Why does Mr. Bennet fail to control Lydia Bennet and Kitty Bennet?

In Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, Mr. Bennet’s failure to control his youngest daughters, Lydia and Kitty, stems primarily from his detached and passive approach to fatherhood. While he is an intelligent man, he is also eccentric and sarcastic, preferring to mock his family’s shortcomings rather than actively guide them.12

Mr. Bennet takes only a passive interest in his younger children, ultimately failing to curb their flighty and immature instincts. His disdain for societal conventions leads him to withdraw from the responsibilities of parenting, choosing instead to observe his family’s behavior with a sense of ironic detachment. This lack of paternal oversight is compounded by the influence of Mrs. Bennet, who, despite her valid anxieties regarding the family's entail, indulges the youngest girls rather than providing the discipline they require. Consequently, Mr. Bennet’s refusal to engage meaningfully in his daughters' upbringing leaves Lydia and Kitty without the necessary guidance to mature.23