Paper by Keith Nelson

In Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, Austen portrays Mrs. Bennet as an absurdly ignorant character, unable to see clear inconsistencies in her thinking and embarrassingly overreaching in her daughters’ lives; this portrayal juxtaposes that of her quick and witty husband, Mr. Bennet. Examining the discussion of Mr. Collins’ marriage proposal between Mrs. Bennet, Mr. Bennet, and Elizabeth in Volume 1 Chapter 20 of Pride and Prejudice reveals how Austen develops this portrayal, using verbal irony, sarcasm, and mockery to provide the reader with a comedic sense of superiority over the blatantly ignorant character, Mrs. Bennet, using Mr. Bennet as a direct agent of this irony to lightening the weight of Mr. Collins’ proposal to Elizabeth.

First, Austen uses a twist of verbal irony to paint the picture of Mrs. Bennet’s unawareness of her own comedic statements. In Mrs. Bennet’s alarmed response to Mr. Collins’ concerns about Elizabeth being a “headstrong foolish girl” (Austen 84), she states that “Lizzy is only headstrong in such matters as these” (Austen 84). “These” matters she’s referring to are related to the heavy topic of marriage. In stating that Elizabeth is only headstrong in heavy matters, the word “only” functions as the ironic modifier, as if to be only headstrong in important matters is a small, overlookable thing in a wife, when it is a large incompatibility with Mr. Collins, who does not want someone who contemplates a serious decision but accepts what a man tells her to do (Austen 84[SB1] ). The irony comes from the reader being put in a position of superior knowledge with the word “only,” knowing that Mrs. Bennet’s broad generalization that being headstrong in decisions is acceptable comes only from her desire to secure her daughter in what Mrs. Bennet sees as an advantageous marriage. Through this verbal interaction, Austen reveals just how shallow Mrs. Bennet is, as well as revealing Collins to be someone who considers a marriage proposal not something a girl needs to think about, expecting her to say yes because of his financial situation and connection to Lady Catherine. Austen uses this irony of Mrs. Bennet grasping at straws to keep Mr. Collins interested to continuously clue the reader in on the real purpose of Mrs. Bennet’s encouragement (to marry off Elizabeth) beyond just stating it and moving on, using the language of Mrs. Bennet to constantly portray her as one-track-minded. Through this, a tense moment of an unwanted marriage proposal from an unwanted man turns into a lighthearted poke at Mrs. Bennet’s hopeless efforts.

After Mrs. Bennet reassures Mr. Collins that his proposal will not fail, Austen uses another ironic line to portray the ignorance of Mrs. Bennet, through the character of her witty husband, Mr. Bennet. Mrs. Bennet tells Mr. Collins that she will go to Mr. Bennet to talk on the marriage, and that together they will “very soon settle it with [Elizabeth], [she] is sure” (Austen 84). Despite Mrs. Bennet’s confidence[SB2]  in Mr. Bennet’s settling of the matter, the reader knows that Mrs. Bennet being so “sure” in Mr. Bennet settling the matter in her favor is completely incorrect[SB3] , through previous characterization. Throughout the novel, Austen has portrayed Mr. Bennet as the more intelligent and aware of the pair, describing him as “an odd mixture of quick parts, sarcastic humor… years had been insufficient to make his wife understand his character” (Austen 5). Through Mrs. Bennet’s confident words to Mr. Collins, Austen allows the reader to draw upon their previous knowledge of Mr. Bennet’s character, connecting through his past characterization that it is highly unlikely that Mr. Bennet will settle the matter in direct coordination with Mrs. Bennet’s opinion as revealed later in the passage. By Mrs. Bennet being “sure” that he will agree with her, the reader gains a sense of superiority over Mrs. Bennet’s quips, knowing that her statement of confidence is in vain. By using this irony of blind confidence, the text subtly suggests that the topic of marriage to Mr. Collins can be treated with humor and lightheartedness, contrasted by Mrs. Bennet’s overly serious and determined tone.

As Mrs. Bennet races to tell Mr. Bennet of the “uproar” the house is in, Austen uses Mr. Bennet’s subtly sarcastic response to his wife’s urgency to establish the calm, superior manner of Mr. Bennet. Mrs. Bennet rushes to the library to find Mr. Bennet, blurting out a lie to appeal to him, saying that “we are all in an uproar” (Austen 84). Nobody is in an uproar, not even Mr. Collins, and Austen juxtaposes this fake urgency with Mr. Bennet’s passive response, stating that “he raised his eyes from his book and fixed them on her face with unconcern which was not in the least altered by her communication” (Austen 84). His utter disregard for her sense of urgency and distress is a recurring theme throughout the novel, such as ignoring her numerous pleas to visit Mr. Bingley while simultaneously planning to meet him anyway (Austen 3). Mr. Bennet masks his disregard with flowery words to appease Mrs. Bennet, taking control of the situation calmly whilst retaining his superiority over the matter through a sarcastic, “I have not the pleasure of understanding you… of what are you talking[SB4] ?” (Austen 84). By stating that he didn’t have the “pleasure” of understanding [SB5] her, Mr. Bennet makes a joke purely for himself, knowing that it’s not “pleasure” to understand her ramblings, but the sarcasm flies right over Mrs. Bennet’s head, despite being married to him for years, since she still cannot understand his character or teasing (Austen 5). Mr. Bennet fully understood what his wife said, as the text states that he stared at his wife until she “finished her speech” (Austen 5). We know Mr. Bennet to be a man of quick wit and understanding, so by saying that he doesn’t understand what she said, he makes a mockery of the topic at hand, further giving the reader a feeling of comic superiority to the stresses of Mrs. Bennet and the proposal. This comic superiority lets Austen lessen the impact and importance of the previously heavy subject matter of the proposal, using Mr. Bennet’s look of “calm unconcern” in the face of a worrisome marriage to slow the situation down and create comic relief.

