Mary Bennet in “Ramsgate”

Happy Wednesday, Janeites!  I hope you are bearing the weather in your part of the globe. We are warming up here on the West Coast of the U.S., and are surviving record breaking heat.  As I’m sitting in my air conditioned house sipping strawberry lemonade, I have been working on my WIP ‘Ramsgate’ (still deciding on the title. Thanks for all your help!), and I began to consider minor characters. Because of that, today I wanted to talk about the most overlooked character in Pride and Prejudice:  Mary Bennet.

Mary Bennet can be considered an enigma. She’s often ignored, mocked or her ideas disregarded by everyone in her family. Yet, I’ve always believed that within her soul burns a quiet observer; someone who is just waiting to let us into her complex world.

We’ve all been Mary Bennet at least once in our life. We have a brilliant idea, something profound and can’t wait to share it with everyone when the moment is right. But for Mary, often that ‘perfect moment’ is decided by someone else- her father, her sisters or her mother.

“ ‘What can be the meaning of that emphatic exclamation?’ cried he. ‘Do you consider the forms of introduction, and the stress that is laid on them, as nonsense? I cannot quite agree with you there. What say you, Mary? for you are a young lady of deep reflection, I know, and read great books and make extracts.’

Mary wished to say something very sensible, but knew not how.
‘While Mary is adjusting her ideas,’ he continued, ‘let us return to Mr. Bingley.’” (Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 2).

As you can see, it’s about them and their ideas, so when she speaks her thoughts fall flat. Her profound observation doesn’t make as much sense when it leaves her mouth and floats into the world of others.

Because of that awkwardness, Mary Bennet is dismissed throughout the novel. One of my AP students even asked why Jane Austen had written her into the story at all.

However, I wanted her to have a voice, so in ‘Ramsgate,’ Mary Bennet finds a purpose. She pulls from within to attempt to right a wrong, which is not only difficult for those of who have others support our ideas, but even more so for those who don’t.

Please enjoy this small (professionally unedited) snippet of ‘Ramsgate’:

From “Ramsgate”:

A knock at the door caused Mr. Bennet to shake from his stupor. The stupor he had waded through for the last several hours. The darkness outside had crept up on him and he’d remained in his study with only the moon spilling through the windows for light.

“Come.”

The door opened cautiously, and he prayed it was not Elizabeth. He could handle anything at that moment but seeing his favorite child.

Instead, his third daughter poked her head into the room. “Papa?”

“Yes, Mary. Come in.”

The young woman entered and closed the door behind her, awkwardly standing in front of his desk.

“Yes, my dear?”

“Papa, I believe there has been some terrible mistake.”

Recognizing the vehemence in her voice, he raised his hand to stop her. “It is too late to plead your sister’s case. There is nothing we can do, and she already made her choice.”

“How can you say that?”

He looked out the window, avoiding her eyes. “Your sister did not behave with conduct befitting a gentleman’s daughter. That explanation will suffice. I will not insult your sensibilities by divulging the particulars to you.”

Mary inhaled deeply and clenched her jaw. “The particulars?  You mean the ones my future brother told you in the privacy of your study only to then regale my two youngest sisters with?”

She took a fortifying breath. “The particulars, which they then walked into town on the arm of said future brother and told all of sundry the sordid tale of the betrothal? Those particulars?

“Father, I am not your favorite child, and am only in third place as Kitty and Lydia are too dim-witted to garner any respect, so forgive me for speaking to you as I know Lizzy does.” She stopped and raised her chin waiting for him to turn. Meeting his eyes she said, “You are in the wrong. We both know that your daughter would not fall under the spell of someone like that cad. Kitty and Lydia, yes. But not, her.” She paused waiting for his rebuttal. Receiving none, she continued. “How did she respond to his claims?”

Mr. Bennet turned back. “I do not know. She…she did not give her side of the story.”

“Or you did not listen?”

Silence.

“Papa, before your daughter is lost to you forever, you must ask her what occurred. Otherwise, all hope will be gone.”

After a moment, Mr. Bennet lowered his gaze from the darkness outside. “Mary, go and retrieve your sister. But, before you do, have Hill send in someone to light the fire. I am anticipating a frosty conversation.”

Yay for Mary!  What strength it must have taken for her to challenge her father. What are your thoughts of Mary as a character? Do you believe there is more to her than meets the eye?

Have a wonderful day, friends!