““I might as well inquire,” replied she, “why with so evident a design of offending and insulting me, you choose to tell me that you liked me against your will, against your reason, and even against your character? Was not this some excuse for incivility, if I was uncivil? But I have other provocations. You know I have. Had not my own feeling decided against you–had they been indifferent, or had they even been favourable, do you think that any consideration would tempt me to accept the man who has been the means of ruining, perhaps for ever, the happiness of a most beloved sister?”” – Elizabeth Bennet
The passage above seems to me to embody the strength of Elizabeth Bennet, in Jane Austen’s novel, Pride and Prejudice. Throughout the novel, Elizabeth stands out as a strong-willed girl, way beyond her time. The dialogue above is a heated argument between Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth. Mr. Darcy has asked for Elizabeth’s hand in marriage, and she has refused him, not only because of her dislike for him, but also because he separated her sister from a possible fiancé. In this time period, many women simply went along with whatever they were told. They wished to become ‘accomplished’ by learning to draw, embroider, read the modern languages, keep a household, etc. Often times whenever a young woman was proposed to, she married, even if the man was much older than she. Elizabeth was determined not be like all of the other women. She often times gave her opinion bluntly and with a biting remark.
In my opinion, Elizabeth’s ability to completely stand her ground and to express herself, even when she was caught completely off guard by Mr. Darcy, proves that she is a woman who will always tell her opinion on any situation. Her stubbornness throughout the novel is what makes her an enjoyable character to follow. I personally find Elizabeth to be one of my idols. She stands up for her family and friends at all times. Elizabeth loves her sister Jane like no other person ever could. She is constantly pushing Jane to expose her true feelings, and loves her gentle nature above all.
The quote above is also an important turning point in the novel. After the argument between Darcy and Elizabeth, Darcy writes Elizabeth a letter. This reveals a different side of Mr. Darcy that begins to sway Elizabeth in her feelings for him. I also had been along Elizabeth’s side throughout the novel in detesting Mr. Darcy with a passion. When I began to understand the information given to me, my heart warmed to the man of nothing but pride. As the truth spilled from the pages about Mr. Wickham and his plots to steal money, I instantly felt Darcy’s pain from the whole ordeal.
Pride and Prejudice is a novel full of gossip and romance. The argument between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy was a key factor in a very significant twist in the novel. (500)
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1 comment:
Deby,
That's an excellent passage to discuss, because, as you point out, it has importance to the novel as a whole in several ways. Elizabeth's attitude toward marriage is decidedly not in keeping with the times, when girls were most often persuaded that it was their duty and only real option to marry the men their parents wanted them to. But you also point out several other aspects of Lizzy's character as revealed in the passage. Her fierce devotion to her sister,her ability to express strong feelings eloquently, even a hint of foreshadowing that she is in part wrong about Mr. Darcy's motives. Nicely done.
LCC
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