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May 18, 2006
Pride & Prejudice II - Questions of Love
Yesterday I posed this question:
I'd like to ask my readers this: in Pride and Prejudice, the novel: when does Elizabeth fall in love with Darcy?
This is no trick question.
This not a philosophical question.
There is a specific moment in the book when Elizabeth acknowledges that she has fallen in love with Darcy.
What is this moment and is it reflected in the film?
Below, the answer:
Late in the novel, Jane asks Elizabeth when she first fell in love with Darcy.
``My dearest sister, now be serious. I want to talk very seriously. Let me know every thing that I am to know, without delay. Will you tell me how long you have loved him?''
``It has been coming on so gradually, that I hardly know when it began. But I believe I must date it from my first seeing his beautiful grounds at Pemberley.''
When she first saw Pemberley.
Are we to believe that Elizabeth is just another female mercenary? What are we to make of this? Seraphic friend and commenter Michael Jennings responded quite correctly in quoting this section from the book:
In the gallery there were many family portraits, but they could have little to fix the attention of a stranger. Elizabeth walked on in quest of the only face whose features would be known to her. At last it arrested her -- and she beheld a striking resemblance of Mr. Darcy, with such a smile over the face as she remembered to have sometimes seen, when he looked at her. She stood several minutes before the picture in earnest contemplation, and returned to it again before they quitted the gallery. Mrs. Reynolds informed them that it had been taken in his father's life time.
There was certainly at this moment, in Elizabeth's mind, a more gentle sensation towards the original than she had ever felt in the height of their acquaintance. The commendation bestowed on him by Mrs. Reynolds was of no trifling nature. What praise is more valuable than the praise of an intelligent servant? As a brother, a landlord, a master, she considered how many people's happiness were in his guardianship! -- How much of pleasure or pain it was in his power to bestow! -- How much of good or evil must be done by him! Every idea that had been brought forward by the housekeeper was favourable to his character, and as she stood before the canvas, on which he was represented, and fixed his eyes upon herself, she thought of his regard with a deeper sentiment of gratitude than it had ever raised before; she remembered its warmth, and softened its impropriety of expression.
Well done, Michael.
Do not be fooled. Lizzie Bennet is not bought by Darcy's wealth. No, in Jane Austen's world almost everything of a man's character was revealed by how he managed his estate. Let us never forget that the country estate was the cornerstone of the British social order in Jane's world. In fact, it was central to the British economic structure. Almost all of the farming was done by "tract farmers" who paid rents to the squire.
Even religion was somewhat controlled by the great country estates. Ministers like the impossible, but ultimately pitiful Mr. Collins, were filled by a squire's appointment.
And so, at Pemberley, Elizabeth sees the well-tended grounds, the thousands of volumes in the library, all which go towards maintaining the core of British culture, which at that time was ascendant in world affairs.
This is all in stark contrast to Lizzie's father and the slow decay that is taking place under his mismanagement of the family farm and fortune.
Elizabeth sees that Darcy is a loving brother to his young and vulnerable sister Georgiana, a fair and beloved employer to his servants, and a respected landlord.
The film gives voice to these feelings in an extended sequence where Elizabeth with her Aunt and Uncle visit Pemberley. Keira Knightley, in a fine performance that relies almost exclusively on looking at inanimate object, stares long and lovingly at a bust of Darcy; she listens attentively as the servants speak glowingly of their employer. And in a fine moment, hidden, she secretly watches Georgiana playing the pianoforte, and then abruptly Darcy enters the room, sweeps his baby sister into his arms and twirls her about. It is a joyous demonstration of brotherly affection, and goes a long way towards clarifying the authentic Darcy.
And so, Pemberley unmasks Darcy as caring and generous and not at all guilty of the excessive pride for which Lizzie had first condemned him.
And Darcy, why does he love Elizabeth?
In the last chapter of the book, Elizabeth asks Darcy to account for his having fallen in love with her?
This is one of my favorite moments in the novel:
``How could you begin?'' said she. ``I can comprehend your going on charmingly, when you had once made a beginning; but what could set you off in the first place?''
``I cannot fix on the hour, or the spot, or the look, or the words, which laid the foundation. It is too long ago. I was in the middle before I knew that I had begun.''
``My beauty you had early withstood, and as for my manners -- my behaviour to you was at least always bordering on the uncivil, and I never spoke to you without rather wishing to give you pain than not. Now be sincere; did you admire me for my impertinence?''
``For the liveliness of your mind, I did.''
For the liveliness of your mind.
Goodness gracious.
Jane Austen was not a revolutionary writer. But she does know that men and women can fall in love for all the wrong reasons. Elizabeth loves Darcy for his character, his goodness and moral probity. And Darcy, bless him, loves Elizabeth not because she dances well, or is just another pretty face, but because he has also fallen in love with her lively mind--as have generations of readers.
Posted by Robert J. Avrech at May 18, 2006 10:40 AM
Comments
Seraphic Secret is private property, that's right, it's an extension of our home, and as such, Karen and I have instituted two Seraphic Rules and we ask commentors to act respectfully.
1. No profanity.2. No Israel bashing. We debate, we discuss, we are respectful. You know what Israel bashing is. The world is full of it. Seraphic Secret is one of the few places in the world that will not tolerate this form of anti-Semitism. That's it. Break either of these rules and you will be banned.
Thanks for the interpretation! I never even thought of the management angle when I was reading the book... That's a very interesting insight.
