A new BBC adaptation of Janice Hadlow's novel The Other Bennet Sister has struck a chord with viewers, particularly those who remember the awkwardness of being a clever, bookish teenage girl. The drama focuses on Mary Bennet, the intelligent but shy sister from Pride and Prejudice, and her struggle for self-acceptance. For many, the portrayal of Mary's lack of confidence and social invisibility feels painfully familiar, even decades later.
Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett, writing in the Guardian, recalls her own school days in the early 2000s, where there seemed to be a choice between being smart or pretty, but not both. She notes that even girls who were both often felt the need to downplay their intelligence. Watching Ella Bruccoleri's performance as Mary brought back feelings of shyness and exclusion, and other bookish women have shared similar reactions, highlighting how rare it is to see an ordinary-looking young woman as a costume drama heroine.
The show's narrative is refreshingly not purely romantic. While there is romance, the main arc is about Mary coming to terms with who she is, finding independence, and learning to love herself. This message resonates not only with teenagers but also with adult women, many of whom have experienced body shaming from their own mothers, as Mary does from Mrs Bennet. The adaptation shows Mrs Bennet as more than just silly; to Mary, she is a bully.
The economic pressures faced by the Bennet sisters—unable to inherit and reliant on marriage for survival—also echo modern concerns. Many women today feel acutely aware of their economic circumstances and how they differ from those of their peers. The show asks women to consider who they are outside of societal structures like marriage, a question that remains relevant despite the progress made since Austen's time.
