Examples Of Mr. Bennet Patriarchy

oppressive ideology, she is essentially yielding to it. When Mr. Bennet first announces that he has received a letter from Mr. Collins, his cousin and the heir of the Longbourn estate, Mrs. Bennet immediately declares, “‘Pray do not talk of that odious man. I do think it is the hardest thing in the world that your estate should be entailed away from your own children; and I am sure if I had been you, I should have tried long ago to do something or other about it’” (59). Upon the very first mention of Mr. Collins’ name, Mrs. Bennet defines him as an “odious man.” This is not due to his character or behavior, but instead based solely on the fact that he is to inherit her home, and in her eyes, unrightfully so. Mrs. Bennet also mentions that she would have tried to keep the estate in her own family a long time ago if she had the power to do so, portraying her acknowledgement of the patriarchy and its oppressiveness.

However, the patriarchy has rendered her helpless as a woman and the entailment has already been decreed to Mr.

Collins, so Mrs. Bennet is unable to change anything, thus exemplifying the subordinate position of women in handling their own fate in a patriarchal society. Later on, when news of Charlotte Lucas’ engagement to Mr. Collins breaks in the Bennet household, thus making her the heiress to Longbourn, Mrs. Bennet bitterly proclaims, “‘I never can be thankful, Mr. Bennet, for anything about the entail. How anyone could have the conscience to entail away an estate from one’s own daughters, I cannot understand; and all for the sake of Mr. Collins too! Why should he have it more than anybody else?’” (125-126). By questioning why estates should not be entailed to daughters, Mrs. Bennet implies how daughters are just as valuable, responsible, and worthy of such possessions as sons

are. She also points out the absurdity of the situation when she asks why Mr. Collins, a man the Bennets have only known for a week, should have it over her own daughters. This highlights patriarchal dynamics by bringing up the question that men are not more privileged than women, instead, they are equal, so what is the difference between entailing to one or the other? Due to the clear disadvantage her daughters face because of the lack of property they will inherit, Mrs. Bennet settles on marrying her daughters to rich men to ensure they have a comfortable future.
Women in the Regency Era of Pride and Prejudice were either born into money or had to marry for it, thus leaving little room for marriages of love, but Elizabeth breaks this construct of marrying for practicality after rejecting Mr. Collins proposal. After revealing that he came to Longbourn to find a wife, Mr. Collins sets his eyes on Elizabeth and soon proposes to her, mentioning that “‘To fortune I am perfectly indifferent, and shall make no demand of that nature on your father, since I am well aware that it could not be complied with...you may assure yourself that no ungenerous reproach shall ever pass my lips when we are married’” (102). Mr. Collins does not even try to be subtle while degrading the Bennet’s financial situation, instead, portraying himself as the hero who is saving the family from economic ruin. He continues, telling Elizabeth how “in spite of your manifold attractions, it is by no means certain that another offer of marriage may ever be made you” (104). Mr. Collins means no more by this last statement than to warn Elizabeth that she has no choice but to marry him if she wants a stable future and that she should see the benefits of this convenient marriage. Nevertheless, Elizabeth declines the proposal, much to her mother’s chagrin, because Mrs. Bennet knew how difficult it would be for her daughter to receive a proposal of such high quality again. This illustrates how women were heavily disadvantaged in their choices of marriage as well; males made important decisions that pertained to females’ lives. However, Elizabeth does not care about the proposal because she is not willing to sacrifice her life and happiness to a man she known for such a short period of time, and does not even care for, illustrating how she acknowledges and willfully goes against the societal and patriarchal norm for women. After Elizabeth’s rejection, Mr. Collins moves on to her best friend, Charlotte, who readily accepts. She later confides to Elizabeth, “I hope you will be satisfied with what I have done. I am not romantic you know. I never was. I ask only for a comfortable home; and considering Mr. Collins’ character, connections, and situations in life, I am convinced that my chance of happiness with him is as fair, as most people can boast on entering the marriage state’” (120). Contrary to Elizabeth, Charlotte accepts the proposal on the basis that she would have a comfortable future and possibly be happy with Mr. Collins. This is a marriage on practicality, which is exactly what Elizabeth is against. Ultimately, Charlotte has accepted the patriarchy by marrying Mr. Collins, while Elizabeth has gone against it in her rejection of society’s expectations of her to marry for practicality rather than love, thus successfully challenging patriarchal values.
By revealing their lack of background in feminine activities, Elizabeth and her sisters are characterized by the higher society individuals in the novel as not being “accomplished” females, or what the patriarchy accepts as an ideal woman. While visiting Jane at Netherfield after the elder sister falls sick, Elizabeth gets to spend some quality time with Miss Bingley and Mr. Darcy. One day, the conversation strays towards what an “accomplished” woman is like, and Miss Bingley comments,
“‘A woman must have a thorough knowledge of music, singing, drawing, dancing, and the modern languages...and besides all this, she must possess a certain something in her air and manner of walking, the tone of her voice, her address and expressions.’
‘All this she must possess,’ added Darcy, ‘and to all this she must yet add something more substantial, in the improvement of her mind by extensive reading.’
[Elizabeth retorts] ‘I am no longer surprised at your knowing only six accomplished women. I rather wonder now at your knowing any....[because] I never saw such a woman. I never saw such capacity, and taste, and application, and elegance, as you describe united’” (37).
Elizabeth is not only incredulously skeptical of Miss Bingley and Mr. Darcy’s descriptions of an accomplished woman, she even mocks their words in her denial that such a woman even exists. The description that the two wealthy characters had provided plays along with the patriarchal dynamic of a typical female mold; everything that a woman should possess, nothing more, nothing less. If a female were to lack any of these qualities, she would not be seen as a deserving or complete. By implying that women do not have to possess all of these attributes to be considered worthy in any sense, Elizabeth successfully fights against this oppressive ideology and owns up to her depiction of a strong feminist character. After Charlotte and Mr. Collins’ marriage, Elizabeth and members of the Lucas family travel to Mr. Collins’ estate at Hunsford, where they are invited to dinner by his parson, Lady Catherine de Bourgh. There, Lady Catherine delves into a series of meticulous questions directed towards Elizabeth’s upbringing.
“‘Do your sisters play and sing?’
‘One of them does.’
‘Why did not you all learn? You ought all to have learned...Do you draw?’
‘No, not at all...Not one [of the Bennet sisters].’
‘That is very strange’” (158).
According to Lady Catherine, an extremely wealthy upper class woman, females have certain calibers to meet, such as being proficient in playing the piano, singing, and drawing, as mentioned in the quotation. The fact that none of the Bennet sisters can claim they are skilled or even learned in any of these subjects, makes them viable outcasts and not ladylike enough in society. There is a heavy double standard at play here, because not once are men expected to fulfill any of these requirements in the novel. With these patriarchal dynamics, women are oppressed by having standards thrust upon them unwillingly, and then called “strange” when they do not meet them. In contrast, Elizabeth contradicts these labels placed on women herself even though it leads to scorn from Lady Catherine, who wishes to uphold these harmful patriarchal stereotypes.
Elizabeth is truly the most influential character in regards to fighting the patriarchal, oppressive stereotypes and values against females in Pride and Prejudice. These misogynistic standards were highlighted throughout the book, like when Mrs. Bennet brings up the unfairness of the entailment system, which is only tailored to men. However, it is only Elizabeth who ends up distancing herself from them, and thereby establishing herself as a revolutionary feminist character, demonstrated when she refuses to marry for convenience and shoots down the myth of an accomplished woman. Her actions transform the novel into a feminist masterpiece and turn her into a strong, independent role model for young women across the world.