Posted by: Irina at May 18, 2006 02:17 PM
Irina:
Your welcome. This is, afterall, Seraphic University, and we aim to educate--unlike most of our colleges who are more interested in being politically correct.
Posted by: Robert Avrech at May 18, 2006 02:22 PM
That is the beauty of Jane Austen for women. The female characters appreciate good character and the men love the women for who they are. Persuasion is my absolute favorite book.
Posted by: ball-and-chain at May 18, 2006 02:40 PM
Ball & Chain:
I too love "Persuasion" and will blog about it and the cable film adaptation.
Posted by: Robert Avrech at May 18, 2006 02:44 PM
It has always struck me that it was Mrs. Reynolds' open and unfeigned love for Darcy that convinced Elizabeth that she (and virtually everyone else) had misjudged him. Even today, I watch how people treat "the help" for an insight into their real character.
In the new movie, the scene when Darcy enters the room where Georgiana is playing seems to me one of the finest in the film....it was surely the one that impressed me most with the actor playing Darcy.
Posted by: Earl at May 18, 2006 03:23 PM
One thing I did notice about the way the servants were treated in the movie - Darcy's servants got wigs. Mr. Bennet's didn't. Now that is deprivation.
Posted by: ralphie at May 18, 2006 03:51 PM
Earl:
Yes, Mrs. Reynold's words of love and admiration go a long way towards convincing Lizzie that she has misjudged Darcy.
I once went on a date with a young woman who seemed quite nice. But in the restaurant she turned into a tyrant: treated the waiter just terribly. I felt like melting into a puddle I was so embarrassed.
Yes, the scene at Pemberley with Georgiana strikes just the right notes with the correct balance of emotions.
Posted by: Robert Avrech at May 18, 2006 03:56 PM
Ralphie:
There you go, proof positive that Daddy Bennet is a lousy father, provider and wigger.
Posted by: Robert Avrech at May 18, 2006 04:01 PM
Robert:
There's a new study out about how you can pretty much judge a person by how he/she treats the waiter. In fact, some Fortune 500 companies swear by it! Check it out here: http://www.thedesertsun.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060416/BUSINESS05/604160314/1003
Posted by: Jake at May 18, 2006 06:02 PM
Jake:
Well, you hardly need a study for something that should be dictated by common decency and common sense.
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at May 18, 2006 06:29 PM
I discovered that I have tears in my eyes after reading that post. I don't know why. God knows I've cried for Ariel on several occasions. But I'm reading a book review for heaven's sake! Of a book I've never read. So why am I crying? (I assure you that I'm not crying over anything else.)
Rather than analyze it, I will simply say "Thank you".
Posted by: yehupitz at May 18, 2006 06:36 PM
Yehupitz:
Your welcome.
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at May 18, 2006 07:28 PM
Thank you for that lovely post about one of my favorite books. I always think of P&P as the ultimate (not to mention first) "chick lit." Nice to see that men enjoy it as well!
Posted by: RR at May 19, 2006 04:51 AM
I just noticed your entries about the Keira Knightley version, which blew me away when I saw it -- even better than the BBC version, and I thought nothing could be better than that.
The difference perhaps is that in the Keira version the sense of tragedy of what real life is like, especially in the 18th-Cent (when women so often died in childbirth etc) begins to seep in through the frame in that last scene....because that scene is all about perfect happiness, and so you are reminded that in this world perfect happiness cannot last more than a fleeting moment.
Which is less true to the book, I guess, because I don't recall the novels have that sense of sadness. But I think the hint of tragedy -- of how often things can (and do) go wrong -- is what makes this latest version the best.
Also, I like that in this Keira version you see more of a hint of darkness in Elizabeth Bennett; she's really not very nice to her mother, who is perhaps not such an utter fool and has a real reason to worry about marrying off those five daughters.
Just my two cents...
Posted by: Cathy Seipp at May 19, 2006 08:42 AM
RR:
Your welcome. Of course, "Pride & Prejudice" transcends the chick-lit designation. Which is why it is read and enjoyed by generation after generation.
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at May 19, 2006 08:50 AM
Cathy: Could you or somebody else describe the "final scene" for me? The film as it was released in Britain finished with Elizabeth leaving Mr Bennet's study and Mr Bennet announcing that "If any young men come for Mary or Kitty send them in, because I am quite at leisure". My understanding is that the film as released in the US had another scene following this, but I have not seen it.
As far as the sense of sadness in the book, I think it is much more there in "Persuasion" than in the others. Possibly that's because Austen was older and sadder herself when she wrote it, probably knowing that she didn't have terribly long to live, and her own life had lacked some of what she wrote about. As the heroines who are at times not all that nice to the people who love them, I think that is much more what "Emma" is about.
Posted by: Michael Jennings at May 21, 2006 11:09 AM
Michael:
The American version of P&P ends with Lizzy and Darcy at night, I suppose in Pemberley, on a rock, surrounded by water. They exchange some romantic chatter, and then they exchange some chaste kisses.
Apparently, this was deemed far too risque for British audiences, but just right for us vulgar and romantic colonials.
Austen purists screamed bloody murder, but generally audiences go with the flow.
I'm a passionate moderate and I feel the scene works just fine. I see nothing wrong with a husband and wife kissing--even if it isn't in the book.
Posted by: Robert Avrech at May 21, 2006 12:08 PM