Illustration of Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy with neutral expressions on their faces

Pride and Prejudice

by Jane Austen

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Elizabeth's evolving perception of Darcy in Pride and Prejudice

Summary:

In Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth Bennet's perception of Mr. Darcy evolves significantly. Initially, she considers him proud and disagreeable, forming a dislike based on his dismissive remarks and his perceived interference in her sister Jane's romance. However, her views shift after learning of Darcy's true character and actions, such as aiding her sister Lydia and revealing the truth about Wickham. Visiting his estate, Pemberley, and witnessing his kindness further alter her opinion, leading her to appreciate and eventually fall in love with him.

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How does Elizabeth's bias towards Darcy change in Chapters 38-44 of Pride and Prejudice?

In Chapters 38 to 43, the chapter that best characterizes Elizabeth's developing change in bias towards Darcy is Chapter 40 in which Elizabeth finally gets a moment alone with Jane to tell her about Darcy's proposal and the letter revealing Wickham's character. It is in this chapter that Elizabeth openly confesses to Jane that, while at first she believed Darcy to be cruel and Wickham to be amiable, she now believes that Mr. Darcy is actually the blameless man. She further states, "There certainly was some great mismanagement in the education of those two young men. One has got all the goodness, and the other all the appearance of it" (Ch. 40).

However, it is not until Chapter 43 in which Elizabeth takes a tour of Pemberley with her Aunt and Uncle Gardiner that her mind becomes even more changed about Darcy. While touring Pemberley, she especially...

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has the opportunity toadmire Darcy's taste. For example, she notes that the banks of the river flowing in front of Pemberley House were "neither formal, nor falsely adorned" and that the natural beauty of the grounds had not been "counteracted by an awkward taste" (Ch. 43). She also has the opportunity to admire his taste with respect to the house's furnishings. While the rooms are large and expensively decorated, she also sees that the furnishings are "neither gaudy nor uselessly fine," like at Rosings (Ch. 43). Instead, the furniture is genuinely elegant. Seeing Darcy's taste certainly opens Elizabeth's heart up to better see his character; however, his housekeeper's praise of him best helps her to see Darcy with less bias. She has assumed that Darcy is the type of man who is always grumpy and out of sorts; however, the housekeeper claims that she "never had a cross word from him in [her] life" (Ch. 43). The housekeeper further asserts that, even when she knew Darcy as a boy, he had been the "sweetest-tempered, most generous-hearted, boy in the world" (Ch. 43). The housekeeper even contradicts others' opinion that Darcy is a proud man, saying that he only appears proud because "he does not rattle away like other young men" (Ch. 43).

If hearing his character described by Darcy's housekeeper is not enough to change Elizabeth's mind about Darcy, seeing him person is. Darcy even surprises her by asking to be introduced to her aunt and uncle. She observes that he is surprised to learn that they are some of her working class relations, but instead of turning away as she would have expected, he continues walking the grounds with them, conversing with Mr. Gardiner and inviting him to fish on the estate. He even asks her permission to introduce her to his sister. It is meeting and conversing with Darcy in this way, plus seeing the change in his behavior, that truly makes Elizabeth put an end to her biased opinions of Darcy.

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What were Elizabeth's initial impressions of Darcy and why did they change?

At the dance where she first meets Mr. Darcy, Elizabeth is sitting down because there are not enough male partners. She overhears Bingley urging Darcy to ask her to dance. Darcy says that Elizabeth is not pretty enough to tempt him. Elizabeth, naturally, is offended and thinks he is a arrogant jerk. She develops a dislike for him based on this first impression. She is determined from then on not to flatter the conceited man in any way. Of course, when she does not kowtow to him, he, naturally, falls in love with her. She then gets furious with him when she thinks he has broken up Jane and Bingley.

Elizabeth's view changes as she realizes that he is not the creep she had thought he was. He explains his reasons for thinking Jane and Bingley were not suited for one another (he thinks Jane does not really care much for Bingley), and he proves himself a good man when he helps bail Lydia out of her compromised situation with Wickham. Elizabeth also visits his estate, Pemberley, and realizes that it would be something to be mistress of such a place.

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Elizabeth first thought that Mr. Darcy was a proud, disagreeable man and she could not figure out why he would be friends with Mr. Bingley who is the exact opposite of that.  She also thought he was a snob.

While he is always a bit of a proud man, she eventually comes to see his kindness and his nobility through his actions towards his sister, towards her sisters (Jane and Lydia) as well as the way he comes to not only love her, but to respect her and see her as an equal as well.

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When did Elizabeth change her initial impression of Darcy in Pride and Prejudice?

In Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth changes her first impression of Darcy. At first, Elizabeth is not impressed with Darcy. She thinks he is a pompous, prideful man who has no personality. Later in the novel, Elizabeth changes her negative, first impression to a more favorable impression. After Elizabeth learns of Darcy's aiding Elizabeth's sister Lydia into a marriage with Wickham, Elizabeth is touched by Darcy's help. Lydia has disgraced the family by running away with Wickham. When Darcy provides the finances for Lydia and Wickham to get married, Elizabeth is forever grateful to Darcy. Darcy saved the family name for Elizabeth. Elizabeth now has a different impression of Darcy.

This is again demonstrated when Elizabeth confesses to Darcy how grateful she is for his unexplained kindness to her sister, Lydia. His reply, that he did this for her happiness alone, and that her family owes him nothing, shows his true respect and love for her.

Also, Elizabeth learns that Darcy corrects Bingley's idea that Jane was indifferent to Bingley. When Darcy informs Bingley to the fact that Jane did indeed care for him, Bingley decides to ask Jane to marry him. This creates much happiness for Jane. In turn, Elizabeth is delighted to see her sister so happy. No doubt, Elizabeth has a change of heart in reference to Darcy.    

Clearly, Elizabeth has fallen in love with Darcy. She is willing and ready to accept his second proposal of marriage. Elizabeth has seen that Darcy was willing to make great sacrifices of his pride to help make the situation better for Elizabeth and her family. He helps Wickham and Lydia, even though he had every right to scorn Wickham.

Truly, Elizabeth has realized Darcy's love for her. Elizabeth will definitely accept Darcy's second proposal of marriage.

The beautiful moment with the second proposal is a masterpiece of sentiment and refined taste. It is by far one of the most poignant moments in the novel.

Elizabeth has a new attitude toward Darcy. She has learned that he is genuine and cares for her deeply. She returns the sentiments and  marries Mr. Darcy. 

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