What was the ‘business’ of Mrs Bonnet’s life in Pride and Prejudice? [British Novel June 2019]

Mrs. Bennet, one of the characters in Jane Austen's novel Pride and Prejudice, is depicted as a giddy, frivolous woman whose primary focus is finding wealthy husbands for her five daughters. This is exemplified in the quote "The business of her life was to get her daughters married" (Austen, Chapter 1), which suggests that Mrs. Bennet sees this project as her primary occupation and also that marriage is connected to economic advantages. Her behavior depicts what can happen to women when they lack an education and the ability to think for themselves.

Mrs. Bennet's ambitious focus on finding wealthy husbands for her daughters is illustrated through her behavior, which does more to harm her daughters' chances at finding husbands than it does to help. She lacks any awareness of her vulgar conduct and embarrasses Elizabeth and Jane to no end. Mrs. Bennet's behavior is also connected to the rights of women and their ability to provide for themselves during the 19th century. Marriage was often seen as a way for women to secure their financial future, which is why Mrs. Bennet's focus on finding wealthy husbands for her daughters is so significant.

Despite Mrs. Bennet's misguided efforts to find husbands for her daughters, she also serves as a middle-class counterpoint to such upper-class snobs as Lady Catherine and Miss Bingley, demonstrating that foolishness can be found at every level of society. This is exemplified through the character of Lydia Bennet, the youngest of the five Bennet sisters, whose impulsive and unguarded manner poses a threat to her family through her willful actions.

Elizabeth Bennet, the novel's heroine and the second oldest of the five Bennet sisters, is smart, lively, and attractive. She prides herself on her ability to analyze other people, but she is very often mistaken in her conclusions about their motivations. To her credit, though, she is eventually able to overcome her own prejudice. Mrs. Bennet's behavior is often the source of Elizabeth's embarrassment, and she becomes more determined to avoid becoming like her mother.

In conclusion, Mrs. Bennet's business in life was to find wealthy husbands for her daughters, which was connected to the economic advantages of marriage during the 19th century. However, her behavior was often misguided and did more harm than good. Mrs. Bennet serves as a middle-class counterpoint to upper-class snobs in the novel, demonstrating that foolishness can be found at every level of society. Elizabeth's embarrassment at her mother's behavior motivates her to avoid becoming like her mother and to overcome her own prejudices.

[1] "Mrs. Bennet is a giddy, frivolous woman whose only purpose in life seems to be gossiping and marrying off her five daughters. She lacks any awareness of her vulgar conduct and embarrasses Elizabeth and Jane to no end. Her behavior depicts what can happen to women when they lack an education and the ability to think for themselves."

URL: https://www.litcharts.com/lit/pride-and-prejudice/characters/mrs-bennet

[2] "This quote describes Mrs. Bennets ambitious focus on finding wealthy husbands for her five daughters. The use of the word business suggests that she sees this project both as her primary occupation (similar to a mans profession) and also that marriage is connected to economic advantages. The quote illustrates the theme of family ..."

URL: https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/pride/quotes/theme/family/

[3] "Pride and Prejudice Mrs. Bennet Pride and Prejudice Character Analysis Mrs. Bennet Silly, emotional, and irrational, Mrs. Bennets behavior does more to harm her daughters chances at finding husbands than it does to help."

URL: https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/p/pride-and-prejudice/character-analysis/mrs-bennet

[4] "Mrs. Bennet also serves as a middle-class counterpoint to such upper-class snobs as Lady Catherine and Miss Bingley, demonstrating that foolishness can be found at every level of society."

URL: https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/pride/character/mrs-bennet/

[5] "Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 1. Here Mrs. Bennets life is metaphorically compared to a business, one with a single purpose - to marry off each of her five daughters to wealthy husbands in order that they achieve financial stability. That is her single goal and primary occupation in life."

URL: https://www.allgreatquotes.com/pride-and-prejudice-quotes-9/

[6] "In Pride and Prejudice, Mr. and Mrs. Bennet have five daughters, ages fifteen to twenty-two. The oldest two, Jane and Elizabeth (Lizzie) are twenty-two and twenty, respectively, and by the middle ..."

URL: https://www.enotes.com/homework-help/explain-the-following-quote-from-pride-and-266423

[7] "Fitzwilliam Darcy. The novels heroine and the second oldest of the five Bennet sisters, Elizabeth is smart, lively, and attractive. She prides herself on her ability to analyze other people, but she is very often mistaken in her conclusions about their motivations. To her credit, though, she is eventually able to overcome her own prejudice."

URL: https://www.litcharts.com/lit/pride-and-prejudice/characters/elizabeth-eliza-lizzy-bennet

[8] "Pride and Prejudice Mrs. Bennets main goal in life was to? A) Keep her daughters home B) Enjoy having a nervous condition C) Improve her mind through education D) Have her daughters get married Asked by sam s #383592 8 years ago 9/2/2014 11:57 AM Last updated by Aslan 8 years ago 9/2/2014 12:16 PM Answers 1 Add Yours"

URL: https://www.gradesaver.com/pride-and-prejudice/q-and-a/mrs-bennets-main-goal-in-life-was-to-191413/

[9] "Lydia Bennet, Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 39. Lydia Bennet is the youngest of the five Bennet sisters being but fifteen, but by her impulsive and unguarded manner she is the most commanding of the lot, and she knows it! Jane Austen gently gives clues to the reader to the impending peril she imposes on her family through her willful actions."

URL: https://austenprose.com/2008/06/16/jane-austens-lydia-bennet-her-life-credo/

[10] "According to Austen, the business of her life was to get her daughters married (50). Thus, similarly to the inheritance concerns, Mrs. Bennets behavior is also connected to the rights of women and their ability to provide for themselves during the 19th century."

URL: https://ivypanda.com/essays/pride-and-prejudice-mrs-bennet/