Pride and Prejudice: Meet the Bennets

[LONGBOURN – DAY]

[An argument can be heard from outside the house.]

KITTY: Lydia, that’s mine!

LYDIA: It’s mine now. You’d never wear it anyway.

KITTY: I would, I wanted to wear it today! Look what you’ve done to it! Mamma! Mamma!

[Elizabeth hesitates to go inside. Instead, she walks outside to peek in her father’s library window.]

KITTY: Lydia has torn up my bonnet, made it up new, and says she will wear it to church! Tell her she shall not, Mamma!

LYDIA: I shall wear it, Mamma!

[Mr Bennet rolls his eyes, and gives Elizabeth a chuckling smile.]

LYDIA: I beg you would tell her so, for it’s all my own work, and she would be a fright in it, because she’s too plain to look well in it!

[Elizabeth smiles at her father, rolls her eyes, and walks away from the window.]

MRS BENNET: OH!

LYDIA: No, you shall not have it! Mamma, tell her it is so.

[Kitty tries to grab the bonnet, but misses, and chases Lydia around the table trying to get it. Lydia puts herself on the other side of their mother, who is sitting in a chair.]

MRS BENNET: Girls! Would you tear my nerves into shreds?! Oh, let her have it, Kitty, and be done.

KITTY: But it’s mine! You let her have everything that is mine.

MRS BENNET: Argh!

[Kitty runs out crying. Lydia puts on the bonnet. Kitty wipes her nose as she cries as she runs through the front hall, where Jane enters from another room and Elizabeth comes in from outside.]

MRS BENNET: Oh, what is to become of us all? Jane! Lizzy! Where are you?

[The Jane and Elizabeth exchange amused looks before heading to the drawing room. Elizabeth removes her hat as she walks.]

JANE: Here, Mamma.

ELIZABETH: Coming Mamma.

[LONGBOURN LANE – DAY]

[Mrs Bennet talks with another woman outside out of church. Mr Bennet gives her a glance to come along as he and their daughters begin to walk home. Mrs Bennet rushes to catch up with him.]

MRS BENNET: My dear! Mr Bennet! Wonderful news! Netherfield Park is let at last!

MR BENNET: Is it?

MRS BENNET: Yes, it is. For I have just had it from Mrs Long. And do you not want to know who had taken it?

MR BENNET: You want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it.

MRS BENNET: Why, then, it is taken by a young man of large fortune from the north of England. A single man of large fortune, my dear! He came down on Monday in chaise and four to see the place. His name is Bingley, and he will be in possession by Michaelmas, and he has 5,000 a year! What a fine thing for our girls.

[He stops and turns to look at their daughters.]

MR BENNET: How so? Erm, how can it affect them?

MRS BENNET: Oh, Mr Bennet , how can you be so tiresome? You must know that I’m thinking of his marrying one of them.

MR BENNET: Hm.

[They continue walking.]

ELIZABETH: For a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.

[The Bennet girls giggle.]

MRS BENNET: Yes, he must indeed! And who better than one of our five girls?

[Lydia giggles and snorts.]

JANE: Lydia!

LYDIA: What a fine joke if he were to choose me!

KITTY: Or me!

[Lydia and Kitty giggle.]

MR BENNET: So, that is his design in settling here, to marry one of our daughters?

MRS BENNET: Design?! Oh, how can you talk such nonsense? But you know, he may very likely fall in love with one of them.

MR BENNET: Oh.

MRS BENNET: Therefore, you must visit him directly he comes.

MR BENNET: Visit him? Oh, no, no. I see no occasion for that.

MRS BENNET: Oh, Mr Bennet!

MR BENNET: Go yourself with the girls. Or, still better, send them by themselves.

MRS BENNET: By themselves?!

MR BENNET: Aye, for you’re as handsome as any of them. Mr Bingley might like you best of the party.

[Mrs Bennet gapes at her husband and Lydia giggles and snorts.]

ELIZABETH: Lydia.

Below there are definitions of a few words from the script. What’s the word?

1. a high or inordinate opinion of one’s own dignity, importance, merit, or superiority

2. an unfair and unreasonable opinion or feeling, especially when formed without enough thought or knowledge

3. a woman’s or child’s hat tied under the chin and with a brim framing the face

4. to laugh lightly and repeatedly in a silly way, from amusement, nervousness, or embarrassment

5. a large amount of money or assets

Key

1. pride

2. prejudice

3. bonnet

4. to giggle

5. fortune