Pride and Prejudice
Jane Austen
Scandal abounds after Lydia disappears with Wickham. Unfortunately for those anticipating visual conflicts to accompany the climax, this event seems to be one of the most tense scenes of the novel. Nevertheless, Mr. Bennet's reaction to Lydia's disgrace contrasts starkly with his character established in the opening chapters. Even though he has expressed his love for Elizabeth's headstrong nature, especially in regards to marriage, now, even he espouses his society's obsession with honor and reputation that accompanied marriage.
Almost immediately after learning Lydia left Brighton with Wickham, Mr. Bennet set out to find the two and drag them to the altar. Mrs. Bennet even feared that he would challenge Wickham to a duel and will likely lose. In such a moralistic society which denied all human temptations, even Elizabeth's desire to journey through the dirt to see her sickly sister, even staying with someone before marriage overnight without anyone else to attest to chastity was seen as socially fatal. Because Mr. Bennet had established himself as someone who valued Elizabeth's personal happiness over the potential for status with Mr. Collins, he reaffirmed the stigma surrounding fornication. "Say nothing of that. Who should suffer but myself? It has been my own doing, and I ought to feel it," (Austen, 235).
Even though Lizzy herself disapproved of her sister's imprudence, she would have to struggle with others' response to this supposed tragedy of morals. If Darcy had prevented the marriage between Mr. Bingley and Jane just because the Bennet family lacked status, how would society punish the family for being related to someone with no regard for decorum? Mr. Bennet's conforming to society's disgust for fornication demonstrates how prevalent the demand for perfection is in Lizzy's society.
No comments:
Post a Comment