The Failure of a Father When first reading Pride and Prejudice one is likely to find at least some sense of admiration for the perceptive and witty Mr. Bennet, contrasted as he is with his dim and inept wife. However, under closer scrutiny it becomes abundantly clear that he is lazy, mean spirited, and that he has failed as a father. There are, however, those who disagree with this, and see Mr. Bennet as a …showed first 75 words of 1243 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1243 total…live out the rest of their days in the company of Mr. Bennet, who, while witty and reserved at best, is completely devoid of any sense of love and affection for either of the two women with whom he should feel so close. Now, as the other daughters are free to make new lives for themselves, Mr. Bennet is left to slowly recoil from the world into his library, a portrait of a failed father.