The Old Wives' Tale

Assess Bennett’s assumptions about the relationship between beauty and age.

Bennett portrays his most significant male characters (John Baines, Samuel Povey, Gerald Scales, and Cyril Povey) as being less capable, more flawed, and generally more limited than his main female characters (Constance, Sophia, and Mrs. Baines). Why do you think he does this?

Bennett states in his preface that many reviewers doubted the public would be interested in a female protagonist over 40. How successfully do you think Bennett portrays his elderly characters in ways that would keep his readers engaged? Could he have done anything better?