Abstract

Pride and Prejudice is much cherished by various readers since its publication. It remains an enduring fascination for many scholars whose passionate and exhaustive investigation has already shed much light on the interpretation of the novel. This paper is to further suffice the study of the novel by the meticulous character analysis of Mr. Bennet, the father of the Longbourn family.

This paper is endeavored to argue about Mr. Bennet’s lack of sense of family responsibility and its effect on his family as well as his weaknesses in personality and his lack of being esteemed. For the first point, his lack of sense of family responsibility as in his imprudence in managing his legacy for his family, his partiality to Elizabeth and his negligence of his other three daughters, and his indifference to his wife is reprehensive as it may lead to his wife’s anxiety and his daughters’ weaknesses in personality. It is also worthy of our attention that he instinctively loves his daughters and tolerate his wife. For the second point, this paper will penetrate into his weaknesses in personality and his lack of being esteemed as manifested in him as an escapist from reality, a cynic, and a man seldom to be respected. I will first present some definitions of escapism and then go to analyze his escapist in mentality and behavior. For Mr. Bennet as a cynic, I will demonstrate my interpretation in two perspectives, namely, his sarcastic language and his rejection to society. For Mr. Bennet as a man seldom to be esteemed, it will be revealed that he is sometimes not esteemed as the father and as the leader of the family. 

Focusing on Mr. Bennet, we will have an integral understanding of this character as to further contemplate the patriarch in the patriarchal system.  

Keywords: lack of family responsibility; negative effects; escapist; cynic; lack of being esteemed

Contents

Abstract

摘  要

1. Introduction-1

1.1 Brief Introduction of Jane Austin and Pride and Prejudice-1

1.2 Previous Researches both at Home and Abroad-2

1.3 Significance of This Study-3

1.4 Layout of the Paper-3

2. Mr. Bennet’s Lack of Sense of Family Responsibility and Its Effect on His Family-4

2.1 His Lack of Sense of Family Responsibility-4

2.1.1 His Imprudence in Managing His Legacy for His Family-4

2.1.2 His Partiality to Elizabeth and His Negligence of the Other Three Daughters-4

2.1.3 His Indifference to His wife-6

2.2 The Negative Effect of His Lack of Sense of Family Responsibility-8

2.2.1 Wife’s Anxiety-8

2.2.2 Daughters’ Weaknesses in Personalities-8

3. Weaknesses in Mr. Bennet’s Personality and His Sense of Alienation-10

3.1 Mr. Bennet as an Escapist from Reality-10

3.1.1 Escaping from Reality as Shown in his Mentality-11

3.1.2 Escaping from Reality as Shown in his Behavior-12

3.2 Mr. Bennet as a Cynic-12

3.2.1 Sarcasm in Language-12

3.2.2 Rejection to Society-13

3.3 Lack of being Esteemed-14

4. Conclusion-16

References-17