To ask which Bennett sister you are?

[LydiaBennetsUglyBonnet]

I hate to say it but when I was 18 I would have been a total Lydia. Thought myself excellent, liked to party and get attention from boys. I’d definitely have done something fucking stupid like run away with a handsome but twattish commander who didn’t know when to put his little solider away.

These days I’m far more Lizzie. A bit cynical, attracted to men with nice houses and like a to wind up arrogant obnoxious men.

Could never be a Jane. I’m not nearly nice enough

Whatever you do, do NOT read The Independence of Miss Mary Bennet by Colleen McCullogh. Absolute worst book I've ever read in my life!

According to the quiz I'm Lizzie, I have some of her character but I am more Mary as I far prefer a book and quiet to anything else.

I could never understand why Mrs Bennet didn't try to engineer a match between Mary and Mr Collins once Lizzie refused him. I thought that would have been a good match.

Having done the quiz I'm apparently Lizzy, which is no surprise.

She might have attempted, I suppose, had there been an opportunity, but he very quickly became engaged to Charlotte Lucas.

The Firth/Darcy, Ehle/Lizzy adaptation makes it clear that Mary doesn't appeal to Collins as alternative to Jane, but the book does not, there simply isn't time, or opportunity, to offer another alternative to Jane and Lizzy.

I think there’s a bit in the book that says “Mary, perhaps, could have been prevailed upon” to marry Mr Collins but that he’d gone off the idea of marrying any of the Bennet sisters when Lizzy rejected him.

I see myself as a Lizzy, clever and lively but not always the kindest, and with occasional honking great errors of judgement

Oh yes @LadyIsabellaWrotham that's me too, Buzzfeed was right. And also, I look up to kind, quiet people who are far nobler i.e. Jane.

BTW is it just me that thinks it's really funny that Jane Austen named her most beautiful, calm and kind character after herself?

The poster who said Charlotte wouldn't have been thought old if she was rich was right - in fact I think the younger de Bourgh (Anne?) is a similar age.

The saving of Mr B is that he acknowledges his own faults - and even his own weakness in overlooking his faults habitually:

It was not till the afternoon, when he joined them at tea, that Elizabeth ventured to introduce the subject; and then, on her briefly expressing her sorrow for what he must have endured, he replied, “Say nothing of that. Who should suffer but myself? It has been my own doing, and I ought to feel it.”
“You must not be too severe upon yourself,” replied Elizabeth.
“You may well warn me against such an evil. Human nature is so prone to fall into it! No, Lizzy, let me once in my life feel how much I have been to blame. I am not afraid of being overpowered by the impression. It will pass away soon enough.”

Mr Collins is clearly a perfect match for Mary but - like so many men - thinks he's got a right to the lovely, pretty, fun sisters despite being none of those things himself.

I am Jane!

I started off thinking I was Elizabeth, then realised I'm much more of a Jane. Nowhere near as assertive and quick to answer back as Lizzy, although this is what I aspire to. I sit back and be nice and hope for the best, giving everyone the benefit of the doubt. But in the end I took that too far and here I am as Charlotte Lucas, stuck with finding all the ways I can to avoid spending any time with my own Mr Collins...... 😣

Like others, wish I were Lizzie but am more probably Mary or Charlotte Lucas.
Actually, I really like Mary & Charlotte, but neither is given enough sympathy or credit. I think Charlotte was smart & pragmatic - she did what was needed to become mistress of her own household, & managed to marginalise Mr Collins. I'm not sure I could have coped with Lady Catherine tho!

Mary wasn't as bright, and a bit deluded, but had a raw deal as the "plain" sister.

I think I would be Jane Bennet

He was so offended by the rejection that he popped off to propose to Charlotte Lucas instead.

As a kid I was more like a much less privileged Georgiana Darcy. Shy, reclusive, easily suggestible but with a passionate nature struggling underneath to get out ....

As a teenager, sadly also more like tearaway Lydia. Yes, I was a dick.

Adult from 20s onward: book geek. That would make me Mary.

I always thought the lots of Charlotte, the older Mrs Bennet whose husband despises her, and possibly Lydia were much more realistic depictions of women's true situation in this age. Sometimes I find Austen quite a depressing read!

NB. I'm disappointed Janice Hadlow didn't give Mary a more independent outcome in The Other Bennet System, albeit the options for women back them are few. Having her fall in love and end up getting the guy was too predictable - I'd have loved to see her turn into another Lucy Snowe!

I did enjoy the book all the same, and have always been a big Mary fan.

I don't know why I wrote 'Bennet System'. I think my brains have gone to sleep! 'Sister' - apologies.

I always thought the lots of Charlotte, the older Mrs Bennet whose husband despises her, and possibly Lydia were much more realistic depictions of women's true situation in this age.

I forgot Bingley's sister Louisa. I'd almost rather be married to Mr Collins than Mr Hurst.

Am I the only person who doesn't actually like any of them much?

I'd love to be Lizzy or Jane, but I'm sadly more of a cross between Mary, Charlotte and kitty, with a dash of Mrs gardiner as leaven

I've read some brilliant Kitty stories. Although I think all by the same person.

Lydia could well have turned out a different person with more of the Gardiner's influence, which Jane and Lizzy did have.

No idea which one I'd be though 😂

I always thought the lots of Charlotte, the older Mrs Bennet whose husband despises her, and possibly Lydia were much more realistic depictions of women's true situation in this age. Sometimes I find Austen quite a depressing read!

I'm sure there are were many women in these situations, but there's more to this period than meets the eye, especially in Scotland.

I'm researching a woman in Scotland who actually divorced her husband in 1815, within Austen's lifetime.

She and hundreds of other couples are covered in Leah Leneman's research data, culminating in Leneman's book: "Alienated Affections: Divorce and Separation in Scotland 1684-1830" edinburghuniversitypress.com/book-alienated-affections.html

I haven't read the book, but if it's anywhere near as fascinating as Leneman's database, it'll be a page-turner. You'd be amazed at the number of divorces initiated by women, including among the "common" people. In some cases it's clear the woman very much has the upper hand regarding whether to allow her husband back into the house.

Very different from the other extreme where women were committed to asylums for marital disobedience, which certainly also happened.

Quiz says I'm a Lizzie - not sure how they got that from me liking purple and wanting to be a cat ?!

None of them. I am Emily Bronte.

Y'all heard it here first.

Brilliant question!

I like to think I'm a Lizzie (gutsy, funny, kind-hearted), I sort of what to be Lydia
(fearless and defiant), but I know deep down that I'm a Mary.

Lydia wasn’t really fearless & defiant for the time though was she?

She was reckless & could so easily have damaged her sisters marriage prospects.

Had Lizzy not gone to Rosings & Pemberley & seen Darcy again that’s exactly what would have happened.