Austen uses the flat response of Mr. Bennet to the hopeless expression of Mrs. Bennet’s logic to once more mock the desperate state of Mrs. Bennet and continually poke fun at the intensity with which Mrs. Bennet repeatedly petitions for intervention in Elizabeth’s rejection. Mrs. Bennet explains that “Lizzy will not have Mr. Collins, and Mr. Collins begins to say that he will not have Lizzy” (Austen 85). Using absurd logic to explain the problem of the marriage proposal, Austen characterizes Mrs. Bennet as one who is willing to go against even the wishes of her children [SB6] to fulfill her own desires. Since both Lizzy and Mr. Collins do not want to marry, the matter has sorted itself out, but ironically, Mrs. Bennet is completely oblivious to this, only focused on her own demands that they marry, despite their obvious incompatibility. Through this ignorance, Austen paints a comic mockery of Mrs. Bennet’s own headstrong manner in Mr. Bennet’s response, asking her, “And what am I to do on the occasion? – It seems a hopeless business” (Austen 85). By stating that the business is “hopeless,” the reader and Mr. Bennet both understand that Mrs. Bennet’s requirement of marriage is impossible, giving a sense of authority over Mrs. Bennet. The irony comes in Mrs. Bennet’s futile pleading, as the reader knows that her demands will find Mr. Bennet and be met with unconcern. The dramatic irony, in which the audience has information (Mr. Bennet’s personality), but Mrs. Bennet does not, creates a humorous scene that dismantles the intensity of Mrs. Bennet’s requests.

After Mr. Bennet calls Elizabeth to his library, Austen uses the next few lines of dialogue to create suspense about Mr. Bennet’s decision. Mr. Bennet clarifies the situation at hand, referring to Mrs. Bennet’s insistence on Elizabeth’s acceptance, in which Mrs. Bennet states that if Elizabeth does not accept, “[she] will never see [Elizabeth] again” (Austen 85). Although it has been previously hinted that Mr. Bennet will side with Elizabeth, his hearing out of Mrs. Bennet creates tension in the text, because despite his reluctance, the proposal has yet to be settled, and Mr. Bennet could still make an unwanted decision to force Elizabeth to marry. However, it is revealed in his response that Mr. Bennet listens to his wife’s claim for pure amusement, mocking her wife’s hard will and empty threat (she talks to Elizabeth on the very same page) in seeming to comply and “insist upon [Elizabeth marrying [Collins]” (Austen 85). However, true to the character of Mr. Bennet, he opposes [SB7] his wife once more, stating that[SB8] , “Your mother will never see you again if you do not…and I will never see you again if you do” (Austen, 85). By using this parallel structure of two choices, Mr. Bennet makes the whole situation into a large joke, indirectly addressing the problem at hand while mocking his wife’s threat of never seeing Lizzy again by making a threat of his own to establish his opinion on the matter. By this mockery and sarcasm, Austen gives the reader another sense of comic superiority to Mrs. Bennet, establishing that her gripes and complaints are to be taken with a grain of salt, as Mr. Bennet clearly does.

Moving on from Mr. Bennet’s conclusion, Austen uses Mrs. Bennet’s continual misunderstanding to show her cluelessness and naivety, establishing a “punchline” of sorts at the end of Mrs. Bennet’s dialogue. Mrs. Bennet, shocked at her husband’s denial of her requests, blurts, “What do you mean… You promised me to insist upon her marrying him” (Austen 85). The irony in this sentence comes from our previous knowledge of the scene, that Mr. Bennet did not promise to “insist” on Elizabeth marrying, but only stated that “she shall hear my opinion” (Austen 85). Mrs. Bennet becomes frustrated at her own misunderstanding of Mr. Bennet, and we conclude the episode with the irony of her own ignorance of facts that have been made blatant to other characters and the audience. The “punchline,” in a sense, is that the whole time, Mrs. Bennet thinks she is getting her way, but in the end, is utterly unsuccessful.

Overall, Jane Austen uses irony, sarcasm, and mockery to establish a comedic sense of superiority in the audience and characterize the oblivious character of Mrs. Bennet, using the character of Mr. Bennet and his calm, witty demeanor to provide comic relief in the face of an uncomfortable situation. Through the clueless ramblings of Mrs. Bennet in the excerpt and their parallel to Mr. Bennet’s teasing and mockery, Austen provides characterization in the text through the usage of unique vocabulary in dialogue with the two, showing their personalities without the need for over-narration or direct statements. Austen uses this vocabulary to create a sense of comedy in a serious and awkward scene, giving readers relief through dramatic irony in which the audience knows more than a character, allowing them to experience the text in a more engaging way.

Works Cited:

Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. Edited by James Kinsley, introduction and notes by Christina Lupton, Oxford University Press, 2019.

---