Mr. Bennet Character Analysis in Pride and Prejudice

Though a discerning, well-educated man, Mr. Bennet has made a bad marriage and is resigned to endure it. He is a good-hearted person, but fails his family by remaining sarcastically detached: everything is a joke to him. This leads to poor judgment, as when he does not interfere between Lydia and Wickham.

Mr. Bennet Quotes in Pride and Prejudice

The Pride and Prejudice quotes below are all either spoken by Mr. Bennet or refer to Mr. Bennet. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

Our importance, our respectability in the world must be affected by the wild volatility, the assurance and disdain of all restraint which mark Lydia's character. Excuse me—for I must speak plainly. If you, my dear father, will not take the trouble of checking her exuberant spirits, and of teaching her that her present pursuits are not to be the business of her life, she will soon be beyond the reach of amendment.

Related Characters: (speaker), ,

Related Literary Devices:

Page Number and Citation: 223

Explanation and Analysis:

The death of your daughter would have been a blessing in comparison of this ... They agree with me in apprehending that this false step in one daughter will be injurious to the fortunes of all the others; for who, as Lady Catherine herself condescendingly says, will connect themselves with such a family?

Related Characters: (speaker), , ,

Page Number and Citation: 281

Explanation and Analysis:

That is what makes it amusing. Had they fixed on any other man it would have been nothing; but his perfect indifference, and your pointed dislike, make it so delightfully absurd!

Related Characters: (speaker), ,

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Page Number and Citation: 344

Explanation and Analysis:

I know that you could be neither happy nor respectable, unless you truly esteemed your husband; unless you looked up to him as a superior. Your lively talents would place you in the greatest danger in an unequal marriage ... My child, let me not have the grief of seeing you unable to respect your partner in life.

Related Characters: (speaker),

Related Literary Devices:

Page Number and Citation: 356

Explanation and Analysis:

Mr. Bennet Character Timeline in Pride and Prejudice

The timeline below shows where the character Mr. Bennet appears in Pride and Prejudice. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...day in their modest house in Longbourn, Mrs. Bennet shares some news with her husband, Mr. Bennet . A wealthy young gentleman, Charles Bingley, has just rented the nearby estate of Netherfield.... (full context)

Mrs. Bennet asks her husband to get them an introduction. Mr. Bennet purposely frustrates his wife by sarcastically replying that he'll write to give his consent for... (full context)

Without telling his family, Mr. Bennet visits Bingley. Back at home, Mr. Bennet teases his family by pretending to be uninterested... (full context)

Mr. Bingley pays a return visit to Mr. Bennet and is subsequently invited to dinner at Longbourn. Elaborate plans are made, but Bingley breaks... (full context)

...They make frequent visits to Mrs. Philips to learn all they can about the officers. Mr. Bennet dismisses the girls as incredibly silly. (full context)

Though Mrs. Bennet is disappointed that Jane and Elizabeth didn't stay, Mr. Bennet is glad to have them back. He had missed their conversation amid Kitty and Lydia's... (full context)

The next morning, Mr. Bennet reveals to his family that they will have a surprise guest: Mr. Collins, the relative... (full context)

After dinner, Mr. Bennet gets Mr. Collins talking about his favorite subjects: his benefactress, Lady Catherine De Bourgh; her... (full context)

Mr. Bennet invites Mr. Collins to read to the ladies. Offered a novel, Mr. Collins flinches in... (full context)

...congratulate Mr. Collins but is shocked to hear that Elizabeth refused him. She runs to Mr. Bennet and demands that he convince his daughter to accept. (full context)

Mr. Bennet calmly calls in Elizabeth and, relishing the moment, tells her: "Your mother will never see... (full context)

Wickham occasionally visits and his pleasant company helps to dispel the gloom. Mr. Bennet encourages Elizabeth in her pursuit of Wickham. (full context)

When they arrive home, Mr. Bennet is glad to see Elizabeth and Jane, Mrs. Bennet wants to hear about the latest... (full context)

...the wife of Colonel Forster to come with the regiment to Brighton. Elizabeth secretly asks Mr. Bennet to stop Lydia from going. Elizabeth urges him to realize how Lydia's flirty foolishness will... (full context)

Elizabeth reflects on her disappointment regarding her parents' marriage. After Mr. Bennet realized he married a foolish woman, he sought comfort in his library and in making... (full context)

...at all, and that the two of them were now in London. The colonel and Mr. Bennet have gone there to search; Mrs. Bennet is a nervous wreck. Jane asks Elizabeth to... (full context)

Mr. Bennet and Mr. Gardiner search hotels in London to no avail. Mr. Gardiner suggests that Elizabeth... (full context)

More time passes, but all attempts to find Wickham and Lydia fail, and Mr. Bennet returns home. He asks Elizabeth not to talk with him about Lydia, saying that he... (full context)

Mr. Bennet says he strongly suspects that Mr. Gardiner has already paid Wickham much more. Wickham would... (full context)

...and that Lydia hopes they can visit Longbourn on their way. Elizabeth and Jane convince Mr. Bennet , who wants nothing to do with Lydia or Wickham, to let the new couple... (full context)

...but Jane from the room. Nothing happens. The next morning, Bingley returns to shoot with Mr. Bennet . When Bingley comes inside, Mrs. Bennet again empties the room. Elizabeth returns from writing... (full context)

The next morning, Mr. Bennet calls in Elizabeth to congratulate her on her upcoming engagement. Elizabeth is stunned. Mr. Bennet... (full context)

Mr. Bennet thinks the rumor about Elizabeth and Darcy is hilarious because he is certain that Elizabeth... (full context)

Later Darcy visits Mr. Bennet in private to ask his consent to marry Elizabeth. Mr. Bennet calls in Elizabeth. He's... (full context)

Elizabeth writes to tell Mrs. Gardiner of her engagement, as does Darcy to Lady Catherine. Mr. Bennet writes to Mr. Collins who, along with Charlotte, soon return to town to congratulate the... (full context)

...an estate near Elizabeth and Darcy at Pemberley. Mrs. Bennet, extremely proud, visits them often. Mr. Bennet misses Elizabeth and visits frequently, too. Kitty improves in character from spending time with her... (full context)

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Mr. Bennet Character Analysis

Mr. Bennet Quotes in Pride and Prejudice

Mr. Bennet Character Timeline in Pride and Prejudice

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for every book you read.