Mary Bennet has neither taste nor talent, and also has the unhappy distinction of being the only plain one of the Bennet family. She is well-read and works harder than her siblings for her accomplishments. Nevertheless, she lacks Lizzy’s charm at the piano and cannot match Elizabeth’s wit in conversation. Her performance at the piano is described as contrived and artificial, although in this scene in the 1980 adaptation it is wholly off-key and (I hope!) deliberately awful. Her father, also preferring the seclusion of reading and reflection, nevertheless finds his third eldest daughter absurd. It’s not easy being Mary.
Lucy Brier's Mary Bennet infinitely prefers a book to a ball!
To me, there is a certain meanness in the writing of Mary’s character. Jane Austen writes very unsympathetically about her in the novel, but we have little control over our physical appearance, none over our natural musical ability, and only a limited amount over our way with words. Mary struggles to better herself in a commendable way; she doesn’t give up because of her lack of natural advantages, but rather doubles her efforts. Her comments are longwinded, and largely lacking in substance, but this hardly a capital offence. Her pomposity, for example when she is at the ball having to sit by herself as nobody has asked her to dance, can surely be forgiven. It is probably better to pretend that you do not wish to dance than suffer the humiliation of sitting longingly alone all evening.
Mary probably disappointed her parents from birth. A third daughter would have represented the dwindling chance of producing a male heir to inherit Longbourn. Again, since Mary had no choice over her gender, one would expect this to be a cause of sympathy rather than mocking. Nevertheless, along with the more deserving Lady Catherine and Mr Collins, Mary is generally used as a target of Jane Austen’s humor.
A cute and likeable Mary Bennet
While we all probably join Amanda Price in pining for the more civilized society and manners that her novels represent, in most ways I think we’re becoming gentler and more forgiving since Pride and Prejudice was written. Lucy Briers’ 1995 Mary is pretty close to Jane Austen’s vision, but in other cases she has been softened greatly for modern audiences. In the 1980 adaptation she is completely adorable. Tessa Peake-Jones’s Mary seems younger than Kitty and Lydia, is not at all ‘plain,’ and performs with such sweetness that all her pomposity can be put down to childish insecurity. The 1940 Pride and Prejudice, that seeks to make everyone likeable (even Lady Catherine de Bourgh), as nerdy and bespectacled, but sprightly and cute.
Likewise, in Lost in Austen, Ruby Bentall’s Mary is just about the cutest thing to appear on screen since Tiny Tim in the Muppet’s version of A Christmas Carol. She even gets excited about balls and joins in with her sisters’ silliness at every opportunity. In the 2005 movie, it’s hard to say much because Talulah Riley doesn’t get a lot to do, but in all the adaptations (save possibly for the 1995 version) Mary is a quirky, but likable young lady.
It seems that we’re not so comfortable with treating a character that hasn’t really done anything wrong so dismissively. We want to make her likeable, lovable even, while Jane Austen showed no particular need to do this herself. In our society we’re still incredibly judgmental and unpleasant of course, but I’d like to think that we’re less willing to aim our laughter so unambiguously at the misfortunes of others.
Your nerd in solidarity,
Lizzy
well while I sympathize with Mary I understand the need to make her what she is in the novel and the 1995 version. They cannot all be the same or too much alike. I think she helps to highlight the traits of the others and helps the reader visualize what it is that is so special about Lizzy and Jane. I mean Kitty is not exactly well depicted either but since she’s not as sullen as Mary, we overlook her imperfections.
Her parents do not treat her any differently. Mr Bennett lumps her together with the other 2 as being silly and ignorant and the piano forte episode deserved to have been stopped when it was. Mrs. Bennett shows preference for Lydia and reprimands Mary for voicing and opinion during Lydia’s going away just as she reprimanded Kitty for coughing and trying her nerves
In the 21st century Mary would probably do very well — she’d be a cool geek girl, possibly an IT expert or top medical scholar, with a desirable place in the world. That’s why I get so downcast with Austen’s cruel depiction and dismissal of her in P&P; I wish Mary lived in our time and not in that one. It must be said, tho, that in every age, plain girls do miss out; we don’t get the boyfriends, and if we show any interest in clothes or parties people think it’s unseemly that we should fancy frivolous things instead of “concentrating on our studies or work”. SO dull. I bet Mary had quite a few unrequited crushes, but of course Austen makes no acknowledgement of that.
I always thought of mary bennet as rather a female, less unbearable version of Mr Collins but now I reconsider.
If you stick to Jane’s version of Pride and Prejudice, she seems to be the forgotten, plain sister. IN my intepretation, she seems like the forgotten sister who wants to make herself noticeable, in a not-very appealing way.
All the Mary’s in all versions are cute for sure, except the one in the 1195 one.
Anyway, with all the makeup and all we have today, I reckon everyone, and anyone who isn’t naturally disfigured can look good.
Sometimes I’m doubting whether Jean Austen was discriminating women, for she mocked and even, to some degree, looked down upon Mary Bennet, (at least) a hardworking young woman who tried to compensate for her plain appearance. If this is regarded as vanity, as Austen mentioned in the novel, I don’t know how to judge those ambitious people who work hard to overcome their shortcomings. So I suppose that Austen actually discriminated women; she thought women should not be accomplished. She thought women could play piano; yet, women should not play very well. (Elizabeth’s level is okay.) She thought women could read; yet, they should not read too much. (Again, Elizabeth’s level is okay.) Women should not focus their attention on getting accomplished; instead, they should go to ball, communicate with others and look for a good husband. That’s what Austen thought the most admirable woman! Austen seemed to discriminate the women who want to spend their time studying, researching or, if in today’s society, working.
I also beleive that Jane Austen´s description of Mary and how she presented this studious character was in the upmost level unfair. Although Mary lacked of uniqueness and wit she was a hardworking, smart girl. What I do not completely comprehend is how Mr.Bennet being wise and opinionative amoungst his daughters, did not think well of her. Though at one perspective i can see how he might have perceived her as an insolent girl. Her ,may i say, obsession with studying and standing out made her sort of like a female version of Mr.Collins. Trying to hard to sound smart, but again who can blame her? With all the other roles taken in the family. (Elizabeth; Independent and witty girl, Jane; Lovable and a generous person, Lydia; Foolish but stubborn girl, and Kitty; Too dependent, a no opinion girl) Mary tried to stand out in the only way that she could, being born plain with almost no admirable qualities. I am dissapointed in the character of Mr.Bennet because he should of admired her dicipline and hardwork, instead of pronouncing her as a foolish girl much like his other two younger daughters. Therefore I believe Jane Austen treated Mary unfairly, and discriminated her due to the fact that she enjoyed studying.
It wasn’t Austen’s intention to discriminate against hard work, but to criticise what she sees as pretentiousness or trying to be something you’re not. Unfortunately, she failed to note the conceit of her more sympathetic characters, Elizabeth and Mr. Bennet, whom she speaks through.
Mr. Bennet who prides himself on being wise or sensible, is as flippant and irresponsible as the wife he hold in contempt. Elizabeth is highly aware of any disadvantages (e.g. beauty, wealth, musical talent, connections) and is driven to cut others down, under the guise of astuteness. Thus, Jane is lovely and compassionate, but undiscriminating; Mary has some talent, but is stodgy and affected.
I find it hard to believe that a subpar musical performance (in the novel, Mary is a better player), would be more enjoyable simply because of charm. Elizabeth prides herself on disdaining what her sisters sought (i.e. good marriage, admiration, approval), but her social conciousness and ending only underscores her hypocrisy.