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Re: Mr Bennet
Harvey S. Wrote:
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> I think of Mr Bennet as the villian of P&P - in my
> view he's worse than Wickham, who probably
> wouldn't work out to be a worse father.
I take your point. I was probably too soft in the phrasing of my comment relating Mr. Bennet's actions to Mr. Collins's advice to ever banish Lydia from his sight. Mr. Bennet comments after receiving his cousin's letter, "So this is his idea of Christian forgiveness." It is one of those moments that I wish could reach into the page and wap him upside the head and remind him of his own words. Mrs. Bennet is often inconsistent in the novel, but her silliness and lack of intelligence make it expected.
Fanfiction often creates characterizations and plots that make Mr. Bennet look good. His behavior is explained as being frustrated at his wife's dumbness. How awful to have to put up with such a woman and her silly daughters, too. People can certainly interpret Austen however they wish--it is the joy of fanfiction
-- and in doing so, perhaps take some of the sting out of Austen. She liked to puncture folly and skewer hypocrisy, but it can make for uncomfortable reading sometimes.
She does not write villains, perhaps, but she can write some nasty people. However, there is good in all all of us, is there not? Austen was sometimes unrelenting in her characterizations. And, it is good that there are fanfiction writers who can find the core of "cuteness" lurking in every Austen fool or knave. These fools and knaves can all be made humorous or even heroic. It is certainly often interesting to watch the re-creations that make Austen more palatable.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/23/2015 11:29AM by Amy I..
-------------------------------------------------------
> I think of Mr Bennet as the villian of P&P - in my
> view he's worse than Wickham, who probably
> wouldn't work out to be a worse father.
I take your point. I was probably too soft in the phrasing of my comment relating Mr. Bennet's actions to Mr. Collins's advice to ever banish Lydia from his sight. Mr. Bennet comments after receiving his cousin's letter, "So this is his idea of Christian forgiveness." It is one of those moments that I wish could reach into the page and wap him upside the head and remind him of his own words. Mrs. Bennet is often inconsistent in the novel, but her silliness and lack of intelligence make it expected.
Fanfiction often creates characterizations and plots that make Mr. Bennet look good. His behavior is explained as being frustrated at his wife's dumbness. How awful to have to put up with such a woman and her silly daughters, too. People can certainly interpret Austen however they wish--it is the joy of fanfiction
-- and in doing so, perhaps take some of the sting out of Austen. She liked to puncture folly and skewer hypocrisy, but it can make for uncomfortable reading sometimes.She does not write villains, perhaps, but she can write some nasty people. However, there is good in all all of us, is there not? Austen was sometimes unrelenting in her characterizations. And, it is good that there are fanfiction writers who can find the core of "cuteness" lurking in every Austen fool or knave. These fools and knaves can all be made humorous or even heroic. It is certainly often interesting to watch the re-creations that make Austen more palatable.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/23/2015 11:29AM by Amy I..
