S2E6: Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice: Is Mrs. Bennet a Bad Mom?

Mother knows best, the old saying goes. But what if your mother is constantly trying to ship you with strange, rich men? Believe it or not, if you’re in England, circa 1800, having such a mum might have its upsides.

Sonja and Vanessa offer a lively run-through of Pride and Prejudice with an eye on the character who, in terms of dialogue, speaks second-only to Miss Elizabeth Bennet herself. (No, it’s not Mr. Darcy.) It’s Elizabeth’s mother, Mrs. Bennet, who talks her way into second place with gossip, scheming, and fashion advice. And yet, we pose the question of whether this mother–universally acknowledged as silly–may also be wise. In this classic novel’s playfully astute look at patriarchy’s true ridiculousness, we spotlight Mrs. Bennet, wondering if, perhaps, she may be the marriage game’s MVP.

Along the way, Sonja indulges in a bit of Lady Catherine worship, and Vanessa mixes up her balls, and together they offer at least a couple of fresh insights into the world’s ongoing obsession with Pride and Prejudice, a novel merely attributed to the nameless “Author of Sense and Sensibility” when published that has, nonetheless, cast the shadow of a giant across the landscape of the literary world, over two hundred years later.

REFERENCES:

Jo Baker's novel, Longbourne

Live from Pemberley, Season 4 Hot & Bothered Podcast

Ben Fensom, lip synch PP miniseries from the 90's

@somebenfen (on Instagram)