Pride and Prejudice

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1. 
   sullymonster Teacher
   Community / Jr. College

   When Elizabeth goes to Pemberley, she has already harshly declined Darcy's offer of marriage.  However, during her visit, Darcy is polite and attentive to herself and her relatives.  In addition, she learns from his sister, his housekeeper, and the townspeople that he is very well-respected and even beloved.  This is a new view of Darcy that both challenges Elizabeth's first prejudices but also supports what she learned of her misconceptions from his letter.

   Sources:

   http://www.enotes.com/pride

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   Posted by sullymonster on Thursday October 4, 2007 at 10:55 AM
   
   

2. 
   cmcqueeney Teacher
   High School - 11th Grade

   Elizabeth learns more about the truth of his character and the reality of Wickham's character as well. As she tours the grounds, the servant gives her a very favorable account of her master. She declares that many people think he is proud but says she has never seen any evidence of it even though she has known him since he was a boy. She does however, give a negative account of Wickham, and Elizabeth begins to realize she has been deceived by Wickham and has misinterpreted Darcy's actions.
   
   Darcy's surprise appearance further emphasizes this truth. He greets Elizabeth and her aunt and uncle very cordially and is very attentive to them. He inquires of their family, takes interest in what they have to say, and invites the uncle to come and fish on his property. The Gardners themselves are impressed by his manners. Darcy goes on to ask the privilege of introducing Elizabeth to his sister which would have been an extreme compliment to Elizabeth. In short, Elizabeth's total perception of Darcy flips to the opposite of what it previously had been.

   Sources:

   http://www.enotes.com/pride/volume-three-chapters-1-5-sum...

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   Posted by cmcqueeney on Thursday October 4, 2007 at 10:56 AM
   
   

3. 
   amiralaloca Student
   College - Freshman

   During her visit to Pemberley, Lizzy learns a lot about Darcy. Firstly, she, her aunt and her uncle speak to the housekeeper. She puts a different light on Darcy that other characters have, for example Wickham. She says that Darcy has never said a nasty word to her and is far from proud. This is the opposite of Lizzys first opinion of Darcy (prejudice). Darcy is different towards Lizzy when he sees her, which shows Lizzy that he is like the housekeeper says. She learns how kind he is to his sister, Georgiana.

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   Posted by amiralaloca on Saturday January 5, 2008 at 4:20 AM
   
   

4. 
   ringomelody Student
   High School - 12th Grade

   Symbolically the chapter shows 'natural beauty'; not grandoise or OTT (compare this to Rosings, for example). The physical, subtle and understated nature of the grounds shows Darcy's ''inherent'' natural beauty. When she sees his statue this is a revelation of his ''true'' self encapsulated.

   There was a sub-genre in the Regency period called 'Great Country House Literature' (Johnson, one of Austen's biggest influences, is included in this genre). It is based on the fact that a house is a 'microorganism' of the person who stays there. So despite his wealth and supposed snobbery he does relish natural, Enlightened beauty.

   Also some critics say that when Lizzy crosses the 'simple' bridge this can be interepreted as her 'crossing' over and defeating class boundaries towards him, eventually bringing them both together.

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   Posted by ringomelody on Tuesday January 15, 2008 at 9:01 AM
   
   

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