Pride and Prejudice
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''Want of propriety of Mr. Bennet''
Jeffrey
Jan 16, 2016 04:42PM
In Pride and Prejudice, Darcy says to Lizzy in chapter 35: "The situation of your mother's family, though objectionable, was nothing in comparison of that total want of propriety so frequently, so almost uniformly, betrayed by herself, by your three younger sisters, and occasionally even by your father".
What is meant by the want of propriety of Mr. Bennet?
What is meant by the want of propriety of Mr. Bennet?
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If I remember correctly, Mr. Bennet did not make any attempt to correct the behavior of Lydia, Mary, and Catherine. I believe he also preferred to keep to himself rather than socialize with others, and may have even made remarks about others within earshot. I'd have to read the book again to get exact quotes.
It means they were all lacking in propriety although less so in the case of Mr. Bennet.
I always assumed it meant specifically his behavior at the Netherfield ball, when he basically told Mary to stop playing the pianoforte, as well as his failure to correct the girls. There are also some mentions of Mr. Bennet visiting Bingley and Darcy so perhaps it was just an overall lack of propriety.
I don't know if Darcy ever witnessed it, but Mr Bennet sometimes shows a lack of respect for Mrs Bennet. And he is sometimes quite flippant about serious matters. Darcy's opinion is probably based on his observation over a period of time, rather than any specific incident.
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