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

Pride and Prejudice

by Jane Austen

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First Impressions in Pride and Prejudice

Summary:

In Pride and Prejudice, first impressions play a crucial role in character relationships. At the Meryton ball, Jane Bennet finds Mr. Bingley charming, while Elizabeth forms a negative view of Mr. Darcy, who dismisses her as "not handsome enough." Elizabeth's initial prejudice is fueled by Darcy's interference in Jane's romance and Mr. Wickham's deceitful tales. Mrs. Bennet's first impression is marked by her incessant matchmaking efforts, making her appear desperate and talkative.

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What were Jane and Elizabeth's first impressions of Bingley and Darcy in Pride and Prejudice?

It was at the community ball given in the town of Meryton, where Jane and Elizabeth's Aunt Philips (sister of their mother) lived, that the girls first met Bingley and Darcy. The Meryton Assembly ball participants were all excited because of the promised appearance of the new group in town. While Jane and Elizabeth had every reason to approve of Mr. Bingley--he danced and he danced with Jane repeatedly--they had reason for a different opinion about Mr. Darcy.

Not only would Darcy not dance, he would not converse. He stood stupidly talking only occasionally to Miss Bingley of his own party.

"Come, Darcy," [Bingley] said "I must have you dance. I hate to see you standing about by yourself in this stupid manner. You had much better dance."

Furthermore, Elizabeth had every reason to disapprove of Mr. Darcy because, not only did he declare all the young Meryton...

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women beneath his notice for beauty, he declared Elizabeth slighted by other men and "not handsome" enough to tempt his fancy.

Jane, of course, with her angelic disposition, was sure that Darcy was not as bad as he at first appeared and she was willing to forgive him and judge him only after a greater acquaintance. Elizabeth was keen to make an ironic mockery of him immediately and to playfully foster a prejudiced dislike of him from that moment onward.

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What are the main characters' first impressions of each other in Pride and Prejudice?

First impressions are what determine the initial course of the relationship between Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy.  It is his first impression of her family that puts Darcy in such great distress, because he finds her incredibly attractive and interesting, but must rule her out as a possible wife because her family is ill-mannered.

Elizabeth's first impressions of Mr. Darcy, that he thinks very highly of himself and very little of others, are also based on first impressions.  When she learns about his real personality, her attitude changes dramatically.

For example, Darcy convinces Bingley to abandon his courtship of Jane, because, Darcy perceives, through his first impressions of Jane, that she does not really care for his friend, so Bingley stops calling on Jane. When Elizabeth finds out about this, she is highly offended by Darcy's audacity in undermining her sister's happiness.

Mr. Wickham is another example of a mistaken first impression.  On the surface, at first glance, he appears to be a credible, honorable man, the Bennett girls find him very attractive.   Their impressions are based on a lie that Wickham tells about his relationship with Darcy, which in turn fuels Elizabeth's belief that Darcy is a cold, indifferent, snob.

Mr. Bennett, based on first impressions,  thinks that Darcy is a superior, selfish, heartless man who does not deserve his loving daughter, Elizabeth.  Mrs. Bennett thinks he is a disagreeable man, at first.

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What are your first impressions of a main character in Pride and Prejudice?

The first impression is invariably that of Mrs. Bennet, because she controls most of the first and second chapters of the novel.

Austen introduces the Bennet family in the beginning of the novel merely by opening the door to the ongoing conversation that Mrs. Bennet had apparently brought to her husband prior upon the visit of a Mr. Bingley, who bought a country home near Longbourne.

As it is known, men at that age who come to property automatically seek a wife later. Hence, the most prominent first impression we get is that of Mrs. Bennet herself.

She is obviously annoying, talks too much about the same thing, is uncontrollably chatty, is ignored by her husband completely, seems desperate to marry off her daughters, and wants to hold the first claim of Mr. Bingley to her daughter, Jane.

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