 – 18 July 1817) was an English

novelist whose works of romantic fiction, earned her a place as one
of the most widely read writers in English literature.

• She was educated primarily by her father and older brothers as

well as through her own reading.

• Her works include Sense and Sensibility(1811), Pride and

Prejudice (1813), Mansfield Park(1814) and Emma (1816). She
also wrote Northanger Abbey and Persuasion, both published in
1818, and began writing Sanditon, but died before completing it.

• Her plots mostly highlight the dependence of women on marriage

to secure social standing and economic security.
The majority of literary critics seem to agree that Mr. Bennet and Mrs.
Bennet don’t suit the place of ideal parents, they are bad parents. For
example:
In Domestic Realities and Imperial Fictions, Maaja A. Stewart argues that
Mrs. Bennet is “one of the most amusing portraits in literature of the
‘awful mother’”.
Claudia L. Johnson accuses Mrs. Bennet of folly and Mr. Bennet of
negligence and the general consensus seems to be that Elizabeth and Jane
have successfully managed to extract themselves from the devastating
influence of their parents and turned into decent adults, unlike Lydia for
example who is known as “always unguarded and often uncivil”.
Mrs. Bennet
Few examples
relating to
Mrs. Bennet
“Jane was therefore obliged to go on horseback, and
her mother attended her to the door with many cheerful
prognostics of a bad day. Her hopes were answered;
Jane had not been gone long before it rained hard. Her
sisters were uneasy for her, but their mother was
delighted. The rain continued the whole evening
without intermission; Jane could certainly not come
back.”
“Mrs. Bennet, to whose apartment they all
repaired […] received them exactly as might
be expected; with tears and lamentations of
regret […] and complaints of her own
sufferings and ill usage, blaming everybody
but the person to whose ill judging
indulgence the errors of her daughter must
be principally owing.”
 Thus, we conclude that the
parenting style of Mrs. Bennet
is a mix of the authoritarian and
neglectful parenting.
Mr. Bennet
Few examples
relating to
Mr. Bennet
“Mr. Bennet had very often wished, before this period in
life, that, instead of spending his whole income, he had
laid by an annual sum, for the better provision of his
children, and of his wife, if she survived him. He now
wished it more than ever. Had he done his duty in that
respect, Lydia need not have been indebted to her uncle,
for whatever of honour or credit could now be
purchased for her. The satisfaction of prevailing on one
of the most worthless young men in Great Britain to be
her husband might then have rested in its proper place.”
“They have none of them much to recommend
them’, replied [Mr. Bennet]; ‘they are all silly
and ignorant like other girls; but Lizzy has
something more of quickness than her sisters’.
‘Mr. Bennet, how can you abuse your own
children in such a way?’ [Mrs. Bennet speaks]
‘You delight in vexing me. You have no
compassion in my poor nerves.”
“An unhappy alternative is before you,
Elizabeth. From this day you must
become 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".
“Mr. Bennet’s expectations were fully answered.
His cousin [Mr. Collins] was as absurd as he
had hoped, and he listened to him with the
keenest enjoyment, maintaining at the same time
the most resolute composure of countenance,
and except in an occasional glance at Elizabeth,
requiring no partner in his pleasure.”
 Thus, we conclude that the
parenting style of Mr. Bennet
is a mix of permissive parenting
and neglectful parenting.
Some quotes by Jane Austen